ST. LOUIS As president of Sounds of Chez Le Chasseur Inc. based in St. Louis, I use Heil Sound microphones in all phases of producing nationally syndicated radio and TV shows as well as voice-overs and narrations for clients worldwide.
The “Travel Planners Radio Show” has used Heil Sound microphones for more than nine years. The live show uses the Heil PR40 for all of its in-studio broadcasts. The dynamic PR40 does not require phantom power, yet it offers a warm, full-frequency response with what seems like a sweet spot for the human voice. It sounds equally good for the female and male hosts with zero equalization or compression.
This, along with the PR40’s cardioid pattern, eliminates the background noise associated with multiple hosts and their computers in the same studio. We simply ISDN the show to Global American Broadcasting’s uplink in Florida and it sounds great.
The Heil Sound PR40 is a solid, end-fire mic that coincidently fits perfectly in an Electro-Voice RE20 shock mount. I’ve used both and the Heil is a much better-sounding mic that is impossible to overload.
Multitalented
While the PR40 is a great voice mic, it is equally at home with musical instruments, amplifiers and even kick drums. The PR40 was taped to the side of military cannons for the soundtrack of the movie “Letters from Iwo Jima,” which won an Oscar for its soundtrack. I told you that you can’t overload the PR40 and it always sounds great.
When “Travel Planners” is on location we use the Heil Sound PR20 as a handheld mic for hosts and guests. When the hosts are self-recording in the field for their radio and cable TV show, they use the new Heil Sound Handy Mic Pro for it small size and high quality. In noisy locations we rely on Heil noise-canceling headphones with Heil noise rejection boom mics. These microphones are the same mics we use ringside for the nationally syndicated “Combat Showcase” MMA TV show.
I have used many condenser and dynamic mics from Germany, the United States and the rest of the world. Those mics are occupying shelf space in our storage room because Heil Sound microphones, designed and assembled in America, give me the sound I want at a price I can afford.
Major artists and producers have found and respect the quality of Heil Sound microphones. Give them a call; who knows, Bob Heil might even answer the phone.
Kevin McCarthy is president of Sounds of Chez Le Chasseur Inc.
For information, contact Heil Sound in Illinois at (618) 257-3000 or visitwww.heilsound.com