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Author Topic: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit  (Read 9735 times)

Rob Spence

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Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« on: August 01, 2011, 10:57:01 AM »

Well, this will be a short review (for the time being)....

 Several weeks ago I was offered a PR35 to try by Bob Leonard as I wanted to try one on a drummer vocal. I had seen the demo by Bob Heil back at the Parsons Audio Expo of a wireless cartridge version of the PR35 (RC35) and was impressed by the side and rear rejection.

 So, I went over to Bob's place one day to pick up the mic and got an impressive demo of his new ProRack mixer and other toys. I recalled using the prototype of the ProRack back at the NYC Sub Shootout and marveled at how intuitive the desk was (especially since this one had random coloured knobs on it and no silk screening...). Oh, wait, I was talking about Heil mics....

 Anyway, as I was heading out the door, Bob hands me a briefcase and says I got to take this too. It is the case full of Heil mics for drums!!!

 So, off I go and do the gig I wanted to try the PR35 on which works great. Hardly much of any of the kit in it (some cymbal but what can you expect). I like it. There wasn't an opportunity to use any of the Heil mics that night though.

 Next, I wrench my back and am out of things for two weeks! Ouch! Oh, the next gig is only lighting since the orchestra is carrying it's own PA.

 So, tonight I finally get to play with the drum mics (Sunday).
 The drummer is cool with me doing what ever I want - he thinks the mics are neat too.

 I use the PR35 on the lead singer and the two PR22s on the backup singers.
 It takes a bit of work to get the PR35 right for this guy since he has such a lot of energy up around 4k but we get it done.
 The result is good sound all night.
 The PR22 takes less work for me with almost no EQ and the backup guys sound great.

 I had 4 channels to play with on the drums so...
 I put the kick mic on the kick... duh. It was pretty transparent and for the room was a bit overwhelming. The room is low freq resonant so I notched out the low mids so not to compete with the double bass and it sounded good. For this genre a D6 would have worked well with the built in notch.

 I put a PR30 on the High Hat and it sounded great! No EQ other than the HP.

 I put one of the tom mics on the Rack Tom. The drummer had looked at the Heil mount and said it was ok to put on his drum. He liked the rubber pad where it touched the rim. Nothing much to EQ and it sounded fine with a little gate. The clip worked real well and let me place the mic just where I wanted and out of the way of the drummer.

 I use the last channel with another PR30. I put it such that it picked up both the Ride and the Floor Tom. A little position adjustment and both instruments sounded very good. Again with little EQ.

 Anyway, the evening went well. The drums sounded great in the house. The PR22s worked very well on the vocals. In retrospect I would liked to have tried a PR22 on the main vocal too.

They come in a nice case though the mics fit tight and could use a finger notch in the rubber to make it easier getting them out.

 Will be a few weeks till I can try em again.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2011, 01:51:41 AM »

How's it going rob?
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Rob Spence

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2011, 07:33:57 PM »

So, I have had the mics out a few more times and have some more comments.

Pro:
I like the mounts on the tom mics. The drummers like em too because of the nice rubber bits where they clamp.

I have used the PR30s in several roles where they sounded great! They work real nice as overheads on the kit. I really like these mics.

I used them the other night on a 30 year old kit - my second flat drummer in 2 months. One was about 3 feet above floor tom and the other the same distance over the rack tom. I had a great balance of all the drums and cymbals as well as the high hat. While the toms sounded good and the snare clear but not overwhelming like it often is, the high hat was nice an crisp. I was even able to mute the bass drum mic for a while and the kick still came through nicely.
I also used them on some trombones to good effect. One for a normal trombone and the other one on the bass trombone. Great sound.

I was able to use a PR22 one evening as a vocal mic and I really liked the sound of it. In comparison the PR35 seemed a bit dull. The 22 is a hotter mic so that might have incluenced my impression a bit.
I also used the PR22 on some horns with good results.


Con:
- It is a real bear to get the mics out of the case. Fortunatley the top layer lifts off and you can grab the mic.

- The mounts for the PR30s have strange threads. They look to start right at the beginning but the stand goes in about half an inch or more before engaging the threads. On some stands this means you only get a few turns which makes me uneasy. Other than that the mounts are easy to use.

- While I had no problem getting good sound from the PR48 bass drum mic, it sure is a heavy beast. I thought my Beta52 was heavy. At least the mount isn't wedged against the XLR like the B52 though the weird angle it comes out at didn't work for me for either a straight or a right angle cable. Most stages I do are tight and space in front of the bass drum is precious.


Now I need to return the kit to Bob with my thanks. I really enjoyed having these mics to use. I will miss them!

I expect I want some PR30s (or the PR31BW - think short PR30) and some PR22s to add to my locker. I feel I have enough tom and bass drum mics to not need more at this time.

Thanks again Bob!
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Rob Spence

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2011, 01:24:19 AM »

How's it going rob?

Good. More review happened.
I sent you a PM to set up return of the mics. Thanks, they have been a pleasure to use now that I have several gigs with them. I don't want to return the PR30s  :-[
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Rob Spence

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2011, 10:58:55 AM »

Some more impressions...

The PR35 continues to be a great mic for a singing drummer. I was thinking of getting some PR22s but I think a pair of PR35s is in my future.

I am still in love with the PR30s. I want the PR31BW as it will fit in tighter in drum kits.

I like the sound of the PR48 bass drum mic. I used it recently on a kit with a port but not in the port but closer to the center of the head (it was an accident... the mic got moved by a band member just as we started and I was surprised by how good it sounded).
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2012, 02:12:33 PM »

Some more impressions...

The PR35 continues to be a great mic for a singing drummer. I was thinking of getting some PR22s but I think a pair of PR35s is in my future.

I am still in love with the PR30s. I want the PR31BW as it will fit in tighter in drum kits.

I like the sound of the PR48 bass drum mic. I used it recently on a kit with a port but not in the port but closer to the center of the head (it was an accident... the mic got moved by a band member just as we started and I was surprised by how good it sounded).

Hi Rob-

I got to talk with Bobby Workman himself and examine/hear the stage full of Heil mics he was using with Charlie when we did a gig for them last year.  I now own a pair of PR31BW that I love on guitar rigs.  I'll try them on drums now, too.

Have phun, etc.

Tim Mc
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Rob Spence

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Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2012, 02:04:19 AM »

Great timing. I got my pair of PR31BWs yesterday and I will use them on tonight's gig.

Glad to hear you like em. I had a nice talk with Bob Heil about them.

I also picked up some PR35s too.
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Rick Earl

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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2012, 11:08:36 AM »

The PR-30 has fast become one my favorite mics.  It usually is first out of the box on most guitar rigs.   The PR-22 is my default snare mic now, only once did I have a drummer not like it, he was in-ear and was used to another.  I just put his choice in next to the 22 and used his more monitors and the PR-22 on mains.     Although the PR-48 works great in a lot of Kick drum situations, I find myself using the PR-40 more.

The PR-30 is also my fist out for trumpet and PR-40 for trombone.
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Re: Heil PR35 & Drum Mic Kit
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2012, 11:08:36 AM »


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