pL20 electrovoice??????

[jugalo180]

i was looking around this music store called jay's for a good condenser mic. my options were not so good. the saleswoman told me she had a cad95ni and the at3035. i wasn't interested in either of them. she then told me she had this electrovoice pL20 used for like $350.00, and that it was like
$800.00 dollars in it's day. what does anyone think about this mic or the cad95ni?

 

[Track Rat]

True. The PL-20 is now known as a RE-20. They go new for around $600.

 

[ZPphreak]

From what I understand the PL20 is just the older version of the famous RE20 that you can real lots about. The PL20's area little bit harder to find and i guess that's because teh RE20's have replaced them. I'm not quite sure if there are any differences between the two mics. My understanding is that they're practically the exact same mic. My guess is that the PL20 should be a little bit cheaper in used condition than an RE20 because of it's age. I had the opportunity to assist engineer on a recording project at my University. We used a PL20 on the kick drum. inserted thru the blow hole. (I'm not a drummer BTW) The sound we got was quite nice. We also used a D112 outside the hole and mixed with the PL20 we got a good mix. Both mics sounded excellent on their own as well. I think that a diehard Mic nut may know more about the EV PL/RE 20 story than I do but there's a start

-Brent

 

[ZPphreak]

too quick for me Track rat

guess I was busy typing that crap... lol

 

[jugalo180]

hmmm

will it be good for vocals? i'm disappointed that i can't get my hands on a 4033 so i'm looking for something just as good or better at a cheap price, so used gear is my forte' for right now.

 

[ZPphreak]

If you'll search around here you can find alot about teh Re20. (PL20) It's renowned for it's uses in radio and voice-overs. It's knows as a sort of do-all mic to many. You'll find it an excellent vocal mic for certain voices I would guess. It's not a condensor so you can forget about the condensor vocal sound. If it's that sound you need, then get a condensor. I don't think that you'll get a really "crisp" sound out of a dynamic like the PL20.

hope this "helped"

-Brent

 

[jugalo180]

okay

thanks everyone

 

[wes480]

why not order something online?

the re20 brand new goes for around 350...on something like www.8thstreet.com

the 4033 goes for like 289...i am going to get one of those for vocals.

actually, those are the two mics i want right now though. re20 and 4033

 

[jugalo180]

cool

thanx wes480 i'll be sure and check that link out.

 

[chessparov]

At www.bswonline.com they have RE20's for $400 including
shipping. Jim Williams, a noted engineer who does gear
modifications, that the RE20 is probably the finest all around dynamic microphone for most voices meaning singing and voice-overs. (generally speaking, YMMV)

For whatever reason, when I asked him if a PL20 was as "good",
he advised me to stick to the RE20.
The RE20 is supposed to work well with most voices,
the same way a Neumann U87 does (or a Studio Projects C1!).
He strongly recommended it for me because some condensers
bring out sibilance in my voice (like AKG's or the AT 4033)
Watch out with the AT 4033 that it doesn't empathize "nasal"
qualities in your voice like it does on mine.

$350 for a used PL20 is way too much $$ IMHO.

Chris

 

[jugalo180]

dually noted

thanks chess. your coment on the 4033 is interesting. maybe the pre was a factor in the nasal sound. hmmm, thanks for the advice i'll be on the lookout for that. i'm considering the 4050 right now.

 

[Light]

The PL-20 and the RE-20 are the same mic, and they where produced concurrently. The PL-20 has a less reflective finish. It was intended to be a lower profile version of the RE-20, for live use. Some people have thought that the PL-20 suffered from an inferior build quality, but I have not noticed it in my experience. I have used the two mics side by side without issue.

Light

"Politics is about making peoples lives better."
--Paul Wellstone--

 

[Bear'sGnFission]

The absolutely known facts of the PL/RE divide, outside of the finish, is that the PL's ("Pro Line" on some packaging - anything that needs to be labeled as "pro" is met with suspicion by actual pros) were distributed by music instrument dealers and had a warranty of a few years and typically lighter duty cases; the RE's and 6xx mics were distributed through pro audio dealers and sound contractors and had a lifetime warranty.

The quality control issue seems to be an unknown. Since it has persistence, I usually mention the possibility that it is the case. It could just be that the warranty difference suggests to some a different level of quality, when it's just as likely if not moreso that EV didn't want to be paying out in perpetuity for damage incurred by musicians, roadies, and other nitwits with less sense than a gremlin.

When buying a used mic, it might be good to know that, because of the original owner's probable use, the PL might be a bit more beaten, but this isn't necessarily so, as an RE might have been abused in a studio while a PL was babied on stage.

Bear

 

[chessparov]

Great explanation Bear.
To pay just $50 more for a new RE20, or take a "double" chance
on a used PL20 doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which
offers more value IMHO.

Chris