AEA A440 MIC REVIEW
Everything you ever thought you knew about a ribbon mic just gets tossed out the window (or wind-er as they say in the mountains) when you hear the A440. Its like holding a small tank in your hands, heavy and all metal and built to last. If you dropped it on somebodys head, they likely would not survive and if they did they probably wouldnt be quite right afterwards. It really is amazingly heavy. Its the detail and output that makes you scratch your head and wonder how they did it.
The amplifier on board the phantom powered A440 is scorching high output, except noise. It really is among the quietest mics on the planet, yet the output just screams hot detailed sound. The first time I ever put one up, I had it in the next room and the doors were open down the hall from the control room to the live room, maybe separated by 30 feet (were talking no direct line between me and that mic, and 5 turns in between). I pulled the monitors up and could sit there and very lightly slap my hands together and it was like there was no wall / window between me and the mic. With some condenser mics that is not an amazing feat, but remember this is a ribbon mic and the preamp wasnt even cranked up yet. THAT is a stellar performance, Ive never seen a ribbon capable of this kind of response.
HUGE, smooth, midrange focused and that gentle / smoky / dancing sort of top end you only get from Wes Dooley on his large ribbon mics. The realism is amazing, definitely the kind of mic youd want on a scoring stage where every inch of the room should be captured. I never got to use one in a live situation (I dont get out much) but this was the central theme to the design.
Conclusion: Overkill for a project or home studio maybe, when you dont need to distant mic a concert (buy an R84 or R44 for typical close mic studio use). The A440 has its place in high end scoring stages and studios that can afford the best.
AEA R44C / R44CNE MIC REVIEW
If a ribbon mic can deliver as much vibe in looks as it can in sound, well then thatd be one vibe-y microphone for sure. The R44 is the vibe monster for sure with its classic looks and tone for days. The R44C is a reproduction of the famous RCA 44 B and BX models. In fact, parts are interchangeable between the two. Wes Dooley also bought up original stock aluminum from RCA to continue repairing 44 mics, and now he uses that same element material in his R44.
The bottom end response of the R44 from just about any distance is stunning. It has a life to it that is almost scary, it really loves to deliver bass energy. The midrange on the mic is very present and forward, and top end rolls off gently and while some might call it dark, the R44 still has a unique sort of electric sound to the top end that I dig. Its a very sweet sound, but a thick sweet sound if thats what youre looking for. On acoustic sources and voice it delivers a big sound that takes up a lot of space between the speakers with its size.
Conclusion: It delivers the classic huge ribbon sound, is never bright yet still has a nice detail to it. A lot of vibe can be had with this one microphone. The CNE version is the same mic only the details of appearance arent as ornate.
AEA R84 RIBBON MIC REVIEW
My favorite ribbon mic, and the first ribbon to ever make me reach into my own funds and say I need that sound all the time!. The R84 is so much ribbon mic for $1,000 its ridiculous. It has a classic yet somehow more modern look to it at the same time. Its very lightweight and easy to position with the yoke style mount. It offers a different response from the rear vs the front of the mic, and it comes hard wired with a quad mic cable that is uber quiet. Whats not to love?
The real beauty of course is in the sound. When I use the word forgiving a lot of the time I mean a clean delivery of the midrange. The R84 is forgiving in this sense. A lot of the low mid and midrange on some sources can cause a muddy sort of sound to happen. The R84 tends to still give you the size with its proximity effect in close micing (the 84 is very big sounding from about 14 or less on most sources) but not the mud. The upper mids gently roll back forward to a top end that has a sheen to it unlike any other ribbon on the market. For a ribbon mic, the R84 can deliver an air-y space without being bright. Its this natural and forgiving mic with that sheen / vibe up top that nothing else in this range delivers.
Conclusion: If you buy one ribbon mic and can afford it, grab an R84 first for all things acoustic, drum and voice. Its the best of classic meets modern sound around, in an affordable price range.
