HEiL PR-40 Dynamic Broadcast Microphone Review / Test
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- Today, I have the HEiL PR-40 Dynamic Broadcast mic in the Audio Hotline Studio! There are some mixed reviews out there about this microphone. Heil created a microphone that definitely has it's own sound and they definitely were not trying to make a flat microphone... That isn't always a bad thing though! Check out the testing and audio samples and see if this is right for you! Every person has different needs and expectations for audio gear. If the features are what you need, and you like the sound, then it is right for you!
Thanks for watching the Audio Hotline! I'll see you Audio Nerds next time!
If you decide you want to purchase something that was used/reviewed in this video, and you want to help out the Audio Hotline channel, it would be greatly appreciated if you used one of my affiliate links below! Thank you!
HEiL PR-40:
B&H Link: bhpho.to/2QDmCHV
RØDE WINDSCREEN:
B&H Link: bhpho.to/2WD6GZK
HEiL WINDSCREEN;
B&H Link: bhpho.to/2Ubo32c
SE Dynamite:
B&H Link: bhpho.to/2Wygoga
Cloudlifter:
B&H Link: bhpho.to/3afzNpZ
GEAR I USE TO MAKE MY VIDEOS (w/ affiliate links):
Canon EOS R:
Amazon: amzn.to/2MEGTMV
B&H: bhpho.to/30IQere
Sony A7iii:
Amazon:amzn.to/2LopsyD
B&H: bhpho.to/3avonPE
Lumix GH5:
Amazon: amzn.to/2NlKxMG
B&H: bhpho.to/36h8sAW
Fuji XT3:
Amazon: amzn.to/2NuxfKF
B&H: bhpho.to/2TIqVDV
Canon RF 35mm f1.8:
Amazon: amzn.to/2L3gBSt
B&H: bhpho.to/2G9BwQe
Tamron EF 24-70 f2.8:
Amazon: amzn.to/2ZtQr0C
B&H: bhpho.to/2tDokk7
Canon EF 50mm f1.4:
Amazon: amzn.to/2HxnfOq
B&H: bhpho.to/2tCk9VC
Tamron E-Mount 28-75mm f2.8 Lens:
Amazon: amzn.to/2LxmZCb
B&H: bhpho.to/2sJw8QP
Sigma E-Mount 30mm f1.4 Lens:
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B&H: bhpho.to/2RcFLRA
Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens:
Amazon: amzn.to/2XbD5It
B&H: bhpho.to/3awdQnd
Fringer (EF-FX Lens Mount Adapter):
Amazon: amzn.to/2G9AvYq
B&H: bhpho.to/38rSRQz
Atomos Ninja V:
Amazon: amzn.to/2Ni79Ob
B&H: bhpho.to/36i2WhA
Rode Video Mic Pro+:
Amazon: amzn.to/34puql4
B&H: bhpho.to/37aQ8uJ
Aputure 120D MKii:
Amazon: amzn.to/2SE0wXg
B&H: bhpho.to/38pRTV2
Aputure Light Dome II:
Amazon: amzn.to/39kvKZJ
B&H: bhpho.to/2Gf1zWc
Hercules Mic Stand:
Amazon: amzn.to/2XaHnzK
B&H: bhpho.to/2Rz4SwS
Zoom H6:
Amazon: amzn.to/2MIoBdA
B&H: bhpho.to/2Rfc3LK
Zoom H5:
Amazon: amzn.to/2N7KHoM
B&H: bhpho.to/36iVQJz
Apollo Twin Quad:
Amazon: amzn.to/2XfwPiU
B&H: bhpho.to/2NL8gnp
Mogami XLR:
Amazon: amzn.to/2NiXNSp
B&H: bhpho.to/2NJ5tLi
Monoprice XLR (Cheaper XLR Alternative):
Amazon: amzn.to/2RJBwvp
SE Dynamite:
Amazon: amzn.to/2NybMUz
B&H: bhpho.to/2G9CQ5E
Manfrotto Tripod:
Amazon: amzn.to/2LodCVe
B&H: bhpho.to/2sOI7g8
Manfrotto Tripod Mini (PIXI):
Amazon: amzn.to/2ZUnH0a
B&H: bhpho.to/2RH2Haw
When I was talking with Bob Heil a few years ago, he explained to me why he designed the frequency response of the PR40 the way he did. By giving it a subtle mid-scoop "disco smile" style frequency response it makes sound a little more like a condenser because of the more sparkly top end; i.e. it's simply less muddy sounding than most dynamic mics. This actually works out amazing well for my particular voice, as it needs far less EQing in post. I have one of those Gomper Pyle-ish mid-rangey honk type of voices, and this mic does a wonderful job of reducing that undesirable trait, whereas many other mics accentuate it terribly bad. This is one of the few mics I can use where I can actually stand to hear the sound of my raw, unprocessed voice.
