did i damage my ribbon??

[Hiwatt Bob]

i've got a shinybox ribbon mic (basically a nady)--i've used it very little and have always been very careful about handling it and using wind screens, etc. but i was recording a guitar cab (from about a foot away--not very loud--it couldn't have been generating much spl) and it sounds like it has a buzz sound to it--like a cellophane wrapper buzzing. is this what a damaged ribbon sounds like?

i have 2 of these ribbon mics--and the other doesn't do this. and no, i didn't have phantom power on--or fans--and i've never blown into it.

thanks in advance.

[Adobian]

Moisture ? Left out in the cold ?

[Hiwatt Bob]

no moisture--and although i live in minnesota--it's never been exposed to the cold. i've always stored it upright in it's canvas bag inside it's hardcase. i'm usually totally paranoid about damaging it, so i'm extra careful. i've always used a windscreen.

but basically, i'm wonder if that buzzing resonance is a sign of a damaged ribbon. i've tried to look it up on the web--i've read plenty of stuff about damaging ribbons--but now exactly what a damaged ribbon sounds like.

[Marik]

Moisture or cold won't damage ribbon mic.
Sounds like ribbon is rubbing pole pieces or some small metal particles got into magnetic gap. I'd suggest to contact the guy you bought it from and explain the problem.

[Hiwatt Bob]

yeah, i was going to do that today. hopefully it's something simple.


but for my future knowledge--how can you tell when you're damaging your ribbon mic--is there a tell tale sign, a warning of some sort so you can stop what you're doing before it's totally damaged?

[Hiwatt Bob]

another thing--i'm careful with my ribbons--to an anal, paranoid extent. how careful do you really need to be with ribbons?

seems like some people say that as long as you don't blow in them, have them in front of a fan, subject them to high spl's, store them upright--you're ok. others seem to say that "in the old days we'd put them right up against a cranked up marshall (or hiwatt ) with no problems". others seem to suggest that if you so much as fart around them that you'll risk damaging the ribbon.

[AGCurry]

Most ribbons can handle a pretty high SPL, and they will let you know from their sound if it's too high BEFORE you have a problem. It's wind that's a problem. Listen to Marik, he knows his stuff.

[Hiwatt Bob]

how do the let you know before hand? is there alot distortion, break up, buzzing?

[snow lizard]

Originally Posted by Hiwatt Bob

another thing--i'm careful with my ribbons--to an anal, paranoid extent. how careful do you really need to be with ribbons?

seems like some people say that as long as you don't blow in them, have them in front of a fan, subject them to high spl's, store them upright--you're ok. others seem to say that "in the old days we'd put them right up against a cranked up marshall (or hiwatt ) with no problems". others seem to suggest that if you so much as fart around them that you'll risk damaging the ribbon.

Those mics are rated for high SPL. I agree with all the wind related stuff, but another thing to add in the same category is that while you're handling them in the studio, they should have a bag over them. If you're walking around through the studio, swinging the mic on a boom arm or waving your hands around frantically trying to get the drummer to stop playing while holding one, you're pushing air through the mic. Unless the bag is covering the mic.

These mics do have fairly hearty internal wind protection as well, so if you've been careful, that's probably not the problem. I think Marik might be on to something.

As for farting into any microphone, I wouldn't do it, but not for the same reasons.


sl

[Krishna]

Originally Posted by snow lizard

As for farting into any microphone, I wouldn't do it, but not for the same reasons.


sl

I almost hate to say it, but as a live FoH guy the idea of doing this is disturbingly tempting to some of the kit-killing retards I have to mix sometimes, luckily these dolts only tend to get one visit to my venue, thank the Lord for venue management that asks me "Are we having these guys back?" at the end of each night

Hmm, maybe the next time that '58-swinging dolt bashes my mics he'll pay for it in the most unusal and uncomfortable way.

Him: "Hey man, wtf! - your mics smell like sh*t!!!"
Me: "Really? Thats uncanny as I was just thinking your lyrics were sh*t, fancy that!"

Alan.

[Hiwatt Bob]

i think marik was indeed right.

i contacted jon at shinybox--and i must say he was very pleasant to deal with--he said it's probably that the ribbon is touching one of the poles, but could also be some loose silk screen material. so he said i should look inside--and the ribbon was indeed leaning to one side, barely touching the magnet on the one side. so i've got to send it back, but he said he'd take care of it.

for buyers--i'd say this is one advantage of dealing w/ shinybox as opposed to nady. i'm not positive a big company like nady would offer this kind of service, maybe but..

so, problem solved for now. thanks for everyone's feedback. now i'm gonna go fart.

[SRR]

Oh gosh, the first post of this thread is the last thing I read before going to sleep last night, and wouldn't you know it, I had a dream that I had a pair of the Shiny Box ribbons. I was waving one of them around in the air, and gosh darn it I thought I had broken it. Luckly I hadn't but, still I thought I was the dumbest bloat on the planet for doing it. When I awoke, I was still in a panic over the dream. LOL

[Hiwatt Bob]

it's a very good thing that the last post you read before going to bed wasn't one of the ones about farting. you might've had a dream that you were surrounded by nude victoria's secret models--primed and ready--then you fart and they all leave, disgusted. now that, my friend, would be a terrible nightmare.

[tourettes5139]

Originally Posted by Hiwatt Bob

it's a very good thing that the last post you read before going to bed wasn't one of the ones about farting. you might've had a dream that you were surrounded by nude victoria's secret models--primed and ready--then you fart and they all leave, disgusted. now that, my friend, would be a terrible nightmare.

Either that, or they start farting.