Rode Broadcaster or Ev RE20?

[gitak]

Few days ago I asked you which mic should I buy for recording commercials? Thanks for all yours answers. Well, at the end it is going to be one of these two: EV RE20 because it is best for the job (570 euros) or Rode Broadcaster because it is good (people say it's good) and cheap (330 euros)? As you can see, RE20 costs 240 euros more than broadcaster. Is it worth it? Is it that good, or that better than Broadcaster?
If there is anyone who has some experience with Broadcaster please talk, because there is so much information about RE20 on the net, but not so for Broadcaster.

thnx

 

[Massive Master]

The RE-20 has been the industry standard for a looooong time.

I'd say it's worth the extra bucks.

 

[chessrock]

Uh-huh. Yup.

 

[Mark7]

Have you tried the Beyerdynamic M99? It's a fairly new mic (only about two to three years old), so there's not a lot on the net about it, but it is pretty good. You can get them for €255 from Thomann (that's the price if you're buying it in Germany. I doubt the cost for elsewhere in Europe would be radically different).

There was a review somewhere, but it's disappeared. So here's a quote from the Beyerdynamic website

The M 99

"For spoken voice it has the right ingredients to grab the attention and punch through a background, delivering a sound that is much larger than life in all the important ways-and it looks the part too."

"Put it up next to a decent condenser on a demanding source like a grand piano and the differences are considerably less than might be expected. There's not quite the depth or the warmth, but the top end is remarkably smooth, extended and controlled. Obvious enhancement is avoided, and the overall breadth and flatness are very condenser-like."

 

[Innovations]

Most of what you hear over the air is recorded with Shure SM7B mics. I don't know how expensive they are where you are. I also see a lot of Sennheiser 421s in voice studios. The RE20 is a very respected mic, but the impression that it is what everything is done with is false.

As for the Broadcaster, I looked at it and saw that, except for the little light and being end-address, what made it all that different than Rode's other large diameter condensers? If you are recording at home the little light and the ability to be mounted on the swing arm aren't all that important.

 

[Mark7]

A Sennheiser MD421 is another good choice (I have one). You can get them for under €250 on ebay. New they cost €333 from Thomann, or €317 from Musicians Gear.

 

[Mark7]

A Shure SM7B, on the other hand, will set you back around €500. I doubt it can stand alongside superior European engineering though. Likewise for the RE20.

 

[chessparov]

Again, your easiest solution is one of the following EV's.
RE20 (or PL20)
RE15
RE16
RE18

Any of the above are fine VO choices. (and for singing too)

IF you are very experienced and good working with cardiod mics, then the
SM7, and 421 are pretty standard choices.

Be sure to get some extra WD-40 if you get a condenser to help reduce the squeek of chairs moving around, along with the extra cost of further acoustical treatments vs. a dynamic!

Chris

P.S. IIRC approximately 80% of the radio stations in the USA use the RE20.
The other half use SM7's or 421's. (to paraphrase Yogi Berra)

 

[Mark7]

Ty Ford's review of the M99 can be found here.

 

[johnnyfever]

Most of what you hear over the air is recorded with Shure SM7B mics. I don't know how expensive they are where you are. I also see a lot of Sennheiser 421s in voice studios. The RE20 is a very respected mic, but the impression that it is what everything is done with is false.

As for the Broadcaster, I looked at it and saw that, except for the little light and being end-address, what made it all that different than Rode's other large diameter condensers? If you are recording at home the little light and the ability to be mounted on the swing arm aren't all that important.

I have been in radio for almost 25 years now on-air and producing commercials. I do NOT like the RE 20 or the RE27. Both are a bit overated. My personal pick for voice is the Sennheiser MD-421. I also use a RODE NT-1 in my home studio and LOVE it!

 

[petsy]

The RE20 is an overrated mic IMHO and it's only "big" in America. They're a thousand dollars over here... European radio stations don't use 'em that often. I've yet to see ONE station in Sweden that does.

They're the industry standard...so what? The reason for that isn't just the sound. Lots of things are industry standard but that doesn't mean you can't choose something else instead.

 

[scrubs]

The RE20 is an overrated mic IMHO and it's only "big" in America. They're a thousand dollars over here... European radio stations don't use 'em that often. I've yet to see ONE station in Sweden that does.

They're the industry standard...so what? The reason for that isn't just the sound. Lots of things are industry standard but that doesn't mean you can't choose something else instead.

Yeah, you tell 'em, dude. Except, you're 2 years late to the party.

 

[Big Kenny]

Yeah, you tell 'em, dude. Except, you're 2 years late to the party.

BAM! clean shot, small entry.

 

[petsy]

Yeah, you tell 'em, dude. Except, you're 2 years late to the party.

Yeah but so what? People read old threads all the time, I don't see anything wrong in updating old threads. It's still valuable info for potential buyers. It's not an unusual query...

 

[scrubs]

Yeah but so what? People read old threads all the time, I don't see anything wrong in updating old threads. It's still valuable info for potential buyers. It's not an unusual query...

It's just curious that you dug up an old thread just to slag a mic, yet you offer no (equal or better) alternative and say nothing of your own experiences with this (or any other) mic. Why is it overrated? What would you prefer for the application of the original poster? Why would you query the RE20 if you don't even like it?

Just curious.

 

[LemonTree]

I haven't tried the Rode Broadcaster but I do have an RE20 which gets a lot more than voice over work. It's a great mic for vocals, acoustic guitar, kick drum, bass cabinet, didgerydoo, bongos, yeah, it's a really good mic.

It was the best vocal mic I had when I had it through the mic pre's on my Allen & Heath Saber 24/16/16/2 then I invested in an M-Audio Tampa mic pre and it took on a whole new sense of life. It's a great all round dynamic...I'm just thinking...is thewre a place in the studio for stereo dynamics? if there was i'd have a pair of RE20's

 

[mshilarious]

Since the thread started, that Neumann dynamic came out. Man, that thing looks pretty schweet

 

[petsy]

It's just curious that you dug up an old thread just to slag a mic, yet you offer no (equal or better) alternative and say nothing of your own experiences with this (or any other) mic. Why is it overrated? What would you prefer for the application of the original poster? Why would you query the RE20 if you don't even like it?

Just curious.

I didn't query the RE20, I queried the Beyer M99 that I'm considering buying. And I found the old thread and I saw nothing wrong in adding my opinion even though the last post was 700 days or so ago.

My experience? I work in radio professionally. I write and talk mostly so I'm not a gear nut. That's why I need gear that's easy to use and maintain and stuff that doesn't break down. The build quality is one of the things I do like about the EV mics and I think that's the main reason they're popular with journalists and the likes.

I've tried a lot of mics though and I didn't really like the RE20...nor for my voice. I just think it's way overrated. A lot of mics are. People buy 'em for the second hand value and because they dare not take chances. The RE27 is better. But then again I'm no vintage nut, I think things actually improve as time goes by. Technology you know...

I'd recommend the Heil PR-40 btw...for the original poster. I think that mic would do the job better than the RE20 and it's also cheaper.

 

[petsy]

Since the thread started, that Neumann dynamic came out. Man, that thing looks pretty schweet

It looks hot and I'd love to try it. Seems a bit expensive though, especially considering the price of the competitors.

 

[Big Kenny]

The kids got a Heil and he loves it. If I weren't so heavily saturated with dynamics I would definitely grab one. It would fool a lot of clients that "need" a condenser