How hardy are RE20's?

[Mr Funk]

Thinking of possibly getting a RE20 off a guy who has used it 'extensively'. Just wondered how much of an SPL hammering and rough roady handling they could take?

I asked what he had used it for and his reply was...

"Studio vocals and Bass on live gigs - not too close to the speaker - about 150mm (6 inches). No good for bass drum - you need a specialised mike for that. Would be fine for guitar as well".

I was pleased to hear he hadn't used it on kick drum and this was the reason I asked the question in the first place! Although, he could always be lying?

What do you reckon, will they take a licking and keep on ticking?

 

[Cave Dweller]

i've used them practically falling apart from years on the road, and they still sound great. they can be used on kick with no problems. i'm not sure what the specs are, but it can probably handle 135-145db no problem.
however, mics all age diferently, and older mics can sound very different from one to the next. if possible, try to have a listen to it

 

[chessrock]

I don't think durability has ever been an issue with the RE-20. You could probably drop a grenade on one, or drive Harvey's hatchback over it several times and it still wouldn't crap out on you. Alright, maybe the grenade, but . . .


Wow, another thing Cavedweller and I agree on. This is getting spooky.

 

[Mr Funk]

Thanks guys.

If the price is right I'll give it a go! Would you say £100 is a fair price for one with a few scratches etc? The very good condition ones seem to go for about £150 S/H.

 

[dizzlano]

Kinda weird he said they cant be used on the kick,,,,,,,,,,they sound excellent on the kick!!!

Hmmm I've never tried mine on guitar yet though,,,,,sounds interesting, I'll have to give it a try.

If cost isnt too terrible an issue for you, you could probably get a newer one on ebay, or even a new one for not too much $$$

-dano

 

[FZfile]

Yeah, I got mine for a kick/bass mic.....

I've heard it described as giving a "classic" kick drum sound.
I'm not sure exactly what that means but I am going to try it on a drum kit this weekend.

Although I've only had it a short while, I really like it on my bass amp and it has a very smooth sound on my guitar amp.

Not up front sounding like a 57 but nice sounding.
Haven't really tried it on vox yet.

Far as durability.......you ever see that Boss commercial on EmptyVee a bunch of years back.......the one where the band is rockin out in a 5th floor appartment and somehow someone trips over the cords or something and all the floor pedals go flying out the window onto the concrete below......and the kid runs down and grabs the Boss pedal and plugs back in and it still works like a charm..........thats the kind of feel iI get from my RE20.

But I've only had it for two weeks and wouldnt put it near an open 5th floor window.

-mike

 

[DJL]

I've never thrown my RE20 at anyone yet or dropped it or anything so it's in mint condition.... but, seems like it could take a beating and still work just fine.

 

[Light]

BUY IT!!! It is a great mic, and that is an amazing price.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[mixsit]

Does EV still has their great re-build pricing? I did a pair several years ago for about $50 each. Still came out ahead.

On guitar amps huh. I must be in a rut.

 

[David Artis]

The RE20 was one of the first "PRO" mics I ever bought. You can't go worng with it.

It can take almost any beating short of running it over with a tank and it still keeps working.

And it works good in the right application.

 

[Fletcher]

FWIW, I've never found the RE-20 to produce a kik drum sound I've liked... but many have used it in that application with results they seem to like... so I reckon it's kinda 'to each their own'...

£100 for the thing is pretty much a bargain if it's in decent condition [hell, it's not too bad a price if it's broken as EV is pretty good about supporting the old stuff].

Best of luck with it.

 

[smpacheco]

VERY HARDY

I work at a radio network and we have a few dozen RE-20's in various studios. The studios were built back in '97 and the same RE-20's have been in place since then.

Only problem is the show hosts eat in the studio and the mics accumulate orangish food-boogers which makes them smell bad and are a bitch to clean.

Invest in a pop filter to avoid that!

-Steve