ProAudio Review - March 2009 - (Page 27)

Q& Rupert Neve on the RNR1 A PAR: What inspired you to lend your expertise to the creation of a modern ribbon microphone? Rupert Neve: The electromagnetic mechanism of a ribbon microphone or loudspeaker has always interested me because of the way it can elegantly overcome many of the limitations of other transducers. A diaphragm should move as a rigid piston under the control of, or within the area of, a linear electromagnetic or electrostatic field. An electrostatic field is not linear: It varies in relation to distance between the polarized plates, one of which is the diaphragm. Also there is no such thing as an infinitely rigid diaphragm; its movement is complex. It flexes, depending on standing waves in the diaphragm material, and resonates with the suspension compliance, modified by edge damping and any variation that may be exercised by nonlinearity of the field in which it moves. An electromagnetic field can be designed to provide a substantially linear flux density. A ribbon is made of extremely thin conductive material suspended at each end to produce high compliance. There are lateral corrugations that tend to give sideways rigidity, and the magnetic pole design is such as to provide very linear flux density over the whole distance that the ribbon can move. This is analogous to the “long throw” voice coil of a good low-frequency loudspeaker that provides for the cone to be driven by a constant magneto-motive force over a large amplitude. With the RNR1, sE owner Siwei Zou and I have endeavored to create a ribbon microphone that exercises the full potential of the electromagnetic transducer without incurring any of the drawbacks associated with an electrostatic field. PAR: What issues did you have to overcome in designing a ribbon microphone? RN: A ribbon microphone is potentially very linear and free from distortion or coloration, but the ribbon itself has an extremely low impedance, of the order of 0.2 ohm, and consequently, only a very small signal voltage is developed. Voltage amplifiers are at a considerable disadvantage, and the traditional method is to use a transformer to raise both the ribbon impedance and the signal voltage. Leakage inductance and the tendency of a “long” ribbon, to lose out on high-frequency response, usually results in a sound that is beautifully “silky” and smooth but with poor transient, high-frequency response. However, by using an innovative transformer approach, with the superb engineering design of the ribbon “engine” itself by Siwei Zou, sE’s masterly designer, we were able to overcome the traditional disadvantages. The RNR-1 microphone embodies a single-sided, discrete “head” amplifier with a rather special input transformer that works into a full-range output transformer capable of feeding long microphone lines at levels normally associated with a high-output condenser microphone. PAR: How would you personally describe the “sound” or character of the RNR1? RN: My own feeling is that subjectively, the microphone has disappeared, and we are looking through a clear window into a sound picture that is only limited by the skill and imagination of the sound engineer. An audio design engineer must understand the principles and limitations of microphones, loudspeakers, recording devices, and the like — these will always constitute a challenge and when one has the privilege of working with people like Siwei. The challenge becomes an exciting adventure, one begins to see how one’s own expertise can be invoked to produce a truly seamless acoustic-electro transducer. Fast Facts Applications Studio, project studio, live Key Features Solid-state active 2.5-micron aluminum ribbon microphone; tight bi-directional polar pattern; low 200Ω impedance; custom hand-wound input transformer; discrete single-sided circuits amp stage; hand-wound output transformer; Rupert Neve and Siwei Zou collaborative design. Price $2,595 Contact North and South American Distributor Fingerprint Audio | 512-847-5696 www.fingerprintaudio.com | Info: sales@fingerprintaudio.com Product Points Delivers wonderfully natural results Quality design and construction A good value None noted The clarity and presence of the sE RNR1 is nothing short of stunning. Score www.proaudioreview.com March 2009 | ProAudioReview 27 http://www.fingerprintaudio.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - March 2009

ProAudio Review - March 2009 Contents Technically Speaking New Studio Products Opinion: Studio Sense Gear Trends In Nashville Focusrite Liquid Mix HD TDM Plug-in Daking Mic-Pre One sE Electronics RNR1 Active Ribbon Microphone WAVES Tony Maserati Plug-in Collection KRK Systems Rokit 8 G2 Monitors and 10s Subwoofer JBL Control 2P Powered Desktop Monitors Neumann TLM 103D Digital Microphone System Violet Design “The Wedge” Condenser Microphone New Live Products Opinion: Worship Audio Fender Passport Deluxe PD-500 Portable PA PAR Contributor Of The Month Behringer 2442FX 10x4x2 Analog Mixer Single Slice

ProAudio Review - March 2009

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