30-day modular deep dive/writing challenge. This has to rate as one of the best dynamic mics I've ever come across, both for tonality and versatility — and it's probably a good thing for the rest of the industry that Bob Heil hasn't yet turned his attention to condenser mics! While appearing on a couple of radio shows at two different studios, I found myself amazed by the sound of my voice through two well-known broadcast mics: the Shure SM7 and Sennheiser MD 421. The Heil Sound PR40 isn't a cheap mic, by any means, but then neither are the mics with which it compares. When I’m using them, I typically use PR30’s for snare, toms, electric guitar, and bass guitar, PR40’s for bass drum, bass guitar, and … All contents copyright © SOS Publications Group and/or its licensors, 1985-2020. The PR-40 is absolutely superb. The All-New Behringer Keyboards 'n' Stuff Thread. Heil Sound PR-40 Review. Consensus/Conclusion 10. It is one of the most well rounded dynamic mics I have ever owned without question. Overall response feels almost totally flat, but not at all dull. It arrived in a small cardboard carton; inside was the “beautiful cherrywood box” Heil promised the mic would ship with. You might like to try this mic on high transients — tambourine, maybe — and though I haven’t given this a shot yet, I think it would flatter the hell out of a guitar cab, as its brother, the PR30, is said to do. Listening to the sound from this extraordinary dynamic mic, you might be forgiven for thinking it was a ribbon or a condenser. A swivel stand‑adaptor is provided with the mic, which comes in a compact, foam‑lined aluminium case, with a paper banner around the mic reminding the user that, despite appearances, this is an end‑fire mic. As if this deal Heil Sound PR 40 Dynamic Cardioid Studio Microphone Bundle with PRSM Shock Mount, Two-Section Broadcast Arm and Microphone Cable wasn't good enough, my package came with an upgrade from the Auray BA-2EN boom which was listed in the product description. Find out in the Heil PR40 review video. Published on Oct 10, 2017 Today I review the Heil PR40; a broadcast dynamic mic that has become an industry standard. The basket screen comprises two wire‑mesh screens of different diameters, augmented by what's described as an internal breath‑blast filter (I couldn't get into the microphone to see how this was arranged). What I really like about the Heil PR-40 is it has a slightly scooped mid-range that takes the nasal "honk" and stuffiness out of my voice. Heil hasn't really marketed his mic to the Pro Audio community, but his mic has a strong foothold in Broadcast, where it's getting rave reviews next to the SM57, SM58, SM7, EV PL20 and even AKG C 414. I'm using this Mic with an Alinco DX-SR8, which shares the same pin out as the 8 pin Kenwood radios. Hi. What is a "hybrid" audio interface anyway? 7. Positive customer reviews An easy way to find out if the PR40 is a great microphone is to read actual customer reviews, but we further simplify your microphone hunt by doing that part on your behalf. I contacted Bob Heil and here's what he said about the future of the smaller version of the PR 40 "In all of our market studies there just isn't enough sales for that little guy. It has an almost ribbon‑like smoothness on highs, but without any loss of transient detail or any dullness to the sound. That’s why I bought it! Re: Compressors: do you use more than a couple? The PR 781 is a studio type microphone with no PTT switching including. See specifications, reviews, & mods for the Heil Sound PR-30 See specifications, reviews, & mods for the Heil Sound PR-40 Lately, legendary audio innovator Bob Heil has become more well-known for his institutional sound reinforcement and broadcast products than for creations such as the Heil Talk Box and Grateful Dead–optimized PA systems. Audio reports have been excellent with this Mic, with just the right amount of highs and lows with a nice little "punch" to the audio. Re: One Synth Challenge V - The Filter Strikes Back! The PR 40 incorporates Heil’s sage-like understanding of phasing plug placement, along with the use of a very large (1″), low mass diaphragm, and custom magnet metals housed in a specially designed microphone body. The size of the diaphragm, combined with a low mass and an efficient NdFeB magnet structure, allow the microphone … We have used these microphones in all types of international locations for broadcast production and they perform flawlessly! What