Heil Sound PR 22 & PR 35

Musicians may like to believe that they think outside the box when it comes to their art, but when it comes to choosing vocal mics the thing that's most likely to be inside the box is a Shure SM58. And there's nothing wrong with that, because the SM58 offers a known level of performance and reliability at a very attractive price. But as in the studio, different mics suit different voices, so sometimes it pays to look a bit further afield, especially if you can stretch the budget a little more. I must confess that I've never used a Heil Sound microphone before, but these US-built vocal mics look to me as though they are built to withstand life on the road.

As a company, Illinois-based Heil were established in 1982 and initially specialised in communications microphones, which requires a lot of expertise in refining pickup patterns. They now apply that expertise to live sound microphones. Both models under review are dynamic microphones, and the lower-cost Heil PR 22 has been designed to minimise handling noise while delivering a clear and natural sound. The manufacturers cite applications in live sound, commercial broadcast and recording, but what I'll be focusing on is how well the mic holds up at the front of a live band. Heil claim an extended frequency response (50Hz to 18kHz) and massive SPL handling for the PR22, and one of its secondary recommended uses as a snare mic would seem to back this up.

When it comes to creating a tight cardioid pattern, Heil's background in communication microphones is invaluable and they've applied this expertise to the PR 22 to optimise rear rejection, which in turn minimises spill from monitors and allows more level before feedback. An internal sorbothane suspension system decouples the diaphragm assembly from the housing, and the phasing plug used to create the cardioid response uses equally spaced ports to cancel out sound coming towards the rear of the mic — an approach that the designers claim produces a very precise cardioid pattern while also reducing the proximity bass-lift effect. The capsule itself is based around a large-diameter (1.125 inches), low-mass diaphragm, with the magnet employing an alloy of neodymium, iron and boron.

Cosmetically, the mic looks fairly conventional, with a tapered cast body finished in black satin paint and a screw-on, chromed, barrel-shaped basket comprising a single layer of strong steel mesh with a removable foam lining. One unusual feature, however, is the inclusion of two alternative baskets — one matte black and the other gold, so you get to choose your own level of 'bling-ness'! The mic weighs a comfortable 14oz, and its sensitivity is similar to that of other dynamic stage microphones with an output impedance of 600Ω (balanced). A soft plastic, foam-lined carry case is included to hold the mic, the extra baskets and a stand-mount clip.

A little further upmarket, the PR 35 comes in its own aluminium carry case with mic-stand clip and is slightly chunkier, sporting an all-black, rubbery, stealth finish and a recessed three-position switchable low-cut filter with 3dB or 6dB roll-off options. It has a 40Hz to 18kHz frequency response and can handle very high SPLs. Its unique selling point, according to the designers, is that it combines the open, uncoloured sound of an omni mic with the high rear rejection of a supercardioid.

The body is 7.66 inches long, two inches wide at the basket and one inch wide at the XLR, and Heil claim that it has the largest dynamic element (PR 30) in a hand-held microphone. This, again, has a built-in sorbothane shockmount and a powerful magnet structure, this time teamed with a 1.5-inch aluminium voice-coil assembly — it really is a monster! A humbucking coil minimises the pickup of hum or buzz, and the same approach to rear porting has been taken to produce a well-controlled cardioid pattern. Again, the mic is well balanced and businesslike.

Both mics deliver similarly excellent rear rejection and even sounds approaching directly from the sides are attenuated very significantly, despite these mics being cardioid rather than hypercardioid. At 45 degrees off-axis the level drops a little, but the tonality is still pretty well balanced, so as long as you're somewhere in front of the mic you should get a good sound out of it. Both models also seem to project a natural sound without the honky presence peak many mics impose, though you can always add a little upper-mid EQ on the desk if you need more projection. The slightly nasal or phasey character that many dynamic cardioid mics seem to exhibit is also absent, but as both models have a well-extended low end, the low-cut filter may be useful on the PR 35, while the PR 22 would benefit from the low-cut switch on the desk — this will help avoid popping, as well as further reducing spill from bass instruments. Handling noise is commendably low, while susceptibility to popping is about what you'd expect — no problems if you have good mic technique, but if not, use that low-cut filter.

Though both models sound good, comparing them in the studio shows the more expensive PR 35 to have a slightly more solid sound with just a hint more articulation in the detail. Whether this difference is significant enough to be evident during performance depends very much on the quality of your PA rig, but it's nice to know that the more expensive mic really does offer something extra in terms of performance. Of course, there are hand-held capacitor mics that achieve a similar studio-like sound on stage, but they require phantom power and won't necessarily give you the off-axis rejection these mics do. Our live test was conducted using a Fishman SoloAmp at a pub gig, where we achieved one of the clearest vocal sounds we've had in that venue, with plenty of level before feedback.

If you need a mic that cuts through a rock mix and you're prepared to sacrifice tone to achieve it, then there may be more appropriate mics out there than these two Heil models. But if you're more concerned with achieving a studio-quality sound on stage combined with excellent feedback and spill rejection, then either of these two mics is well worth considering. These two mics are the first dynamic models I've tried that come close to matching a good capacitor model for tone and clarity, and the more costly PR 35 is particularly impressive. 0

Heil Sound PR 22 & PR 35

Vocal microphones