a ribbon for sax/trumpet - any suggestions?

[MattJazz]

I am looking into getting a good ribbon for location and studio recording of Saxophones and trumpets. I am considering an AEA R84 with the AEA pre amp.
Also , Henry, if you are around, would the ULN-2 be strong enough for the AEA R84?
Are the Royers fragile? Could they be used live?

Help!
MP

[ajfarber]

I'm gonna use an AEA84 on Friday. I'll give you a full report.

I've had ggod luck with the Royer 121, and the Coles 4038 on BOTH trumpet and saxophone.

I like the ribbons better on brass and baritone saxophone.

Check out Sherman Irby on Willie Jones' record. That's a Coles 4038.

I saw a documentary film on Billy Strayhorn. They had some players at Bennett studios playing Strayhorn tunes and Lovano was blowing tenor into the AEA84. Sounded good to me (through my TV speaker at least.)

IMO, tube mic pre's are the shit for ribbon mics! The Hamptone is the best value out there.

For solid-state, the Grace 101R is good for ribbons. Lots of gain.

[divingduck]

I love my 2 R84s. Have used them on saxes on 2 albums; great full sound. Also used R84 on amp for jazz guitarist - sounds great. Used SSL auperanalogue pres and audient ASP008 respectively.

They worked fine close up on a Hammond using the standard pres in my Fireface.

Very interested to hear more about the AEA pre - sure this will make them sound even better.

No experience with Royers (yet) to compare them with.

[Douglas Whates]

Still loving the Coles 4040 (saxophone audio clip inside...)

[Jim vanBergen]

I have used royers live by using them to mic a guitar amp in an offstage closet, baffled from the stage wash and the PA. They sounded really good....but not amazing. I think I could have done the same thing onstage with a '57 or 409.

The R84, in my opinion, is AMAZING. The R84 and the M160 are the ribbons I can't live without. But my sound choices may differ from yours, and it's always good to compare.

Hope this helps!

[henryrobinett]

Matt -- R84 would be the one to get. It's a great mic, especially for those applications. Off hand I can't recall using the ULN-2 purely with the R84, but really I can't imagine a problem. If I get the chance tody I'll pull it out of the mic closet and plug it into the ULN-2 here. The ULN-2 has a lot of clean gain.

[MattJazz]

Thank you so much guys!!!
I appreciate all the feed back.

[PlugHead]

Horses for courses,

I love a 4038 on trumpet, and sometimes on sax. Next down is the R-121/122. I hear more forward mids on the Royers, so maybe that's why I dig them on horns (trumpet/trombone)...

The R-84 is a pretty good hitter overall: sounds very good on trumpet, and in the right context works well on sax, 'tho I like ribbons better on altos than tenors.

Really depends on budget and taste. In any case, I truly doubt you'd be disappointed with an R-84 for brass/winds.

cheers,

[MattJazz]

Originally Posted by ajfarber

I'm gonna use an AEA84 on Friday. I'll give you a full report.

So what is the word? I am pretty sure the R84 is for me. I am also trying to budget in the SF-12. Thanks to Bongo.
-mp

[ajfarber]

Originally Posted by MattJazz

So what is the word? I am pretty sure the R84 is for me. I am also trying to budget in the SF-12. Thanks to Bongo.
-mp

Hi Matt, I did the date out at Bennett studios.

I used the Coles 4038 on trumpet. (loved it, needed no EQ)

AEA r84 on Trombone. (also no EQ needed)

AEA r84 on bass. (it was Dennis Irwin )

I ended up putting tube LDC mics on the saxophones.

Verdict: If I were to buy only one ribbon mic today, I'd get the AEA r84 in a New York minute.

My 2 cents.

[MattJazz]

Originally Posted by ajfarber

AEA r84 on bass. (it was Dennis Irwin )

Fantastic Andy. I am ordering now. I am also thinking of SF-12 later this year.
How was it with Dennis? Was he isolated or in the room with horns?
Did you use the front or back side? Did you do the Rudy thing at keep the side pointed towards the drums? (is that right?) Anyway, great to hear from you Andy. I hope I can hang with you one of these days.
MP

[ajfarber]

Originally Posted by MattJazz

Fantastic Andy. I am ordering now. I am also thinking of SF-12 later this year.
How was it with Dennis? Was he isolated or in the room with horns?
Did you use the front or back side? Did you do the Rudy thing at keep the side pointed towards the drums? (is that right?) Anyway, great to hear from you Andy. I hope I can hang with you one of these days.
MP

No isolation. A couple of go-bo's here and there. Everyone in the same room. Dennis was about 2 metres from the drums. Andy Watson was the drummer, and he doesn't play loud. Easy to record.

I'm doing an other session there next week, and this time I'm playing tenor. I'm gonna try the r84 on the tenor and see what happens.

[Jim vanBergen]

Great post Andy! Glad it all worked out, and am especially glad that the Bennett studio ribbons were all in good shape.

My first couple of Coles experiences were really good, then I had a bad experience with a stretched ribbon on a 4038... and another with stretched 44s and 77's... having mics that are well taken care of is paramount!

Cheers!

Jim

[Blackwater]

Matt,

Have used the R-84 on sax with excellent results!
Went to the side of the bell a bit and was amazed.
I also , just for shit's and grinns, Used it on a full production album for stand up bass w/ a secondary small condenser pointed at the bridge area at abut 3 ft. away and my problems with low register notes being louder and upper register notes being softer were minimal. I have always been plagued with that aspect of recording the bass but this combination was the key. A bit of compression and I almost needed no EQ.

Sax is great with the R-84.

Chris