My Ribbon Manifesto for Noobs like me

  • Thread starter Thread starter Obi-Wan zenabI
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Obi-Wan zenabI

Obi-Wan zenabI

Active member
I bought myself a $150 ribbon as my studio's very first real vocal mic.

Why?

1. It was cheap.

2. A cheap ribbon is something that will always be interesting to have around the studio. (unlike a crappy over-bright condensor)

3. Similarly priced condensors tend to get more negative press on HR

4. I like the sound of those old recordings on my LPs. You like those recordings, too. Admit it. :)

5. Your band's singer will feel just a little more like Ella. Or Frank. Even Bing.

6. Why not learn recording from the ground up, working with older tools and seeing how they work and moving on to more advanced stuff as you become a better recordist. (ok, I just made this idea up to pad my manifesto)

Ok, maybe the above is rationalization for an impulse buy, but I'm definitely going to start reccommending a ribbon to all the noobs who ask for the best mic under $150!

Also, if any one is wondering, the pres in my firepod seem happy with the ribbon, just like the manual promised (I had my doubts.)

Oh, another reason

7. The figure 8 will force them to treat their rooms! Better recordings, better mixes, everyone wins!
 
Obi-Wan zenabI said:
4. I like the sound of those old recordings on my LPs. You like those recordings, too. Admit it. :)
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A ribbon mic may only be one factor that makes those recordings so pleasing to some ears.
 
Obi-Wan zenabI said:
I bought myself a $150 ribbon as my studio's very first real vocal mic.


6. Why not learn recording from the ground up, working with older tools and seeing how they work and moving on to more advanced stuff as you become a better recordist. (ok, I just made this idea up to pad my manifesto)
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Good advise.
 
tipiumgrove said:
what $150 ribbon mic did you buy?
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See sig.

I got the Nady RSM 4, but it's the same as the cascade Fathead w/o the shockmount.

Nady was on MF stupid deal o the day
 
superbeatballer said:
A ribbon mic may only be one factor that makes those recordings so pleasing to some ears.
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definitely.
 
I too made a ribbon my second microphone purchase and I was pleased at how different it was. I suspect that a second condenser would have left me wondering why I had spent the money.

I think that the best recommendation would be that your first three microphone purchases should reflect appropriate quality for your budget of the three main technologies: Dynamic, Condenser, and Ribbon.
 
what I'm saying is that I bought a ribbon *before* even buying a large diaphragm condensor! :eek:

I do not yet have an LDC.


I did pick up a pair of pencil condensors first... that astatic is a crystal element mic. (for harmonica thru tube amps)
 
I have a Fathead II permanently propped up in front of my guitar cab, next to the RE20.

I use an Apex 210 for voice.

These are the only two chinese manufacture mics I have. I will not buy another chinese made condensor. Hated 'em, sold 'em all. That means the only condensors I can afford are probably the AT's and the Rode's..... and I didn't like the sound of the Rode's I had, so I sold those also.

I have a AT omni SDC and a pair of AKG LDC I use for acoustic.

I really have good luck with my ribbons....
 
me too me too

Just got a Fathead, and it was well worth it. My other vocal mic is an at3035, and I must say that that the ribbon is much more flattering to my voice (baritone white guy singing rock and roll). I'm also experiementing with it combined with a 57 on guitar cab. So far so good.
 
I would argue that newbs wouldn't know how to properly handle a ribbon mic. They would probably end up stretching the ribbon from improper use and get mad and quit or say they got crap equipment. Not once in your manifesto do you mention how to handle it to prevent damage. Thats a rant I could get behind.

Carry on!
 
rory said:
I would argue that newbs wouldn't know how to properly handle a ribbon mic. They would probably end up stretching the ribbon from improper use and get mad and quit or say they got crap equipment. Not once in your manifesto do you mention how to handle it to prevent damage. Thats a rant I could get behind.

