High fidelity microphone for both audio production and radio

[ZL2HAM]

I've been asked to create some online training materials, and I'm looking for a "broadcast quality" microphone with much better range and background rejection than my old USB Logitech headset, along with shock and swivel mounts, and a pop filter if it's not built-in.

I would also like to be able to use the new mike with my radio, a Yaesu FTdx-5000. I'm currently using a Heil ProSet Plus with the HC-4 element, but I've heard newer radios like the 5K can use equalization with a high-dynamic-range mike to achieve the same optimized-for-DX effect.

Someone at work suggested the Rode Podcaster USB mike for the PC side, but USB won't work with my radio. The Heil PR series looks interesting -- are there adapter cables that would allow me to use them both on my PC and my radio? Are there specific brands/models in this area that I should consider?

[KE3WD]

"King of the Hill" is still the good old Electrovoice RE20.

Don't be misled by those who somehow believe that only the Condenser Mic with Phantom Power is the way to go. The EV RE20 is a Dynamic Mic design that can do the job quite well, as testified by its sheer ubiquitous presence in many studios that do voice work. It is Cardioid pattern, meaning it can better reject room and background noise, it is full range and capable of recording musical instruments as well as singers (One of my "goto" mics in the recording studio for recording horns...) -- and sounds very good indeed when connected properly to just about any Amateur radio transceiver or transmitter as well.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-a...tid=37-3871960


73

[KM3F]

On Heil, your 2 mike cartridges behind.
The HC 4 is not anywhere near good audio quality. It's meant for DX uses to cut through noise and QRM..
The HC5 has been out a long time and does sound good.
Now the Pro Set Elite has the HC6 a much better sound with extended lows.
It's for broadcast quality voice and still not wild with highs above 6k but for audio it's fine. Has a puff cover on it as well.
Good luck.

[WB2WIK]

The RE-20 is great. So is the Heil PR40, which is my "daily user" mike on four rigs here.

They actually sound about the same, so shop around and see what you can find.

Converting a dynamic mike to the "mic input port" of a computer is pretty easy, lots of accessories do that.

[ZL2HAM]

"King of the Hill" is still the good old Electrovoice RE20.

Don't be misled by those who somehow believe that only the Condenser Mic with Phantom Power is the way to go. The EV RE20 is a Dynamic Mic design that can do the job quite well, as testified by its sheer ubiquitous presence in many studios that do voice work. It is Cardioid pattern, meaning it can better reject room and background noise, it is full range and capable of recording musical instruments as well as singers (One of my "goto" mics in the recording studio for recording horns...) -- and sounds very good indeed when connected properly to just about any Amateur radio transceiver or transmitter as well.

Thanks. Looks like a great mike. More expensive than the PR40, though. Is it worth the difference?

On Heil, your 2 mike cartridges behind.
The HC 4 is not anywhere near good audio quality. It's meant for DX uses to cut through noise and QRM..
The HC5 has been out a long time and does sound good.
Now the Pro Set Elite has the HC6 a much better sound with extended lows.
It's for broadcast quality voice and still not wild with highs above 6k but for audio it's fine. Has a puff cover on it as well.
Good luck.

My Heil ProSet Plus headset can switch between the HC-4 and HC-5. For DX work, I get better reports with the HC-4. I'm hoping to use the new mike for DX as well as local, with different EQ and/or bandwidth settings.

How does the HC-6 compare to the PR40?

The RE-20 is great. So is the Heil PR40, which is my "daily user" mike on four rigs here.

They actually sound about the same, so shop around and see what you can find.

Converting a dynamic mike to the "mic input port" of a computer is pretty easy, lots of accessories do that.

When you say the two sound about the same, can you be more specific? What about things like pops, hi-end, low-end, warmth, fullness, etc?

Any loss of audio quality when using a PC mic input port, compared to USB?

[KM3F]

For absolute frequency response the HC6 cartridge in not in the same league with the PR40.
Your talking about limited voice use not extended range over 5000 hz with the HC6 even though it will put out as high as 5k.
The HC6 will do what you want for radio uses and even computer use.
For radio, most regular sets won't pass much above 3k to 3.2 without widening the IF band width so extended range won't get through the radio or be heard by the receiving end unless both radios can go wide.
The SDR sets can but most can't.
Unless your a fidelity nut, the PR40 is not worth the investment.
This is not saying that mike is no good but just what you want out of a Mike for both applications.
A first hand example is my Kenwood TS480.
It sounds very good for ham uses with the HC5 and HC6.
If you try to boost lows much below 200 hz they won't get through the radio.
If trying to force above 2400 to 2800 they won't get through either but cause 'artifact's to show up as a clicking sound if you try it.
The best articulation is between 500 and 1800 hz for good sharp clear audio.
This is not real fidility but good regular Ham radio audio.
Good luck.

[WB2WIK]

When you say the two sound about the same, can you be more specific? What about things like pops, hi-end, low-end, warmth, fullness, etc?

I'd say they sound pretty near identical, to me. The Heil has a bit more low end (down to 28 Hz, rather than 45 Hz like the RE-20), making it a favorite for drummers. For vocals, no difference I can tell. They both have cardioid patterns with a lot of rejection to the rear (the plots are nearly identical) and both have sophisticated magnetics and filtering.

To me, a big advantage of well designed dynamic mikes like these two, over condenser mikes made by anybody, is how much sound pressure they can accept without a hint of distortion. They're both very good at this, and they both have pretty well "designed out" the "bass boost" that occurs when close-talking conventional dynamic mikes. You can really crawl into either of these and they're still undistorted with no evidence of low frequency boosting.

That allows very minimal mike gain. I adjust so I fully modulate if I'm right on top of the mike, and if I back off six inches and SCREAM, that just barely modulates at all. It's a nice characteristic to have, for minimizing background noise.

[N8MSA]

I'd say they sound pretty near identical, to me. The Heil has a bit more low end (down to 28 Hz, rather than 45 Hz like the RE-20), making it a favorite for drummers. For vocals, no difference I can tell. They both have cardioid patterns with a lot of rejection to the rear (the plots are nearly identical) and both have sophisticated magnetics and filtering.

To me, a big advantage of well designed dynamic mikes like these two, over condenser mikes made by anybody, is how much sound pressure they can accept without a hint of distortion. They're both very good at this, and they both have pretty well "designed out" the "bass boost" that occurs when close-talking conventional dynamic mikes. You can really crawl into either of these and they're still undistorted with no evidence of low frequency boosting.

That allows very minimal mike gain. I adjust so I fully modulate if I'm right on top of the mike, and if I back off six inches and SCREAM, that just barely modulates at all. It's a nice characteristic to have, for minimizing background noise.

I agree with these observations. I use a PR40 post of the time, having found that my shack is just too acoustically "active", and all of the condenser mics that I have tried pick up too much ambient noise.

[KA6LSD]

Remember that some radios have DC voltage on the Mic Hi line for electrete mics.

The Heil Pro 40 mic has a capacitor in it to block the DC. So if you use the nice Electrovice mic,
you will need a blocking cap. I usally put it in the adapter like Heil does on the ProSet adapters.