Shure Debuts the First Digital Array Microphone Tailored for Broadcast

	"The DCA901 changes the way we approach mixing. The biggest difference is its ability to capture larger moments in a sequence rather than just a snapshot."

Shure has launched the DCA901 planar array microphone, designed for sports, studio, and live event production. It is the first product in the company's new Arqos portfolio, intended to bring together array microphones, signal processing, and software to deliver cleaner and more precise audio acquisition, remote management, and greater efficiency for productions.

"The DCA901 can completely change workflows in any broadcast sport because it provides ultimate capture flexibility and allows you to change things in an instant if needed," says Dave Grundtvig, senior audio supervisor, remote operations. "It won't compromise any element of the show. I deployed them in an NBA game and was completely shocked at the amount of coverage: that two arrays could cover the whole NBA floor. I would have needed twelve mics to try to capture the same thing. It was unbelievable."

Available next year, DCA901 replaces traditional workflows and complex setups with a streamlined, high-fidelity solution. "Conventional methods for capturing audio have become increasingly complex as broadcast production standards and audience expectations continue to rise," says Nick Wood, associate vice president of global marketing and product management. "With DCA901, audio engineers can now do more with less, delivering sound that pulls viewers even closer to the action with fewer microphones and cables."

DCA901 advances immersive experiences and multichannel audio by capturing previously elusive elements like talent dialogue and on-set or on-field movements. Its digitally steerable lobes isolate voices and action, minimizing crowd noise and bleed. It provides wider coverage than analog sources and delivers up to eight isolated channels. Additionally, it can simultaneously and seamlessly capture 5.1 and stereo conversion, supporting both modern and traditional broadcast formats.

The product is billed as providing full command of the audio environment with real-time digital tools that can adapt instantly. Integrated DSP with automixing, EQ, compression, and delay deliver consistent quality audio with minimal post-processing.

Its digitally steerable lobes can replace multiple shotgun or parabolic mics, reducing complexity and on-site setup time. A single-cable Dante or AES67 connection simplifies routing and reduces cable infrastructure, combining audio, power, and control into one source. Remote control capabilities allow audio professionals to adjust pickup zones without on-site intervention, while also supporting REMI workflows and alternate feeds with flexible routing. The low-profile, all-black design blends seamlessly into stadiums, studios, and mobile sets without disrupting camera-ready environments.

Shure is collaborating with EDGE Sound Research to pair DCA901 with the startup's Virtual Sound Engine software. Working in tandem, the two tools adapt in real-time to follow the movement of players, referees, or the ball, individually or in combination. Together, DCA901 and Virtual Sound Engine reveal moments that were once buried in the mix.

"Using Shure's DCA901 in live sports enables the pairing of world-class capture with our Virtual Sound Engine to advance the future of sports storytelling," says Valtteri Salomaki, co-founder/CEO of EDGE Sound Research. "Together, we are moving beyond static mixes into dynamic, object-based broadcasts that bring fans closer to the game and enhance the live viewing experience."

The Shure DCA901 will be available next year, at shure.com/DCA901.

Visit Shure on the IBC 2025 show floor at Booth 8.C32 to explore DCA901 and to learn more about the company's vision for the future.

"The audience sounded so natural and present, some people assumed it was pre-recorded. That's how real it felt. The DCA901 was our primary capture source, and it gave us a clean, balanced sound that made the entire mix more immersive," says Ian Vysick, AMV audio development specialist.

"While the sound of the microphone was, in my opinion, much different than what I am used to with my parabs, I would have to say that it is better. The sound that I was hearing was a more natural replication of a wooden bat hitting a baseball. It had more definition to it, and I would have to say captured the sound of the ball hitting the bat better than the current parabolic microphones," says Brian Robertson, broadcast audio engineer for MLB, NBA, NHL, and PGA.

"The DCA901 changes the way we approach mixing. The biggest difference is its ability to capture larger moments in a sequence rather than just a snapshot. It allows you to think about where the action is leading and where it will end, instead of merely capturing a single moment in time," says Martin Farrelly, broadcast audio engineer for MLB, NBA, NHL, and UFC.