Carry on!
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These things do come with instructions, so provided the ability to read, and an RTFM ethic, the above is a nonissue.
 
yes, my nady came with the obligatory wooden "display case" box, with a two inch high square of paper with an outline of the mic and specific instuctions on how to store it.

I hear what you're saying, Rory, but condensors are not all that robust, either. I thought the whole fragility thing sort of went without saying.

The folks who reccommend dynamic only to noobs could definitely argue that point, though.
 
Obi, any sound clips you could post? I'd be interested to hear your mic on vocals.
 
Caotico, I'll be doing some female vocals on Monday. I've never posted up clips, so who knows how long that'll take me.

I will post them to this thread when I get them together.

In the meantime, you can check these out. Accoustic guitar as miced by Warren Dent, who runs www.frontendaudio.com , an online retailer. He posts a lot in gearslutz.

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2079&alid=1647

I haven't even heard them yet, since my laptop is unhooked from its soundcard! Tell me which one you like best.
 
TelePaul said:
So a Ribbon is a type of dynamic?
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Yes and no. When most people talk about dynamic mics, they're usually really referring to moving coil dynamics, which are a subset of dynamic mics. MC dynamics probably make up about 85% of all the dynamic mics out there.

Ribbons are technically dynamic mics, but they are not moving coil dynamics and behave completely differently than MC dynamics behave. Their sound quality is much closer to that of a condenser because of the low mass of the microphone element. The result is much faster transient response than traditional moving coil dynamics are capable of achieving.

As a result of their radically different characteristics, while ribbons technically are a type of dynamic mic, they are rarely referred to as dynamic mics to avoid confusion.
 
dgatwood said:
Yes and no. When most people talk about dynamic mics, they're usually really referring to moving coil dynamics, which are a subset of dynamic mics. MC dynamics probably make up about 85% of all the dynamic mics out there.

Ribbons are technically dynamic mics, but they are not moving coil dynamics and behave completely differently than MC dynamics behave. Their sound quality is much closer to that of a condenser because of the low mass of the microphone element. The result is much faster transient response than traditional moving coil dynamics are capable of achieving.

As a result of their radically different characteristics, while ribbons technically are a type of dynamic mic, they are rarely referred to as dynamic mics to avoid confusion.
Click to expand...


Okay great...so what's the benefit? Or what applications do they have? Vocals seemingly.
 
Paul, they're reknowned for being amplifier mics. There are these ribbons made by Royer (122 and 121, I think) that are go-to cab mics in high end studios. Those are pricey, however.

They're also nice and detailed and condensor like enough to use on accoustic guitar and other crisp sources.

The classic ribbon response curve trails off evenly throughout the highs, giving them a warm and dark tone without completely washing out the details, like pick attack and such. That can also compliment vocals.

Ribbons have a figure eight pattern to them, and often sound a little brighter into the front than they do to the back. This gives you neat options for getting a sound-- just turn it 'round, and you have a natural EQ.

Also, the figure eight takes in the ambience of the room nicely-- so if you have a well treated room with nice live ambience, you can get a great sound into your mic. Natural room reverberations add real uniqueness to your track.

My whole point is that I went and grabbed one before saving up for a nice LDC, as they have a beautiful and versatile sound for us $99-$299 (well, and up) where condensors in that price range have bridghtness and brittleness that will render them less useful as the novice (I'm still a novice, too) gains chops and needs a better sound out of their LDC.
 
TelePaul said:
Okay great...so what's the benefit? Or what applications do they have? Vocals seemingly.
Click to expand...

You can use a ribbon on anything where you could use a SDC. As for vocals, IMHO, they work well for people whose voices sound thin on LDCs. In other words, when you get tired of the harsh artificial presence boost, HF boost, etc. on a lot of LDCs, a ribbon will provide a pleasant change.

The response of most ribbons (figure-8, anyway) can be characterized as smooth. That doesn't mean flat---they usually aren't. It means that the response isn't artificially boosted with HF discs or other mechanical tricks. This means that ribbons should generally take EQ better than other mics because you don't have such sharp peaks and troughs to contend with.
 
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