The R-122 is the world's first phantom powered, active ribbon microphone. Yes, you need to turn phantom power on when you use an R-122! The payback is far more output than you've ever imagined from a ribbon microphone. More importantly, the R-122's electronics place a perfect impedance load on the ribbon element, greatly expanding the number of preamps that will match up well with the R-122.
Before the R-122, all ribbon microphones were passive devices, meaning that they were 15 to 30 dB less sensitive than average phantom powered condenser mics. In addition, passive ribbon mics depend entirely on the input impedance of the preamp they're mated with to set the proper impedance to the ribbon element. Simply put, even the best ribbon mics can sound mediocre if they're plugged into the wrong mic pre. With the R-122, gain and impedance issues are a thing of the past
Gain
Our Active Series ribbon mics are as sensitive as condenser microphones, allowing you to use practically any mic preamplifier or board pre (even those of nominal characteristics). Conventional ribbon microphones are, on average, 15 to 20 dB less sensitive than condenser mics, necessitating the use of high-quality, high-gain microphone preamplifiers for recording softer sound sources like acoustic instruments, vocals and room ambience. The Active Series ribbon mics, starting with the R-122, contain fully balanced, discrete head amplifier systems utilizing ultra-low noise FET's. This system, designed by David Royer and Rick Perrotta, is extremely quiet, can handle 135 dB SPL and allows our Active Series ribbons to deliver a sensitivity of -37 dB! Go ahead and plug an R-122 into any preamplifier with average gain characteristics - you'll get full Royer performance regardless of how quiet the sound source, and you'll have enough gain to drive any recording medium.
Impedance Matching
The electronics in the Active Series ribbons provides a perfect load on the ribbon element at all times, meaning that R-122's are able to deliver 100% of their full sonic potential regardless of the input characteristics of the following mic-pre. Due to the low-impedance output, Active Series mics can also be used with extremely long cable runs with minimal signal loss.
A good impedance match is critical with ribbon microphones because impedance mis-matching "loads" a ribbon improperly, resulting in loss of low end, diminished body, lowered sensitivity and overall compromised performance. With the Active Series ribbons, the ribbon element lives in a perfect world; it sees an optimum impedance match at all times regardless of the following equipment, so its performance will never be compromised by the effects of improper loading. In addition, the ribbon element can't be damaged by phantom power, electrical glitches or miswired cables.
Features
Phantom powered circuitry provides high output and impedance matching
High SPL Capabilities
No 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
Rear side of mic records slightly brighter when three feet or closer to sound source
Recommended Applications
Electric Guitar Amps
Acoustic Guitar
Drum Overheads
Percussion Instruments
Brass and Woodwinds
Horn Sections
Acoustic Piano
Acoustic Guitar
Harp
Solo Strings & String Sections
Choirs and Orchestras
Commercial Broadcast
Voice Over
