Electrovoice 635a compared to Electrovoice RE-15/RE-16

[BobbyTheol]

Hi all,

New to the board. Great place you have here.

Can anyone tell me if the EV 635a has a similar sound to the RE-15/RE-16? Their frequency response graphs are similar but of course the 635a is omni and the RE-15/16's are supercardioid.

Has anyone compared them on various sources?

Is there much of a reason to own both for home studio use (no live use or field), or would the 635a cover the same ground? The 635a is about $100 versus $250 for the RE-16 new, and the budget is tight.

Thanks for your help!

[Bob Ross]

To my ear the RE15 "goes wider" -- i.e., it's high and low frequency response limits are less overt -- than the 635a, so I tend to go for the RE15 when I want "neutral" and the 635a when I want something "colored" (...not quite "lo-fi" but definitely "old school").

Their proximity effect (or lack thereof) is definitely different, so similarities at 12" tend to be ameliorated by differences at 0.5".

Considering that the tight supercardioid [sic] pattern of the RE15 is as rare if not rarer in the average project studio mic cabinet as the 635a's omni pattern, they're both somewhat unique, real sleepers.

RE15 had been my go-to mic for trumpets, small toms, and guitar amps for decades, such that I finally bought my own when it seemed like I could no longer count on studios having one. 635a I picked up on a whim ($35 on eBay) and now I can't imagine how I survived without one for decades. Another guitar amp go-to, as well as for drum ambience and occasional vocals (!).

[stellar]

I own a 15, a 20, and a 635a.

I use the 15 or the 20 on vox. the 15 is bassier and the 20 is brighter.

the 635a to me sounds "flat" and as mentioned is omni so its harder to use it.

they all sound great in the right situation.

[pan60]

just like to say the re-15 as been my guitar amp mic for years as well.
i dare not compare the re-15 or 16 to the 635 as i only have the 15's, 16's, and a 20.
i will say i would not want to be without them.

[mig27]

Let me second that the 635a is a great allrounder with character.
I like to use it together with a Senn 421 on guitar cabs
And in front of drum kits with copious amounts of compression.
Or on acoustic guitar.
Backing vox.

Sniped mine for $35 at fleebay.
You really can't do anything wrong at this price.
And they show up regularly, so I don't see the need of being a new one.

My 2 cents.


Michael

[gevermil]

The 15 is bassier than the 20 ?

[chetatkinsdiet]

I'm such a huge fan of these RE mics. For those of you using the 15 or 16 on gtr amps....wait until you try an 18. It's my fav.

m

[Midlandmorgan]

Ahem...

The RE series are THE mainstay of most of what we do here. RE16s on a lot of vocal tracks, RE11 on guitar (amps and acoustics), etc...I've gone as far as to use RE16s as outriggers on classical location recording jobs....

As the the 635...had one here for almost ever, and it sees a lot of action as well...for a too-cool-for-old-school vibe, put an RE20 (or SM7, or if you're really in the mood, a higher end unit like a Peluso 2247, U47FET, whatever) in front of a kit so it really picks up mostly just the kick...then station a single 635 overhead...

Instant Jimi Hendrix drums....

I think my particular 635 has quite a rolloff on the bottom end, though...remember it was originally designed (I think) as a TV/ENG speech mic, so the rolloff may be by design. All I know is that I really like them, and like all EV mics of that era, are killer weapons in the war against lousy tone.

[BobbyTheol]

Thanks for the great info everybody! Anyone else?

[mrface2112]

not to hijack the thread, but some of you seem to have good historical EV knowledge (and love).

i've got an RE38 that i love on kick drum, amps, and more often than not, vocals. I've gathered that it's a close cousin of the RE20......but information on it seems to be pretty sparse (and the mics themselves pretty rare compared to the RE11/15/16/20's of the world).

can anyone out there tell me where the RE38 fits in all of this?


cheers,
wade

[stellar]

Originally Posted by gevermil

The 15 is bassier than the 20 ?

I don't want to steer anyone in the wrong direction; I am just a home guy so I don't use these things every day. but in my experience the 20 picks up a lot of the high end...like if you put it on a kick you can expect to get more thwack and less boom. just what I have found in my limited experience...

I have a jim morrison type voice. with the whole band in the room I prefer the 15 on vocals. It sounds very natural..like you are in the room. For tracking the 20 is hard to beat. It cuts through real nice. Like I said this is with one singer and one engineer so I dont want to lead anyone in the wrong direction...

I have heard that anthony kiedes uses a re20 and that the re15 was used on elvis.... might be way off here.