Which ribbon mic to buy?

[Al Acuff]

Multiple AEA mics have been mentioned. I'm an N22, N8 and KU5A owner. My studio is a small spare bedroom with RealTraps sound treatments. You could call it partially treated.

If I could only have one of these ribbon mics in my collection the KU5A would probably be the most useful. It gives you the most direct sound because it's super cardioid pickup pattern captures less room ambience than a figure 8 ribbon. Good on vocals and guitars.

The N22 would be next most useful. This depends on your room acoustics of course. For what it's worth I sold my N8 stereo pair because it was impractical to use them here due to the small dimensions of the room. The N8 has a LOT of proximity effect used close up.

After I added some ribbon mics to the collection then I realized how important room treatment is with figure 8 mics. If you buy a figure 8 ribbon mic be sure to set aside some money for acoustic treatments for your room.

[Cocobolo Kid]

I have a Royer R122 and it works great with a standard mic pre-amp.

If you plan on trying a R122, which I highly recommend, you should definitely record an acoustic instrument with the back of the microphone facing the instrument. Royer uses an offset ribbon in the mic, and they recommend using the front of the mic for louder sources. Using the rear of the mic for acoustic guitars also gives the benefit of a slightly increased treble response, which can give the recorded sound more air. Don't forget to engage the phase reverse switch on your mic pre if you record with the back side of the mic facing forward.

https://royerlabs.com/recording-on-t...es-microphone/

Hope this helps.

[min7b5]

The Samar VL37A sure sounds sweet in this new Peghead Nation/Collings video with Jim Kelly https://youtu.be/YaeHO-xodhM. I agree with what Doug said earlier about how in the end, for steelstring guitar, I always ended up grabbing condenser.. But this video kinda underscores how having one around for mandolin, banjo, and archtop might be a great way to round off sometimes spikey transients of those instruments.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by min7b5

TBut this video kinda underscores how having one around for mandolin, banjo, and archtop might be a great way to round off sometimes spikey transients of those instruments.

That makes sense, and is how I tend to think of ribbons, but oddly, I ended up using the AEA N22s on Teja Gerken's classical on our duet CDs. Somehow I just wasn't liking the sound we were getting with condensers on his Kenny Hill, and on a lark, I tried the ribbons, and we both liked the sound. I guess you could just say it's another flavor to have in the toolbox.

[anton]

Yea, if i am going to record steel string wooden flat top fingerstyle guitar I'll probably always reach for my Gefell M300's, at least for my own playing.

But one can never have to many mics. Plus I'm interested in how a nice ribbon would sound on my banjo, national, and guitar amps. Its definitely a more tools in the tool box type of thing. Plus also just being into recording and wanting to have a variety of mics. Eventually I should also get another 414 XLS to complement the one I have now.

[Rudy4]

I found the overall comments about how ribbons are made and how they work in Doug Fearn's "Microphones" podcast to be enlightening.

It may or may not sway someone's opinion about the need to purchase one vs. the budget one has available and level of care you might exercise when using one.

[min7b5]

I took a mixing/production lesson via Zoom this morning from Adam Iredale-Gray, who recorded one of my all-time very favorite acoustic recordings, “One Two” by Jenna Moynihan & Mairi Chaimbeul. Anyway, he went on and on about how much he loves the relatively affordable sE Electronics Voodoo VR2, on fiddle in particular, but also guitar and other things. Anyway, just thought I’d mention another random suggestion for ribbons.

[alohachris]

Aloha Anton,

Great advice & suggestions here. Many well-known ribbon mic's have been listed & a few newer ones like the phantom-powered AEA N8 & that SE VR2 that I never had heard of. Thanks guys.

I auditioned several ribbons & favored the neutral sounding ones, I had an AEA R-84 for a long time that I used to fill in the middle of my Schoeps MK41 mixes on solo pieces. And I used an AEA RPQ preamp to match up to that great ribbon mic.

I also liked using the Royer 121 for a time. Also liked the Coles 4038.

The RCA 44BX can make an acoustic guitar really sound huge.

But I discovered my favorite ribbon mic when I committed to Schoeps mic's many years ago as my primary SDC's & the company's modular approach to high-end capsules. I auditioned all thir capsules & really loved their ribbon MK 8 capsule - (Also their MK 2 Omni cap as well).

Generally, I prefer SDC's to ribbons alone for solo acoustic guitar pieces. But....

The Schoeps MK-8 was my favorite ribbon mic as a result. And using it in combo with the MK 41 in Mid-Side added the advantage of being able to get the two capsules as close as possible into the same shockmount & was a real revelation. The MK 8 is free of off-axis coloration too - a very nice sonic benefit & for mic placement too.

So Anton, I know you love your Microtech-Gefell M300's. Great Mic's. But the Schoeps MK 8 is a really detailed, wonderful sounding, ribbon microphone worthy of auditioning some day. Such clarity.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...--schoeps-mk-8

One last thing, not all ribbon mic's are created eqaul. There is lotsa variety there & many are lacking in the high-end freq's.. So I suggest, as usual, that you audition them first.

