If you record speech at home in a room that has not been treated, a dynamic microphone is a reasonable place to look, because it is less sensitive to distant room reflections than a condenser. Our room-beats-the-mic article makes that case. Heil Sound makes two dynamics aimed at this use, the PR 40 and the PR 30. Everything below about them comes from Heil’s own product pages, read on 2026-10-14. I have not tested either microphone or heard either on a voice.
What Heil states, side by side
| PR 40 | PR 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Element | Dynamic, 1.125″ low-mass diaphragm | Dynamic, 1.5″ diaphragm |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid | Super cardioid |
| Frequency response | 28 Hz – 18 kHz | 40 Hz – 18 kHz |
| Rear rejection at 180° | −40 dB | −40 dB |
| Max SPL | 148 dB | 146 dB |
| Impedance | 600 ohms balanced | 370 ohms balanced |
| Output level at 1 kHz | −53.9 dB | −51 dB |
| Connector | 3-pin XLR | 3-pin XLR |
| Weight | 13.5 oz | 9 oz (255 g) |
| Included | Padded zipper case and mic clip | Not stated on the page |
Heil’s own comparison describes the PR 40 as the one for deep male voices and maximum low-end warmth, and the PR 30 as aimed at female voices and spoken word where you want articulation without low-end boom. That is Heil’s positioning, not a measurement. Voices differ, so treat it as a starting guess.
What the numbers do not tell you
- Whether your interface can drive it. Heil says both microphones work without an external preamp. Heil lists output levels of −53.9 dB and −51 dB at 1 kHz and gives no gain recommendation. Dynamic microphones generally ask more of a preamp than condensers do, and our studio microphone buyer guide explains why to check your interface’s gain before buying one. I cannot convert Heil’s figures into that guide’s units, so check with the interface maker.
- How either sounds on your voice. Frequency response ranges say what a mic can reproduce, not whether it flatters you.
- Whether the arm will hold it. The PR 40 is listed at 13.5 oz. A light desk arm may sag; check the arm’s rated load.
- Return terms. I did not read Heil’s return policy. UNVERIFIED. Read it first, because a microphone is a thing you want to be able to try.
The honest order of operations
Fix the room first: get close to the mic, soften the space, cut reflections. That costs little and changes more than any microphone swap. If you already own a dynamic mic you like, such as one of the Shure models in our buyer guide, you do not need either of these. If you do not, and you want a dynamic mic made for speech with an XLR connection, both Heil models are plausible candidates and the choice between them comes down to your voice, your interface and your budget. Heil lists the PR 30 for less than the PR 40 on its site, which is worth knowing if the two sound close to you.
This page is not a ranking. I have not listened to either, so I will not tell you one is better.