New Products, P. 10, 40

mar ch 2011 | volume 17 | issue 3
studio | live | broadcast | contracting | post

Pro Audio Review

The Review Resource for Sound Professionals

INSIDE:

1 Color - 0 Cyan / 100 Magenta / 99 Yellow / 4 Black
echnically Speaking: T Paints and Brushes udio Sense: The St Upside of Limitations

Electro-Voice

RE320 A Classic

Updated

Apogees

Mighty Mini

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Focal XS Satellite Focusrite ISA 428 MkII Focusrite OctoPre Dynamic MkII Sescom IL-19 Extreme Hum Fighter

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studio review

by Rob Tavaglione

Electro-Voice RE320 Premium Dynamic Microphone
E-Vs updated version of the venerable RE20 is a certifiable rockin hit.
The Electro-Voice (E-V) RE20 is a must-know microphone for every audio professional. After all, nearly every broadcaster in America owns between two and 20. They are regularly placed in front of kick drums, bass and guitar cabs, not to mention the majority of radio/ TV announcers. The RE20 could arguably be one of the most popular microphones ever, neck-and-neck with the ubiquitous Shure SM57.
Thus, we will review the RE20s modern update, the E-V RE320, in a purely comparative manner, to help you decide if its right for you and your own applications. For an even broader perspective, lets also throw in real world comparisons with its sibling microphone, the E-V RE27. Features Aesthetically, the RE320 looks very much like an RE20 featuring that striking, classic vented chassis with an updated look due to its black semi-gloss finish. As in the E-V RE27, neodymium magnets are present, though switchable high-pass filters present in the RE20 and RE27 are not. Another significant difference of the RE320 is its selectable EQ filter voiced for kick drum miking, which offers a low-mid frequency scoop. In Use I first tried the RE320 in a live environment, inside a number of kick drums at a Charlotte rock club, with filter engaged. Its performance in a word? Punch. The RE320 translated a lean bottom, plenty of high-mid bass drum shell tone and a well
Selected Audio Clips: Electro-Voice RE320
Visit the link below to hear the various audio clips referenced in Robs review of the RE320 Ed.
proaudioreview.com/evre320
and sculpted mids from the RE320 is notable, while the Beta 91 offers pronounced top. On loud electric guitar, the RE320 does a fine job; it offers more bottom than a SM57, less high-mids and more muscle through the low mids. High SPL is no problem for the RE320 and, to my ears, it seems more faithful than colored in direct comparison to the SM57. Where one might normally use a Sennheiser MD 421 on guitar, the RE320 will excel with more flatness and more excitement. Understandably, the kick drum filter was all wrong on this app, as it removed precious tone. For a broadcasting applications test, I pulled in the big guns. With the help of onair personality Divakar Shukla and station engineer Dave Mitchell, we ran the RE320 through a gamut of broadcast tests at the 100 kW WEND FM in Charlotte. The RE320 and an RE20 were placed three inches apart and three inches from Divakar: in an equilateral triangle, directly on-axis, with no
defined thwack. The venues FOH engineer said he liked it, as it offered more highs than a Beta 52. Onstage, the monitors loved it; my biamped monitor rig there is huge, and the RE320s absence of flab way down low made for the tightest, punchiest onstage kick that I can recall. In the studio, I found the RE320 to have a sonic signature best suited for rock recording, where higher-end note definition is arguably as crucial as thump and the fundamental. In order to create audio clips for my evaluation (and for PARs valued readers), I placed the RE320 inside a 22-inch Pork Pie kick drum (with damping rings on heads, but no pillows or blankets inside), but obviously no other mic could fit through the resonant heads small hole. I did sneak in a Shure Beta 91 (also a favorite for rock kick), placing it in the bottom center of the drum, for less than coincident, but very usable, placement. In webclips 1A and 1B, the additional bottom
Rob Tavaglione owns and operates Catalyst Recording in Charlotte, NC.
34 ProAudioReview | March 2011 www.proaudioreview.com
well as webclips 5A (RE320 with pop filters employed. Technically filter) and 5B (RE27). Divakar improper (as most announceven says of the RE320, Thats ers angle themselves across the the way Im supposed to sound. mic head, preventing plosives and excessive mouth noise), this placement was required for Summary accuracy in evaluation; some Assuming you like the popping Ps may also be inforRE20, you cant go wrong with mative about the mics plosive the RE320 at $299 street. Its performances. additional bottom end seems We found the RE320 to have a useful on both kick and VOs; little more bottom than a RE20, its top end is just as smooth with some scooping at 300 to and broadcast-worthy as the 800 Hz and nearly the same top RE20; its Variable D proximend (RE320 and RE20, webclips ity effect control is tuned just 2A and 2B, respectively). Divakar Divakar Shukla of Charlottes WEND 106.5 FM evaluates the new RE320 right; and the RE320 can hanand Dave loved the RE320 and alongside the original RE20. dle all the abuse of rock n roll. became further enthused when Throw in its eminently useful they heard the RE320 with the kick filter output than the RE20 or RE320), the RE20 mid-scoop filter (that is equally at home engaged (webclip 3A) in direct comparison has less top end and flatter mids; the RE320 on kick and voice) and it seems the to the RE20 (webclip 3B). Both commented sounded a lot like a RE27, at least with its RE320 is a black beauty of a RE20, with how the RE320 with filter sounded more kick filter engaged. Nonetheless, Divakar lots more versatility and nary a negative. finished, as if we had our usual processing and Dave still ultimately preferred the turned on, they said. [These webclips are RE320 with kick filter over the RE27, citing Price: $499 list its fullness and warmth, further revealed Contact: Electro-Voice | 800-392-3497 | unprocessed Ed.] Compared to the RE27 (with a hotter in webclips 4A (RE320) and 4B (RE27) as electrovoice.com