you will need? First Look: Pro Tools | Carbon. Luckily, the mic itself is extremely sturdy and heavy, and is around the size of an SM7. The rear rej… Heil PR-40 is the Mercedes of Microphones Time Owned: more than 12 months. It is designed to withstand very high SPLs, but at the same time it manages to sound more natural on voice and other instruments than most cardioid dynamic mics — many of which have a noticeably coloured sound, due to the complex porting needed to create the cardioid polar pattern. I tested the PR 40 through a UA LA610 and a Vintech 573 pre amp on an Acoustic 1 X 15 bass cab with a Fender Jazz bass. All rights reserved. The PR 40 incorporates Heil’s sage-like understanding of phasing plug placement, along with the use of a very large (1″), low mass diaphragm, and custom magnet metals housed in a specially designed microphone body. ! I received MY PR-20 as partial compensation for writing a product review of it compared to a Sennheiser e835, which costs 2/3 the price of the HEIL PR-20 and is every bit as good. Given its physical attributes and extended low‑end response, the PR40 will probably be compared with the Electrovoice RE20, although I also see performance parallels with the Sennheiser MD421. PreSonus StudioLive 32SC Series III Mixing Console. However, you do need to be aware that the level changes hugely between what you get from singing right up against the grille and what you get when working three inches or more away, so it would be a good idea to use a pop shield, just to keep the singer back at a safe distance. Heil PR 40 Microphones boast the widest frequency range of any dynamic mic in the Heil Pro Audio PR Series. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents. I opted for the G version because I preferred the color scheme of black and gold. Same drum, same … It does, however, sound great. Given that most kick‑drum mics have a massaged frequency response, some heavy mid‑cut EQ may be necessary to achieve a contemporary kick sound, but there's no lack of low‑end extension, and you can get a great depth of sound. Its new PR 40 is a large-diaphragm, front-address mic that makes the transition from stage to broadcast studio to recording studio with ease. http://mrc.fm/vip Is the Heil PR 40 the holy grail of podcasting microphones? I purchased the Heil PR-40 to serve a few different purposes, mainly as a new mic for my ham radio, but also for use in VOIP applications, and finally to use for recording narration for videos. The PR 40 Dynamic Cardioid Studio Microphone from Heil Sound is a high-performance dynamic microphone ideal for use as a vocal mic for talk-show hosts and other voice-over applications. So, while I think the HEIL PR-20 is a very good microphone, it is, ultimately overkill for ham radio purposes, and about $40 over priced compared to the competition. I use one for the Ham shack and as a broadcast/audio production microphone. I will outline the PR40, compare it to the PR30, and then give a recommendation in my Final Word A rundown: 1. The PR 40 diaphragm is shock mounted such that it is completely de-coupled from the anodized Champagne matte-finished steel body. The PR40, which is assembled and tested at Heil Sound's facility in Illinois, USA, has a surprisingly wide frequency range for a dynamic microphone, covering 28Hz to 18kHz (‑3dB). I've never used a mic that sounded so broadcast-ready right out of box, and much of that is helped by the extended low-frequency response (when compared to most other dynamic mics) that picks up more of the deep chest resonance of the person talking or singing into the … They’re not. We will revisit and see if the needs have changed, etc." Summary 3. In all applications it is professional. Q. As it happens, this box arrived in pieces courtesy of UPS. by Obi on 10 in Mixing & Recording, Reviews • 0 Comments. The mic's susceptibility to popping is impressively low, given the extended bass response, but I'd still recommend using a low‑cut filter and pop shield for vocal work. Win! The Heil PR-40 is a premium dynamic microphone designed for voiceover, broadcast, and instrument applications, both live and in the studio. