R-121 Ribbon Microphone
Released in 1998, the award-winning R-121 is our flagship microphone; the world’s first radically reengineered ribbon microphone and the model that reintroduced ribbon mics to engineers around the world. We did away with the large, heavy, fragile “classic” approach to ribbon microphones and went in a completely new direction. The R-121 gives all of the warmth and natural sound that experienced engineers have long turned to ribbon mics for, but in a compact, light-weight, high output and tough-as-nails package that was unheard of in a ribbon mic before the R-121. In its 10+ years in the market, thousands of R-121’s have been sold around the world and it’s well established as a standard for tracking electric guitar and brass.
The R-121 redefined ribbon microphones so completely that Recording Magazine wrote: “…the Royer R-121 is destined to become one of the classic microphones of the 21st century.”
Like many of the best classic ribbon mics, the R-121 has a figure-8 pattern, output level comparable to a dynamic mic, and a warm, realistic tone and flat frequency response. But that’s where the similarities end. By using advanced materials and a blend of cutting edge and old-school, hand-build construction techniques, the R-121 is an extremely versatile and user-friendly ribbon mic that can stand up to the most demanding tasks. Cranked up electric guitars, close up brass, drums – you name it, the R-121 will help you record it with realism you have to hear to believe.
We build the R-121 solid enough to give it a lifetime warranty. We expect you to own it for as long as you record, and we’ll stand behind it the whole way
Patented Offset Ribbon Technology
The R-121’s proprietary offset ribbon transducer (Patent # 6,434,252) is the first of its kind, positioning the ribbon element closer to the front (logo) side of the microphone. This arrangement gives the ribbon more room to move within the prime magnetic field while maintaining full frequency response during high SPL recordings. It’s an integral piece of the magic of all Royer R-series microphones.
Artist | Material | Engineer, Producer | Microphone | Instrument | Genre | Media |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Johnny Hawthorn | Full Mix | Charley Pollard | R-121 | Electric Guitar | Rock | Audio |
Amalia Stephenson | Ribbons Only | Richard Dobson | R-121 | Vocals, Acoustic Guitar | Traditional | Audio |
Andy Georges | Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Dusty Wakeman | R-121 | Electric Guitar | Rock, Blues | Audio |
blink-182 | Full Mix | Sean O'Dwyer, Jerry Finn | R-121 | Piano | Rock | Audio, Photos |
Brian Setzer | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | John Holbrook, Dave Darling | R-121 | Electric Guitars, Big Band | Rock, Rockabilly | Audio |
California Wind Orchestra | Ribbons Only | John La Grou | R-121 | Woodwinds, Live | Classical | Audio |
Canaan | Full Mix | Kyle Homme, Shawn Sullivan | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Vocals | Pop | Audio |
Chlorine | Full Mix | Matt Hyde | R-121 | Electric Guitars | Rock | Audio |
Coal Chamber | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Ross Hogarth | R-121 | Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Heavy Rock | Hard Rock | Audio, Photos |
Diana Krall | Full Mix | Al Schmitt, Tommy LiPuma | R-121 | Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Jazz | Jazz | Audio |
Fiach and Tradalsa | Ribbons Only | Christy | R-121 | Accordion, Acoustic Guitar, Bass | Celtic | Audio |
Jewel | Full Mix | Michael O'Reilly, Arif Mardin | R-121 | Electric Guitar, Orchestra, Pedal Steel Guitar | Pop | Audio |
Jim Lauderdale | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Randy Kohrs | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Dobro | Country, Americana | Audio |
Jodi English | Isolated Ribbon Track | Les Camacho | R-121 | Kick Drum, Drums | Rock | Audio |
