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A month ago, we saw Shure jump into the world of tiny mics. Initially, Rode kicked off this world with the Rode Wireless GO, and then DJI and a flurry of others joined in. For a while, Shure was missing from this world. But back to the present – it’s the time for NAB2024, and we can finally see if Shure’s late entry was worth the wait by taking a look at the Shure MoveMic ($249).
Shure MoveMic – Direct-to-Phone Output
Shure says that the Shure MoveMic is the world’s smallest dual-channel wireless lavalier solution available that supports direct-to-phone output. Naturally, it also supports regular cameras, too.
What does that mean, “Direct-to-phone output”? Well, in the past, one might have thought that it meant a digital USB connection, bypassing the preamps in your phone. But not here. Well, I mean, the receiver does that, too, but that’s not what we mean.
Direct-to-phone means that you don’t actually need the receiver. You simply buy the MoveMic One single-channel kit (buy here) or the MoveMic Two dual-channel kit (buy here), and you can pair them straight to your phone using the Shure MOTIV Video or Audio apps.
For smartphone filmmakers, this means your microphone is always paired. Always connected and ready to go. As soon as you unlock your phone, you can fire up the app, and you know it’s picking up the right microphone while you shoot video.
At least, that’s the promise that Shure seems to sell with the MoveMic. Shure isn’t going to stake their reputation on bad quality, but I’d be very curious to hear exactly how good this sounds vs other options on the market. I don’t doubt they’ve figured out how to get the quality with smartphone Bluetooth. I just need to hear it for myself.
Using a camera? The receiver’s separate
The two kits above don’t include a receiver. They connect directly to your smartphone. However, you’ll need a receiver to connect them to your mirrorless camera. Each of the single and dual-channel kits above also comes in receiver flavors.
So far, only the MoveMic Two Receiver Kit seems to be available to pre-order. However, Shure says that a MoveMic One Receiver Kit, including just a single microphone, will also become available.
The market for this appears to be primarily photojournalists. This is reflected in the design of the microphones, which are much less obtrusive in the shot than similar products from other brands. The subtle black-on-black design of the logo doesn’t draw attention to itself on camera.
I think, however, it won’t just be photojournalists who might benefit from these. I can see a lot of the TikTok, Shorts, Reels, and Stories crowd potentially going for these. Less obtrusive in the shot and ready to go as soon as they fire up their phone with no other hardware or wires?
Yeah, I can see how that would appeal. It would be an interesting one to try for regular filmmaking, although it would be much more difficult to hide than a traditional lav mic. For that, you might be better off doing things the old-fashioned way.
Price and Availability
The Shure MoveMic is currently available in three kits, with a fourth apparently on the way. Two kits are available without receivers. The Shure MoveMic One single-channel kit is available to buy now for $249. The Shure MoveMic Two dual-channel kit is available to buy now for $349.
Sponsor shout-out: A huge shout-out for our #NAB2024 gear sponsors. They pick up the bill so you can get amazing free content: Nanlite, ProGrade Digital, Sennheiser, SmallRig, Ugreen, YC onion
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