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. See specifications, reviews, & mods for the Heil Sound PR-40 While appearing on a couple of radio shows at two different studios, I found myself amazed by the sound of my voice through two well-known broadcast mics: the Shure SM7 and Sennheiser MD 421. I also did some handclaps, and they sound awesome — meaty and crisp as a rasher of bacon. It's a no nonsense unit with spectacular frequency response and warmth. Heil makes some pretty extreme claims on their website — one is that the mic is “the absolute quietest microphone… ever.” I don’t know about that, but the mic’s self-noise is indeed outrageously low. It does, however, keep popping to a minimum when the mic is used for vocal work, and also helps avoid sibilance. The Heil PR 48 kick drum microphone is the end-result of what happens when you start with the finest kick drum microphone components…listen to what your customers want based on real-world drumming conditions, and put it all together. I've only got experience using in within this type of setting, so I don't know that I'd recommend using it for anything else. The PR 40 diaphragm is shock mounted such that it is completely de-coupled from the anodized Champagne matte-finished steel body. Bob Heil's approach to cardioid dynamic mics always seems to produce a tight polar pattern, with almost perfect rear‑rejection — a feat Bob attributes to "using the ideal combination of materials for the 1.125‑inch, low‑mass diaphragm and a special mixture of neodymium, iron and boron that gives the PR40 the strongest magnet structure available.” Aluminium is used for the voice coil and, as with the PR series hand‑held models, the large‑diameter dynamic capsule is mounted in a Sorbothane shock absorber to decouple it from the heavy steel body. Another bonus is that, because the high end extends up to 18kHz, you can use the mic in many applications where a capacitor model would normally used — and if you have a clean, quiet preamp, it sounds fabulous on acoustic guitar, revealing plenty of detail and a dense mid‑range, but without the glassy grittiness that some budget capacitor mics seem to impart to the sound. The mids are thick and accurate, and the highs, once again, are unhyped but present. The Electro-Voice RE20 overlaps in terms of applications and cosmetics, while both the Sennheiser MD421 and 441 models have the same 'desert island microphone' appeal, in that they can deal with almost anything you throw at them. Similarities & Differences 1… Either way, you know that if Bob Heil is involved in the design, you'll get something a bit out of the ordinary. The Rate My Radio Team get together to deliver our best video yet - a direct comparison of the Heil PR-40 and Heil PR-781. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. Pros 4. It only amounts to a couple of dB, but it gives a sense of air at the top end. Buy the real Heil. Mastering audio for TV Broadcast for the first time! It looks a lot like a large-diaphragm side-address condenser, but is [end]-address. The Heil PR 40 microphone boasts the widest frequency range of any dynamic mic in the Heil PR series. Mastering Essentials Part 3 - How loud should I master? I’m kind of a sucker for the less-than-obvious choice, and once I realized that the PR40 was loony radio-talk-show host Art Bell’s favorite mic, I decided to give it a try. It has superb rear rejection and you may consider two PR40s at that price. moosers 's review 5 The Heil Sound PR40 is a uniquely designed dynamic microphone that I've used in the recording studio. That's why the Heil PR 40, at just around the £300 mark, is an excellent choice for podcast creation. I’m a male baritone, and both mics sounded full and rich on my voice, without a hint of boominess. Barry Rudolph (Review) – “This “working-man’s hero” has the same wide frequency range, low handling noise and the ability to handle +140 dB SPL–you can mic the quietest singer to the loudest snare drum played with baseball bats.” More from Barry Rudolph. Cons 5. It was while trying to decide between the two that I found out about the Heil PR40. I was well aware that these stood in high regard in the pro audio world as well, and figured that one of these days, I’d have to get one for my home studio. I never toss anything away. Clean and unprocessed it can really produce a great sound. Web site designed & maintained by PB Associates & SOS. Buy your own Heil PR-40 from Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ORYURs Today, I unbox, test, and review the Heil PR 40 microphone. So … I got some great djembe tones out of it, and on vocals it sounded impressively natural, but at the same time full and solid — which would be ideal for radio DJs, as well as for some types of studio