Heil PR-40 picking up hum

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kags

Well-known member
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Nov 2, 2019
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I have a voice-over client (a studio, not an artist) who have been trying to use Heil PR-40s in a new voiceover studio. They are finding that the PR-40 picks up 100 Hz airborne hum when pointed north-south in their room, but not east-west. They normally plug these mics into a ZOOM Podtrack mixer/recorder. Their other mics (AKG 414 and Schoeps CMC) do not pick up any noise. I asked the engineer to change mic cables, try a different preamp, and try to locate the source of the interference.

The PR-40 is transformerless and claims to have some kind of hum-bucking circuitry that reduces noise. I know it's used and well-respected for broadcast environments, so I'd be surprised if this is a common issue. I know there was a version of this unit that had a ground issue that has been fixed in current versions. This is a current version and the engineer says he verified that XLR pin-1 does indeed show continuity to the mic body and head basket. The noise picked up is a 100 Hz fundamental with strong harmonics going way up.

Anyone have experience with this mic and/or this issue?

thanks!
 
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