Ribbon mics, what are the favorites that are under $2k?

[øøøøøøø]

+1 for mk012 on toms

While it’s not a go-to for me these days, I know a lot of people with big mic lockers who still choose them over anything else for that application

To recap, since I never really did anything but say “what not to do”:

Coles 4038 overheads are really great when you want that thing. A cloudlifter can sometimes help extend bandwidth a touch depending on your preamps’ input impedance

Another contender would be the AEA R88 stereo ribbon. It’s about $2k, permanently configured as a Blumlein pair, and is absolutely fantastic in front of a kit or overhead. They also make an active version for a few dollars more which is honestly probably what I’d choose. Essentially it has a cloudlifter built in

It’s boring, but the Royer R121 earned its reputation for a reason. It’s pretty hard to beat on guitar cab

M160 is useful but not quite in the same league as the above to me… a bit more particular of a thing, which is sometimes exactly the right thing. It’s a popular choice on guitar amp (I like it fine, but isn’t a world beater for what I’m looking for usually). It’s my favorite hi hat mic when I want a hat mic that doesn’t sound like a hat mic. I very often put one under snare, where they hold up just fine.

Not a ribbon but a moving coil dynamic… I very very often like the Beyer M88 on toms and inside kick. Off axis seems a bit nicer for cymbals than the 421. I like the 421 but if there’s a lot of bright cymbal, sometimes having 2 or 3 open on toms doesn’t do the cymbal sound any favors.

That’s one reason I like U87s on toms… the off-axis is a bit nicer. To me that’s an underrated, but very important consideration for a tom mic

[øøøøøøø]

@DeathJag, are you in the US?

If so, it's a pretty damn good time to be buying Coles 4038s, if you do it right.

The US vendors still seem to have them for the same USD price as ever, but as you likely know, the pound is very weak against the dollar right now...

I just looked up prices from UK eBay sellers and the price is currently so good by going that route, I bit down hard and ordered a pair for home (sorry credit card).

For example: this one is currently 940 bucks, brand new

No stand mount included with that one, though; that's a few dollars more and recommended.

Now that Truss is out the pound is recovering a touch, so the best window was likely a week or two ago... but it's still pretty good until price adjustments catch up...

[DeathJag]

@DeathJag, are you in the US?

If so, it's a pretty damn good time to be buying Coles 4038s, if you do it right.

I am and I just ordered yesterday haha! I snagged a pair for $2070. Thanks so much for you awesome insights.

One thing my pal here told me, is that they use RCA 77s and Coles 4038 on sousaphones! Now those are super loud and kinda breathy. I'm gonna try these as overheads, or in-front stereo, taking care to make them equidistant from the snare.

At some point I'll probably grab some Beyerdynamic m160s and try em on guitar.

Thank you all for all the great discussion!

Hey does anyone use large (or medium) condensers on drums?

[mcatano]

FWIW, the quite-well-regarded Monoprice ribbon is back in stock, and 53% off. As of a few days ago, you could stack a 15% off code (TREATS) on top of that.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=625908

Just a head's up though, there's a limit of 20 per customer.

[marqueemoon]

Hey does anyone use large (or medium) condensers on drums?

I assume you mean close micing.

I use a Pacific Pro Audio LD-1 on kick sometimes (with the pad engaged and outside of the resonant head).

Sometimes it works great and other times it’s not the right thing at all.

[øøøøøøø]

@DeathJag, are you in the US?

If so, it's a pretty damn good time to be buying Coles 4038s, if you do it right.

I am and I just ordered yesterday haha! I snagged a pair for $2070. Thanks so much for you awesome insights.

One thing my pal here told me, is that they use RCA 77s and Coles 4038 on sousaphones! Now those are super loud and kinda breathy. I'm gonna try these as overheads, or in-front stereo, taking care to make them equidistant from the snare.

At some point I'll probably grab some Beyerdynamic m160s and try em on guitar.

