Dynamic mics

While I like condenser mics there are plenty of good dynamic mics out there too.

Heil is a relative newcomer to the field of professional broadcast microphones and has several lines of dynamic mics. Among them is the PR-30, a dynamic with a cardioid pattern. It has a wide frequency response — close to that of a condenser mic — and likewise can withstand a high SPL. It also has an integral pop-filter.

Shure is still manufacturing what is surely considered a classic by those of us that have been in this business for some time: the SM7B. It features a flat frequency response but also includes bass roll-off and presence boost controls. It has a cardioid pattern and also improved rejection of electromagnetic hum, specifically to reject noise signals from computer monitors. It has a built-in windscreen, but an additional external pop filter is available.

There are several manufacturers making dynamic mics with what I would have to call a retro look about them. First of these is the Heil Classic Pro studio mic. Let's just say it looks an awful lot like the old RCA 44-BX and includes a bracket that goes over the end (opposite the mounting bracket) for displaying the station call letters.

Neumann has introduced its first-ever dynamic mic: the BCM 705. This is a supercardioid specifically designed for speech reproduction at close range. The headgrill can be removed for cleaning, and fortunately it comes with a built-in pop filter for the jocks that define close range. This particular mic has a wide frequency response (20Hz to 20kHz) for a dynamic. In practice it sounds much like the BCM 104 condenser (in the exact same package).

Electro-Voice also has a new line of trendy retro microphones, including the Blue Raven, a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern, and an interesting double-swivel mount.