Recording - April 2013 - 29

Drum Overheads: In a more rock/pop
setting, my favorite use of the SF-2 was on
drum overheads. In live use, my results
were similar to the piano-cello duet
described above. Pulling the faders up and
down while listening to the kit in the room
revealed a sound that simply got louder
and fuller without a drastic change in tone.
In the studio I again liked how real and
natural the kit sounded. This is the only
time I would tend toward calling the SF2’s sound a ‘vintage’ or ‘classic’ sound—
not because they are vibey, dark, or
imposing mics, but because they do not
deliver a crisp, bright and modern tone.
For this reason I loved them in an Andy
Johns-style setup (one SF-2 overhead and
the other just off the side of the floor tom
and ride cymbal, both equidistant from
the snare). Again, ‘classic’ describes it
well, especially since the figure-8 pattern
adds in a nice helping of room sound
and secondary reflections.
Acoustic Guitar: The SF-2 is one of the
most evenly weighted and un-hyped
acoustic guitar mics I have ever used. This
of course can be good or bad, depending on whether or not you want the guitar
being recorded to have extra jangle or
low-end weight. It is easy to add low end
with a bit of eq, but if you are after jangle, crispness and sparkle, this mic is just
a tad too smooth for that.

Vocals: Just as with a string ensemble, the SF-2 works well for choirs and group backing vocals to keep them controlled and naturally placed in a mix. On solo vocals this mic
is best suited for loud operatic-style vocalists at a healthy distance vs. an up-close, “on the
mic” setting for traditional rock, pop or R&B... and not just for avoiding plosives.
Overall I missed the forward punch and openness of a modern condenser on solo
voice, and I also found the SF-2 lacks the bold proximity effect and smooth gooey
warmth of the vintage-type ribbons suited to crooning-style vocals. In simple terms, if
you want natural unimposing vocals the SF-2 is great, but if you want imposing forward vocals that cut through a mix, look elsewhere.
I also tried the SF-2 for a voiceover spot, and while I loved the smooth top end control and found I could eq in a touch of low-end chest resonance, it probably would not
be my first choice for such a use.
Conclusion
Bottom line, the SF-2 is a mic with a pristine smoothness that is sublime; it’s honest and
natural but never clinical or boring. I don’t consider it a ribbon mic for the vibe seeker, which
is fine because the market is overflowing with mics like that. Normally I don’t like to classify mics by genre, but all in all the SF-2 is better suited to classical, jazz and folk styles and
not so much for rock’n’roll. But, hey... we already have the R-121 for that, right?
The sobering part is the SF-2’s retail price of $2495. That makes a pair of them
(which is really what you’ll want) a substantial investment. But it is an investment that will
pay huge dividends over the years of your recording career, and one that may be essential if you want to bring your recordings of classical stringed instruments, pianos, and
the like to a whole new level.
Price: $2495; Deluxe package as described above, $3295
More from: Royer Labs, www.royerlabs.com
Paul Vnuk Jr. (vnuk@recordingmag.com) is a recording engineer, sound designer, and
recording musician in Milwaukee. Paul would like to thank John Jennings of Royer Labs for
technical and historical discussions, and to apologize for his joke at the NAMM Show, when
he told John he’d been having trouble with the SF-2 ever since he used it to record an air horn.
http://www.royerlabs.com http://www.GreatRiverElectronics.com http://www.GreatRiverElectronics.com
Recording - April 2013

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