The Method: We chose a Gallagher GA- 70 Custom acoustic guitar for testing, and played the same little section
of music with a flatpick in order to give each mic a fair shake. We recorded the
mics in a 4’ x 8’ room with acoustically deadened walls, floor and ceiling. For
the mic pre, we used an Aphex 230 with no effects – set completely flat – and
adjusted only the volume as needed to set the peaks at -6dB. We recorded one
channel only, from one position – directly in front of the treble side of the upper
bout of the guitar, which is one of the sweetest spots for many acoustics.
Ribbons
Ribbon mics derive their name from their diaphragm, which is
made of a thin ribbon of aluminum, duraluminum or nanofilm
mounted between two magnets. They can add warmth to a
recording, but until recently great sounding models cost a pretty
penny. Typically bi-directional, one side may sound slightly
different than the other (asymmetrical) or exactly the same
(symmetrical). Lower-end ribbon mics tend to lack brightness
and sizzle – some are just plain muddy – but newer, affordable
ribbons offer life and luster previously only available to high-end
studios. Note that ribbons are delicate and require special care,
so if you’re not inclined to baby your gear, you may want to skip
ahead to the condensers.
Apex 205
list $179
This is a very warm sounding
mic, but it lacks some definition
– it would be great combined
with a small diaphragm mic to
capture details. There’s a lot of
boom in the low-end, making it
the perfect enhancement for a
guitar with less bass. If you’ve
got enough bass already, minimal
tweaking to the low-mids will
help dial out the boom and keep
the richness.
Cascade Fat Head
(Lollipop-style)
List $159
With a hand-tuned ribbon ele-
ment and a true figure 8 pattern,
this mic sounds similar to the
Apex 205, but with a little less
boominess and a little more
brightness. We’ve had success
using this mic to capture kick
drums, so it can definitely handle
aggressive playing while smooth-
ing out some of the uncomfort-
able peaks and pops. If you’ve
got a few extra bucks, consider
upgrading to the Lundahl trans-
former ($300).
sE Electronics RT1
Ribbon Tube
list $1499
Launched in early 2006 as a
prototype, the RT1 is the world’s
first ribbon mic with a tube (an
ECC83A to be exact). This mic
combines the best character-
istics of a ribbon mic with the
punch and definition of a tube
condenser. The front side has
an atmospheric and airy sound,
while retaining great clarity; the
back side is less hot, giving the
low-end a darker sound.
Crowley and Tripp
Naked Eye
list $849
Featuring True Dual Voicing,
the Naked Eye has two distinct
personalities. The front side is
lively and crisp, yet smooth; you
can hear each string perfectly,
almost like you’re sitting inside
the soundhole. The back side is
hotter and adds a lot more shim-
mer to the highs; if anything, the
back is like the front turned up to
11. As a bonus, what you gain in
the highs is not lost in the lows.
For an extra $446, upgrade to
the Roswellite ribbon to handle
higher SPLs.
