Over 90 years ago, Electro-Voice began, like Sweetwater, as a small, privately owned company in Northern Indiana. Right out of the gate, EV began producing innovative PA gear, providing sound reinforcement for University of Notre Dame coach Knute "Rock" Rockne's training program. In the years that followed, Electro-Voice innovations included everything from portable PAs and revolutionary microphones to the original humbucking coil. Today, you'll find EV gear everywhere from full-size live venues to the top broadcast and recording studios around the world.
There are three things that Sweetwater customers love about the Electro-Voice PA speakers we carry. First, they sound amazing. Their solid design, superior transducers, and (in the case of their powered models) clear onboard amplifiers make these some of the best-sounding speakers on the market. Second, integrated DSP makes configuring and reconfiguring sound systems easy, which is particularly handy for touring sound systems. And on that note, EV loudspeakers are also considered some of the toughest boxes on the market.
While Electro-Voice's PA gear helped change the face of sound reinforcement since the 1930s, the advancements they made in microphone design were, if anything, more impressive. World War II inspired breakthrough innovations in directional microphone design, and the EV T-45 "lip microphone" not only saved lives by providing clear communications, but it also led to new mic technologies covering applications from the depths of the ocean to the first manned American spacecraft.
One benefactor of this technology was the 664 Variable-D directional microphone, with a reduced proximity effect that made it the forerunner to Electro-Voice's most popular microphone, the RE20, which is still in production today. Born in 1969, the RE20 was designed to supplant condenser microphones in recording studios and sound stages. While it's still a popular recording mic, the RE20 opened up new inroads for EV into the world of broadcast sound.
Many other microphone developments followed in the wake of the RE20, and today, Electro-Voice produces a broad range of models covering everything from handheld vocal mics to studio condensers. We continue to be impressed by the sheer quality EV brings to everything they do, which is why the staff at Sweetwater is happy to recommend their gear. When you need top-quality sound-reinforcement equipment or great microphones, be sure to check out our selection of pro-tested Electro-Voice products.
