Beyerdynamic M 160

Beyerdynamic M160 Review / See All ZenPro Audio Reviews Here: Review Page

One of the only directional ribbon mics on the market (OK all ribbons are figure 8 by nature, but by use of baffling etc Beyer has controlled the pattern across most of the frequency range) the M160 is a friend in tight spaces and small rooms that you still want a classic ribbon sound with. A bit of a dark ribbon, it still takes EQ well like most ribbons and can be brought to life on top. For drum overhead in a small room, the M160 is tight and smooths out transients a bit. The double ribbon element design helps some with output levels. The small ribbon design doesn’t have the boom of modern day large ribbons, that isn’t necessarily a bad or good thing of course.

The low end is round but not huge, plenty to work with though if your source isn’t too far away. The smooth midrange is slightly veiled but pleasant, and the top end has a slight point in the upper mids before gently rolling off the more extreme high end. On guitar cabs the M160 is enjoyed by many but I must admit: I’ve tried it more than once and didn’t like it on high SPL cabinets as it did not handle the volume very well. For lower volume guitar cab work though, the smooth midrange is desirable.

Conclusion: Need a directional ribbon? There aren’t many choices out there at all, but luckily the M160 is an old stand by that you kind of can’t go wrong with in most standard applications.