The 7 Best Ribbon Microphones | Musician Nerd

The Audio-Technica AT4081 uses a low-profile stick design for maximum versatility in terms of placement. This is similar to how boom microphones work, as it limits the bulkiness that a lot of other studio microphones have.

Audio-Technica uses 18 patent-pending designs including a proprietary micro-linear ribbon imprint that offers superior durability. The dual-ribbon construct increases the level of sensitivity, which means more depth & richness to your audio.

The Shure KSM313/NE uses a bi-directional polar pattern, which helps produce superior sounding audio with the some of the best off-axis rejection you could ask for. The frequency response rate of 30 to 15000Hz with an SPL of 146 offers a superior transient response in vocals.

Like the Audio-Technica above, Shure put a lot of work into developing a high-end ribbon, which uses a proprietary roswellite ribbon material rather than traditional foil ribbons, offering incredible durability & shape. This allows the microphone to withstand extreme sound pressure levels (SPL).

The high sensitivity and wide-range frequency response offer true depth in your recordings, allowing you to bring out the best from your vocals or instrument. I’ve been using the sE Electronics Voodoo VR1 for acoustic instrument recordings, and found it blows a lot of other microphones out of the water.

A unique factor in this ribbon microphone is that it excels at high-end frequencies. The mechanical design allows the microphone to achieve an extended frequency response, giving you that crisp, natural sound from your highs. This is why I really like to use it for recording my acoustic guitar, though I imagine it’s great for cymbals too.

Similar to the Audio-Technica AT4081, the Beyerdynamic M160 uses a dual-ribbon microphone transducer to maintain the highest possible quality, with an extended frequency response. This full range of frequencies makes the Beyerdynamic M160 very versatile, which is why you can use it for vocals, guitar cabs, and even the drums.

Like the sE Electronics Voodoo VR1, this microphone breaks away from the traditional “dark” sound, excelling on the high end. This led to popularity amongst classic rock bands, having this microphone featured by Led Zeppelin on their hit song “When The Levee Breaks.” That should speak volumes!

What’s interesting about the Rode NTR is that it uses a bi-directional polar pattern, which results in a superior off-axis rejection. The frequency range is very wide, at 20 – 20,000Hz, which results in a deep, full & warm sounding audio.

While excelling on the high-end, the Rode NTR is also capable of recording more sensitive sound sources, and loud ones as well, with a maximum SPL of 130dB. The highly sensitive ribbon element offers an incredible transient response, giving your recordings superior accuracy.

The Avantone Pro C-14 uses a bi-directional polar pattern, giving it a narrow pickup angle for isolating a single voice. It’s also useful for instruments surrounded by other noise, as it helps keep the focus. It’s an interesting technique that isn’t used all too often.

The dual low-mass ribbon element offers incredible sensitivity, giving your recordings more depth and accuracy. The transient response is very rapid so that high vibration sound sources will be recorded with ease. The maximum SPL is 148dB, which gives the Avantone Pro C-14 an edge for loud sources.

One unique feature worth mentioning is their proprietary offset ribbon transducer, which is the first of its kind that positions the ribbon element by the front of the capsule. This allows the ribbon more room to move within the magnetic field while keeping the full frequency response for high SPL recordings. In other words, this technology will enable you to record loud sources with massive accuracy & depth as the ribbon has more space to move.

The frequency response rate is more in line with how ribbon microphones typically work, at 30- 15,000Hz. This range results in a warm, rich sound, very signature to ribbons.