Home Microphone Comparisons Rode Podcaster vs. Heil PR40 | NO BRAINER!

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Aloha friend and Welcome!!

Before we dive right into the Rode Podcaster vs. Heil PR40, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..

You’ve come to the right place!!

What I will bring you in this review

Of each microphone:

  1. Ratings/Price
  2. Specifications
  3. Summary
  4. Pros
  5. Cons
  6. Video Review
  7. Who this mic benefits?
  8. What you will need?
  9. Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
  10. Consensus/Conclusion
  11. Similarities & Differences
  12. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!

Rode Podcaster

Ratings/Price

Specifications

  • Microphone type: Dynamic.
  • Polar Pattern: Cardioid
  • Frequency Response: 40Hz – 14kHz
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 71dB
  • Connector: USB
  • Weight: 1.34 lbs.
  • Color: White
  • Included Accessories: Stand Mount, USB cable
  • Manufacturer Part Number: PodCaster

Summary

The Rode Podcaster USB mic is good for podcasting, but that’s about it. Lol. The difference between a USB microphone and an XLR microphone. It’s not very versatile but is extremely heavy and durable. So durable in fact that you will need a stand of equal durability just to be able to hold this barbell in place! The asking price in my mind (and many others), is not justified here at all.

Keep in mind there is a bit of discrepancy in the reviews. Some absolutely hate it and point out flaws that others regard as Pros. The bottom line is that I am not going to recommend it today because I wouldn’t buy it myself.

Pros

  • Built-in headphone jack for live monitoring, with volume control.
  • USB plug and play.
  • Works automatically on a Mac.
  • Very well made. Solidly built.
  • Rodes patented 10-year warranty + amazing customer service.

Cons

  • Cannot use a mixer or voice processor with it as it’s USB.
  • No padded box.
  • Tends to get harsh/honky/sibilant sounding. What does Sibilant mean?
  • The internal electronics of the mic preamp and analog to digital converter are bad (worst in class?).
  • Distorted sound.
  • Doesn’t receive EQ well at all.

Video Review

Who this mic benefits?

Endorsed for all of the following:

  • Podcasting.

Not really good for anything else. Again, it’s hard to say one way or the other. Many people said to only rely on it for pod-casting and nothing else. Still, others said it was good for most voice-over situations, including Skype, Youtube, etc.

What you will need?

  • Rode PSM1 Shockmount was highly recommended.
  • The Rode PSA1 is an amazing boom arm for the Podcaster as well as other mics.
  • The built-in pop-filter is sub-par. A separate one is highly recommended.
  • The DSA1, as well as the DS7200B is a great stand for this heavy mic.
  • Acoustic Sound Treatment never hurts anyone!

Thoughts from Stu’s notepad

  • The mic likes close miking for male voices.
  • It is USB only.
  • It’s a bit on the heavy side. You will need to invest in a proper mic stand for this beast.
  • Because this is a dynamic mic, it should in theory be less prone to picking up the background and ambient noise. Well, it’s not. Lol. It picks up way too much and doesn’t have good noise rejection. The frustrating thing about this is that some people claim it doesn’t pick up background noise, while others do.
  • The proximity effect of this mic is very strict. You must speak directly into the mic with your face only 2-3 inches away at all times or it won’t pick up the sound very well. It has a limited pickup range.
  • Though someone mentioned in the Pros section that it works automatically on a Mac, you may still have problems. At random times it refuses to be recognized by your PC or Mac, and about 70% of the time you will have to perform a full reboot to get it working again.
  • You may have to turn up the gain a lot on it, which is unfortunate because the higher the gain, the more likely you will start to receive undesirable sound in the recording.
  • If you’re having trouble getting it to work, a simple firmware update should do the trick. Http://rode.com/microphones/podcaster. This update is only necessary for mics with serial numbers below 7730 and for use on Windows. If your mic has a serial number above 7730 it will already have this installed at the factory.
  • There was a lot of back and forth about this piece. A lot of the reviews directly contradicted each other. Some criticized it heavily for things that others praised it for. Overall I wouldn’t recommend it. There are better options out there for your dollar.
  • The mic does not have a gain control or mute button.

Consensus/Conclusion

The mic is built like a tank, but the various issues hold it back from even being recommended. Gain issues, sibilance, its proximity effect, and the fact that it picks up background noise despite being a dynamic mic are all shortcomings that cannot be overlooked.