AEA R88 MIC REVIEW
With a sound that lands squarely between the big smooth R84 and the more present R92, the R88 gives you instant Blumlein and MS stereo recording from a single point with no fuss and no muss (what is muss anyhow?). Weighing in at only 3 pounds (minus the cabling) its extremely easy to tote around and setup on any standard boom. It can handle 165dB SPL also, so a great choice for crazy loud source recording.
For drums, concert halls, close micd acoustic instruments, vocals and more, the R88 is very versatile. It has a full but natural sound and leans more towards the smooth and clean side of character. Being that its only down -3dB at 15kHz also, it delivers the room and details nicely as well. Just because its stereo doesnt mean you cant use one side of it for mono vocal tracking as well.
Conclusion: In the studio or on the road its a great choice for easy stereo use. Wes Dooley has another winner on his hands, its very versatile and realistic.
AEA R92 MIC REVIEW
Welcome to close micd guitar cab heaven, among other places. Addressing the concern of woofy low end proximity effect when using ribbon mics up close, Wes & Company took the R92 to a new level of usefulness. By tensioning the ribbon element to accent higher in the frequency range, a new ribbon was born that you could shove right into a chunkin guitar rig and get all the goodness from one mic. The mic has to weigh less than one pound, and the swivel yoke mount is pure genius and one of the best Ive seen on any mic in any price range as far as easy positioning goes.
Subdued bottom end response, a detailed midrange and very present upper midrange deliver those close micd cabs with authority, requiring little to no EQ during mix time. Great crunch and presence, sort of like what your favorite moving coil design might deliver, but with the smooth mids of a ribbon mic. On acoustic sources, the R92 shines again without giving you too much boom but better cut for a ribbon. It still isnt a bright mic, but room detail and air isnt ignored either.
Conclusion: Especially for guitar cab micing, the R92 is recommended. It is a unique mic tuned up for this specific purpose, and does it well.
APEX 205 MIC REVIEW
Ive always found the APEX 205 to be the perfect ribbon microphone for those that dont have any more money but want to experience a ribbon mic for themselves. It does not excel beyond major brand designs in quality nor in sound, however it excels in its price range. The 205 is the smaller brother of the APEX 210 ribbon, it is more lightweight and easier to handle, and also does not have a hard wired cable like the 210. The blue paint job is definitely different looking from most mics, in that the paint used almost looks like what you might use on an engine block!
The 205 is, for lack of a better word, a little smaller sounding than the 210 as well. It has a deep low end response, smooth midrange, and is not as dark as youd expect up top. It certainly is accented in the extreme low end, so close micing of guitar cabs may get woofy and if so, youll need to back it off to maybe 10 or 12 to find balance.
Conclusion: At this price there is no complaining. If you cannot afford a ShinyBox (heavily modified version of this mic with Lundahl and Cinemag options) the 205 is certainly a strong entry level performer.
APEX 210 MIC REVIEW
The 210 is the big brother of the APEX 205, much larger and heavier and also has an attached XLR cable. In the under $150 ribbon pricing range as an un-modded mic, the 210 happens to be my favorite right out of the box.
There is a bigger sound to be had vs the 205, but I also like the top end response better with the 210 on things like drums. For an inexpensive room mic I would suggest the 210, it can do OK on acoustic sources too and tends to round off transients a bit if youre looking for that smoothed out sort of sound. The low end can be woofy, again not a real strong performer on close micd guitar cabs but back it off a bit and its beyond useable. In a recent live ribbon shootout, the 210 bested quite a few expensive ribbons on drum room.
Conclusion: Another strong entry level performer I can attest to, the 210 is a lot of mic for short cash. If the budget is tight and you dont want to have the mic modded, grab a 210.
BEYERDYNAMIC M130 MIC REVIEW
A great partner for the M160 for MS recording with its symmetrical response front and back (figure 8 of course) the M130 is an old staple that does a decent job at sounding natural if not a little dark overall. Small in size, its also a convenient mic to deal with. It utilizes a small ribbon and compared to many of the new large (2) ribbons on the market, it tends to have a smaller sound overall but transient response with things like drums and guitars is snappier. The double ribbon design increases output level to a degree.
