I own a number of ''entry-level'' Heil microphones, and am happy to share that I like using all of them.
The Heil PR20 is a great-sounding mic that, when substituted for an SM58, brings HF articulation that you'll be amazed you were missing before. It also seems to exhibit less ''proximity effect'' than the standard-bearer, making it particularly useful for a musician who sings close-mic at some times, and at other times, may be a foot away from the capsule -- a front-man who also plays guitar may be much easier to get with a PR20.
The downside: The Heil PR20 has a bit of handling noise. Removing it from a mic clip makes this painfully obvious, but it's not unacceptable as a hand-held. It is also sometimes mistaken for a mic that is bad in ''high stage volume'' situations, where GBF is king; but my belief is that the mic simply has much better HF response than many other mics, and you may need to do a bit of cutting if you experience HF feedback as a result.
The ''spotlight'' models, available in several colors, are not really for professional use by contractors; but can be fun for a singer to own, or a DJ or KJ to use. However, the paint will chip with use, and you will want to send them in to Heil once in a while, or pay a visit to a friendly auto body shop or similar place that does high-quality paint work. The standard PR20 model does not suffer from any paint issues that I am aware of.
The Heil PR22 addresses all the handling noise. It sounds just as good, and comes out of a mic stand silently. A superb mic at a good price.
The Heil ''Handi Mic Pro Plus'' is a miniature dynamic mic with similar characteristics to the PR20. It is often suitable for HF instrument mic'ing where you would normally expect to need an SDC, for example, on high hat. I also like it on bottom snare, and will use it on top snare if the kit is especially cramped. It is usable on electric guitar cabinets, but IMO it does not have adequate LF extension for bass instruments. Basically, if an SM57 is acceptable for something, the HMPP will likely also work, and in a smaller package, with more HF detail.
I use my HMPPs regularly, and use my PR22s occasionally. These are not a substitute for *owning* the standard mics that musicians may ask for; but are a great supplement to your kit, and may allow you to really improve your sound. Keep those Shure standards around in case someone really wants them, though!
The Heil PR20 is a great-sounding mic that, when substituted for an SM58, brings HF articulation that you'll be amazed you were missing before. It also seems to exhibit less ''proximity effect'' than the standard-bearer, making it particularly useful for a musician who sings close-mic at some times, and at other times, may be a foot away from the capsule -- a front-man who also plays guitar may be much easier to get with a PR20.
The downside: The Heil PR20 has a bit of handling noise. Removing it from a mic clip makes this painfully obvious, but it's not unacceptable as a hand-held. It is also sometimes mistaken for a mic that is bad in ''high stage volume'' situations, where GBF is king; but my belief is that the mic simply has much better HF response than many other mics, and you may need to do a bit of cutting if you experience HF feedback as a result.
The ''spotlight'' models, available in several colors, are not really for professional use by contractors; but can be fun for a singer to own, or a DJ or KJ to use. However, the paint will chip with use, and you will want to send them in to Heil once in a while, or pay a visit to a friendly auto body shop or similar place that does high-quality paint work. The standard PR20 model does not suffer from any paint issues that I am aware of.
The Heil PR22 addresses all the handling noise. It sounds just as good, and comes out of a mic stand silently. A superb mic at a good price.
The Heil ''Handi Mic Pro Plus'' is a miniature dynamic mic with similar characteristics to the PR20. It is often suitable for HF instrument mic'ing where you would normally expect to need an SDC, for example, on high hat. I also like it on bottom snare, and will use it on top snare if the kit is especially cramped. It is usable on electric guitar cabinets, but IMO it does not have adequate LF extension for bass instruments. Basically, if an SM57 is acceptable for something, the HMPP will likely also work, and in a smaller package, with more HF detail.
I use my HMPPs regularly, and use my PR22s occasionally. These are not a substitute for *owning* the standard mics that musicians may ask for; but are a great supplement to your kit, and may allow you to really improve your sound. Keep those Shure standards around in case someone really wants them, though!
