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More than you probably wanted to know about microphones, Part 3: Ribbon Mics

The oldest of all microphone designs is the ribbon mic. Have you seen those huge 1930’s-era microphones with a radio station or network’s letters emblazoned on them? Those are ribbon mics. And although they typically no longer bear the call letters of radio stations, they are still quite popular in recording studios today.

A ribbon mic is made from a thin strip of metallic foil called a ribbon, which is suspended between two stationary magnets. As the ribbon vibrates within the magnetic field, a current is generated on the ribbon.
Ribbons fell out of fashion decades ago as dynamic and condenser technologies emerged. Ribbons at the time were incredibly fragile; a mere puff of wind could blow the ribbon. And because of the huge magnets required. they were impractically large and heavy. Although they rejected unwanted sound well coming from the sides, they were always bi-directional, picking up sound from the back of the ribbon at the same volume as sound from the front. In broadcast and live sound applications, this almost always caused problems.

But modern ribbons from companies like Royer, Beyerdynamic, and AEA are dramatically improved over their ancestors. Ribbon microphones today usually employ neodymium magnets, which have a much higher magnetic output and are much smaller than the ceramic magnets used in older mics. They are also far more rugged than the old ribbons, and though they are not as sturdy as dynamic microphones, or even most condensers, they stand up well to normal studio use. Engineers no longer need to worry about destroying their ribbon mics by exposing them to a loud sound source or a breeze. Despite the bi-directional pattern inherent in a ribbon design, Beyerdynamic even makes a directional ribbon microphone, which does an excellent job of rejecting sound from the rear.

Uses for modern ribbons are widely varied, though the most popular applications seem to be electric guitars, acoustic instruments like strings, brass, and acoustic guitars, and even vocals. They have a sound that is often described as less "edgy" than other types of microphones on digital recordings. This is because ribbons generate a signal that is extremely low in distortion artifacts and transformer ringing, so A/D converters have an easier job tracking and translating the signal. The frequency response of ribbon mics is also important. Ribbons are naturally warm microphones, with a roll off in the highs that is closer to the sounds we hear in real life.

Engineers also love a ribbon mic's ability to take EQ. 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 this trait.

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