Ribbon Mic Mini-forum

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:58 pm

Please forgive this infidel for hijacking your wonderful thread...I'll only be a moment....

Just a quick comment on the under-the-piano-micing that J mentioned earlier.......(yes yes I know this is a ribbon mic thread....okay, my M500 died years ago and I was too dumb to have it repaired!)....For definition and better frequency response under the piano, try a PZM. We had one mounted to a piece of plexi-glass and I gotta tell ya, it filled all the holes the other mics on top left open.

Thanx for your kindness.....back to your program........davedog

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:18 pm

Jeremy,

In the piano/vocal recording clip you posted, where was the M130 placed relative to the vocalist? How close? I enjoyed the sound of that clip you posted - very nice.

Does anyone else like the M130 ??? What do you end up using it for?

I've used the M160's before with drums and really enjoyed them. They've been able to zoom right in on a drum kit when there is a lot going on on-stage...

best,

-dave

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:09 am

jazzbutcher, I love my M130 and 3 M160's. I generally use my M130 as the side microphone of an MS pair. Sometimes, I'll use it like I use the other figure of 8 microphones I have and enjoy that kind of pick a pattern for certain applications. It's the same microphone as the M160. That's why they suggest it for use in an MS pair.

They are particularly eloquent for jazz and fine arts classical recording. Great on jazz guitar amplifiers. Marvelous for drum overheads. Great on female vocalists! Fabulous on violins, violas and cellos. I always use a foam pop filter when recording vocalists. Much safer. Can't really use the nylon embroidery loop screens for live shows.

Plus, these particular ribbon microphones have more of that older "RCA 77" like ribbon sound. Not as bright or condenser like sounding as the Royer's, which are great but I don't really think they sound like ribbon microphones? To me they sound more like condenser microphones. So I haven't purchased one yet as I have plenty of condenser microphones.

Ribbon crazy
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:24 am

I also love my M160 & M130 mics!

I use them as a stereo pair for recording choirs, and sometimes as drum overheads.

Individually I love them for certain types of guitar sound, and certain types of female voice.

Often when I record vocals with my usual LDC I put up one of those ribbons as well and use it to feed the reverb: it makes the verb sound really warm and natural!

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:49 am

jazzbutcher wrote:

Jeremy,

In the piano/vocal recording clip you posted, where was the M130 placed relative to the vocalist? How close? I enjoyed the sound of that clip you posted - very nice.

Does anyone else like the M130 ??? What do you end up using it for?

I've used the M160's before with drums and really enjoyed them. They've been able to zoom right in on a drum kit when there is a lot going on on-stage...

best,

-dave

The 130 was placed about 4 feet in front of the soloist and slightly lower and angled up.

I use 130/160s all the time.

I love them as a M/S spot in orchestra woodwinds. I'll also use them on larger choirs where gain issues aren't a concern.

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:08 am

Quote:

Often when I record vocals with my usual LDC I put up one of those ribbons as well and use it to feed the reverb: it makes the verb sound really warm and natural!

wah! thanks for that tip, never heard of it before but sounds just right Smile

respect,

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:22 am

rfreez wrote:

Quote:

Often when I record vocals with my usual LDC I put up one of those ribbons as well and use it to feed the reverb: it makes the verb sound really warm and natural!

wah! thanks for that tip, never heard of it before but sounds just right Smile

respect,

As far as I know I invented it!

Thumbs Up

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:31 am

Remy, IIRs, Jeremy,

Thanks for the info on the M130. I've just never had a chance to try one out, but it sounds like I need to at some point. I keep wanting to try some M-S, but somehow it keeps falling by the wayside - I need to make time for it.

I too love ribbon mics and enjoy my 4038's and RCA mics a great deal. I've also been getting a lot of use out of the R88 for drums, percussion and horns recently.

I'm tempted to try out that new pre-amp from AEA as well - sounds like that thing is pretty quiet!

-dave

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:23 pm

Dave,

Re: the noise of the AEA mic pre, the tracks I posted earlier in this thread give a direct comparison (using an M130/M160 pair in MS) vs. Schoeps CMC5 into a Hardy M1. It's a live concert setting (chamber music), and I think the noise is not an issue if the sound is to your liking.

I like the AEA a lot.

Michael

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:41 am

Jazzbutcher: if you haven't tried the TRP yet from AEA, you should check it out. (Full disclosure: I just reviewed it for MIX magazine, coming out next month or shortly thereafter...I can comment more after its out.)

I love the thing, and it's taught me more than ever: good ribbons need good pre's. They're nothing worth using without a good preamp. I hated to send it back to AEA (couldn't afford it - yet), but I'm planning to get one as soon as my finances improve. (Got an R84 that I luuuuuv, and it's fine with my Grace pre with the ribbon setting, but I still prefer the gain with the TRP.)

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:43 am

Hi, ribbon users. Can anyone of you identify this Beyer? It looks like an old M260 but it has a M-S switch (Muzik-Sprache, I guess). It might be M310 but model number is unreadable. I can't find any info on M310. I got it with original cable but on the preamp side there is a (not original) mono jack (TS) but I guess this mics output could be symmetrical. I need some technical info. Can you help?

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:46 pm

Hard to tell without anything to tell scale, but it looks like an M500 with a tuchel plug in the back.

--Ben

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:52 am

I don't think so, the 500 had a more tapered body like a SM 58 has. This appears to be perfectly cylindrical? I think it's an M260, which I believe was slightly larger than the M160 (I own four 160's and remember seeing a 260)? Which was like the little brother to the M160. The 160 uses a dual ribbon element where the 260 uses a single ribbon element. Those model numbers? Go figure? Maybe Beyer thought, if it has a higher model number you'de think you're getting more and paying less?

Yahh est goot
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:15 am

I still suspect it's m310 and I guess m310 is the same thing as m260 with swichable hi-pass filter. Anyway, the mic sounds great. Thank you both for the info.

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