John Jennings | Educational Microphone Technique | Jeff Gross | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Comparisons | Folk | Audio |
John March | Ribbons Only | John March | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Home Recording | Blues | Audio |
Kings X | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Michel Wagener | R-121 | Electric Guitars, Electric Guitar-Heavy Rock | Hard Rock | Audio, Photos, Video |
Lily Wilde and her Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra | Ribbons Only | Craig Brock, Tom Royer | R-121 | Brass, Drum Room, Drums, Big Band | Jazz | Audio |
Loudmouth | Full Mix | Joe Barresi, Allen Sides, Johnny K, John Sullivan | R-121 | Drum Room, Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Heavy Rock | Rock | Audio |
Mark Knopfler | Full Mix | Chuck Ainlay | R-121 | Electric Guitars | Rock, Pop | Audio |
Marvelous 3 | Full Mix | Jerry Finn, Butch Walker, Joe McGrath | R-121 | Electric Guitars | Rock | Audio |
Melissa Etheridge | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Ross Hogarth | R-121 | Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar | Rock, Pop | Audio, Photos |
Michael DeTemple | Ribbons Only | Michael DeTemple | R-121 | Vocals, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar | Folk, Bluegrass | Audio |
Monster Magnet | Full Mix | Randy Staub, Matt Hyde | R-121 | Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar | Hard Rock | Audio |
Rafael Manriguez and Quique Cruz | Full Mix | Brian Knave | R-121 | Violin | World | Audio |
Rascal Flatts | Full Mix | Justin Niebank, Dan Huff | R-121 | Electric Guitars | Rock, Country | Audio |
Robert Cray | Full Mix | Don Smith, Steve Jordan | R-121 | Electric Guitars, Vocals | Blues | Audio |
Ross Hogarth | Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Ross Hogarth | R-121 | Bongo, Drum Overhead, Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Heavy Rock, Percussion, Shaker | Rock | Audio |
Shawn Sullivan | Isolated Ribbon Track | Shawn Sullivan | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar | Pop, Folk | Audio |
Sixpence None The Richer | Full Mix | Russ Long, Steve Taylor | R-121 | Electric Guitars, Cello | Pop, Rock, Christian Rock | Audio |
Slash | Isolated Ribbon Track | Jim Mitchell | R-121 | Electric Guitar | Rock | Audio |
Sonny Landreth LIVE | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Tony Daigle | R-121 | Live, Electric Guitars | Blues, Rock | Audio, Photos |
Steve Albini | Microphone Comparisons | Steve Albini | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Comparison, Drums, Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Rock, Saxophone, Trumpet | Rock, Jazz, Folk | Audio |
Teddy Andreas and Bruce Watson | Ribbons Only | Neil Citron | R-121 | Acoustic Guitar, Accordion | Pop, Folk | Audio |
The Quincy Jones - Sammy Nestico Orchestra | Full Mix | Tommy Vicari, Quincy Jones, Sammy Nestico, Jerry Hey | R-121 | Big Band, Brass, Trombone, Trumpet | Jazz | Audio |
Treble Charger | Full Mix | Matt Hyde | R-121 | Electric Guitars | Rock | Audio |
Backward R-121 Samples | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Various | R-121 | Various | Various | Audio |
Dirty Dozen Brass Band 1 | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Clint Bennett, Anthony Marinelli, Shawn Amos | R-121, R-122 | Brass,Drums, Percussion,, Saxophone, Sousaphone, Tuba, Vocals | New Orleans Brass Band | Audio, Photos |
Stephen Bruton | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Ross Hogarth, Stephen Bruton | R-121, R-122 | B3, Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar, Harmonica, Resonator Guitar | Rock, Blues | Audio |
Lukas Rossi and Kenny Aronoff | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Ross Hogarth | R-121, R-122, R-122V, SF-24 | Drum Overhead, Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar, | Rock, Pop | Video |
Ross Hogarth and Tim Pierce | Ribbons Only, Educational | R-121, R-122, R-122V, SF-24 | Electric Guitar, Electric Guitar-Heavy Rock, Electric Guitar-Jazz, Electric Guitar-Rock | Rock, Blues, Heavy Rock, Pop | Video | |
