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R/E/P => R/E/P Archives => Budget? Budget? We Don't Got No Steekin' Budjet => Topic started by: hebjam on April 23, 2008, 12:23:03 AM

Title: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: hebjam on April 23, 2008, 12:23:03 AM
I just got one or these in great looking condition but used.
I have always used a Beta 58 for vocals and upon plugging this one in i noticed a very strong lower mid content. I mean that's all you hear. I have to cut 10 db of 300 hz to use it. Is there a problem with it?
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Galil on April 23, 2008, 11:34:44 AM
Sounds like a strange problem.  My RE-20s are very smooth and have less proximity boost / "bass funkiness" than most of my other cardioid microphones. Do you have the ability to hear a different RE-20, to compare?  A few ideas:

Does this happen only when you are within 3" of the microphone?

Does the room have a build up in this frequency range?

Is it possible that the foam on the inside of the microphone is turning to glue so that the upper end frequencies are not making it through, therefore causing the low mids to seem excessive?  I believe that the outside/front casing does screw off if you grab both ends.  All the usual "be careful" warnings apply.

Good luck with this.

Galil


Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: hebjam on April 23, 2008, 01:44:56 PM
When I got it I opened it up and the foam looked fine. If i compare to the Beta 58 it is really low mid heavy, just crazy. A totaly different sound. There's no way I can use it un-eqed.
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Galil on April 23, 2008, 02:52:35 PM
I get it.  The SM-58s tend to sound scooped in the lower mids, to me.  I agree that the RE-20 is a very different microphone than the SM-58 family. The RE-20 was often used as a broadcast microphone at radio stations, where a warm presence was welcome.  I was a bit thrown when you mentioned a 10 db cut with eq, I don't think it is that warm. The RE-20 will not have an upper midrange boost that SM-57/58 users are accustomed to.  Some parts you record will need additional cut, others need to sit back in the track.  Have you tried the RE-20 for background vocals?  It is also great on kick drums, horns, and on instruments which need a bit of their upper midrange softened.  Different brushes for different parts of the painting.

Nothing works on everything. Are you happy with the Beta 58 for your vocals? What would you like more (or less) of that caused you to look for another microphone?  I am a baritone, the RE-20 has worked great on my voice when the track is acoustic and not too dense.  If I need more cut, I'll move to a large diaphragm condenser or a dynamic with a midrange push and severe low frequency roll-off.

I think that the SM-58s tend to work better on tenors. Audix OM-5s work better for me live.

Galil
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: wwittman on April 23, 2008, 11:32:46 PM
You're not blocking the "vents" along the body in any way, are you?
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: tom eaton on April 24, 2008, 02:03:13 AM
The RE-20 is side-address, right?

Kidding... I have 3 and they all sound different, tolerances are pretty wide (I have a chart here somewhere and it's WAY wider than you'd think in terms of what "passes" as "spec").

After going through what I've gone through, I would never, ever, buy a used RE20.  By the time you find out the foam is shot and the capsule is toast you'll have more into the thing to repair it than it would cost to buy a new one.

-tom
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: hebjam on April 24, 2008, 07:37:28 AM
I think I can eq it to be ok ( And I finally realized the switch on the damn thing) But the real issue is I find there is a strange kind of 'honk' that happens. Certain words will suddenly pop out with a very boxy tonality. Compression seemed to help but not really. And by the time I cut out those low mids, I get hiss. More than I'm used to.
Where do send these for repair and what is the cost?
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Dominick on April 24, 2008, 09:00:55 AM
EV repair costs have gone through the ceiling.
Before you assume it's broken, borrow another one to compare it to.

Many of your "criticisms" describe an RE20's sound exactly.
If a Beta 58 works for you on vocals, I'm not surprised you don't like the RE20.
Almost always satisfying on a bass amp & trumpet.
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: gevermil on April 27, 2008, 11:31:34 AM
I think most EV mics Ive heard ( Except the RE55 ) Are big in the midrange . After using shure dynamics and cheapo condensers for awhile ev mics sound rolled off and honky - but once you build a mix with them and eq a little  it a great smooth sound .
well , in my opinion .  
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: maarvold on May 02, 2008, 12:30:27 PM
I don't know if the RE20 and the RE15 share the same capsule or not.  I would characterize my RE15's as 'chunky', but I wouldn't say they are excessive in the 300-400 area.  
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: MagnetoSound on October 15, 2008, 11:20:50 AM
I have just reassembled an RE20 after replacing the foam.

