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Post by ninworks on Apr 30, 2024 4:37:58 GMT -6
I have had an R121 for a few years now and it is a great mic. I also have an R-10 that I have mixed feelings about. Maybe I just haven't found the right application for it yet.
I'd like to experiment with some other ribbon mics but don't have the budget for the big boys so I've been thinking about trying a M160. Any comments for how it compares to an R121?
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Post by frans on Apr 30, 2024 7:03:51 GMT -6
The R121 sounds civilized in front of a guitar cab (just to compare one source) and the M160 more rocknroll. I heard a few of both 121s and 160s that have a mid bump somewhere but i don't consider these fully in spec.
What would you want to do with another ribbon - maybe it would be easier to give advice if you voiced what you expect from your next ribbon mic.
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Post by ninworks on Apr 30, 2024 7:35:41 GMT -6
I have used the R121 and R-10 for recording guitar amps and acoustic guitars mostly. Background vocals a few times. I really like the sound of the R121 on my Guild D40 acoustic. Especially double tracking it when the other track is using a U87ai or other LDC. There's a nice 3 dimensional depth to the sound. The R-10 sounds ok in that application it just doesn't seem to have the depth of field the 121 does.
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Post by svart on Apr 30, 2024 8:46:42 GMT -6
I love my R121. I have a friend who had a R10 and it never sounded "royer" to me.
I have a couple Bumblebee ribbons too. Love them as well but while they look like a royer, they are their own beasts. Much more hi-fi sounding than the royer, but still ribbon-y.
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Post by ninworks on Apr 30, 2024 9:16:14 GMT -6
Which model Bumblebees do you have? I am intrigued.
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Post by svart on Apr 30, 2024 9:38:01 GMT -6
Which model Bumblebees do you have? I am intrigued. RM6 and RM7 |
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Post by smashlord on Apr 30, 2024 9:47:41 GMT -6
It's a very different mic that compliments the R-121 well. As you may know, its hypercardiod, so it is quite good at minimizing bleed. On that account, its saved my ass many times. Tonally, very different. The M160 is bright for a ribbon. Its sort of scooped sounding, IMO. It is good if you want to de-honk something. Really nice on acoustic (an area where I would not use the rover) and IMO, a little more fun on most drum applications than the Royer. I do love the Royer as a close-ish room, but the M160 beats it for overheads, a close front-of-kit mic and is also excellent on rooms.
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Post by paulcheeba on Apr 30, 2024 14:49:47 GMT -6
Stager sr2n, Coles 4038, or an AEA r92, n22 all sound better to me than the first 2 choices.
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Post by Ward on Apr 30, 2024 17:12:22 GMT -6
I have had an R121 for a few years now and it is a great mic. I also have an R-10 that I have mixed feelings about. Maybe I just haven't found the right application for it yet. I'd like to experiment with some other ribbon mics but don't have the budget for the big boys so I've been thinking about trying a M160. Any comments for how it compares to an R121? Context is important! What are you using said ribbon for? What else might you use said ribbon for? AEA R84 is the best all-rounder, followed by the Royer R121, then a 77dx, then the Stagers, then an M130 then an M160. |
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Post by Ward on Apr 30, 2024 17:14:16 GMT -6
P.S. My ribbons include but are not limited to 44 77 84 r121 Foster M80, Blue Woodpecker, and even a CAD trion, amongst others I'm forgetting.
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Post by EmRR on Apr 30, 2024 18:24:54 GMT -6
My M130 and M160 were bought new around ‘98. The 130 has always been darker than the 160. Comments here about the 160 are curious, I’d call mine “subtly hi mid boosted”, definitely not scooped sounding. Similar on paper thing can be said about my 77-D in cardioid (the u87 of ribbons? Or is that the KU-3A?), but it’s the brighter more upper mid boosted mic by far. I’d say if i want a little more of a 1.5k-3k thing out of a guitar amp with a ribbon, the 160 is a good choice. Mine live on OH more than most things, though.
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Post by Ted Swan on Apr 30, 2024 19:53:27 GMT -6
Love my 121, even on acoustic guitars a times (rotated and phase flipped).
But since some others have been suggested, I'd throw out the sE VR1's. Ever since I heard a pair of them on the song "Little Amens" by David Hodges, I was sold and grabbed a pair. Inexpensive too. I've since used them on guitar cab's, piano etc.
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Post by sean on Apr 30, 2024 20:14:56 GMT -6
I think an M160 is a nice option to have not just for guitar amps but also it can be just the ticket on acoustic, overheads, a spot mic on cymbals, even vocals.
