Hi ChiefOperator, recently I make comparison test between an Electro Voice RE 20 & Rode Proadcaster which may find it helpfully, Mic Pre was an upgraded older Symetrix SX202 that with best IC mic from SSM series the SSM 2015, here are the differences I found.
Overall, Rode Proadcaster is excellent Mic that simply try to mimic the look & broadcast feeling of a Electro Voice RE 20 without so much success on sound, BUT for its low price is a winner
Proadcaster has a much higher out level than of RE 20 about 8db higher, so effectively you can lowering the mic’s gain pot as results a lower ambient room noise levels plus better mic preamp S/N. Off-axis characteristics is better and some how narrow than of RE 20, so the mic pickup’s more effectively the voice of presenter and reject any other noise comes from sides or back. Construction of Rode is excellent, very robust and heavy so needs a good mic arm that can handle his heavy body
Electric shield is excellent.
Rode Proadcaster sounds like an audio from a good AM station rather than from a HI FI FM station of today, according to his audio result looks that Procaster made with AM, SW, or HAM users in mind of course the Procaster uses dynamic element so I don’t expect to have extended freq response, Proadcaster have better solid mid energy with emphasis on presence region than of RE 20 which have some “lack” but with an gently EQ can treat it, on lower region Procaster is more boomy of RE 20 so need some EQ to correct it, HF is not so wide as is on RE 20 is too narrow for FM use with a touch of hard “es’ess & sibilance. Side effect noises which comes from close Mic i.e. pop etc known issues are not effectively rejected as on RE 20, so definitely Procaster needs an extra anti-pop filter.
The limited sound response of Procaster may help it some how with an appropriate EQ, but this mic has a really bad coloration on mid region “tube-ish sound” which dominate on most noticeable region and cant minimized with any EQ setting, I suppose that “tube mids” come from the design of the body of mic which is close type instead of RE 20 which is open (as happen on headphones with open and close types, the sound on close types is dependable much from its housing case) general Procaster make your voice sound strong but also make you sound like have a cold like an “phase rotator” DO due that “tube-ish” coloration on mids.
The RE 20 instead of bad coloured Procaster did NOT suffers from any coloration in critical region of midrange except his too much bass energy and “some lack on mids” overall sound is very natural, RE 20’s HF “es’ess & sibilance are amazing smooth without any sense of “hard”, excellent brilliance for a dynamic element, that which make distinguish the RE 20 from other dynamic mics Is his very “Neutral” character.
In conclusion Rode Procaster is NOT (yet) the new broadcast standard to replace the RE20, a cheaper alternate YES.
PS: The above reflects only my personal view which may not agree with others
Best regards
XFon