The low end response is decent but not big, midrange is smooth with a decent detail to it for sure. The top end certainly rolls off to an extent, still I would not call this a dark ribbon mic. You can utilize the off axis rejection at the sides (figure 8 mics have a virtual 100% null by nature when perfectly off axis) by making placement your new BFF. Even with the double element though, the Beyer ribbons are gain hungry for the most part so bring a real preamp with low noise.
Conclusion: A mainstay for a reason, it couples well with the M160 but also does a decent job of its own in the studio and on location.
BEYERDYNAMIC M160 MIC REVIEW
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 doesnt have the boom of modern day large ribbons, that isnt necessarily a bad or good thing of course.
The low end is round but not huge, plenty to work with though if your source isnt 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: Ive tried it more than once and didnt 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 arent many choices out there at all, but luckily the M160 is an old stand by that you kind of cant go wrong with in most standard applications.
BEYERDYNAMIC M260 MIC REVIEW
Talk about a specific sound! OK forget all that talk about dark ribbons you hear, the M260 is brighter than most small diaphragm condenser mics (yes I am serious). This mic has cut for days, however being that it is a ribbon mic its not as annoying and tends to stay fairly smooth. Still, high end is what this mic is all about. Hypercardioid with a super tight pattern, there is a built in filter set at 200hZ that eliminates any real low end response. Already rolling your guitar tracks off at 200 or higher in the mix, and want some cut? The M260 could be the mic for you. On acoustic guitar it will give you all of the strum and pick noise, and almost none of the body! Those are not negative comments, just stating a fact that this is one thin and bright sounding mic (for a ribbon especially).
Conclusion: There are times when thats what you want and need, lots of cut without the body. The M260 delivers it in droves!
BLUE WOODPECKER MIC REVIEW
You expect ribbon mics to be several things; keep away from phantom power, low output, dark sounding and having a large proximity effect (bass buildup) to deal with. Well along comes Skipper and Martins of BLUE and toss the Woodpecker into the ribbon arena and well, its beyond shaking things upits a unique offering to say the least. The Woodpecker ships in a wooden box, and comes with a gold shock mount that really sets off the mic with its walnut stained wooden body and gold headbasket and screen. It is phantom powered, the onboard amplifier requires it to boost output levels.
The Woodpecker is the perfect marriage between condenser mic and ribbon mic. The output of this mic is tremendous, some even think its too much (I dont) but think about the fact that you dont have to turn up your mic preamp much, and its all sort of a wash as far as self noise (there is some self noise to the phantom powered preamp on board). The sensitivity and detail is very condenser like, and most noticeable in the upper mids and top end response which is not normally accented in a ribbon mic. The Woodpecker isnt bright, it still has the ribbon smoothness top to bottom that gently rounds transients, but it will actually deliver the sparkle of an acoustic instrument and the breath and air of a vocal. Cymbals and drums cut through without having to use extreme EQ, its a great drum overhead or room mic. It has a gentle roll off at the extreme top end, a very natural sort of sound that gets a little darker the closer to 20k it gets. The other thing is, proximity effect is not so much an issue and you can mic vocals and instruments close with the Woodpecker and not suffer so much boom and flub. This also means the Woodpecker does have a smaller size to the sound, which is a reason many folks want ribbons. For this reason I say the Woodpecker is a specific reach since it does not sound traditional.
Conclusion: If you love condensers but hate the overly emphasized tizzy sound and sharp transient response, the Woodpecker is the absolute reach for you. If you love ribbons but wish they had a more detailed and present sound without the low end size, again the Woodpecker is made for you. One of the more unique sounds available for sure.
CAD TRION 7000 MIC REVIEW
Utilizing a dual ribbon element to increase output and sensitivity, the Trion 7000 does put out somewhat hotter than other ribbons Ive used but dont expect double! Its a very cool looking mic for sure, with that spherical headbasket its a very attractive way to finish it off. Again, the Trion series finish almost has this rubber coated feel to the finish that is unique. A spider style shock mount and case are included.
