Electro-Voice — broadcast royalty and the RE20

Founded in South Bend, Indiana in 1927 and now owned by Bosch, Electro-Voice (always called EV) makes one of the most-imitated microphones in broadcasting: the RE20. Howard Stern made it famous. Every other broadcast brand has tried to make their own version since.

Founded1927

HQBurnsville, Minnesota

OwnershipBosch (since 2006)

Best-knownRE20 broadcast mic

What they make

Broadcast voice, live PA, and tour-grade mics

EV’s strength is the broadcast end of dynamic mics. The RE20 has been on radio-station boards since 1968, and it’s the most popular alternative to the Shure SM7B for podcast voice. EV also makes huge ND-series live mics, the Variable-D RE320 (an RE20 with extra tone switches), and tour-grade speakers and amplifiers.

The famous mics

Microphones worth knowing

RE20 — broadcast dynamic. Howard Stern, Joe Rogan’s pre-SM7B mic, NPR studios.
RE320 — RE20’s cousin with two-position EQ switch. Often used on kick drums.
RE27 N/D — neodymium upgrade of the RE20, hotter output.
N/D767a — live vocal dynamic, popular with rock vocalists.
RE16, RE15 — vintage broadcast mics, still in production.
Cardinal — large-diaphragm condenser for studio use.

Should you buy one?

The short answer

Get one ifYou want a broadcast voice mic that handles room noise differently from the SM7B — the RE20’s “Variable-D” design rejects proximity effect, so it sounds the same close-up or a foot away.

Skip it ifYour room is treated and you want the warmest, darkest broadcast sound — the SM7B still wins on that.

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