Greetings to all;

I finally broke-down and purchased a 'talent' Mic. After a great deal of soul-searching and forum thread searches the EV RE50 was my final choice. My down-select was between the Electro-Voice RE50 N/D vs. 635 N/D. In the final analysis, it came down to "form factor". IMHO, the size of the E-V 635 is just a trifle too small. On the other-hand, someone should have warned me, the RE50 can be used to hammer 16-penny nails! Heh, heh! Robust manufacturing is one thing, but the RE50 should be classified as a lethal weapon! Has anybody ever seen the RE50 used to defend the on-air 'talent' or maybe a cameraman?

Thanks for playing along,

J.

I built a house with one once. Hammered out some dents in my car as well. Never used one as a weapon but did threaten my older son once when he was a baaaaad boy as a teen. Well, not really but I could have.
O|O
\--/

Yeah they're built to take the abuse.

Legend has it that the RE50 was developed as a hand mic for news coverage during the Viet Nam war, and it really proved itself.

It actually *is* a 635, with the addition of shock mounting in the barrel and capsule, and additional wind screening. It will outperform a 635 for handling noise and wind, including plosives from the talent. But for talent handling the mic gingerly and speaking carefully indoors, it should sound the same.

I too would buy an RE50 for a hand mic over the 635.

An Audio Engineer whom I respect recommended the 635 because of it's sensitivity, but I kept looking at the overall size and read numerous favorable testimonials of professionals that use the RE50 on day to day location shoots. It also works with my Sennheiser EW 100 G3 "butt plug". The RE50 is a solidly made microphone, I believe will give me years of service.

Thanks for playing!

Regards,

J.

The original 635 did not have a high output, (sensitivity) which could be a problem for 'low-talkers' the 635 N/DYM is hotter. The RE50 is also available in the 'improved' N/DYM version.
(I prefer an SM58 for hammering nails.. @ $100, more bang for the buck)

I purchased the "N/DB" version for that very reason.

Regards,

J.

Omni mics in use at noisy locations like an airshow are no good .. they pick up everything and you can end up with nothing usable.

For noisy locations we use NTG-3 shotguns to narrow the pickup, and the cardioid SM58 when doing interviews.

Sometimes the area noise is so loud, no one can hear nails being hammered, even when I miss and hit my thumb :O !#%*^&)#

Cheers.

The original 635 did not have a high output, (sensitivity) which could be a problem for 'low-talkers' the 635 N/DYM is hotter.

As a side note, the original 635 -- years ago -- was an entirely different animal:
http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/electrovoice_635.jpg

What everyone is calling a "635" is actually the 635A.

God only knows why E-V chose to re-cycle the numerical designation, creating this confusion.

I should have specified the non N/DYM 635a
Thanks Greg, I was not aware there was a previous model 635 .

Rick,

Not a problem... I mentioned it only as a point of historical curiosity.

I doubt that many people working today remember the original 635. AFAIK it was being manufactured back in the '60s. Certainly the 635A was being manufactured in the '80s. I'm not sure exactly when (or why) E-V changed mics but kept the number.

BTW the original 635 was not supplied with a lapel clip. ;-)

I have a pair of model 674 that I keep around for nostalgic purposes. A heavy all chrome cardioid, has a low-cut filter, -5 and -10dB @ 100 "CPS" . They have the old Amphenol 4 pin connector. Actually they don't sound too bad.

Thank you all very much, I especially love the history lesson. I love to learn the 'entomology' of a particular microphone series, e.g., AKG C414 series etc. The old 'standards' are standards for a reason. They work!

I think the E-V RE50 is a 'standard' because over the years, in professional day to day use, where it gets thrown into an audio bag a dozen times a day, for months even years at a time, it still keeps working!

I'm sure you can buy better microphones, but for the money, I think it will do the job.

Thanks for playing along.

Regards,

J.

Many of us call the 635a the "hammer". EV demonstrations in the 70s would actually use the mic to drive a nail into a piece of wood-demostrating their durability. I always wondered if they would turn down the mic before they banged the nail...I have one that was caught in a pneumatic lift gate and now has a nice 45 degree bend and a nice flat crease in it. Its a great conversation piece and still used as a test mic.

And yes the 635a and RE50 ARE the same mic. Some of the first RE50 units i saw were literally a 635a swallowed by the larger handle/wind screen. You could actually take off the top and slide the 635a out. Despite this i had a few colleagues SWEAR they sounded different, and the RE50 was VASTLY superior...

Despite them both being staples of the broadcast world, I won't even accept either one anymore on a show, in favor of the Sennheiser MD42 or 46, a much more natural sounding element.

Mr. Bellotte...interesting comparison. To be honest, I never gave even gave Sennheiser a thought. I don't know why, I've got a Sennheiser wireless kit, you'd think if for no other reason, compatibility would have put it in the running. It's funny how you think you've done a thorough job of researching a product and then someone points towards another offering you never even considered.

Go figure. Heh, heh!

Best regards,

J.