For IT managers and technology directors, designing a unified communications (UC) space often feels like walking a line between flexibility and control. Every room has its quirks. There are different microphones, displays, cameras, and control platforms. And all of these are expected to work seamlessly. Shure’s new Foundation System aims to simplify that balance by giving organizations a way to modernize meeting rooms without abandoning their existing AV investments.
Bridging Old and New
At its core, the Foundation System is a compute appliance and touch controller. It’s essentially the brain of the UC room kit. All of it is built around Shure’s established IntelliMix DSP platform. What makes it distinct is its ability to connect with a wide range of third-party devices.
As Josh Blalock, Shure’s Director of UC Ecosystem and Engagement, explained, “It’s the same computer and touch panel you’d find in a complete room kit, but that’s all it is.” The value comes when customers already have Shure audio in their environment. Whether that’s MXA arrays, ceiling mics, or 920 speakers.
That approach provides a bridge for organizations that already have Shure gear installed but need to bring those spaces up to date with modern collaboration platforms and AI-driven meeting tools. Instead of forcing an all-or-nothing upgrade, the Foundation System lets teams mix existing audio with their choice of camera, display, or UC platform.
For large campuses or enterprises managing dozens, or hundreds, of rooms, that flexibility translates into lower refresh costs and fewer vendor lock-ins.
Simplifying Without Limiting
Blalock emphasized that the Foundation System isn’t meant to replace the role of integrators or in-house AV teams, it’s about creating consistency and confidence for IT staff who may not specialize in DSP configuration.
“End users don’t need to program a DSP,” he said. “They just need to understand why having it built in matters. It’s about ensuring intelligibility and reliability across every meeting room.”
That built-in DSP, powered by Shure’s IntelliMix technology, means audio processing happens locally on the system, minimizing latency and ensuring a consistent experience across platforms. For organizations standardizing on Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, or Google Meet, that predictability is key.
By taking care of audio processing internally, Shure lets IT managers focus on managing the network and endpoints rather than fine-tuning audio paths or troubleshooting echo in individual rooms.
Partnership with Microsoft MDEP
Another piece of the Foundation System story ties into Microsoft’s MDEP (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform), a new Android-based framework for certified Teams Room solutions. Shure was among the first manufacturers to join the program, a move Blalock said was driven by customer demand for simplicity and security.
“MDEP takes the guesswork out of Android,” he explained. “It puts the responsibility for updates, certification, and security squarely on Microsoft, something enterprise IT teams already trust. For Shure, that lets us focus on the hardware and user experience, knowing that the operating system and security are handled consistently.”
That standardization matters in large deployments. As organizations look to unify their meeting room platforms, being able to manage firmware, updates, and compatibility across multiple locations simplifies administration and reduces risk.
Starting from the Top Down
While many UC manufacturers enter the market by targeting smaller “huddle rooms,” Shure has taken the opposite approach. The company’s strategy has been to start with the most complex environments and scale down from there. That means divisible rooms, auditoriums, and large lecture halls are the foundation and you can move down from there.
“Most companies start at the small end with soundbars and work their way up,” Blalock said. “Shure began by solving for the biggest and most difficult spaces first. That means we’ve already mastered audio in the toughest environments, and now we’re filling in the rest of the portfolio to meet every room size.”
For higher education and enterprise organizations, that “top-down” approach resonates. Large divisible spaces are often the hardest to standardize and the most visible when something goes wrong. Starting with those high-stakes rooms allows Shure to establish credibility at the complex end of the spectrum, then apply that expertise to smaller spaces where standardization is easier.
Evolving the Role of the Integrator
The conversation around simplicity inevitably leads to the question of where integrators fit in a world of plug-and-play systems. Blalock acknowledged that challenge but sees opportunity in new service models rather than a threat.
“As systems become easier to install, the value shifts toward management, monitoring, and ongoing service,” he said. “Integrators are adapting by layering in managed services and support, and that’s something Shure continues to enable through our cloud management tools.”
That alignment matters for IT leaders, too. Instead of treating integration as a one-time project, more organizations are adopting ongoing AV-as-a-service models that keep systems patched, monitored, and optimized long after installation.
A Portfolio, Not a Pivot
Perhaps the most important takeaway from Shure’s current UC strategy is that these new offerings aren’t meant to replace the company’s legacy products, they extend them.
“When customers see new announcements from us,” Blalock said, “we want them to understand that these aren’t pivots. They’re additions to a powerful portfolio that continues to grow in different directions.”
That continuity is crucial in an industry where technology refresh cycles are shortening but reliability expectations remain high. For organizations investing in UC infrastructure, knowing that new platforms build on proven technology can make the difference between testing a product and standardizing on it.
Looking Ahead
Shure’s Foundation System reflects a broader trend in unified communications: modularity and flexibility over monolithic “kits.” For IT and higher education decision-makers, it’s a model that fits the real-world reality of mixed environments, spaces that combine old and new, standardized platforms with unique user needs.
By anchoring that approach in audio expertise and enterprise partnerships, Shure is positioning itself not just as another endpoint manufacturer, but as a strategic ally in simplifying how organizations communicate.
