I tested HRM-10 vs Royer 121

[tenkas]

I was in class this morning and we were doing test on acoustic guitar. I brought my HRM-10 to set it up head to head with the Royer 121.

The conclusion:



The Royer has a more controled and precise low end. Same for the highs. The highs are much more creamy on the royer.

The HRM-10 has a more significant lost in the very high end of the spectrum.

All in all, the HRM-10 still gives a nice RIBBON feel to tracks. It is not a bad mic, especially for the price I paid it for (in the group buy).

Next stop: Trying it on some brass instruments

 

[Gilliland]

I was in class this morning and we were doing test on acoustic guitar. I brought my HRM-10 to set it up head to head with the Royer 121.

The conclusion: The Royer has a more controled and precise low end. Same for the highs. The highs are much more creamy on the royer.

The HRM-10 has a more significant lost in the very high end of the spectrum.

All in all, the HRM-10 still gives a nice RIBBON feel to tracks. It is not a bad mic, especially for the price I paid it for (in the group buy).

Are you using the original transformer in the HRM10? If so, that's probably where the bulk of the difference lies. I haven't replaced the transformers in mine yet, but that's going to happen soon.

The HRM10 is never going to equal the Royer, but replacing the transformer should make it into a much better mic.

Thanks for the report.

 

[dgatwood]

Are you using the original transformer in the HRM10? If so, that's probably where the bulk of the difference lies. I haven't replaced the transformers in mine yet, but that's going to happen soon.

The HRM10 is never going to equal the Royer, but replacing the transformer should make it into a much better mic.

In particular, the high frequency loss is probably a cheap Chinese transformer. They have pretty wide tolerances, so you'll get good ones and bad ones. Slap in a Lundahl, and the high end should open right up.

 

[tenkas]

Hi, is this mod very easy? I know how to solder but just basic stuff like cables.

I will look foward towards the mod if it's not too expensive. (By the way, how much is a good transformer for the mic?)

 

[Gilliland]

Hi, is this mod very easy? I know how to solder but just basic stuff like cables.

I will look foward towards the mod if it's not too expensive. (By the way, how much is a good transformer for the mic?)

There are only a small handful of suitable transformers that will physically fit into the mic. And even at that, I'm just going by specs - I haven't purchased any yet to actually try to install them. Cinemag and Luhndal each have one that should be OK. Figure $40 to $80 each for the transformers.

The actual work is pretty trivial - just unsoldering four wires from the existing transformer and then soldering in the four wires from the new one. Unscrew the bottom piece from your mic and slide off the case, and you can see the little can that holds the stock transformer. The new one has to fit into that same space. A few tiny phillips head screws hold the can in place.

 

[tubedude]

Dont count on that transformer to do the trick. Maybe open it up SOME, but dont go looking for Royer quality cause its not happening. The Royer is hand made and hand tuned and lots of time was spent on design and its quality all the way through. You can feel the thing compared to the chinese ones and you can tell just from that.

OTHO, the chinese ones CAN be quite decent, but they arent going to get you in AEA or Royer-ville. Sorry.

I LIKE my Shinybox, but yo ushould hear it next to a R122v. What a mic THAT is.

 

[dgatwood]

There are only a small handful of suitable transformers that will physically fit into the mic. And even at that, I'm just going by specs - I haven't purchased any yet to actually try to install them. Cinemag and Luhndal each have one that should be OK. Figure $40 to $80 each for the transformers.

The actual work is pretty trivial - just unsoldering four wires from the existing transformer and then soldering in the four wires from the new one. Unscrew the bottom piece from your mic and slide off the case, and you can see the little can that holds the stock transformer. The new one has to fit into that same space. A few tiny phillips head screws hold the can in place.

The Lundahl was designed for PCB mount, so either buy their pre-made PCB or make your own with copper trace tape (metal sticky foil) and breadboard. You fasten the two pins on the upper left to the two pins on the lower right and vice-versa, making an X across the thing, IIRC, then solder a ground to the single center pin on one side, the inputs to the two cross contacts, and the outputs to the center pins on the other side. Pretty simple wiring, but it's a little more than just soldering the four wires in place.... Not a lot more, mind you---more like seven wires---but more....

 

[tenkas]

Well I decided to keep the chinse mic as it is for now and I may upgrade it in future times but I may also purchase a royer or a pair of royer since they are the real shit.

THe HSM doesnt sound bad at all, it is just not the same definition in the highs, which should be a good thing when miking brass. Just can't wait to try it!

 

[Gilliland]

Dont count on that transformer to do the trick. Maybe open it up SOME, but dont go looking for Royer quality cause its not happening.

I think I said that.

The HRM10 is never going to equal the Royer, but replacing the transformer should make it into a much better mic.

 

[Gilliland]

The Lundahl was designed for PCB mount, so either buy their pre-made PCB or make your own with copper trace tape (metal sticky foil) and breadboard. You fasten the two pins on the upper left to the two pins on the lower right and vice-versa, making an X across the thing, IIRC, then solder a ground to the single center pin on one side, the inputs to the two cross contacts, and the outputs to the center pins on the other side. Pretty simple wiring, but it's a little more than just soldering the four wires in place.... Not a lot more, mind you---more like seven wires---but more....

The PCB Lundahl transformer (LL2911) would never fit into the HRM10. The Lundahl that you'd use in the HRM10 (LL2912) has just four wires to connect. No PCB. I believe that it is a fairly new addition to their product line.