Variable D?

[Paul W]

Is Electro-Voice's "Variable D" technology all it's cracked up to be?

People seem to revere the EV mics with it, like the RE20, but I don't see people talking about that technology in mics from other vendors.

The relevant patents must have expired decades ago, making me wonder if others use the tech, just not by that (trademarked?) name.

Or if not, why not?

I've seen various end-addressed "podcasting" mics with styling similar to the RE20, and wonder whether any are actually built similarly.

 

[k brown]

"Variable D" had nothing to do with the mics' sound quality per se; it just reduced proximity effect to barely audible - in that regard, it was definitely "all it's cracked up to be", for situations in which the bass boost from close-mic'ing is not desired.

No idea if 'similarly-styled' mics have this same property.