Ribbon Microphones and Air transport
Air travel can be an especially challenging prospect for microphones. Never treat them as if they were just everyday luggage. Microphones should be hand-carried and brought into the aircraft as a carry-on item. Since the cargo-hold areas of aircraft often … Read More
Why do ribbon mics take EQ so well?
Ribbons take EQ extremely well because they generate virtually no self distortion. When you boost any frequency, even by extreme amounts, you increase only the musical response you’re looking for, not unpleasant distortion artifacts. Well designed ribbon mics all share … Read More
Your mics are rated to handle 135 db SPL. I’ve seen other ribbons rated for 165 dB SPL. Why are your mics rated lower?
We call this “The Horsepower Race.” That 165 dB SPL rating is a bit misleading – it’s for signals at 1 kHz. While that is very loud, it’s not generating a massive amount of sound pressure. Our 135 dB SPL … Read More
Are the ribbons field replaceable?
If your ribbon ever needs replacing, it should only be done at our factory by a skilled technician. Re-ribboning is both an art and a science, requiring use of our proprietary ribboning and test gear. It also gives our technicians … Read More
What if my Royer mic needs repair?
Check out the Repair & Service section on our web site for detailed shipping instructions and an RA (Return Authorization) form. You can also contact us at or call us at (818) 847-0121. After being issued a Return Authorization number and packaging your … Read More
How can I tell if my ribbon is blown?
It’s obvious when a ribbon is “blown”, the mic will suddenly lack highs and lows, and its level will drop substantially (6 to 8 dB). You may also hear mechanical rattling sounds, which comes from the ribbon element scraping against … Read More
What is the maximum cable length that should be used with a ribbon mic?
One of the advantages of our active microphones (R-122 MKII, R-122V, SF-24) is their ability to drive long cable lengths, up to 100-200ft. without signal loss. The limiting factor would be the quality of the phantom power being supplied to … Read More
If I already have a Royer ribbon mic and I’d like a matched pair, can you match the existing one?
Matched pairs of Royer mics are consecutively serial numbered and shipped together as a perfect match. Consecutive serial numbering adds value to the pair and shows that they’re matched. Technically, two mics that are separated by more than one serial … Read More
How about putting a couple of EQ switches on your mics?
We’ve kicked that idea around because ribbons handle EQ so well. Ultimately a decent outboard EQ unit or a good EQ plug-in will do a better job of shaping your tone, while giving you more options. Always remember the value … Read More