Electro-Voice RE20 Review: The FM Radio Microphone
Buy the RE20 if you or your guests move around while talking and you need the tone to stay put, because Variable-D controls proximity effect in a way no ordinary cardioid does. Skip it if you sit still and want warmth from working the microphone close, because that is exactly the effect the RE20 is engineered to remove.
Variable-D means you can move off axis without the tone changing, and that is the whole reason it costs what it costs.
Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Broadcast Announcer Microphone, Black
~$449
The large bodied dynamic broadcast microphone that defined the sound of FM radio, with Variable-D porting to suppress proximity effect.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Type | Dynamic, large diaphragm |
|---|---|
| Polar pattern | True cardioid, described by Electro-Voice as having no coloration at 180 degrees off axis |
| Proximity control | Variable-D porting for minimal proximity effect |
| Voicing | Voice tailored frequency response |
| Connector | XLR, no phantom power required |
| Approx. price | Around $449 |
Specifications above come from Electro-Voice's published product description as listed on the Amazon product page. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Variable-D keeps the tone consistent as the distance changes, which means a guest who leans in and back does not swing between boomy and thin.
- Off axis rejection is unusually clean, so what leaks in from the side sounds like the room rather than like a filtered smear.
- Being a dynamic, it rejects far more room than any condenser and needs no phantom power.
- The voicing is genuinely broadcast tuned, so a normal speaking voice sits forward with very little EQ.
- It is built like a tool and holds resale value for decades.
Where it falls short
- It is a low output dynamic and needs roughly the same large amount of clean gain an SM7B does. Bus powered budget interfaces frequently run out.
- Variable-D removes the low end lift you get from working a normal cardioid close. If your voice relies on that lift for weight, the RE20 will sound thinner to you, not richer.
- It is heavy and physically large. Cheap desk arms sag under it within weeks, and on camera it dominates the shot.
- The published response starts at 45 Hz, which is honest and lower than most voices need, so do not expect an extra octave of chest.
- At around $449 it is priced against microphones that solve the gain problem for you, and it does not.
What owners report
Published owner reviews converge on a few reliable points. Broadcasters and podcasters with more than one person at the table consistently praise the consistency: the sound does not change when someone shifts position, which removes the single most annoying kind of post production work. Owners recording alone and sitting still are more divided, and a recurring comment is that they expected more low end weight and got a flatter, more even sound instead.
That is Variable-D working as designed. An ordinary cardioid gains bass as you get closer, which is why radio voices sound big up against the grille. The RE20's multiple ports cancel most of that effect, trading the flattering bass lift for tonal stability. If you want the lift, you want a conventional cardioid dynamic.
Check your gain before you order
The other consistent theme is gain. Like the Shure SM7B, the RE20 needs a lot of clean amplification for a normal speaking voice at working distance, and plenty of interfaces at the budget end cannot supply it without lifting their own noise floor with it. Check the published maximum gain of your interface, and if it falls short, budget for an inline booster such as the Cloudlifter CL-1. The Cloudlifter versus FetHead comparison covers the two common ways of solving that, and the gain staging calculator will tell you roughly how much gain your specific source needs before you spend anything.
If the room is untreated, the good news is that a dynamic is the correct tool anyway. Condenser versus dynamic microphone explains the mechanism, which is proximity rather than magic: you work a dynamic close, turn the gain down, and everything further away drops in level relative to your voice.
Who it suits
- Podcasts and interviews where guests move, lean in and lean back.
- Voiceover work in a room that is not fully treated.
- Anyone who wants a broadcast voicing without EQ and is prepared to feed it enough gain.
- Kick drum and bass cabinet duty, where the RE20 has been a studio standard for decades.
Who should skip it
- Anyone whose interface tops out around 50 to 56 dB of gain and who does not want to add a booster.
- Voices that depend on proximity effect for weight, which the RE20 deliberately suppresses.
- Desk arm setups that are not rated for a heavy microphone.
- Singers looking for a first vocal microphone in a treated room, where a condenser gives more detail for less money.
Alternatives worth considering
Shure SM7B Dynamic Vocal Microphone
~$439
Similar price, similar gain appetite, different voicing. The SM7B keeps more proximity warmth and has switchable bass rolloff and presence boost, which makes it the friendlier choice for a single presenter who sits still.
Check price on AmazonShure MV7+ USB-C and XLR Podcast Dynamic Microphone
~$299
Over USB it has its own preamp and processing, so the gain problem disappears entirely. Take this if you do not want to buy an interface with high gain or an inline booster to get a usable signal.
Check price on AmazonRode PodMic Cardioid Dynamic Broadcast Microphone
~$86
A conventional dynamic with a much higher output, so an ordinary interface drives it without help. On a well recorded podcast the room and the microphone distance account for far more of the perceived quality than the gap between these two.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Shure SM7B vs Rode PodMic
- Cloudlifter CL-1 vs FetHead
- Gain staging calculator
- Best dynamic microphone for untreated rooms
- Shure SM7B review
- Cloudlifter CL-1 review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Electro-Voice RE20 vs Shure SM7B, which should I buy?
The RE20 if people move while they talk, the SM7B if they do not. Variable-D keeps the RE20's tone stable as the distance changes, which is worth a lot on interviews and with guests. The SM7B keeps more proximity warmth and has switches for bass rolloff and presence. Both need an unusually large amount of clean gain, so the interface question applies equally to either.
Does the RE20 need a Cloudlifter?
It depends entirely on your interface. The RE20 is a low output dynamic, and a normal speaking voice at working distance needs roughly 60 dB of clean gain. Many budget interfaces stop around 50 to 56 dB, and pushing a modest preamp to its ceiling raises its own noise along with your voice. Check the published maximum gain figure for your interface first, then decide.
Why does the RE20 sound thin compared to my old microphone?
Because Variable-D is doing its job. A conventional cardioid boosts low frequencies as you move closer, and most people are used to that lift. The RE20's porting cancels most of it so the tone stays constant with distance. If you want the lift back, a conventional dynamic such as the SM7B or the Rode PodMic is the right tool rather than EQ on the RE20.
Is the RE20 good in an untreated room?
Yes, in the same way any cardioid dynamic is. It is far less sensitive than a condenser, so you work it close and turn the gain down, and everything further away drops in level relative to your voice. That is proximity doing the work rather than any special rejection. Treating the corner behind you still improves the recording more than any microphone change.
Do I need a special stand for the RE20?
You need a stand or arm rated for a heavy microphone. The RE20 is a large bodied dynamic and light desk arms sag under it, usually within a few weeks and always at the worst moment. Check the load rating before ordering, and prefer a spring or gas assisted arm with a proper clamp over the cheapest option that fits.
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