Ribbon mic quandary

[Chris Parsons]

Here’s the situation. I’m totally ready to jump on the ribbon train. I’ve got two RCA 77dx that need some work. I’m wondering if I should buy an R84 or a Royer 121 or get the 77dxs fixed up. If I got the 77dx up to tip top shape would they be as useful as a R84 on acoustic guitar and vocals? Do people still use 77dxs these days for modern recordings?

What I’m probably going to do is get the 77s fixed up plus buy a new ribbon. Should that be an R84 or 121 and why? I record everything from heavy metal to jazz and folk. (digitally) I would love the 121 for guitars but the R84 seems great for vocals...HMMMM.... help me please!

-Chris

P.S. Don't worry, I play on trying these before I buy them i'm just curious about what you all think

[Ribbonmicguy]

Hi Chris,

77DX is a good mic. My preferred mic for brass sections.

However, it's not as durable as a Royer 121 or R84. It's not the same sound as R84 as well.

If i were you, I'll keep one, and sell one. Before you sell, get a new ribbon from AEA. Would help selling with a new silk, and a new ribbon.

Keep one 77DX and consider a R121 or R84.

That's my 200rupiah!

[Chris Parsons]

any other takers?

[brucegel]

If your into the stereo recording thing as I am I love my royer sf12 or if you can sell your mics a sf24.

[Reggie Love]

You might try and pick up some Bang & Olufsen BM series mikes which are nice but need quite alot of gain. The Royers are, as stated, excellent.

The only new release of interest in this field to my knowledge is the Sontronics Sigma. I am waiting on a test unit so cannot say much more about it than it is very competitively prices at under £500. The mikes are UK designed but manufactued in the far east and returned to the UK for quality checks.

Cheers!

Reg

[eligit]

the r 84 is great for guitars as well. i do not own the royer tho so cannot give a definite comparison. others say that, basically the r84 has more low end and is "larger that life" whereas the royer is smaller and clearer sounding with less low end.

[sunflute]

Hello,

I have the R84 and it is fantastic on some sources.

You need to try the New "Crowley & Tripp" ribbons. I just got the Proscenium model and I find it to be the most balanced ribbon I have ever tried. (and I have also used Royer and Beyer ribbons).

They have a ribbon mic which is specifically tuned for vocal recording called rightly so "The vocalist". The Proscenium is more for all around use, I think.

They also have a new, lower cost product called the "Naked Eye" which has two different sounds depending on which side of the mic you use. I have not tried these but I am very curious.

I strongly recommend you give them a try.

Peace
Marco

[David R.]

Hang on the the 77 mics, or better yet, give them to me.

The Royers seem to show up on a variety of recordings. The R84 has great reviews. I have neither, so I can not give any advise. From what I have heard, neither suck.

Have someone good work on the 77 mics - like Wes Dooley or Clarence Kane. That I do know.

Enjoy.

[mixer]

love the royer 121 AND 122. both are just amazing..have been in the business long enough to have owned some rca ribbons..and i can tell you the royer is a much better mic.

[Chris Parsons]

well i've got the 77s boxed up and ready to go to Wes. I'm excited to hear them when they get back. I've allready been useing one of them on horns with great success but the other has always sounded weird, i'm hopeing that with new ribbons they will both sound better.

Have any of you used 77dxs as overheads? What, between the 121 and R84 would make a better overhead?\

thanks

-Chris

[StuartMac]

Originally Posted by Reggie Love

You might try and pick up some Bang & Olufsen BM series mikes which are nice but need quite alot of gain. The Royers are, as stated, excellent.

The only new release of interest in this field to my knowledge is the Sontronics Sigma. I am waiting on a test unit so cannot say much more about it than it is very competitively prices at under £500. The mikes are UK designed but manufactued in the far east and returned to the UK for quality checks.

Cheers!

Reg

Any news on this Reg? They certainly LOOK great, and I've been told they sound very 4038-ish as well.

[retarded]

I've tried many models - and my favourite ribbon has been AEA R-84 over the Royer R-121 for quite some time now.
That is; before I met Crowley & Tripp...
The Studio Vocalist and the Proscenium just knocked me off my feet! They're nothing like any other ribbons I've heard. I just loved both of them immediately!!! Unfortunately, they're a little bit over my current budget, so I have great hopes for the Naked Eye, which might be a winner...

I'm about to try sE Electronics Ribbon and Sontronics Sigma too - does anyone have an opinion about those...?

[tas chris]

i just tried one of the new sontronics sigma for trumpet recordings (jazz) today. to me it sounds warm and rich, i like it very much for trumpet. a far as i rembember the royer had more details, but not such a nice colouration. the sigma seems to be a little bit brighter than the aea, wich i also tried for trumpet some weeks ago.
mabye they are manufactured in the far east, but they sound definitely much much better than the t-bone ribbon microphones (wich i also tried for trumpet and trombone).

[FilmDingo]

Did you find the active circuit gave a better match to your pre? What pre(s) did you try with the sigma? How much gain did you need. Has anyone tried the Sigma for vocals? Sorry for so many Q's