Like mentioned my M130’s a much darker and honestly I haven’t found anything I really like them on…
R92 are cool for electric guitar and probably a similar price to a M160. The Shure KSM313 is often overlooked as well and is unique in that two sides are voiced differently
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Post by smashlord on May 1, 2024 11:43:02 GMT -6
I have had an R121 for a few years now and it is a great mic. I also have an R-10 that I have mixed feelings about. Maybe I just haven't found the right application for it yet. I'd like to experiment with some other ribbon mics but don't have the budget for the big boys so I've been thinking about trying a M160. Any comments for how it compares to an R121? Context is important! What are you using said ribbon for? What else might you use said ribbon for? AEA R84 is the best all-rounder, followed by the Royer R121, then a 77dx, then the Stagers, then an M130 then an M160. I agree that the R-84 is probably the best all-rounder, bang for the buck ribbon out there. I've personally never been able to get a 77DX to work on anything. I've used 4 different ones and they all sound muffled and nasally to me. |
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Post by EmRR on May 1, 2024 12:24:11 GMT -6
I’ve heard a lot of people, curiously, say the figure 8 on a 77 is the best option, but that defeats the purpose of a 77 and on mine sounds the most bandwidth limited, more than most ribbons.
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Post by Oneiro on May 1, 2024 20:26:04 GMT -6
M160. Much more useful mic to me and I like that it takes a stance, so to speak - it has a certain character and works or doesn't. I don't really think of it as doing the "ribbon" thing that the Royer, Coles, RCA, AEA, etc. do, i.e. smoothed transients. Maybe it's the pattern.
121 is pretty straightforward, can't hate it but don't love it. The other thing is that, maybe it's just a random anecdote but in the studios I've worked in, the owners were always sending these things back to get fixed.
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Post by copperx on May 1, 2024 20:58:46 GMT -6
I love my R121. I have a friend who had a R10 and it never sounded "royer" to me. I have a couple Bumblebee ribbons too. Love them as well but while they look like a royer, they are their own beasts. Much more hi-fi sounding than the royer, but still ribbon-y.
Are the Bumblebees brighter than the Royer, then? Have you found good uses for them?
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Post by smashlord on May 1, 2024 21:49:30 GMT -6
I’ve heard a lot of people, curiously, say the figure 8 on a 77 is the best option, but that defeats the purpose of a 77 and on mine sounds the most bandwidth limited, more than most ribbons. Maybe thats why I have never like it. I always tried it on figure 8 and it always sounded band passed. |
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Post by notneeson on May 1, 2024 22:24:55 GMT -6
Got to record a veteran professional drummer/studio owner today. He happened to mention how much he loves the m160 on hats.
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Post by thehightenor on May 2, 2024 0:57:50 GMT -6
I have had an R121 for a few years now and it is a great mic. I also have an R-10 that I have mixed feelings about. Maybe I just haven't found the right application for it yet. I'd like to experiment with some other ribbon mics but don't have the budget for the big boys so I've been thinking about trying a M160. Any comments for how it compares to an R121? AEA R92 I’ve yet to put a better mic on a guitar cab. |
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Post by svart on May 2, 2024 6:06:41 GMT -6
I love my R121. I have a friend who had a R10 and it never sounded "royer" to me. I have a couple Bumblebee ribbons too. Love them as well but while they look like a royer, they are their own beasts. Much more hi-fi sounding than the royer, but still ribbon-y.
Are the Bumblebees brighter than the Royer, then? Have you found good uses for them?
A little bit brighter. It's hard to quantify. They also don't have the mid-range bump that R121s have. I still like them on guitar cabs, but I'd use them more off the dust cap than an R121 would get used. There's videos on this forum of them being used on various sources. Those were part of the reason I bought them. |
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Post by EmRR on May 2, 2024 6:24:50 GMT -6
I’ve heard a lot of people, curiously, say the figure 8 on a 77 is the best option, but that defeats the purpose of a 77 and on mine sounds the most bandwidth limited, more than most ribbons. Maybe thats why I have never like it. I always tried it on figure 8 and it always sounded band passed. I think Bob O has said L3 is his preferred directional position. Really the cardioidish patterns are why the 77 was created. 77-A is just cardioid, then they added the other patterns. |
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Post by ninworks on May 2, 2024 14:42:02 GMT -6
I have had an R121 for a few years now and it is a great mic. I also have an R-10 that I have mixed feelings about. Maybe I just haven't found the right application for it yet. I'd like to experiment with some other ribbon mics but don't have the budget for the big boys so I've been thinking about trying a M160. Any comments for how it compares to an R121? AEA R92 I’ve yet to put a better mic on a guitar cab. How is it on vocals? |
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Post by mcirish on May 2, 2024 16:06:20 GMT -6
Everyone is throwing out options, so here is mine. If you want to stay around $500, give the Alder Audio H44 a shot.
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Post by copperx on May 2, 2024 16:13:43 GMT -6
Everyone is throwing out options, so here is mine. If you want to stay around $500, give the Alder Audio H44 a shot.
Nice option! By any chance do you know of a nice stereo ribbon mic below $500?
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