AudioMedia - June 2008 - (Page 70)

06|08 AM irstly, I have to confess I wasn’t quite prepared for the surprise when I set up these microphones for the first time. I was already expecting the clear and very natural sound that ribbon microphones are known for delivering, but I wasn’t expecting it to be quite on this level, especially in a live situation. These microphones have created a fair bit of interest and I can see them becoming a standard expectation on a lot of riders from here on in. Both microphones come in a very attractive wooden case along with a suitable mic holder. The case just gives a hint of how well these microphones are built. At first glance it is apparent how much care Royer Labs takes to build each microphone. According to Royer Labs, from start to finish, they take three weeks to build each one. As well as the quality factor they feel very robust for such a delicate piece of technology, clearly making them ideal for stage use. Both the R- and the R- have the same capsule and offer an amazingly high SPL of dB. They give one polar pattern that is a figure-of-eight. The Royer logo on the front indicates the side with the highest SPL for those louder sound sources. The SPL on the back is dB due to the internal dampening screen on the front edge being much closer to the ribbon element. Three weeks in the making for endless opportunities, SIMON ALLEN discovers Royer Labs’ surprisingly versatile mics. F Boogie cabs driven from a Class amplifier, and a DigiTech effects unit. When I first brought up the level from the mic on the front of house it simply sounded like the guitarist had turned up. The sound from these ribbon microphones is unbelievably transparent and very natural. Royer claims that the mics hear like your ears do, and they’re right. At first, they sound like they don’t add any colouration to the sound source or add any characteristics. The EQ most of the time was flat for all uses on the live sound side but in the studio particularly they needed a little mid taken out and some top end adding. After trying both microphones with the acoustic grand piano and as drum overheads in both a live and studio situation, it became apparent that what these microphones do offer is a slightly darker sound than other mics. They capture a lot of ‘air’ and atmosphere in a very realistic manner, particularly the Rwith its extra sensitivity. Interestingly on the stage they do offer a great deal of separation, and even with the figure of polar pattern, they do not run into feedback as soon as you might expect. This separation and accurate live natural sound makes these microphones ideal for live recording and broadcast, ROYER LABS R 121 & R 122 LIVE RIBBON MICROPHONES These mics come with holders so you’re ready to mount them and get underway, but they really need suspension cradles as they are very sensitive down to about - Hz. I used the Rfirst and was very impressed with its sensitivity, but the Rwith its internal electronics was truly amazing. The gain setting for the Ris about dB less, also keeping it in range for when the higher SPL is needed as well as making it ideal for distance miking. The figure-of-eight polar pattern makes these mics an obvious choice for the classic Blumlein technique on an orchestra or any stereo ambient room sound you require. It’s also great for the Mid-Side technique which I really enjoy using in the studio. On the stage I used the R- inside High Barn’s acoustic grand piano, and the figure-of-eight allowed not just the sound from the hammers to come through, but also the ambient sound from the lid. The uses of both these microphones are endless, more than most ribbon microphones. Royer says you can use them in both the recording studio and for sound reinforcement for the following: close and distance miking, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals and voiceover, brass, drum overheads, bass drum, percussion, strings, acoustic piano, and harp! Obviously, as any good engineer knows, any decent microphone is only decent when located in the right place. With the R-series from Royer it is very important to consider not just for audible reasons, but to protect the ribbons from being over stressed. With high SPL sound sources, Royer recommends placing the microphones off axis when close miking to prevent any damage as well as reducing any dampening. If the sound source is of a lower SPL, then by using the rear side, you achieve a slightly brighter response (at closer than three feet), making them even more versatile. O peration as they capture what it’s really like, as opposed to other microphones that do add some character. My main criticism with both these microphones is their frequency response which only really goes up to kHz. For example, whilst using them in the studio as drum overheads, it was apparent that they didn’t deliver that top end sparkle. They are great to capture a clean and accurate sound, and it is very re-assuring to hear them cope with high SPLs. However if you’re after the really high top end then you might need to blend in another mic. Interestingly, Royer notes that these ribbons will ‘take extreme amounts of EQ’, implying that a fair slab of highend boost might achieve a more ‘condenser’ sound. I have to mention that when I used the R- inside the grand piano, half way between the strings and the lid along with a couple of other mics closer to the strings, I think I managed to get one of the best live piano sounds I ever have. The R- gave so much depth and clarity to the piano which is normally very hard to represent on a PA. Royer Labs has done a great job with these live ribbon microphones. They are not only ideal for sound reinforcement but are good all-rounders in many situations including recording and broadcast. They have been beautifully made and with a lifetime guarantee, I think Royer has got the price right as well. These microphones sound very natural, and the clarity of the R- in-particular is amazing. A brilliant development in ribbon microphone technology. ∫ I N F O R MAT I O N Conclusion THE REVIEWER SIMON ALLEN is Stage and Studio Manager of High Barn. The first task I put to the R- was an electric guitar amp that was part of the back line on stage for a live gig. It was a relatively good sounding amp comprising of two Mesa I n Use £ R-121 US$1,395.00, R-122 US$1,895.00 A Royer Labs, Inc. 2711 Empire Avenue, Burbank, CA 91504 T +1 (818) 847 0121 W www.royerlabs.com 70 AUDIO MEDIA JUNE 2008 http://www.royerlabs.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AudioMedia - June 2008

AudioMedia - June 2008 Contents Recording Post Broadcast AES Review What's Up UK? Geofocus: Australia For the Record Special Report: Videosonics Newstalk: DPA New Microphones Novation SL Compact Allen & Heath IDR-8 Eastwest Quantum Leap SD2 & Goliath Final Cut: Indiana Jones Merging ADR Module Koolworld SSL Duende Good Product Sampler: Microphones Video Guide AMSR Meyer Sound The Blue Planet Live! Royer Labs Mics R-121 & R-122

AudioMedia - June 2008

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