The KACL broadcast booth. An Electro-Voice RE20 microphone — heavy, professional, unmistakable — sits on a broadcast boom arm in front of a leather swivel chair. A broadcast console with faders, buttons, and VU meters stretches across the desk. An ON AIR sign glows red above the door. Through the soundproof glass, the producer's booth is visible, cluttered with equipment and coffee cups. The room is intimate, quiet, and designed for one thing: the human voice.
For eleven seasons, Frasier Crane sat behind that RE20 microphone and dispensed psychiatric advice to the callers of Seattle. The KACL radio station set was built around real broadcast equipment, and the RE20 — one of the most important broadcast microphones in audio history — became as much a part of the show's visual identity as Frasier's apartment or the Seattle skyline.
What makes Frasier unique as an "As Seen In" entry is that the character himself is an audiophile. Frasier Crane's apartment features high-end speakers and a carefully curated listening setup. His refined taste in music, wine, and sound quality is a defining character trait — one that millions of viewers absorbed over eleven years without realizing they were being introduced to the concept of high-fidelity audio.
The Electro-Voice RE20 is one of the most important microphones in broadcast history. A large-diaphragm dynamic microphone with a cardioid pattern and minimal proximity effect, the RE20 has been the standard for radio broadcasting, podcasting, and voiceover work since its introduction in 1968. Its smooth, detailed sound flatters the human voice without adding coloration, and its bass response remains consistent regardless of how close the speaker is to the mic.
The actual prop RE20 used on the Frasier set is now in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History — one of the very few pieces of audio equipment deemed culturally significant enough for the national collection. It sits alongside the original Kermit the Frog puppet and Dorothy's ruby slippers.
The broadcast console visible on the KACL set features the standard layout of a 1990s radio station: channel faders for multiple audio sources, cue buttons, a clock, and VU meters showing output levels. The console is the DJ's instrument — controlling what goes on the air and when, mixing music with voice, and managing the technical reality of live broadcasting.
I'm listening.— Dr. Frasier Crane, Frasier
The Electro-Voice RE20 is still in production after more than fifty years and still costs about $450 new — making it one of the best values in professional audio. It's the microphone of choice at NPR, the BBC, and thousands of radio stations and podcasts worldwide. When you hear a voice on the radio that sounds warm, clear, and authoritative, there's a good chance it's coming through an RE20.
Frasier introduced millions of viewers to the idea that audio quality matters — that the right microphone, the right speakers, the right listening environment make a difference. The character's audiophile tendencies were played for gentle comedy, but the underlying message was sincere: paying attention to how things sound is a form of respect for art.
On the collector market, Electro-Voice RE20s sell for $350 to $500, with the current production model retailing at about $450. Vintage broadcast consoles from the 1990s range from $500 to $3,000. But the real value of this entry is cultural: Frasier Crane may have done more to normalize the idea of caring about audio quality than any real person in the history of broadcast media.
The broadcast standard since 1968. Now in the Smithsonian. A large-diaphragm dynamic microphone with smooth, detailed vocal reproduction and minimal proximity effect.
Still in production. Same mic, same sound, same build quality. The Frasier experience is $449 away.
View on Amazon →The RE20's main competitor for broadcast and podcast work. Warm, detailed, and the microphone of choice for a generation of podcasters.
View on Amazon →Modern broadcast-style dynamic mic with built-in USB. No interface required — plug directly into your computer and start broadcasting.
View on Amazon →
