Review of the
Electro-Voice RE20
Classic Mic for Radio and Broadcast
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| Alternative
Broadcast Mics |
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Shure SM7B Dynamic Cardioid Studio Vocal Microphone |
| The SM7B dynamic microphone has a smooth,
flat, wide-range frequency response appropriate for music and
speech in all professional audio applications. It features
excellent shielding against electromagnetic hum generated by
computer monitors, neon lights, and other electrical devices.
The SM7B has been updated from earlier models with an improved
bracket design that offers greater stability. In addition to
it's standard windscreen, it also includes the A7WS windscreen
for close-talk applications. |
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Sennheiser
MD421II Dynamic Cardioid Microphone |
| This Sennheiser microphone is a low-impedance
(200 ohms) balanced output unit terminating in a standard 3-pin
XLR-type connector. It features rugged professional construction and
a 5-position bass roll-off switch. |
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Just ask leading radio announcers
which mics they prefer. Ask Rush Limbaugh, who I saw on the news the
other night, speaking through a gold-plated RE20. Whether or not you
agree with his politics, there is no disputing his taste in microphones.
The RE20 is part of a larger RE product line by Electro-Voice, which includes
the RE10, 11, 15,16, 27N/D, 38 N/D, 50, 55, 85, 200 and 410 and 510.
Whew! Are there more? Probably. The RE20 and 27 are
most known as broadcast microphones.
Its not hard to see why the RE20 has such
acclaim. All you have to do is record yourself through one. For my
voice, which is in the baritone range, I can say I love this mic's sound.
It feels good too, made of steel, heavier than the average mic to my hand, an
oh such a funky look with it's wide diameter. A true classic.
ElectroVoice
RE20 Classic Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
Industry Standard Variable-D dynamic cardioid
microphone is a favorite among broadcasters and sound engineers worldwide. The
Variable-D design and heavy-duty, internal P-pop filter reduce proximity
effect while the internal element shock mount reduces vibration-induced noise.
Bass roll-off switch.
Subjective Impression
When I heard myself through an RE20 it was
kind of cool. We have all heard the RE20 before because it is used on so
many broadcasts. For me, it struck a subliminal chord somewhere.
Of course I had to try all sorts of preamp settings and compressor settings,
run it through EQ and effects, gates, vocoders, pitch transformers to see how
it held up. It did well. There was plenty of signal to tweak with
and the raw audio was good strong and smooth.
Details
OK, lets get to the details about the RE20
and show how it fits in with the rest of the microphone options. The EV
RE20 is dynamic microphone in a fixed cardioid pattern. That is
the "heart shaped" pattern that rejects sounds from the back while capturing
them from the front and the front left and right. The range of the mic
is stated as 45-18Khz and is generally flat with a slight peak around 9kHz.
There is no pad on the RE20, though there is a bass rolloff switch which
starts its downward slope around 300HZ. Being a dynamic mic, the RE20
does not need phantom power. However, it does need a fair amount of gain
at the preamp, about 55-60 db which is about the same as the Shure SM57.
Be wary if you have audio interfaces and mixers that can't cough up that much
juice.
Electro-voice says the RE20's Variable-D
technology helps keep the proximity effect under control. Unlike common
dynamic mics, you can get very close to the mic and will hear very little bass
boost. Hence, radio broadcast engineers and announcers favor them.
In my tests I fount that to be true. The mic remains clear sounding no
matter how close you get. And you can get very close, to the point where
your lips are touching the mic Its also a quiet mic in terms of
handling noise. It controls sibilance well. Its not easy to pop a
"P" and ruin the track. Thanks to its cardiod characteristics, its a
fairly quiet mic in terms of ambient noise too. Even at +66db gain, it does not pick up a
lot of room sound. If you want to pick up some room tone with your
voice, kick in a compressor.
The mic has other applications beside
broadcast. Electro-voice's manual says "ideal for instrument recording,
especially kick drums and acoustic guitars." Many people think of
it as one of the best mics for hip hop, rap and spoken word style vocals. I'm pretty confident it
could do well with a lot of things.
RE20 vs. MD421
Probably a good comparison for the RE20 would
be the Sennheiser MD421. For voice over I think the RE20 slightly edges
out the MD421. However, for singing, sometimes you want a little bit of
the proximity effect. The MD421 lets you dial in as much as you want,
whereas the RE20 the proximity effect is nearly absent by design. So
consider that, if you are stuck on that one. And check out
my
review of the MD421.
RE20 vs. Shure SM7b
Make sure to read my
review of the
SM7b. For broadcast and voice applications, the SM7b has the look,
feel and sound of professional quality. I love that big windscreen.
Yet there is something classic in the sound of the RE20 that the others
can't quite match, as subjective as that sounds. It's the sonic
"signature", perhaps. The SM7b has a fixed rolloff, perhaps not as
effective as the MD421. You can get very close to all three mics.
The SM7b does have a pad, so it, like the MD421, can be used on a drum kit
very close to the drum head.
Who should get an RE20?
The RE20 is a classic mic with a signature
sound. if you are doing radio podcasts or voice over for video, this mic
will be hard, if not impossible, to beat. Just make sure you have a
strong preamp. Because of this, its probably not well suited for a entry level
studio with compromised preamps. I think it is more for the intermediate
and advanced studio. For a pro studio its one of those things you have
to have.
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