Fun thread, I'll start.

I haven't done a comparison between the 121's dynamics to phantom so I can't help you there.

I do own two Royer R 122's and one SF-24 and I will most likely die holding them. Royer mic's are one of the best mic investments. The phantom powered versions (I'm told) have less RF issues and will work with more preamps.
Personally, if you have the budget, I would go that route but some say the R-121 is sweeter on e guitar.
The condenser versions are a tad brighter with a bit more detail in the low end (I'm told). I didn't even think twice on them over the 121 because I think R 122 are a more versatile mic and have more pre amp choices. You will not be disappointed.

The first time I tracked my acoustic guitar through a pair of 122's I was shocked. The honky mids that I have always battled with acoustic guitars was gone. I'm so critical with my own playing and once I used an R-122, the honky mids were not honky anymore. The mids are what you want to hear with these.
Ribbons, (Royers at least) take eq like no other mic I've used, too. You can boost the highs to no end it seems.

The R-122 are stellar on most things. Beautiful on acoustic guitars, piano's, (horns (I'm told) drums, choirs (definitely) and so on. Really great for everything "real", you can't go wrong with any Royer for certain.
12 years of running RO, Royers are what I've read mentioned by those I pay close attention too. They are an acoustic music mic.

The SF-24 is new to me. Wow. I just got it a few months back so I haven't tried it on everything I do, but in a nut shell, its silk and a dream microphone. Its slightly sweeter than the R-122 and its Blumlein ready. Stellar on choirs and so much more. I love it so much.
Its unreal on vocals, amazing and I mean lead! I'm really excited to do some serious testing on that.

I would die to have the V's in my chest and hope to in due time. I'm told they are beyond our expectations and I believe it. A silky tube ribbon, I mean... wow, a ribbon of this quality and then a tube to boot.... Its the M-2b of microphones.

The only reason you'd be selling a Royer is because you don't know what you have or you are starving and need peanut butter to live another day. I could see tracking an entire band with them for certain.
Royer rocks.

PS
My experience with the Millennia M-2b , Great River MP-2NV, Lavry MP10, PreSonus ADL600 and the SPL GoldMic all sound wonderful with them. I used the FireFace 800 pre's with them and they also sounded great but even better with the pre's already mentioned.

Cheers!

I have the R101's (matched pair) and the SF12. I of course only record acoustic music these days and usually the proverbial ants marching at thirty paces. My favorite use of the R101's out front is as a spaced pair and angled just a stitch towed out. The SF12 I have used both in Blumlein and in MS and loved it both ways. The big thing with my SF12 however has been positioning. I find I want to have it much lower and slightly closer than I would normally with C414's or TLM170's. Either the pair of R101's or the SF12 makes a great complement with a pair of LDC in ORTF/NOS. I purchased a short side mount [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.sweetwat…"]boom[/]="http://www.sweetwat…"]boom[/] to augment my stereo main mic stand. That way the SF12 can be adjusted individually very easily. I definitely feel I have lots more exploration of the SF12 to do. I don't have it nailed for positions the way I do most of my other mic's. And when the SF12 is just right it is magic.

The R101's have this very huge sound to them while retaining detail. In addition to use as a spaced pair or spot mic, I have used these in Blumlein as well. The sound is much "bigger" than the SF12 but not necessarily better. Different. I like these almost as well as the SF12 for what I do. Often I use these as piano mics or as a spot mic on my horn bell if I happen to be performing in the concert (with a 30 degree off axis rotation).

The preamp I mainly use for my recordings are the True Precision 8 and the P2Analog. These will run the Royers without issue. I do have a Cloudlifter as well. I have not made any sort of comparison that could be considered scientific but I do think the Cloudlifter has some merits. I am hoping that I will be moving into a Millennia preamp at some point but my wife wants a garage so no candy for me this fall. Of course, this all routes into both the HD24XR and the FF800/Glyph.

Same for me John, I'm finding I need to get closer with the Royers. I'm buying a long boom to reach closer.

Here is a wonderful video:

That's a great video, thanks for sharing. I'd love to pick up one of their SF mics someday. I'm still kicking around options for my second ribbon mic with the 101 being a contender.

Out of my cold dead hands will anyone get my SF12!

It's one of the best mic investments I've made.

It pairs up with any mic pre for great results, but is stellar with the BAE1073's and the Great River when used on drum OH's and piano. Group BGV's through the Langevin DVC are wonderful, as well.

The SF12 is versatile enough to use on singer/songwriter's to stereo guitars with excellent results.

While I do tend to end up with the SF12 a tad closer than my condensors, I don't find it's as close as when using some of my other ribbons... and of course, ribbons do require a good bit more gas than condenser mic's.

It's not always right for everything, but like John said, when it's right... it IS magic!

Should anyone invest in a Royer mic I highly recommend getting the upgraded RSM-1 mic clip for the (R series). It makes adjustments far easier and is just worth it.
Also, their PS-101 pop screen is the best out there and should last a lifetime. The mesh is steel, not nylon so it won't tear. Doing an A/B to a Popper Stopper, I swear it kept the highs better (clearer sounding). Not only this, the pop filtering goes to the far edges where others of that type need a rib of some kind around the perimeter to hold the nylon, which IMO isn't as good in comparison for obvious reasons.