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Electro Voice RE20 for bass recording...HELP!

E

eb3

Sep 8, 2006
30
2
#1
I'm a guitarist who played bass on some recent tracks.

We recorded with the RE20 on a SVT 8x10 cab and I just loved the sound I got.

Tell me guys as bass is a whole new world for me...do you all use this mic on a bass cab and how does it compare to other choices?

My thanks for your comments. :bassist:
 
#2
its a fair mic for your application
depending on how loud your were, that mic is better at louder sound source volumes.

there are some others out there, I think the CAD E-100 is genius on a bass cab, same with an older Senn 421 and vintage Audix dynamics like the OM-1 from the 80's.
For lower volumes I would move to an LDC to get more air.
(Like a U47 on a B15 flip top)

if you loved your sound then that is the main thing.

it would be my choice to also take a DI into the console and blend that with the mic signal to taste, at least have the option to do so.
 
#4
Actually, the truth is that the RE 20 is probably one of the best bass amp mics under $500 you can get. Flat response pretty much all the way up. Kick mics, especially the D112, are too scooped for my tastes and ends up causing probs with the kick. Most mics sound good on bass as long as they have relatively flat response, but the RE 20 is especially good because it's so very flat. Never tried the CAD, but I'd like to. Tried the 421 and liked it very much. Bought a Heil PR 40 because it has flat response like the RE 20 but a more extended bottom. But an RE 20 makes an excellent bass amp mic.
 
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#5
RE20 is just a great mic period. My mic collection isn't very extensive, I've got a few SM57's, an SM7, a couple ATM450's, and an RE20. The RE20 is great for a bass amp, or a kick, or certain vocals, and probably a lot of other things but mine is almost always on the kick so I don't get much chance to experiment with it. If I could afford it I'd probably get another 1. I loves it.
 
#7
Just dont whatever you do use the same mic in the kick and on the bass!

So if you use an RE-20 on the kick, then you may well get a really good result if you then used a D112 on the bass.

Otherwise you are going to have to eq the mic characteristic out of the sound, not ideal or they wont mix so nice!
 
#8
51m0n said:
Just dont whatever you do use the same mic in the kick and on the bass!

So if you use an RE-20 on the kick, then you may well get a really good result if you then used a D112 on the bass.

Otherwise you are going to have to eq the mic characteristic out of the sound, not ideal or they wont mix so nice!
Click to expand...

:eyebrow:
That is a bit of a stretch in thinking...every instrument that you mic up will have a very distinct frequency spectrum even if you use the exact same mic. To say that they will not sit well in the mix together or one will need drastic eq change isn't true.
 
#10
The RE20 is a beast on distorted guitars, screaming vocals and of course bass guitar!

Never got my attention as a kick/tom mic.

I usually use it alongside a Blue Mouse (basically a neumann u47 copy) on my 4pro and 810e.

I personally prefer it to 421's and D112's on my 'punk' sort of ampeg/pbass tone. I wouldn't use it on softer fingerstyle stuff, I'd then grab a 421 to help clear up some mud and ascertain some clarity.

Just my two penneth!
 
#11
I use EV RE 20 at about 4 feet up pointing down at about 45 degrees to pick up what I hear coming out of the bass. It matters where the mic is placed. I do a combo DI and mic placed in line with where the sound is correct to me. I set it back to the height and angle that matches the point where air is compressed from the speaker. You want to differentiate between DI and the sound of the speakers as they sound to the musician. If you do three or four test spots you'll find the right one. The DI is the pure signal, ideally used sparingly. I assume you would not ask if you did not just want to DI your sound and go to lunch sooner.
 
#12
The RE20’s prevalence as a bass mic stems from its excellent handling of proximity effect, which it does better than just about any other suitable mic for this application. There’s a great video of George Massenburg demonstrating this that you can find floating around on YouTube. It tends to be my second favorite bass cab mic, coming in behind a FET47, but in certain applications I actually prefer the RE20.
 

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