All the best!
alohachris

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by alohachris

The Schoeps MK-8 was my favorite ribbon mic as a result. And using it in combo with the MK 41 in Mid-Side added the advantage of being able to get the two capsules as close as possible into the same shockmount & was a real revelation. The MK 8 is free of off-axis coloration too - a very nice sonic benefit & for mic placement too.

Chris, just to clarify, the MK8 is a figure-8 capsule, but it's not a ribbon, it's a condenser. Great mic, tho in any case, and it's terrific for MS.

[DupleMeter]

Keep in mind that not all ribbons are the same. You have 2 main categories short ribbons & long ribbons.

The "classic" ribbon sound is the sound of the long ribbons. The RCA is the classic example of this. The closest I've heard to that is the AEA. I have 2 R84s and an R88 at the studio. They are superb on acoustic instruments. They have that larger than life feel of the classic long ribbon mic, with that subdued, yet not dull, top that gives them a 3-D quality.

The Royers are not the same. They are short ribbons and don't sound the same. I, personally, don't like them nearly as much. They are closer to a condenser in tonality...more "toppy" with less of the velvety smoothness & density.

I don't have experience with a lot of the others (like the Rode or Samar). I'm trying to remember the name of one of the cheaper ribbons that a friend of mine really loved. It was a long ribbon. I have to ask him. I trust him. He's recorded so many of the greats. His ears are stellar, so if he likes something it's worthy.

I would check out the R84 or R84A. The difference being that the 84A has a phantom powered preamp so you don't need as clean of a pre and it makes sure the load is right where it's supposed to be, so you don;t have to worry about having a preamp that has a setting for ribbon mic impedance.

That said, I've run the unpowered R84 & R88 through a plain old API 512 and have been quite happy.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Keep in mind that not all ribbons are the same. You have 2 main categories short ribbons & long ribbons.

The "classic" ribbon sound is the sound of the long ribbons. The RCA is the classic example of this. The closest I've heard to that is the AEA. I have 2 R84s and an R88 at the studio. They are superb on acoustic instruments. They have that larger than life feel of the classic long ribbon mic, with that subdued, yet not dull, top that gives them a 3-D quality.

The Royers are not the same. They are short ribbons and don't sound the same. I, personally, don't like them nearly as much. They are closer to a condenser in tonality...more "toppy" with less of the velvety smoothness & density.

I don't have experience with a lot of the others (like the Rode or Samar). I'm trying to remember the name of one of the cheaper ribbons that a friend of mine really loved. It was a long ribbon. I have to ask him. I trust him. He's recorded so many of the greats. His ears are stellar, so if he likes something it's worthy.

I would check out the R84 or R84A. The difference being that the 84A has a phantom powered preamp so you don't need as clean of a pre and it makes sure the load is right where it's supposed to be, so you don;t have to worry about having a preamp that has a setting for ribbon mic impedance.

That said, I've run the unpowered R84 & R88 through a plain old API 512 and have been quite happy.

Great info, thanks.

There's a very good reason those AEAs sound like the original RCA ribbon mics. I gained a ton of perspective on "long ribbons" from listening to the Doug Fearn interview with Wes Dooley, the founder of AEA. HERE.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

The "classic" ribbon sound is the sound of the long ribbons. The RCA is the classic example of this. The closest I've heard to that is the AEA. I have 2 R84s and an R88 at the studio. They are superb on acoustic instruments. They have that larger than life feel of the classic long ribbon mic, with that subdued, yet not dull, top that gives them a 3-D quality..

Interesting thoughts. The R88 remains my favorite ribbon, even tho its rather dark on acoustic. I also have a Royer SF24, and tho it sounds good, it doesn't have the same "magic" that the R88 seems to have.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Interesting thoughts. The R88 remains my favorite ribbon, even tho its rather dark on acoustic. I also have a Royer SF24, and tho it sounds good, it doesn't have the same "magic" that the R88 seems to have.

In general, to my ear, the AEA ribbons have that 3-dimensional quality that I want from a ribbon. They are a bit darker than the typical condenser mic (which I find most to be too bright anyway...except the Neumann TLM67, which is stellar), but they have a quality that makes you feel like you can almost reach out & touch the sound. I don't get that same sense from the Royers. I find the Royers to come off as a more detailed large dynamic (like a 421/441).

[Feste]

I had an AEA A840, the forerunner of the R84A, and the AEA N22. Both are excellent on acoustic guitars. I eventually sold the A840 because the N22 was more versatile and easier to place.

[anton]

Well I've been able to borrow a pair of N22's, and have been experimenting with them alot. They sure are a different thing from my condensers.

Here is the probably the best recording I've been able to get with them. Blumine configuration, 13" away, with the center of the vertical mic array pointed right at the soundhole. Top edge of the bottom mic is about level with the top edge of my guitar. I'm in my partially treated home office studio.



I left everything flat in Logic, so you may need to turn up the volume on your system a bit. As you can hear there is a good bit of noise, I've got the gain on my RME Babyface Pro at 47 out of 65.

Besides the noise I really like the tone, its like I hear the guitar when I am in the room with it. I wonder if a specialized ribbon preamp, like one of the ones from AEA, would be quieter.