The Trion 7000 is one of those smooths everything out sounding ribbons, a very round sound is had with it. I really like it on voice in particular for a dark smooth response, but it is interesting to twist it off axis a bit and further change the sound of the mic which I liked slightly off axis on more than one voice. On guitar cabs, its not a mic that delivers bite much so bright cabs benefit nicely from the 7000. Drums and things will require a fair amount of high EQ boost, but like most ribbons the Trion 7000 takes EQ pretty darn well. The dual element at times can have a slight phase-y sound to it in the upper frequencies, due to slightly different arrival times from off axis sounds. Proximity effect is pretty big with the 7000, you would not stick it right on a guitar cab as it would need a little space to prevent woofy, so working the distance is key.
Conclusion: A dark ribbon with the smoothed over transient sound, perfect for taking the edge off of bright sources (have not tried on horns but I would definitely try it there). On voice it had a sound I really liked, and I did think it could get a little more interesting off axis a bit.
COLES 4038 MIC REVIEW
This figure 8 ribbon is, well, a few things: heavy and built to survive a bomb blast (beefy brass housing), true vintage (its been around for decades and is the same BBC design) and a recognizable sound particularly on voice / spoken word (hence the BBC design?). Its known for being the sole overhead mic for Ringo Starr on many Beatles records as well as countless other recordings.
On drums it has a nice way of delivering punch in the low end and low mids. As a room or overhead mic, it brings life to the lower registers. There is a small bump up in the upper midrange and then it quickly rolls off to a pretty dark top. Like most ribbons it takes EQ pretty well though if you need to EQ some top back in. I found it to be a little crunchy in the sibilance area on my voice. On guitar cabs it is best not to bring it in too closely or to use on very loud cabs, high SPL can distort the mic in this position so back it off a bit.
Conclusion: The 4038 is a pretty specific reach for drum overhead and room mic use, and like any good mic can work wonders when positioned right and matched to the source. It certainly is one of the more interesting looking mics ever as well.
COLES 4040 MIC REVIEW
The newest and updated design from Coles Electroacoustics, the gold plated canister look is very unique. The figure 8 pattern ribbon has a sturdy feel and comes from the same lineage as the 4038 but with a more extended response and more present top end. The output also seems a bit hotter compared to the 4038. For things like guitar cabs, horns and strings, drums and voice the 4040 brings a modern presence to ribbon mics that is welcomed. Youll find yourself doing less top end boost on many sources. Essentially I find the 4040 to be 4038-esque but with a flatter extended response that suits more sources.
Conclusion: An all purpose offering from Coles that gives you more output and top end response compared to its brother the 4038.
MXL R144 MIC REVIEW
At the time of this writing I have only experimented a bit with the R144. I will say that in this price range I am hearing a more balanced sound than other $100 ribbon mics I have tried. For some reason I dig the fact that it just kind of looks like a side address large condenser micits like a sneak attack trojan ribbon mic!
Just to get it out of the way, no the R144 does not sound anything close to an RCA 44 or any of the other 44 type ribbons Ive heard. That doesnt mean its not a surprising little mic for the dough, just dont let the marketing influence your decision to buy or not to buy. What Im hearing out of the mic is a more controlled low end response vs typical $100 ribbons, and a midrange that is more evenly represented and linear and response too. The top end is actually pretty well represented, yeah its dark-ish but the 1.8 micron element seems to be delivering more detail than Im used to in entry level.
Conclusion: My initial impression of the R144 is that it doesnt knock mics out of the high end range off of any pedestal, but it seems to have the potential to deliver a more all purpose sound than its same priced counterparts. In other words, it doesnt sound high end but for the money Im inclined to say give the R144 a spin first if all you got is $100.