Fab recording Will Knox | Full Mix | Fab | R-121, R-122, R-122V, SF-24, SF-2 | Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Drum Overhead, Drums, Fiddle, Kick Drum, Standup Bass, Tom-Toms, Upright Bass, Violin | Folk | Video |
Arturo Sandoval | Full Mix | Al Schmitt, Gary Grant, Arturo Sandoval | R-121, R-122, SF-12 | Big Band, Brass, Drum Overhead, Drums,åÊ Trombone, Trumpet | Jazz | Audio, Photos, Video |
Dirty Dozen Brass Band 2 | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Clint Bennett, Anthony Marinelli, Shawn Amos | R-121, R-122, SF-12 | Brass,åÊ Electric Guitar, Sousaphone, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba | New Orleans Brass Band | Audio, Photos |
Cyrius | Full Mix | Bruce Swedien | R-121, SF-12 | Percussion, Congas, Timbales | World | Audio, Photos |
John Thomas | Ribbons Only | Dusty Wakeman | R-121, SF-12 | Acoustic Guitars | Folk, Americana | Audio, Photos |
Les Go | Full Mix | Bruce Swedien | R-121, SF-12 | Percussion, Hammer Dulcimer | World Pop | Audio |
Roger Wojahn & Scott Wojahn | Full Mix | Steve Kempster | R-121, SF-12 | Drum Overhead, Drums, Electric Guitar, Percussion, Violin | World | Audio |
The Carl Verheyen Band | Full Mix | Shawn Sullivan | R-121, SF-12 | Drum Room, Drums, Electric Guitar | Blues, Rock | Audio |
Tony Furtado | Full Mix | Dusty Wakeman | R-121, SF-12 | Acoustic Guitar, Drum Room,åÊ Electric Guitar | Americana, Rock | Audio |
Kevin Shepard | Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Roger Summers | R-121, SF-12, SF-1 | Drum Overhead, Drums, Kick Drum | Rock | Audio, Photos |
Brian Setzer | Full mix | Jimbo Neal | R-121, SF-24 | Big Band, Electric Guitar, Drums, Brass | Rock, Rockabilly | Video |
Gordon Goodwin | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Tommy Vicari, Gordon Goodwin | R-121, SF-24 | Big Band, Brass, Saxophone, Trumpet | Jazz | Audio |
Matchbox Twenty LIVE | Full Mix and Isolated Ribbon Tracks | Jim Ebdon | R-121Live | Live, Electric Guitars | Rock, Pop | Audio, Photos |
Features
High SPL Capabilities
No internal active electronics to overload or produce distortion up to maximum SPL rating
Extremely low residual noise
Ribbon element is not affected by heat or humidity
Absence of high frequency phase distortion
Equal sensitivity from front or back of element
Consistent frequency response regardless of distance
Applications
Electric Guitar Amps
Brass Instruments
Horn Sections
Drum Rooms
Kick Drum
Woodwinds
Percussion Instruments
Acoustic Piano
Acoustic Guitar
String Instruments & Sections
Choirs & Orchestras
Commercial Broadcast
Technical Specifications
Acoustic Operating Principle: Electrodynamic pressure gradient
Polar Pattern: Figure-8
Generating Element: 2.5-micron aluminum ribbon
Magnets: Rare Earth Neodymium
Frequency Response: 30 -15,000 Hz +/- 3dB
Sensitivity: -47 dBv Re. 1v/pa
Output Impedance: 300 Ohms @ 1K (nominal)
Rated Load Impedance: >1500 Ohms @ 300 Ohms
Maximum SPL: >135dB @ 20 Hz
Output Connector: Male XLR 3 pin (Pin 2 Hot)
Dimensions: 155.7mm L, 25mm W (6.13" L, 1" W) Weight: 244g (8.6 oz) Finish: Dull Satin Nickel/Matte Black Chrome optional
Polar Pattern
Frequency Response
Home Recording - Royer Labs R-121 Ribbon microphone - A Mic For All Seasons by David Darlington
Vintage Guitar - R-121 Ribbon Microphone by Steve Patt
Tape Op - R-121 Ribbon Microphone by Steve Albini
Sound on Sound - Funky Ribbon - Royer R-121 Studio Ribbon Microphoneby Hugh Robjohns
Electronic Musician - Electronic Musician - Editors Choice Award January 2000, Microphone (ribbon)
Recording Magazine - Royer R-121 Ribbon Microphone - What Went Around Has Come Around Again by DaviMoulton
Pro Audio Review - Royer R-121 Ribbon Microphone by Russ Long
Electronic Musician - Royer Labs R-121 - A New Ribbon Mic Ups The Ante On A Classic Design by Myles Boisen
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