Chinese Ribbon Mic Buyer's Guide - Mr. Joly

[Track 7]

I have read Michael Joly's Chinese Ribbon Mic Buyer's Guide and am thinking of purchasing the Apex 205 for recording acoustic guitar, and vocals. I do not want to send the mic in right away for a mod but will eventually.

Until then, I have read that removing some of the inside mesh in the capsule will improve the sound... but I also read that it is actually better just to remove the capsule of the mic (as long as you are very careful when using it that way)... the writer said that just leaving one layer of mesh was not sonically as good as just using the capsule without the mesh or the capsule.

Anyone have experience with this? Michael?

Any comments about using the Apex 205 on a guitar cab is also very welcome!!

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by Track 7

I have read Michael Joly's Chinese Ribbon Mic Buyer's Guide and am thinking of purchasing the Apex 205 for recording acoustic guitar, and vocals. I do not want to send the mic in right away for a mod but will eventually.

Until then, I have read that removing some of the inside mesh in the capsule will improve the sound... but I also read that it is actually better just to remove the capsule of the mic (as long as you are very careful when using it that way)... the writer said that just leaving one layer of mesh was not sonically as good as just using the capsule without the mesh or the capsule.

Anyone have experience with this? Michael?

Any comments about using the Apex 205 on a guitar cab is also very welcome!!

When you say capsule I am assuming you mean the outer grill?
I have the 210 and I took out all the protective mesh and screens and it makes a huge difference in the response. I have been seriously considering a pair of 205 with the Joly mods, but even without the mods they seem to be very usable. Just be careful when pulling it apart, also check it for ribbon sag, the Quality control seems to be a bit spotty.

[Track 7]

Originally Posted by olivia_nb

When you say capsule I am assuming you mean the outer grill?
I have the 210 and I took out all the protective mesh and screens and it makes a huge difference in the response. I have been seriously considering a pair of 205 with the Joly mods, but even without the mods they seem to be very usable. Just be careful when pulling it apart, also check it for ribbon sag, the Quality control seems to be a bit spotty.

*should I remove the screen that covers the ribbon and the mesh with the entire and the outer grill so that nothing is left except the exposed ribbon??

Yes, I will check it for ribbon sag before I even take it apart by using the method I have read about ie: rolling it around while holding it while it's on and listening for a clunk sound... thanks for your help!

[warhead]

For the price, the Apex 205 is certainly a lot of mic for the money. On guitar cab it does pretty well, would not be my first reach in ribbons, but it would be a fairly early on reach in the $100 mic range.

On ac gtr you will likely find yourself adding some top end EQ and maybe rolling off some bottom, again not a first reach mic but in that price range it will be do-able.

I prefer the Apex 210 overall, speaking only of "stock" mics of course and not modded. The 210 seems to have a more pleasing sound and more balanced sounding to me right out of the box, and doesn't cost much more.

War

[Michael_Joly]

Originally Posted by Track 7

... thinking of purchasing the Apex 205 for recording acoustic guitar, and vocals...I have read that removing some of the inside mesh in the capsule will improve the sound... but I also read that it is actually better just to remove the capsule of the mic (as long as you are very careful when using it that way)... the writer said that just leaving one layer of mesh was not sonically as good as just using the capsule without the mesh or the capsule.

Anyone have experience with this? Michael?

Any comments about using the Apex 205 on a guitar cab is also very welcome!!

The 205 is still my favorite bang-for-buck ribbon mic - sorry War - I love ya man, but the 205 has less headbasket mechanical resonance than the 210.
Lets start with some terminology - the wire mesh thingy? It is called a head basket, though I like to spell it "headbasket". A "capsule" is the thingy inside the headbasket of a condenser mic that responds to sound waves. A "ribbon motor" is the thingy inside the headbasket of a ribbon mic that responds to sound waves.

I'll take your comments and questions in order...

Mesh removal - The Apex 205, depending on production run, has either a two or three layer headbasket. I remove the inner layer(s) and leave the coarser wire mesh (the outside layer) intact. The reason for doing this is to increase the open area percentage of the headbasket and thus reduce internal reflections that cause standing wave coloration. There is some clarity and "openness" gained in the top end as well.

Headbasket removal - In my free DIY dual ribbon mod I suggest the possibility of using a Chinese dual ribbon mic without the headbasket. This is because several of these mics use parallel-face case-halves closely spaced next to the ribbon motor that create a rather ugly standing wave coloration situation heard as a "phasey-ness" (compounded by the dual-ribbon design) in these mics. Unlike a very high impedance condenser mic, a ribbon mic is a very low impedance device and can be operated in free air without needing the EMI shielding provided by a headbasket. You might pick up a tiny bit of AC wiring hum but it would never be heard in the context of guitar cabinet mic'ing or loud vocals. Of course this exposes the ribbon to potentially destructive air currents but that is another issue that can be dealt with by being careful and using a pop filter.

The Apex 205 also has two "waffle plate" high frequency resonators spaced a short distance away from the ribbon. This mechanical features provides top end lift by create a "room" around the ribbon - like cupping your hands around your mouth or ears. I really don't like the sound of mechanical filters and I either design systems without them or remove them from systems I work on.

So the OktavaMod treatment of the 205 involves removing the inner headbasket layer(s), removing the "waffle plates", setting proper resonant frequency of the ribbon, tightening and locking all mounting nuts, re-wiring with Evidence Audio LYRIC HG solid core copper, trimming and securing the wire runs for minimal hum pickup, installation of a Lundahl transformer and filling the body cavity with absorptive material to eliminate acoustical resonance.

[drBill]

I have to say that I LOVE my Joly modded 205. Out of 10 ribbon mics I own, it's is my favorite drum room ribbon. I also prefer it to the coles on piano:

Ribbon Madness....Some Comparisons

Although I REALLY want a pair of 4038's....