ribbon mic to suit my preamp

  • Thread starter Thread starter kip4
  • Start date Start date
kip4

kip4

Well-known member
Hi guys
i finally think i've found a preamp that will handle a ribbon mic
firstly the preamp is an Alice mic amp pak 1 specs here

Alice Broadcast Solutions - Mic-Amp-Pak

the trouble is i want to get the best cheap suitable ribbon mic i can get that matches the pre. and i'm not terribly up on how the mics impedance thing works so im askinf for your help to make sure i get the best match i can get.
I'd like to use it on mainly vocals female and male and guitar cabs and acoustic guitar too
I've been looking at the alcatrons and apex mix (maybe get them modded later)
suggestions please and advice on the impedance thing will be a great help thanks
 
Now it's usually the other way around ~ you have a ribbon microphone and your in search of a descent micpre.
 
As far as I know all cheaper ribbons come from China. They quality varies strongly, with some luck it can be decent, it can be bad, too. Make sure you can return it.

I'v got recently a Cascade X-15, which is a very decent mic (also China made, I suppose, but worked on in the USA). I love to use it on my drum kit. Cascade also has single mics (mean mono).

Before I hade some no name ribbons made in CHina, and I had to send them back all.

For ribbon you'll need plenty of a clean gain, especially with softer sources; be prepared thay have quite a bit of self noise.
 
I'm not sure that impedance would be an issue. The preamp you came up with is a new one on me so I have no idea about it but the specs look reasonable FWIW. 3k input should have you covered for just about any mic. Most low impedance mics are in the ballpark of 200 ohms or so, with some of the older specimens of ribbon being somewhere around 50 or 100. Some preamps allow you to drop the input impedance to play with this a bit while most don't.

The real point of interest is what it sounds like.

If you're set on getting a cheap ribbon you might want to look at something like Shinybox. Even without the transformer upgrades, I think the guy takes them apart and tensions the ribbon properly.
 
Hi Kip4,
have you finally found something that suits you? Let us know...
 
Hey---putting the IEC mains and everything else where they did (all on one side). Yeah, rack that lovely! Do these designers ever actually use the stuff they fabricate?

Paj
8^?
 
Yeah it seems as though they designed it as a table top unit then decided to include rack ears after the fact.
That's gonna be one messed up looking rack though.
 
Hi guys
I ended up getting the Apex 205/ I figured it would be the best platform for future modification.
The design of the alice is not really meant for studio use as such idk
i think its aimed as a line driver for the broadcast tv companys.
I did end up racking it in an enclosure. If you want to see how just say and i'll post a pic ok.
managed to incorporate an on off switch too.
 
I had my bruv in law make me up some steel trays with an open front.
Put a switch in the front panel and a hole for the power cable. Connected the power cable to the switch and now its much more plug and play.
It's not the best looking pre but it does a fair job and its got lots of clean gain so im chuffed.
 

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