Electro-Voice RE20 Review | 76 Data compared

The Electro-Voice RE20 is heavily praised as an industry-standard broadcast dynamic microphone that delivers exceptional, reliable audio quality. Reviewed at a $399 price point, its standout technical feature is the Variable-D response, which minimizes the proximity effect to keep the sound uniform and clear even if the speaker moves around. Sonically, the reviewer describes its performance as deep, rich, and neutral. The microphone's robust electrical design utilizes a humbucking coil inside a tank-like metal casing, making it highly immune to electromagnetic RF interference typically found around radio transmitters. The review explicitly outlines several key advantages and drawbacks of the unit: Pros: The microphone achieves maximum background noise rejection, features a bulletproof body immune to RF interference, and provides a highly forgiving, massive sweet spot due to its negligible proximity effect. It also includes a convenient built-in low-cut switch for tone sculpting. Cons: On the downside, the RE20 is significantly more expensive than many other dynamic options on the market, while also being noticeably heavy and bulky to mount. Furthermore, it requires a high-quality external preamp to truly deliver its best...

The Electro-Voice RE20 is an industry-standard, end-address dynamic microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern that excels remarkably well at vocal and broadcast recording. A major standout feature is its proprietary "Variable-D" design, which effectively eliminates the proximity effect (the bundling of low frequencies when speaking close to the capsule). Combined with a heavy-duty internal pop filter, this design ensures that plosive sounds ("p-pops") are almost entirely non-existent even without an external pop shield, saving immense post-production editing time. Furthermore, it provides excellent ambient noise rejection, delivers a true cardioid response with zero off-axis coloration, and serves as a versatile tool for instruments like snare drums, acoustic guitars, and kick drums. Despite its high praise, the reviewer highlighted a few minor shortcomings regarding its packaging and out-of-the-box utility. The RE20 ships without a user manual, meaning users must search through fine print to find details about the built-in bass roll-off switch. Additionally, it only includes a basic plastic mic stand clip rather than an integrated bracket mount. This causes the microphone to easily pick up desk vibrations, making the separate purchase...

Despite its legendary status, the review notes specific drawbacks to consider before purchasing. The primary drawback of the RE20 is its performance with highly sibilant voices, as the brighter top-end response can unpleasantly accentuate harsh "S" and "T" sounds. Additionally, because it is a low-output dynamic microphone, users will likely need a high-quality audio interface or a dedicated preamplifier to drive enough clean gain without adding noise. On the positive side, its robust build quality, excellent off-axis rejection, integrated high-pass filter, and ability to handle high sound pressure levels across nearly every musical instrument solidify its reputation as a premium, long-lasting investment.

The Electro-Voice RE20 is an exceptionally popular broadcast dynamic microphone reviewed by Bandrew Scott of Podcastage. In his analysis, Scott highlights that while some users find the physical aesthetic of the microphone to be ugly, it delivers an outstandingly "rad" audio performance specifically tailored for spoken word applications. A standout pro of the microphone is its neutral frequency response and exceptional background noise rejection, making it a reliable studio workhorse for clear, articulated speech. Additionally, it features an extended high-end frequency response that injects extra clarity and crispness into vocal recordings. However, the review outlines specific cons that potential buyers should consider before purchasing. The same extended frequency response that provides clarity also makes the microphone significantly more susceptible to harshness and sibilance, which can accentuate sharp "S" sounds if the speaker has a naturally sibilant voice. Furthermore, the RE20 suffers from relatively low sensitivity, meaning users will need to invest in a powerful, high-quality preamp to drive it properly. Lastly, the device is noted for its high financial cost and an inability to cleanly reject physical shocks, making a...

The Electro-Voice RE20 review on ⁠Gearspace highlights the microphone as a versatile, neutral-sounding studio workhorse with a highly effective "Variable D" design that eliminates proximity effect, making it ideal for close-up tracking. Users find it excellent for lead vocals, acoustic guitars, and kick drums, praising its tight low-frequency response. While offering high-quality performance, the microphone is described as having poor aesthetics, and its value is deemed best suited for specific applications compared to competitors like the SM7B.

The Sound on Sound vocal microphone review details a comprehensive shootout involving 14 microphones across dynamic, condenser, valve, and ribbon categories tested on four distinct student vocalists to evaluate voice-to-microphone matching. In the female jazz/pop/rock category, the highly expensive AKG C12VR and Microtech Gefell M92.1S valve mics emerged as favourites for their smooth, rich lower-mids and immediate sound. For female classical vocals, the incredibly budget-friendly Audio Technica AT2020 unexpectedly won in blind tests, praised for putting the vocal prominently up-front in the mix, closely followed by the C12VR. The male "crooner" performance found its best fits in the AKG C414B ULS and the Neumann U47 for capturing subtle nuances and delivering thickness at the low end. Finally, the male rap test skipped the second round entirely because the Electro-Voice RE20 dynamic microphone was the undisputed winner, offering superior transient handling, body, and bite. The specific pros and cons of the microphones varied drastically based on the performer's vocal characteristics. High-end valve and condenser models like the AKG C12VR and Neumann U47 offered exceptional depth, three-dimensional warmth, and strong detail, but...