Shure Incorporated

NILES, IL, August 2011—Shure Incorporated today announced that the production engineering team behind SModcast Internet Radio (SIR) selected Shure’s industry-proven SM27 Multi-Purpose and 55SH Series II Unidyne® Vocal microphones for use in its weekly “Jay & Silent Bob Get Old” and “Plus One Per Diem” broadcasts. Offering reliable and unparalleled speech and vocal performance, the Shure microphones play a critical role in bringing live shows to stage as well as live broadcasts and studio-recorded radio podcasts, or “SModcasts,” to air. Hosted by Kevin Smith and respective co-hosts Jason Mewes and Jen Schwalbach, the shows entertain an average of 300,000 nationwide listeners per week.

Ming Chen, Head of Technology for SIR, said, “We used another brand’s microphones when the podcast network first started four years ago; and since switching to Shure’s SM27 and 55SH microphones, our listeners can tell a huge difference in audio quality. With more than 80 episodes under our belt, Shure’s microphones have boosted the production value of our content, setting a new bar for podcasting today.”

For “Smodcast,” the rule is that there are no rules, as long as the technology behind-the-scenes captures every joke and off-color comment exactly as the duos intended. To accomplish this, the production team equipped studio offices on the East and West Coast with an assortment of Shure microphones. The Los Angeles-based studio, outfitted with six SM27 microphones, currently operates out of Kevin’s private home. Every Wednesday audiences get a unique glimpse into the lives of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, as the two recount their shared experiences from their 20-year-plus friendship.

When asked why he uses Shure, Kevin Smith amusingly said, “For vocal samurai, the microphone is our sword—and I’ll face an army as long as I’m wielding a Shure.  Shure mics are the Hanzo Swords of the speaking world.”  Chen added, “The Shure SM27s have been more than great—just delivering fantastic sound quality out of Kevin’s home set-up. While this started as a grassroots initiative, today it is very much a professional operation, and our listeners expect premium sound and clarity with all broadcasts.”

Chad Wiggins, Category Director for Wired Products, at Shure, explained, “We’re seeing a rise in podcast activity as consumer behavior shifts more and more to emerging online content-delivery platforms. Our microphones, like all of our products, endure rigorous testing across the board to ensure that customers get the quality and exceptional performance synonymous with the Shure name, regardless of their stage—or in this case, podcast recording studio.”

In addition to the downloadable podcasts, audiences can catch other Shure products, including seven Shure Beta 58A and three Shure SM57 microphones in action on-stage at The Jon Lovitz Podcast Theatre, where Kevin Smith and company present no-holds-barred live shows.