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Heil PR-40 EQ thoughts

317C50KW

317C50KW

I finally drank the kool-aid and got a Heil PR-40 mic. I'm pleased so far. I like its punch and contemporary sound.
Right now the only processing it gets going into Pro Tools is about 3db compression from a Summit audio TL 50 compressor.
But the top end, particularly on male voices can be a bit too "spitty" for my tastes, with "ssss" sounds tending to tear a bit.
I know this is a trait of most dynamics and I'm wondering what you folks have found as an "EQ" helper on the top end. I tend to use the standard issue Pro Tools seven band EQ plug in the most. Mic is worked at a 45 degree angle 90% of the time, 10-12 inch distance with popper stopper.

FWIW the PR 40 fits the newer AKG 414 shock mounts.

Thanks!
 
Try hitting the compressor a little harder. Optical compressors often have a bit of a high-end boost to compensate for what Bob Putnam, Jr. calls "their innate darkness." Try kicking it up to 10dB or so of gain reduction, and you may find that things smooth out nicely.

Then let us know how it went. A link to a file would be nice. I'd like to hear what that mic/comp combo sounds like.

Thanks!
JJ
 
Also, you may find that the S's sound cleaner if you address the mic dead-on at zero degrees, rather than at an angle. They may be slightly louder, but more accurate.
 
Thanks for the tips...I'll give the compression boost a try, The Summit TL 50 as far as I know is not an optical compressor though. It's a booth mic and it's used by a variety of male and female talent, usually I don't do VO.
 
By golly, you're right. The Summit Audio site is VERY cagey about what type of compression circuit they use. The only place they might have slipped is on their mic pre/comp combo's spec. page, where they admit -- probably accidentally -- 2 "compression cells" in the hardware component list. So I'd be willing to bet they're most likely using Vactrols, altho they could be using T4-style luminescent panel/CdS or LA-4A style LED's/CdS cell arrangements. A third possiblity is a variable-mu circuit, but I'd bet not.

However, in one of the site's Tech Tips they mention that running the signal thru the TLA-50 with only a small amount of compression will boost the high frequencies. Regardless, most compressors will tend to dull the highs as more compression is used.

Good luck and let us know your results!

JJ
 
The Heil PR 40 is a terrific microphone that could possibly be a new standard for broadcasters. It is well balanced and really shines on voices. Probably the best dynamic out there. Compared to the RE27nd, there's a whole lot more bottom and crispier highs. I'm using mine with a dbx286a and it really sounds good. Had to roll off the highs just a little. Leo Leporte is happy with his PR 40 too.
 
Radiowizard wrote:

"Compared to the RE27nd, there's a whole lot more bottom and crispier highs. I'm using mine with a dbx286a and it really sounds good. Had to roll off the highs just a little."

I'm a little late in pointing this out, but it's very important to make your mic choice and EQ decisions based on what you hear on a pair of good monitor speakers, NOT in the headphones. What might seem to shreik in the headphones may actually be just right on the air, particularly with a hot music and sfx mix. Headphones that are already bright and especially prone to this include the very popular Sony MDR-V6 and it's clone the MDR-7506, the MDR-7502, and to a lesser extent the MDR-7509. Plenty of the Sennheisers fall into the same category, tho it's usually the very top end that has a mighty boost - despite the decal on them declaring them to be "linear." Linear headphones, and linear monitors, do not exist. But monitors come closer to the average of the real-world environment. And, be sure to make your EQ decisions either before or quite some time after using your headphones, or the monitors will seem dark. Go get a soda and give your ears a little time to rest.

I'm one of those who EQ's and compresses to DAW using a channel strip mic processor, in my case a Symetrix 628 Digital Voice Processor. To set my ideal EQ and compression, I first recorded a couple of minutes of reads flat and without compression to the DAW. Then I took the output of the DAW and ran it thru the line-in on the Symetrix, set my gating and compression, and then the EQ. In my case, using a Sennheiser MKH-416 short shotgun, that turned out to be 12 dB of comp at 4:1 with a release of 0.250 sec and fixed attack of 50 ms, and just a little bump of +4dB @ 3.0 kHz with a bandwidth of 0.5 octaves to give some clarity without sounding too "processed." I also address the mic dead-on, and turn my head slightly for plosives only if I'm having to really belt it out for a car spot or whatever. For me these settings work equally well for both radio and TV spots and bumps, as well as narration -- clear but not fatiguing at all. Just enough hype to make me sound a little better than life. ;-)

And don't forget, be sure to re-route the DAW output back to the board and switch back to mic input on the processor when you're done! Especially if you'll be followed in production by the clueless.

Right now I'm looking for a pair of headphones that are smoother than the MDR-7506's I've been using for over a decade. Several VO friends have recommended the new Audio Technica ATH-M50's as being much smoother...but so far the price tag kinda makes me sneeze.

JJ
....having a very slow February.
 
My original thoughts about the Heil PR 40 still stand. It's a great microphone and sounds really swell on my Event 20/20's. It doesn't matter what I think. My clients have noticed a big improvement in our overall sound and that's what counts the most. The only change I made was the microphone. It just punches through a whole lot better. I've used Neumann, EV RE27nd, Shure KSM 32, Shure SM 7B, an assortment of shotguns, and this is the microphone that delivers the goods for my purposes.
 
We switched from Shure SM5B's to PR-40's last year. We discovered all the traits mentioned in the above posts as well, but when your processing is set up correctly it's not a bad mic. One dislike I have is how much more of the control room it picks up even with the gate set up to be more localized. For my VO I keep my personal SM5B in my locker. I have clients that prefer the way it sounds over the Heil. The Shure is still my favorite, but the Heil's not bad and unlike the SM5B you can still get parts & service for it.
 
Mooretronix offers a complete renewal of the SM5B including new foam and hardware if needed. Hey, uh..want to get the station to sell me two of those dudes?

jl
 
You could use a parametric eq while playing a voice recorded with the PR40, then sweep it until you find the exact center of the brightness peak, and adjust the level and q until you remove exactly the amount that works best for your needs. That's what I'd do. In fact, that technique allows you to make shockingly inexpensive mics sound damn good!
 
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