LAS VEGAS and NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Shure technology played a critical role during the broadcast productions of the 59th Annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

At the CMA Awards, Shure microphones and wireless systems delivered clear, reliable audio. The country music event’s production team relied heavily on Shure Axient Digital Wireless and PSM 1000 in-ear monitoring systems to deliver pristine sound to the crowd, artists and those tuning into the ABC-produced event around the world.

ATK provided wireless support with 34 channels of Axient Digital and 24 channels of PSM 1000 powering 116 belt packs per side, the company said.

“I still continue to be amazed by the rock-solid performance, operating range and tolerance to interference [of Axient Digital],” James Stoffo, RF coordinator for the CMA Awards, said. “One diversity set of antennas upstage center covered an entire arena from the stage to the back of house. When the transmitters were anywhere in the arena, I had completely pegged RF indication at the receivers. Exactly what you want to see.”

The show featured Shure KSM11 microphones for host duties and standout performances, including Luke Combs, who also paired the KSM11 for his collaboration with BigXthaPlug.

“I have been using the KSM11 for over three years for both speech and performance applications,” said Paul Wittman, production sound mixer for the CMA Awards. “They have a smooth, natural response and are consistent across many voices.”

Other artists relying on Shure Axient Digital and mic capsules included: Old Dominion and Megan Moroney, using a Shure SM58; Chris Stapleton, using a wired SM58; Riley Green, using a Beta 58A; Zach Top, using KSM9; Little Big Town, using the KSM11 and SM58; Ella Langley using the SM58; and Patty Loveless, using the SM58.

Latin Grammy Awards
This year’s Latin Grammy Awards saw Shure play key roles from the opening number, featuring Carlos Santana, to performances by Aitana, Alejandro Sanz and Karol G. Artists and the production team relied upon Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless Microphone System and the Axient Digital PSM In-Ear Monitor System

In addition to the main show, the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Awards and Latin Grammy Premiere were both supported entirely by Shure wireless, including Axient Digital Wireless and Axient Digital PSM In-Ear Monitoring Systems.

“The Latin Grammy Awards were a big success,” Univision Technical Manager Michael Karsch said. ”I attribute this to the professional audio crew and the support of Shure. Due to frequency limitations in Las Vegas, our Shure representative loaned us the new Axient Digital PSM system, which enabled us to provide an interference-free monitoring system for the talent. The talent loved the sound as well as the smaller belt pack. This made life easier and delivered a stress-free production.”

Production teams deployed eight channels of Axient Digital PSM for Stage A, while the rest of the show featured the trusted Shure PSM 1000. Wireless podium audio was delivered flawlessly using Shure AD3 transmitters, and announcers Maluma and Roselyn relied on Axient Digital systems paired with Shure KSM11 Cardioid Condenser Vocal Microphone capsules, Shure said.

“We had the opportunity to implement multiple channels of Digital PSM In Ear monitor systems,” said James Stoffo, RF coordinator for the Latin Grammy Awards. “The analog PSM RF spectrum was full of back-to-back DTV so I requested that we add as many Digital PSM channels as we could get our hands on. Everything went off splendidly and the monitor technicians were happy. The wide RF tuning range and audio quality, even in low RF signal conditions, makes the RF tech’s job so much easier. My intention is to specify the Digital PSMs on all future live productions.”

More information is available on the Shure website.

NASHVILLE—For more than a decade, TNDV: Television has provided live production support for the CMA Awards, working directly with media outlets onsite to support live coverage. That consecutive string continued for the 53rd Annual CMA Awards, which were presented Nov. 13, 2019, at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

TNDV’s technical responsibilities are focused less on the main event and more on supplying the equipment, infrastructure and crew to support surrounding production activities. This includes the ever-popular “Red Carpet” event, previously held outdoors.

This year, the Country Music Association (CMA) opted to move the event indoors at the nearby Music City Center, to avoid weather-related distractions that have marred years past. The transition threw us a curve ball heading into the event—we were now tasked with managing signal transport between two buildings across different city blocks, without any feasible way to run cable.

FORGING CONNECTIONS

We explored dark fiber as a viable transport option, and discovered a fiber interconnect between the two buildings. We calculated our fiber strand requirements and reasoned we would need 10 to get the job done. While technically possible, the expense for each strand far exceeded the production budget. We were given clearance for a single strand, and turned to MultiDyne’s FiberSaver.

The FiberSaver optical multiplexer can combine up to 18 HD-SDI feeds or optical signals of any wavelength onto a single strand. This architecture offered the solution for our “Red Carpet” event requirements: The ability to transmit and receive multiple signals between the two venues, while keeping the CMA on budget.

FiberSaver accommodated multiple video feeds (nine transmits, nine receives) available to media outlets before, during and after the event. Media outlets could choose from generic step and repeat feeds, limo arrivals, press room feeds and ABC’s network feed, and do so from any location between the two buildings. Traditional fiber hardware would require a strand of fiber per video feed in each direction, but FiberSaver carried all video feeds bidirectionally. The TNDV crew also leveraged Fiber-Saver to transport a bidirectional IP data feed, which allowed us to remotely control several robotic cameras.

AN EASY FIT

Setup was quick and straightforward. The FiberSaver offers a compact footprint and fits on tabletops inside each video village. We added each FiberSaver to a road case, prepared our SMPTE single-mode fiber interconnects and leveraged a custom-built BNC patch panel to manage inputs and outputs as they transitioned from fiber and copper. These simple connections allow the FiberSaver to work its magic and transport a clean multiplex between the two units. There is no need to recompress signals, as everything remains in the digital domain. FiberSaver provided a consistent digital signal for all 18 feeds, with no packet data loss or degradation.

We rely on MultiDyne for many of our live production needs, and use its SMPTE HUT transceivers and other fiber conversion gear. The FiberSaver’s level of reliability for the CMA Awards gives us the confidence we need to support optical multiplexing for today’s largest live productions and broadcast events.

Nic Dugger is the executive vice president of mobile production for TNDV: Television. He can be reached atnic@tndv.com.

For more information on MultiDyne, visit www.multidyne.com.