vocal. One Synth Challenge V - The Filter Strikes Back! INSIDE A HEIL The PR 40 comes in a cushioned wood box and includes the simple SM3 ⅝-inch mount assembly and plush polishing cloth. It's not the in-depth review the OP requested, but here is a test that directly compares the PR48 to the PR40 and about 20 other kick mics. MIX review, 2005. ((((Don't be fooled by the cheap imitations)))) that look like the Heil Pr-77, It has the Pr-40 element in it. Specifications 2. They included the upgrade to the Auray BAI-2N which has no external springs, integrated XLR cable and a 14" extension … Another claim is that “the dynamic Heil PR40 looks like, feels like, and acts like a condenser in every respect.” Well… it doesn’t. The PR 40 incorporates Heil’s sage-like understanding of phasing plug placement, along with the use of a very large (1″), low mass diaphragm, and custom magnet metals housed in a specially designed microphone body. Bob Heil is particularly proud of this microphone's performance on kick drum, although it's also recommended as a broadcaster's voice mic. But this mic isn't only good for kick drum, by any means. Heil’s answer to the SM57, the PR-20, had gotten some positive attention from the online recording community, and I wondered if the larger mics in the line might sound good too. The packaging just added a little touch of class to my first experience with a Heil mic . Video Review 6. Who this mic benefits? The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. You may login with either your assigned username or your e-mail address. I’ve also recorded some spoken word stuff I was doing, and as you might guess, it really excels there too. The PR-40 and all Heil microphones for that matter come with a three year warranty for parts and a ninety days warranty for labor. The PR40 pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved using dynamic mic technology, which allows it to overlap into areas normally dominated by capacitor models. The party line on this mic is that it has an unusually rich low end for a dynamic, and so I expected the lows to be hyped. An additional humbucking coil reduces the effect of interference from nearby electronic devices or transformers, and proximity bass‑boost has been minimised as far as is possible for a pressure gradient microphone. It suits all of these purposes just fine, but of course I knew this already since the same source is used for all those applications, that being my voice. I purchased the Heil PR-40 to serve a few different purposes, mainly as a new mic for my ham radio, but also for use in VOIP applications, and finally to use for recording narration for videos. It comes with a basic mount, which I eschewed in favor of a shockmount I already had. Every Heil mic I've tried sounded far superior to everything else in it's class. Why Are Some A-B Stereo Arrays Angled Outwards? With the PR 40 on kick (an 18-inch Slingerland using a wood beater), I got more subsonic frequencies and a … The Heil PR-10 is a truly excellent Mincrophone. Compressors: do you use more than a couple? Hook it into a mic preamp and processor (like the DBX 286s) and you have yourself the ultimate podcasting sound. He's since been involved in the design of communications microphones, so he has a lot of expertise when it comes to designing mics with precise pattern‑control. I’ve tracked several songs with it, the vocals ranging from hushed and close to quite loud, and they really do sound drastically different from the ones I tracked with a condenser; it’s more of a “vintage” sound, strong in the mids, and not crowding out the entire spectrum the way a lot of modern rock vocals seem to. Heil Sound PR-20 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. Although the frequency response is nominally flat between the upper and lower roll‑off points, there's the gentlest hint of a presence bump from 3‑5kHz. In fact, some of them cost quite a bit more. We get a lot of mics to review for Tape Op, and I usually leave them in … Mastering Essentials Part 4 - Mastering EQ: Balance, Don’t Match. Gold or Chrome $349 Switched $289. I recently received a Heil PR 781G. Heil incorporates suggestions from some of the best drummers and drum & sound technicians in the world... Read More >> In this respect, at least, its performance might best be compared with the Sennheiser MD441. Janet Marlow (Artist) – “I use the Heil PR 20 for all my live vocal performances! At the moment, the PR40 is my main