Shure VP-64A ENG Interview Microphone Review

 When I think about omnidirectional ENG interview microphones, there doesn’t seem to be a huge demand for new features or functionality. The handheld or ‘stick’ mics as they are often referred to are meant to be the simple, reliable and mostly idiot proof solution to capturing quality audio in even the worst of conditions. The industry standards have been in use for years now and have proven themselves to be reliable, day after day. So other than capturing some of the entry level market away from companies like Polsen (who coincidentally make a strikingly similar microphone to the VP-64) what did Shure hope to bring to the conversation with this <$100 budget offering? 

Out on the street, in adverse weather conditions, hostile social gatherings, and fast paced sporting events, it’s the predictable and reliable way utilize your minimal crew by giving the on-air talent the ability to participate in capturing quality audio. They are the ones often getting up close and into the action & you can’t always rely on a camera mounted shotgun mic. In real world situations, the camera needs to go where the best shot can be achieved and that typically puts it too far away from the talent to capture something like an interview.

So I ordered up a VP-64, hoping to give it a test and compare it to a few other industry standards. It didn’t quite go as I had hoped, but it proved an important point about taking the time to do tests with new gear before taking it out on a paid job. Here’s a quick video of how it all went down…. and no, I would not suggest that you rush out and buy this mic. I’d save up a bit more or buy used, one of the higher quality options, like the EV 635a, RE50b or one of Sennheiser’s MD series.