Now, bearing in mind that I didn't really listen to this mic before I started (other than to ascertain that it was working at all), I am slightly surprised at what seems to be a rather low sensitivity.

The spec is quite low, only 1.5mV/Pa so perhaps everything is as it should be. I have only used these before on loud sources, so I don't really have a comparison to make insofar as speaking into it.

Everything I've read in this thread so far seems to fit but I expected a bit more level out of it.



Dan
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Jim Williams on October 15, 2008, 11:55:30 AM
The results you get with a RE-20 are somewhat dependent on the preamp/loading. When I use it with a very fast solid state transformerless mic preamp with a higher input impedance, I hear a very smooth reponse. I hear no mid range build up. If anything, it sounds more like a condenser mic than any other dynamic I've used, if the loading is light and the preamp is transparent. Load it into a 1200 ohm transformer and all that will change.
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: MagnetoSound on October 15, 2008, 12:04:48 PM
Thanks for the info, Jim,

The preamp in question is a 1066, which is indeed at 1200 ohms, but would this account for the low level?

Considering that the mic is wired for 150 ohms output, shouldn't it be able to cope with a 1200 ohm load?

I'm thinking maybe this is just how they are - unless someone tells me it's not the case.

Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Jim Williams on October 16, 2008, 11:08:26 AM
1200 ohms into a reactive load (transformer) will reduce air and bandwidth of the mic and cause other reactions with frequency variations. These do have a rather low output but that's not a problem if the mic pre has a -129 db EIN noise spec or better. Neve's won't do that so you will get some hiss on top of the resonances. Try a faster, transformerless mic pre with a good EIN spec. I find that makes all the difference in the world on this great dynamic mic.
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: MagnetoSound on October 16, 2008, 11:14:07 AM
Jim Williams wrote on Thu, 16 October 2008 16:08

These do have a rather low output but that's not a problem if the mic pre has a -129 db EIN noise spec or better.




10-4.  Smile

Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Tim Padrick on October 19, 2008, 03:52:15 AM
At what distance are you using the mics?  Here's the curves for a Beta58 at various distances:
http://www.padrick.net/LiveSound/Proximity.jpg
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: Jim Williams on October 19, 2008, 12:39:55 PM
Those Shure curves show proximity effect from cardiode patterns. The RE-20 is unique in that it has no proximity effect even though it's a cardiode pattern. That's what makes it a great kick drum mic, you move the mic around and the low end remains consistant.
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: panman on February 18, 2009, 08:25:21 PM
MagnetoSound wrote on Wed, 15 October 2008 18:04



The preamp in question is a 1066, which is indeed at 1200 ohms, but would this account for the low level?

Considering that the mic is wired for 150 ohms output, shouldn't it be able to cope with a 1200 ohm load?

I'm thinking maybe this is just how they are - unless someone tells me it's not the case.




Dan, I did not se this back then, but if this thing still bothers you(or anyone else), there is a simple solution:

RE20 is the same as PL20,the only difference beeing RE20 having a bit more open a reflector in front of the diaphragm. I have both and sonically they are identical too. They are factory-wired to 150ohms, but you can change that easily to 50ohms or 250ohms. I wired mine to 250ohms and have much higher level. Your 1200ohms preamp will handle it without a problem too.

Here is what to do: pull out the XLR and screw off the bolt holding the rear of the mic to reveal the trafo-solderings. You will see the red wire on place, where it says 150ohms. Remove it and solder it to the place, where it says(guess what)250ohms. That`s all! Put the thing together and enjoy more level!

Regards,
       Esa



Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: gevermil on February 24, 2009, 09:52:38 PM
Hmmmm . Is this an option on other EV Mics ?
Title: Re: EV RE20- wicked bump at 300-400 HZ ? ?
Post by: piedpiper on December 06, 2009, 08:00:42 PM
I would think that, although you will get more level going from 150 ohms to 250 ohms, you might loose a bit of low end punch with that impedance relationship. Over 1800 ohms would be a better input impedance for the 250 ohms of the mic.