• Account
  • View Shopping Cart

Menu Search View Shopping Cart Call Us

Royer Labs SF-2 Active Ribbon Microphone  From Royer

The SF-2 is a mono, phantom powered ribbon microphone with extremely flat frequency response, condenser-level output and fast transients response.

Royer Labs

$1,999.00

"Experience the Difference"

Sound Pure's 3-Year Warranty

Close
Our Free 3-Year Warranty!
In addition to the standard included manufacturer warranty, virtually all new products carry our exclusive, industry-leading, absolutely free, Sound Pure 3-Year Warranty, which includes PARTS & LABOR. This high-value perk is our way of providing the ultimate in added value to enhance the unique personal touch our small, dedicated team contributes to each purchase.
Learn more »

Lifetime Support

Close
Free Lifetime Technical Support!
Our small team of dedicated experts is here to help the original purchaser for the lifetime of the product. Why? Because we care about building real relationships with our customers for life and stand behind every product we sell.

Free Shipping

Close
This Product Ships Free!
Products ship from our well-located, climate- and humidity-controlled warehouse absolutely free (inside the continental USA). Low-cost international shipping options exist for most products.
Contact us for details »
Ships Quick!
Usually ships 24 - 48 hours after order processed.
Payments as low as $45/mo.

Manufacturer's Description from Royer

Designed primarily for classical applications and acoustic instruments, the SF-2 combines high-quality audio performance with our exclusive active electronics for ribbon microphones. The SF-2's output of -38 dB puts its sensitivity on par with that of phantom powered condenser microphones, allowing it to be used with a wide variety of mic pre's regardless of gain characteristics. The unique electronics and custom designed FET's used in the SF-2 deliver ultra-quiet operation, with self-noise of lower than 18 dB.

The SF-2's magnet/pole piece transducer structure gives a wide, uniform frequency response with no substantial peaks or dips, and the 1.8-micron ribbon element delivers superb transient response. Frequency response is excellent regardless of the angle of sound striking the ribbon and off-axis coloration is negligible.

Our Active Series ribbon mics are as sensitive as phantom powered condenser microphones, allowing you to use virtually any mic preamplifier or board pre. Conventional ribbon microphones are 15 to 30 dB less sensitive than condenser mics, necessitating the use of high-quality, high-gain microphone preamplifiers when recording quieter sound sources like acoustic instruments, vocals, room ambiance, etc. The SF-2 contains a fully balanced, discrete head amplifier system which utilizes a specially wound toroidal transformer and ultra-low noise FET's to deliver a sensitivity of -38 dB. Even with extremely quiet sound sources, you'll have enough level to drive any recording medium.

The SF-2's electronics create no additional self-noise. All of the SF-2's higher output comes from its large, specially wound toroidal transformer which provides an additional 14 dB of 'free gain.' The phantom powered system operates at less than unity, adding no noise of its own.

The electronics in the SF-2 provide a perfect load to the ribbon element at all times, allowing the microphone to deliver 100% of its full sonic potential regardless of the input characteristics of the following mic-pre. Due to its low-impedance output, SF-2's can be used on extremely long cable runs with minimal signal loss.

A proper impedance match is critical to the performance of ribbon microphones. Impedance mismatching loads a ribbon element improperly, resulting in loss of low end and body, lower sensitivity, and an overall diminished performance. With our Active Series ribbon mics, the ribbon element sees a perfect impedance at all times regardless of the preamp you choose, so its performance is never compromised by the effects of improper loading. In addition, the ribbon element cannot be damaged by phantom power, electrical glitches or miswired cables.

Twenty prototype SF-2's circulated in major studios and scoring stages for years before the microphone's release. They were extremely well received in classical circles, where they excel on choir, piano, woodwinds, strings and many other applications. They were also well received in studios focusing more on acoustic instruments, singer/songwriters, etc. We couldn't get most of the prototypes back...

The SF-2 ships in an aluminum presentation case with an SFS-2 shock mount, mic sock, documentation and manual.

