Cheap Ribbon

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joeruffatto

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Hi: I see there is a Samson Ribbon Mic. on sale American Musical Supply:

Samson VR88 Velocity Ribbon Microphone with Case, Cable and Stand Mount - W.W. Sale Price: $114.99


Any good as a starter ribbon mic?
 
I don't have much experience with ribbon mics, cheap or otherwise, but from what I've read, a lot of production runs on cheaper ribbon mics have consistency problems. As I understand it, you've got a good chance of getting one where the ribbon is loose, which is gonna ruin the sound of it. Apparently, if you get one of these, you have the option of either trying to fix it yourself or sending it back and hoping the replacement isn't messed up.
Dunno if it's the case for this particular mic, dunno how it sounds, just what I've heard about cheaper ribbons. Good luck.
 
Not doubting you, but where can you find a fathead 2 for $150?
 
miroslav said:
For guitar cabs...?


Cascade Fat Head II - $150
Click to expand...

What is the technique for mic'ing guitar cabs with a ribbon mic, since it's figure 8. Does it work in a live application, with potential bleed from the rest o the band? Joe
 
joeruffatto said:
What is the technique for mic'ing guitar cabs with a ribbon mic, since it's figure 8. Does it work in a live application, with potential bleed from the rest o the band? Joe
Click to expand...

Well yeah...with the figure-8, it will pick up front-back. In the studio, it just ads in a bit-o-room, but it sounds great.

Not sure about live use...I never tried a figure-8 on a cab in that situation...???
You could maybe turn it horizontally left-right, and stick it close and between the speakers of a 212 cab...maybe that would work...???
 
joeruffatto said:
Hi: I see there is a Samson Ribbon Mic. on sale American Musical Supply:

Samson VR88 Velocity Ribbon Microphone with Case, Cable and Stand Mount - W.W. Sale Price: $114.99


Any good as a starter ribbon mic?
Click to expand...

i picked up a cheap mxl r144 ribbon mic. it has a little ribbon flavor that is nice on my cabinet. but on the back side of the mic on a cabinet, it blows away all my other budget condensers. It really captured the tone of the cabinet IMHO.

Check this thread for details.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=290810&highlight=MXL+Ribbon+Mic
 
I bought a Nady RSM-4 on a whim since it was cheap (on sale for $70 at MF.com), and was absolutely blown away by how well it worked on a Mesa Rectifier for lead guitar. The highs are a bit rounded off, and the bass response seems to be focused a bit more in the lower mids, but those two factors combine to a phenominally sweet sound on a guitar cab.

I haven't tried a better ribbon yet (altough a Fat Head 2 is on the list) though, so take this with a grain of salt. But, for less than a SM57, it seems like a no brainer.
 
DrewPeterson7 said:
I bought a Nady RSM-4 on a whim since it was cheap (on sale for $70 at MF.com), and was absolutely blown away by how well it worked on a Mesa Rectifier for lead guitar. The highs are a bit rounded off, and the bass response seems to be focused a bit more in the lower mids, but those two factors combine to a phenominally sweet sound on a guitar cab.

I haven't tried a better ribbon yet (altough a Fat Head 2 is on the list) though, so take this with a grain of salt. But, for less than a SM57, it seems like a no brainer.
Click to expand...

+1 to the Nady RSM-4....but do yourself a favor and put a Edcor RMX-1 transformer in it (like $26) and remove the mesh over the ribbons. It completely transforms and opens up the mic. Guitar cabs and overhead mics for the drums....very impressive results and completely worth the small amount of $$$.
 
The FatHead II was $150 a year or two ago. It looks like it's $216 now. But they've changed a lot of things, colors, shock mounts, grills, since that time. It looks like the transformer upgrade is still the same price. With the new base price it's now less than $150 to put a $50 transformer in. It looks like the upgraded stereo pair is actually $50 cheaper for the blumlein setup.
 
Hi: I see there is a Samson Ribbon Mic. on sale American Musical Supply:

Samson VR88 Velocity Ribbon Microphone with Case, Cable and Stand Mount - W.W. Sale Price: $114.99


Any good as a starter ribbon mic?
Click to expand...
No reason why it shouldn't be just as good as any of the other Ribbon mics in that price range, which to my ear are all away ahead of condensers in the same bracket.
I enjoy the Nady selection myself but there are others.
There's a KCM on E-bay as well as a couple of Stellar models which have my interest.
It's all a bit like Fly fishing as compared to using a lure with a treble hook.
An art within an art, so to speak.
My suggestion would be to go for the Nady RSM8A for about $50 more.
Maybe that way you can spare yourself the price of a preamp.
If you have dB's to spare though there are plenty of ribbons to choose from.


Off topic, I know but this just has to be said.
Having tried to deal with Fathead who were not accepting Paypal from Canada at that time and who were extremely rude over the phone. It sounded like I may have interrupted an argument when I called them or maybe it's how the deal with customers outside of America. Either way, it was brutal to the point that I ended the conversation and let my feelings be known to them in an E-mail.
Anyway, I have absolutely no interest in their products. No matter how good Cascade claim they are. As I said already, "There are plenty to choose from".

It's usually not in me to go off on a rant but I've been quick enough to defend the companies who have treated me well, (Behringer, in particular) in the past that I feel entitled to make my feelings known about these guys just this once.
Okay. I'm done.
 
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