I've got one of his very first prototype mics that he designed in collaboration with Joe Walsh (pre PR-XX series naming convention) sitting here in it's wooden presentation box. Every once in a while I take it out and hook it up to my ham radio and make a few contacts with it. The results always end up with the same unsolicited audio comments of "wow, your audio sounds amazing!", and that's good enough for me.
He smelled the mic! I love it! Thank you Audio Hotline for helping me decide my 2 most recent mic purchases- Shure SM48 and Rode podmic!
Love your content! It´s very high quality and I appreciate the humorous touch more than anything, haha. Keep up the great work!
hi,good video ,got one yesterday still testing it out ,but seems a good product.thanks from Rotterdam.
I love my PR-40!
lol so glad im not the only one who smells the mic. also one thing thats great about the rode wind screen is it dulls out the high end so it helps it get much smoother compared to without at times.
I wish that they still gave you that carrying case with it. Now you just get a mic sleeve.
That script must’ve been delicious you bit yo self 😂. Great video bro. Stay up! 💪🏾
I've never seen someone smell a microphone 😂 great review like always 😉
Sick Guitar
i find the boosted frequency helpful. being a geezer i need less mud and more clarity. The RE20 has always been a bit muddy not boomy, and weak in the high end frequencies. Any way the Heil looks like a great option for someone who doesn't know much about EQ and just wants to have a plug and play guaranteed option to get clear audio hassle-free each and every time they set up for a recording. I think this is what Tom Papa uses for Netflix is a Joke interview series on youtube - you can clearly hear the difference. the use of a coloured for voice mic like the Heil, for me it means i can turn the volume of an audio episode down and still hear it clearly. I just listen and find out what recordings i like then do a bit of research. I'm not overly happy with the RE20 that I've had for 15 years, but i do like the Sure mic, not sure if the price difference and features make a case for one over the other. But the RE20 does have to be sent back to the shop every few years to have something replaced every few years and them I'm out a $600 mic for 2 months. Tell me the Sure mic and the Heil will never have to be sent back to the shop for service?
Yeah, the foam rubber stuff EV uses in their mics starts to break down after a few years. When you pick up the mic and hear the element start to rattle around inside, you know it's due for another service appointment that ends up costing half of what a new mic would cost. I've got 3 different Heil mics ranging in age from 5 to 20 years old and none of them yet to show the slightest degradation of internal components.
What are your thoughts on this compared to the PR-30?
Hey, how have you not reviewed the shure sm7b?
because the internet needs another sm7b review like we need another video retro brightening some old piece of shit electronics.
What type of headphones do you use? Also could you please review the Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic mic or do headphone reviews.
The headphones he is using are the Sony mdr 7506. They are closed back headphones in case that’s what you mean :)
Yes mdr 7506 by sony are an industry a standard. I have two pairs and upgraded to the velour ear covers
Damn it dude, when you smelled the microphone I spit beer out and now I have to clean the floor! I have the PR40 and like it. I am curious about the post processing comment - are you indicating that flat microphones need boosted or that this microphone does not require as much EQ because it is boosted. If flat is the reference, why are we having to boost anything?
Haha! Sorry about your floor!