 

Features

  • Phantom powered circuitry provides high output and impedance matching

  • High SPL capabilities (130 dB @ 70 Hz)

  • No distortion up to maximum SPL rating

  • Extremely low residual noise

  • Ribbon element not affected by heat or humidity

  • Absence of high frequency phase distortion.

  • Equal sensitivity from front and back of microphone

  • Consistent frequency response regardless of distance

  • High efficiency toroidal transformer and gold plated output connector

  • Very low magnetic leakage

  • Matte Black finish reduces reflected light for live and on-camera use


Applications

  • Choir

  • Woodwinds, flute and other reed instruments

  • Violin, cello and other stringed instruments

  • Brass, string and woodwind sections

  • Piano

  • Harp

  • Orchestra

  • Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo

  • Percussion Instruments

  • Vocals

  • Drum Overheads

  • Ambiance

Royer Labs

About Manufacturer

After years of designing and manufacturing microphones in Los Angeles, David Royer teamed up with Rick Perrotta, former President and co-founder of the prestigious Matchless Guitar Amplifier Company, and together with studio owner Rafael Villafane and musician/marketing director John Jennings, formed Royer Labs, a California based company dedicated to the development and production of high quality ribbon microphones and transducer elements. DAVID ROYER Best known for his ribbon mics, David has designed countless other mics and outboard devices that are in use throughout numerous LA studios. When David's not designing new gear, his idea of fun is climbing desert mountains or pounding dirt roads in his new pickup. RICK PERROTTA Rick Perrotta's name may sound familiar - he and Rafael Villafane owned LA's Baby-O Recorders during the 80's, then Rick went on to co-found Matchless Guitar Amplifiers, where he was President and Production Chief of the prestigious amp line until 1995. At the helm of Royer Labs, Rick brings an extraordinary level of craftsmanship to every Royer microphone (hold one in your hand and you may never give it back!). JOHN JENNINGS John worked for years as a guitar player and singer, in the studio and on the road. He took an 8-year detour into the corporate world as VP Sales & Marketing for an LA communications firm, but came to his senses in 1996 and ditched the suit to get into pro-audio manufacturing and sales. John handles sales and marketing for Royer Labs. RAFAEL VILLAFANE Rafael Villafane co-founded Baby'O Recorders with Rick. He has produced a #1 and numerous top ten hits in the US and abroad. He drinks too much. Owns a club in Acapulco (Baby'O). If you can prove you own a Royer product, the first ten tequilas are on him---really. Drives too fast. Been doing a record for ten years he STILL can't finish. Has a six-second attention span. He torched a school with young pal Jeff "Skunk" Baxter in Mexico City when they were kids. What else? Oh yeah, he's Mexican... nobody's perfect. CHRIS PERROTTA As another co-founder of Matchless Amplifier Company, Chris was responsible for the high quality detail work that Matchless is famous for, including the light up "dashboard" and three dimensional logo. At Royer, Chris is the chief mechanical designer and another confirmed precision freak. Every Royer microphone owes its beauty and elegance to Chris wonderful interpretations of the designers art.

Specifications

  • Electrodynamic pressure gradient with active
    electronics.

  • Polar Pattern: Figure-8

  • Generating Element: 1.8-micron aluminum ribbon

  • Frequency Range: 30 HZ - 15,000 HZ +/-2db

  • Sensitivity: -38 dBv Ref 1 Volt per Pascal

  • Output Impedance: 200 Ohms @ 1khz

  • Rated Load Impedance: > 1500 Ohms

  • Maximum SPL: > 130 dB SPL

  • Output Connector: Male XLR 3 pin (Pin 2 Hot)

  • Power Requirements: 48-Volt Phantom

  • Supply Current: 4 mA

  • High grade neodymium magnet assembly

  • Stainless steel internal baffle and dampener

  • Weight: 448 grams (15.8 oz.)

  • Dimensions: 142 mm x 39mm (base) x 25mm (top)

  • Finish: Matte black

Related Videos

Recording Electric Guitar - Session 4 Microphone Placement with Ross Hogarth

Grammy Award winning Producer/Engineer Ross Hogarth explains his critical microphone positioning technique using a Royer R-121 and Shure SM57 on a guitar cab.

Downloads

Action

Name

Description

SF-2 User Manual