MXL R77 MIC REVIEW
I have only begun to test the R77, but so far so good. The R77 exhibits an extended top end and low end that is noticeably higher fidelity than many ribbons. The appearance is, I gotta say, slightly gaudy in person. I only say that because the clash of the silver and gold is maybe a little much but its not ugly! Just different looking, it actually has the old Radio City look to it too. The R77 has a 1.8 micron ribbon element. The yoke mount is very solid, it ships with a Mogami cable (a thinner gauge 2 conductor, not Gold Series quad) and a cleaning cloth which, now that I think of it, is pretty much needed to keep all that chrome and gold shining.
The extended sound of the R77 is pretty detailed overall. It has a natural sort of sound for the most part, the low end has more of a deep and round thing happening and not the woof associated with many ribbons. The midrange is linear sounding for the most part, but there is a bit of a point to the upper midrange. That point can help a source like guitar and some instruments cut through the mix, or of course it could need to be EQd out (some vocals for example may need a little de-essing in that range). Either way, it has a specific bump in the upper mids. Top end response is refreshingly open sounding for a ribbon. Self noise is noticeably pretty low.
Conclusion: The R77 is a nice entry to the ribbon mic market for MXL. It feels very solid, and certainly looks vintage. Its a more extended sound, but does have a bit of a specific sound in the upper mids compared to other ribbons.
PELUSO R14 MIC REVIEW
The R14 is a big sounding ribbon for sure. Hand assembled in the USA, the R14 ships in a wooden box with a shock mount. It doesnt really look like a ribbon mic at first glance really, more like a side address condenser appearance. Like most ribbons the R14 is a figure 8 design with equal (yet opposite polarity) response front to back, and a very strong null off axis at the sides.
On drums I was amazed at what the R14 delivered. It reaches down and grabs kick and floor toms in a very unique way, and takes them right to the surface! Boom and thwack are delivered in a big and deep way. The R14 is of the darker ribbon variety, yet it delivered a nice attack on the snare and other drums too. It takes EQ nicely like most ribbons, in a very smooth way. On electric guitar that huge low end response can maybe get you in a bit of trouble, accented the range that you normally have to hi-pass during the mix. Midrange is delivered smoothly, with decent upper mid presence as well as a punchy low mid response. Not an airy mic (most ribbons arent) it has a bit of a closed sound to it that is typical of classic ribbon designs. Voice is delivered big and smooth and natural, and with not too much brightness going on it does not tend to get essy.
Conclusion: This is a BIG sounding mic. For distant and drum micing, the R14 is an excellent reach for sure. As a single mic on an entire drum kit, you could likely get away with an optional kick mic if you place the R14 correctly.
TRITON AUDIO FETHEAD BOOSTER REVIEW
You dont always have to spend a lot of money to have the clouds part and have a heavenly experience with gear. Ribbon mic owners know that sometimes even the highest gain preamps could use an assist in getting signals hot enough on quiet sources (or maybe youre sick of topping out your preamp and bringing all that noise with it). The FetHead is a real solution that does not get in the way of the sound of the source, it sounds essentially true to the source.
FetHead is a super low noise phantom powered +20dB boost for ribbon mics that really does the job without bringing the noise. There isnt a whole lot to say other than it adds loads of gain and, as long as your phantom power supply is quiet, does not bring any real noticeable noise on its own. Using FetHead to record a source with my gain pot around 12:30, then using without but my gain pot maxed, I do not hear a difference in noise! This thing is really quiet. I have also concluded that FetHead does not take away from the sound and tone of ribbon mics but rather it opens them up ever so slightly. Im talking just a couple percent difference but even this small difference is welcome as clarity can be enhanced. It is useful with dynamic mics such as the Shure SM7B and RE20 which are quite gain hungry, same effect: super hot output with low noise and a slightly more present signal.
Conclusion: Now you can find out what quieter sources sound like with those low output ribbons and dynamic mics. Even if you have $1,000 ribbon mics this inexpensive device will allow them to shine. Stop running out of steam on your preamp, FetHead is a winner.