vocal mic; nothing I have sounds better on massed, multi-part harmonies. (New mics are now sold with a sturdy aluminum flightcase.) Enough bass extension for kick drums and bass instruments. THE HEIL PR-10 IS A GREAT MIC! A champagne‑coloured satin plating is used over the steel body, and the signal exits on the usual balanced XLR. Bob Heil's approach to cardioid dynamic mics always seems to produce a tight polar pattern, with almost perfect rear‑rejection — a feat Bob attributes to "using the ideal combination of materials for the 1.125‑inch, low‑mass diaphragm and a special mixture of neodymium, iron and boron that gives the PR40 the strongest magnet structure available.” But they are there, and they are clear and musical. I bought the Heil Sound PR-40 over two years ago and there has yet to be a project I haven’t used it on either. Any noise you hear is likely to be from your preamp, as the mic does require a fair amount of gain; 40 dB or so did the trick for me. Prices for the microphone vary significantly from dealer to dealer, so shopping around for the best price is advisable. The Glossy Labeled Card board box looks great in my mic locker so I'll be keeping it just as I received it when storing this Mic . You may have to use a pop screen on it if your close talking the mic and running some audio gear but, if not, you wont need it. Almost like an old tube type with out the muddy sound I never liked. The build is solid and has a heavy quality feel to it. ($325 MSRP; Heil Sound). As it turns out, the PR40 is good for more than revealing the secrets of the alien autopsy. The PR 35 is built with the specifications of the PR 30 (large 1.5” shock-mounted hum-bucking), voice-coil to ward off unwanted handling noise & electronic interference, and provides great rejection of off-axis/180 degree noise as well. Thoughts from Stu’s notepad 9. There are days when the thought of one more 'me too' side‑address cardioid condenser vocal mic doesn't exactly thrill me, so I was pleased to discover that, despite its familiar appearance, the Heil Sound PR40 is not what it appears to be at first glance: although it looks like a large‑capsule condenser mic, behind that deceptive exterior lies an end‑address dynamic mic that's designed for use with voices, kick drums, bass instruments, guitar cabs and lots more. If you’re in the market for an SM7, RE20, or MD 421, definitely consider the Heil as well… it’s right in that price range and should give them all a run for their money. Kurt Ballou (Producer) – “I don’t use Heil’s exclusively, but they do get used regularly, particularly the PR30’s. The large dynamic element produces a smooth response with an articulate and natural midrange. Mic Database | Mic Reviews | Microphone Sale, TapeOp Issue #56/November, 2006 | by Inverse Room, See specifications, reviews, & mods for the Heil Sound PR-40. The PR-20 is a large-diaphragm dynamic mic with the high SPL capabilities typical of dynamic mics, yet it employs new technologies developed by Bob Heil that provide wider frequency response, better rear rejection, and reduced proximity effect than is … Another dynamic microphone benefit is that it doesn't need 48V phantom power. It suits all of these purposes just fine, but of course I knew this already since the same source is used for all those applications, that being my voice. Front End Audio (Review) – “It has a very detailed mid and upper-mid response, where a lot of dynamics tend to get a little bit crispy up there..” More from Front End Audio. Because of its solid bass response, this mic works really well on bass guitar cabinets, and I loved it on electric guitar too, where the results were rather less 'honky' than I'm used to from dynamic models. The PR 40 is one of the best dynamic mics I've ever used. Readers of our sister publication, Performing Musician, will know that Bob Heil is both a ham radio enthusiast and a live-sound guru with an impressive provenance, first coming to public notice in the early '70s when he set up the now‑legendary 'wall of sound' PA for the Grateful Dead. You will never look back. The Heil PR 35 microphone with its matte black rubberized finish looks like it means business…and it does. 8. The Heil PR40 matches some of the mics I've used in a pro environment. They incorporate Heil’s sage-like understanding of phasing plug placement, creating outstanding cardioid patterns with unbelievable rear rejection. Read more about the Heil Sound PR-40 dynamic microphone.