Onto…

Heil PR40

Ratings/Price

Specifications

  • Microphone type: Dynamic.
  • Frequency Response: 28Hz – 18kHz
  • Polar Pattern: Supercardioid
  • Impedance: 600 Ohms balanced
  • Max SPL: 145 dB. What is SPL?
  • Weight: 383g (2 lbs.)
  • Length: 170mm
  • Max Diameter: 52mm
  • Interface: 3-pin XLR male
  • Output Level: -53.9dB @ 1000 Hz

Summary

The Heil PR40 is a broadcast-ready mic that excels in primarily voice-over situations. Called the Gold Standard for pod-casting, this dynamic mic is ruggedly built and superbly flat and neutral. Condenser mic vs. Dynamic mic. You won’t have to do much EQ’ing, and a setting of “flat” will do the trick in most cases. It doesn’t need phantom power, but a good mic preamp with around 55-60 dB of clean gain is a must. Preamp vs. Interface.

Pros

  • Broadcast ready sound, with extended low-frequency response.
  • Extremely warm, intimate sound. Clear and articulate representation of your voice.
  • Superbly flat frequency response.
  • Easy to EQ with.
  • Bright and rich like a condenser, but controlled and soft like a dynamic.
  • End fire pattern rejects side and rear noise. Excellent noise reduction overall.
  • Nice foam/plush/leather case.
  • Built rugged, with a beautiful and flawless finish. It’s heavy, with everything being metal.
  • Comes with a clamp that has an adapter that screws in to allow the clamp to be used on different sized stands and boom arms.
  • Amazing timbre. What is Timbre?

Cons

  • XLR jack on the mic is a bit tight.
  • Does not come with an XLR cable.
  • No gain control.
  • No headphone jack for monitoring.

Video Review!

What you will need?

  • Preamp with 58 dB of gain, or a cloud lifter + interface. More on that in a bit.
  • Good compression (either a hardware compressor or a software plugin).
  • Heil broadcast boom and mounting piece, suspended shock-mount, and a pop-filter (Popless VAC-PR40). The Electrovoice 309a Shockmount & OC White desk-mounted boom are also solid and should be considered.
  • Acoustic Sound Treatment. It is important to note that this mic does a great job of rejecting room noise, but Acoustic Sound Treatment never hurts!

What people are using?

  • Focusrite Saffire Pro 24DSP.
  • Great match with the Steinberg UR22.
  • Focusrite Solo.
  • Symetrix 528E Processor.
  • The Shure X2U XLR to USB adapter works well and provides a mic control and headphone jack.
  • Alesis Mictube solo with 65dB of gain & +5dB drive with XLR to XLR.

What do I recommend?

I would go with a Cloudlifter because it’s more affordable, and you can bypass having to buy an expensive Preamp.

So in a nutshell:

Steinberg UR22 + Cloudlifter + PR40. This ensures that you get that extra 25dB of gain (provided by the lifter) in order to effectively and properly amplify the mic.

Note: In my SM7B review, I also recommend the Cloudlifter. Which mike you go with entirely depends on your intended use. More on that in my Final Word.

Who this mic benefits?

Endorsed for all of the following:

  • Audiobook.
  • Podcasting.
  • Voiceover.
  • Ham Radio.
  • VOIP applications.
  • Narration.
  • Screen recordings.
  • Youtube.
  • Skype.
  • Kick Drums due to that deeper low-end response.
  • Lectures.
  • Female voices.
  • Live vocals.

Not as good for:

  • Recording music.
  • All around recording.

Of Note:

There was a sprinkling of reviews that mentioned its prowess with some instruments; namely Bass, Didgeridoo, and Kick Drums. Please don’t buy it solely for these purposes, however.

Thoughts from Stu’s notepad

  • True dynamic mic. Does not need phantom power.
  • End fire pattern that rejects off-axis noise. This makes it perfect for podcasting and broadcasting.
  • Use the low-frequency gain knob and the HF knob as well. The mic may become a tad bright but both of these methods should do the trick in taming it down.
  • Sounds great with EQ set to flat.
  • The PR40 has a slightly “scooped” mid-range that may take the nasal “honk” and stuffiness out of your voice.
  • The Proximity effect is good. Anything more than 6 inches away from the mouth starts to sound thin. The sweet-spot here is around 2-4 inches. You can also put your lips right on the grill and the proximity effect is still controlled. It never becomes too thick or muddy.
  • You may want to mess around with an expander/compressor/limiter/gate to go with the mic, in order to fine-tune the sound.
  • The main draw of this microphone is that it is designed to record only the sound that is closest to it while rejecting everything else. This makes it great for less-than-perfect recording environments.