A lot of the time when I am using a flat microphone I end up boosting the high end a little bit for a majority of voices. It can add a nice boost of clarity to the voice recording. Since this mic isn’t flat and already has a high end boost, I was pretty much just commenting that if you know you want your high end boosted and you like this tone, you may not need to do as much EQ in post with this mic. Personally I do like flat mics, because I like controlling all the EQ options, but for someone who just wants a certain tone right out of the box, this can be a solid choice. Bottom line though, if there are bad vocal frequencies the mic is picking up, they would need to be EQ’d no matter what, whether it is a flat mic or not... Sooo it is a bit of a toss up, just comes down to personal preference. Hopefully that answers your question!
Do you even need a cloudlifter for a pr40? Does it even really do anything
“Need” no you don’t. Even from when I made this video, preamps in even pretty inexpensive audio interfaces have improved a lot. There are some circumstances I would use a Cloudlifter/mic activator. For instance, when I use my Sony XLR-H1 handle, the preamps just aren’t good at all so I turn phantom power on, use a mic activator, and the results are much better. For people that have a decent interface, it’s not needed.
I know you’re not supposed to talk into the side of the mic, but it sounds like a vocal effect some songs have haha
This things is almost 900$ in my country, what a waste of money when the SM58 works just fine for podcasting, but i liked ur review!!!
check out the Sure VP64AL. It's normally used for TV host hand held interviews on locations it's half the price of an SM58. It's a great mic to have as an emergency backup or just an extra mic in the situation where an additional person shows up, plus the sound profile is very similar to my other high end mics and it's hard to tell who is using what mic.
Next review comica stm usb
LET'S GET MIC'D!
I mean it's not a bad sounding mic but does it sound like a $330 mic? I may be spoiled but at this point we've got stuff like the Neats or a Rode Podmic if you're in love with the dynamic sound, all for a fraction of the price. I guess if this mic has the exact sound you want it might be worth the money, but that's true of literally every mic?
enrique kahn yeah, that is the goal. Finding everyone their perfect mic. If you can find a mic that you are happy with for $99, that is ideal. The problem is this, there are a lot of good microphones out there for $100. That is pretty much the starting price point of a truly solid mic, in build and sound... there are exceptions though. As microphones go up in price the Law of Diminishing Returns starts to happen. Basically that means that a $300 mic won’t sound three times better than a $100 mic, it more than likely sounds 20%-30% better. It is all about finding a good balance in cost and quality. It can definitely be hard to take the Law of Diminishing Returns into account during these reviews, and a lot of the time I am comparing mics, at different price points, to one another behind the scenes to keep my grades in check. It does also come down to benefits other than sound, such as build, accessories, etc. Thanks for the comment!
@@AudioHotline You know what would be a kickass video? Tell us how you match a mic to a voice. Like what you would look for in a mic for someone with certain voice characteristics.
And believe me I get paying for the "right" mic. I'm in love with the U87 sound but... that's never gonna happen.
enrique kahn hell yeah! I would definitely be down to make that video!
I do love the U87! I have never owned one, but got to use a few! Haha
@@enriquekahn9405 i love that video idea!
I searched high and low for the mythical $399 HEiL PR-40 boom arm/mount combo but no way that exists anymore. Closest I found was $479
Edwin Covarrubias mic prices have really gone up since the pandemic.
Audio Hotline Yep, even my favorite ATR-2100/X is out of stock. Here’s to hoping prices come down soon! 👍
All hail (kek) stickers. Except Podcastage, of course.
I appreciate your channel. But do you like, really like anything out of the box? You are unbiased but maybe you'll take a stand and really like something. It's a review channel so I get it, but the PR40 is a proven and trusted. The frequency drop off in your voice is why this doesn't sound perfect. I did enjoy you smelling the mic. I spit my coffee.
I do often times say “you’ll have to adjust this microphone to fit your voice, since we all don’t sound the same, but this is a really great starting point.” Even if I LOVE how a mic sounds, I am going to add a high pass filter to get rid of potential rumble and potential get rid of some bad frequency that I know my voice has. It is definitely more about finding a good out of box tone, and then making it great. That is the approach I take. So I agree with you.
I think the true audio folks know how to use this microphone, mostly studio work. Your everyday pod caster, untrained, will not like it or understand how to use it.
I was the 69th like
Just got one from my Dad. Do I need a cloud lifter?
It can depend on how loud the sound source is (your voice). Also, what interface/ recorder are you going to be using with it?