Thank you all for all the great discussion!

Hey does anyone use large (or medium) condensers on drums?

Coles 4038 on low brass is fantastic. It is my favorite trombone mic, or at least equal to an RCA44. 77 is also good.

There's little practical danger to the ribbon in that application despite the SPL, unless you put the mic in the bell (which generally doesn't sound the best anyway). We use RCA 44s on trumpet extremely regularly without issue.

Brasswind instruments don't have massive amounts of fast-moving air coming out of the bell. The buzzed lips coupling to the horn via the mouthpiece makes the sound, not the airstream itself.

As overheads, they're one of my favorites. In-front stereo could be good too; try them as a Blumlein array.

Condensers on drums = yes.

U67, U47, U87, C12, 251, or silver 414 (brass-capsule) all work great as overheads, mono or stereo. While it's never really been *my* thing (yet), I have 3 friends who really like old Lomo mics like the 19A9 and 19A19.

U47FET outside kick is a standard and is very often my pick.

With a good drummer, a KM84 on snare is a go-to for me (pad engaged).

Above-mentioned MK012s on toms are a popular cheap-and-cheerful choice; U87s and 414s also work well on toms (particularly with brushes or when the performance is more nuanced and less bashy). C12a is a longstanding favorite on toms and pretty hard to beat (if the studio has them and doesn't mind putting them in the line of fire). Plenty of people swear by those Josephson e22s but I've never really spent much time with them.

AKG C451 on hat is pretty classic if you want a bright, articulate hat mic.

[cpeck]

@DeathJag, are you in the US?

If so, it's a pretty damn good time to be buying Coles 4038s, if you do it right.

The US vendors still seem to have them for the same USD price as ever, but as you likely know, the pound is very weak against the dollar right now...

I just looked up prices from UK eBay sellers and the price is currently so good by going that route, I bit down hard and ordered a pair for home (sorry credit card).

For example: this one is currently 940 bucks, brand new

No stand mount included with that one, though; that's a few dollars more and recommended.

Now that Truss is out the pound is recovering a touch, so the best window was likely a week or two ago... but it's still pretty good until price adjustments catch up...

How important is having a matched pair of Coles for stereo operation? (vs two unmatched 4038s?)

[øøøøøøø]

Probably not that important with two brand new mics, or even with two mics in reasonably good condition

Honestly, “matched pairs” are slightly overrated in my view unless you’re doing like… orchestral recording.

With an old pair of 4038s you’d have to make sure the impedances are strapped the same otherwise you could get a pretty serious level difference.

Even then, for something like drum overheads I’d probably just end up turning up the quieter one until the image felt right, but I’m sure that’s sacrilege to someone

[DeathJag]

My sale got cancelled god dammit! Seller blames Reverb for not updating. Oh well, I guess I'll wait. Those monoprice ones are so cheap I grabbed a pair of those to check out. I don't really get the matched pair thing.

[øøøøøøø]

There are brand new pairs on eBay with stand mounts from the seller I linked above for about the same price you originally paid.

Mine have shipped already.

[Dr Tony Balls]

I have no dog in this fight nor knowledge of metaphorical dogs, how they fight, and which one's fight well for the money, BUT...this thread over at the EA forums probably might have some insight:

http://www.premierrockforum.com/viewtop ... 26&t=69299

[DeathJag]

There are brand new pairs on eBay with stand mounts from the seller I linked above for about the same price you originally paid.

Thank you! I prefer Reverb and spaced in checking the 'bay. Derrrr. Two more on the way!

...this thread over at the EA forums probably might have some insight:

Thanks doc! I actually did check that thread out but they're just looking for cheapies. Good stuff in there though.

I'm super excited to hear these Coles!

[øøøøøøø]

You’re gonna love those 4038s

[northern_dirt]

4038s
121s..

$2K budget got Ribbons is actually kinda high

[Dok]

These are so cheap you can't afford not to buy them. No experience myself:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=625908