Consensus/Conclusion

A ruggedly built microphone that is perfect for voice-over situations, with a broadcast-ready tone. Doesn’t do as well with the instrumentation, but remains a Gold Standard with its primary intended use. Remember that a good Preamp or the Cloudlifter + Interface combo is a must for this mic to truly shine!

Similarities & Differences

Similarities

  • Both have end-fire patterns.
  • Both are dynamic mics.
  • Neither have gain control.
  • Both good for podcasting.
  • Both are solidly built.

Differences

  • The Podcaster comes with a headphone jack for live monitoring, while the PR40 does not.
  • The Heil PR40 is a true dynamic microphone and rejects most if not all background and ambient noise. The Podcaster does not.
  • The Proximity effect of the PR40 is much more forgiving than that of the Podcaster. In the case of the PR40, anything more than 6 inches away starts to fade. By contrast, if you aren’t right up on the Podcaster at all times (2-3 in.), expect a weak sound.
  • While the PR40 has a scooped mid-range that takes the nasal “honk” and stuffiness out of your voice, the Podcaster does the opposite. It just doesn’t flatter your voice much at all and may make you sound honky.
  • The Podcaster is a USB mic, while the PR40 is XLR. You will need some extra accessories to go with the PR40.
  • Both mics look very different from each other aesthetically.
  • The PR40, while primarily used in voice-over, is also pretty versatile as well. The Podcaster is not.

Final Word

Now obviously I’m going to recommend the PR40 over the Podcaster, no questions asked. The PR40 is truly dynamic and will take some rudimentary knowledge on how your setup is supposed to run. Luckily for you, I’ve laid it all out here for you!

Basically:

Computer via USB > Audio Interface > Cloudlifter > PR40. That’s your chain right there!

Now, either of these other 2 mics works in the same way as the PR40’s chain. I consider all of them to be the 3 best dynamic mics overall:

  1. Shure SM7B. Versatile, which is why it gets #1
  2. Electrovoice RE20. Broadcasting/Voice-over Gold Standard.
  3. Heil PR40. Broadcasting/Voice-over Gold Standard.

The RE20 and PR40 are perfect for voice-over but aren’t as versatile as the SM7B. So if you need the best strictly for voice-over, #2 or 3 are your best bet. Which is better? There is no real definitive answer to that question, unfortunately. I rate the RE20 #2 based on history and time-tested results. In my research, I’ve found that some simply prefer one to the other. Just know they are extremely similar mics, and both get some very high accolades. Strapped for cash? Go with the PR40. Want the industry standard? Go with the RE20.

SEE THE PR40 FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!

SEE THE RE20 FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!

If you need a mic that can handle instruments, voice-over, and vocals, the SM7B has been the trusted solution for many years.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHURE SM7B DYNAMIC MICROPHONE!!

Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the Rode Podcaster vs. Heil PR40.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

Are you convinced that the PR40 is the way to go? What do you think about my top 3 dynamic list? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…

All the best and God bless,

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

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2 comments

Josh Steimle May 30, 2017 - 1:48 am

I tried out a Blue Yeti USB mic first, which seemed fine, except people complained about it being too quiet, but I recently upgraded to the Heil PR-40 and I’m having the same problem with it–people say that on my videos (like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEX3JFSWsn0) that they’re too quiet. I’m using an XLR to USB adapter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6WZGHS/) to connect directly to my Macbook Pro.

On my Macbook I’ve got the input volume turned up all the way. I’m not sure what else to do. Do I need to buy some additional piece of equipment? I don’t want to have to mess around with audio in post-production–I just want this to work without having to fiddle around every time I create audio or video.

Thanks!

Reply
Stu June 2, 2017 - 1:10 am

Hey Josh!

I listened to the sample you provided. I can understand what people are saying. Volume on my end is very clear but it took me turning the knob all the way up on my studio monitors to hear. The only other thing is that there is a ringing in the background. I presume this is due to the fact that you have the gain all the way up. The issue is with the XLR to USB adapter. The PR-40 needs around 59dB of clean gain. The set up you have now simply doesn’t provide that. In fact, a standard audio interface doesn’t even give you the amount you need. I would go with an Audio interface + Cloudlifter to get you going, as I’ve written about in the article. Let me know how it goes! Also, do you have some Acoustic Sound Treatment employed? Let me know.

-Stu

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