Royer R-121 - that good?

  • Thread starter Thread starter amiller
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amiller

amiller

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I've read the hype about how great these mics capture the "true" sound of a guitar rig, however, at $1200 they're pretty darn expensive...especially if you mic stereo as I do.

Currently, I'm using 2 sm57s and I'm getting a so so result. Do you guys think the Royer mics sound $1100 BETTER than sm57s? I mean, are they really that much better? :confused:
 
They are great mics, no doubt about it. But, they are also a very different mic than the SM57.

The SM57 is dynamic and the Royer being a figure 8 ribbon. What kind of results do you want? Do you record full time, or do you just want to make better clips?

If you just want a mic for better clips, home recording there are a ton of cheaper alternatives. First off, I'll say keep experimenting with the SM57(s). Many people get great results out of them. If you want a more full bodied sound, mix in a ribbon mic. But, you can buy one much cheaper than the Royer.

Check out the CAD Trion 7000. Flayangus makes his Elmwood clips with it, and they sound fantastic. I also think it's below $300.

Also, I've heard the SE Electronics ribbons are great as well. If you want to be ultra cheap, check out the Tbone ribbon mics.

IMO, there's no reason for you to spend that kind of dough on a Royer, unless you fully intend on making pro recordings full time. But hey, if you have the dough to spend, be my guest. I'm just saying, there are MUCH more wallet friendly options out there.

My $.02

-Joe
 
Now, as a disclaimer, I'm not offering a replacement, just a stepping stone...

I bought some Cascade Fatheads a while back on a recommendation and I'm digging them on drum OHs and acoustic guitars. I haven't been able to try them on elec guitars yet, but I'm really interested in trying. They're suppose to come out fatter and a bit darker than the other dynamics like the 57 we're all used to using. I think this'll pair really well with a 57/609/i5/choose-your-poison.

At $329 for a stereo pair with a stereo bar, I think they're a great investment... I didn't even get the bar, but wanna try and get one without the set because I've caught myself wishing I had it a couple of times.

http://www.cascademicrophones.com/cascade_1.html

Just a suggestion. Good luck in the tone hunt.
 
Cool...glad to see there are cheaper ribbons that work well. I'm going to have to do some research to see which gives the biggest bang for the buck... :confused:
 
Your microphone choice very largely depends on the tone you dial & the sound you are after. If you think your guitar rig needs upgrade then that's where the money should be spent, it will make a lot more difference in my experience. If you have the money you should go for 121 for the peace of your mind, that way you can't blame the mic for not getting a good tone :lol: :LOL:

However there are a lot of good mics worth a try: 421, sm7, cad7000.

So the question is what type of sound are you after?
 
amiller":21e62 said:
Cool...glad to see there are cheaper ribbons that work well. I'm going to have to do some research to see which gives the biggest bang for the buck... :confused:
Click to expand...


One thing to notice is at least a couple of the lower-end ribbons are going to be awful similar... Seems to be made by the same manufacturer, and I think each retailer may customize what they want. Not sure on the whole story, just a heads up.
 
StevieRaveOn":348b4 said:
amiller":348b4 said:
Cool...glad to see there are cheaper ribbons that work well. I'm going to have to do some research to see which gives the biggest bang for the buck... :confused:
Click to expand...


One thing to notice is at least a couple of the lower-end ribbons are going to be awful similar... Seems to be made by the same manufacturer, and I think each retailer may customize what they want. Not sure on the whole story, just a heads up.
Click to expand...

I think this refers to the "Nady" style Ribbon, BIG ass mic. The Tbone and CADs seem to be constructed very differently.

Also, the SE electronics ribbon is significantly more than the really low end ones, but seems to be more similar to the Royer.
http://www.seelectronics.com/R1_Ribbon.html
r1_med.jpg
 
mightyjoeyoungxnj":224f9 said:
StevieRaveOn":224f9 said:
amiller":224f9 said:
Cool...glad to see there are cheaper ribbons that work well. I'm going to have to do some research to see which gives the biggest bang for the buck... :confused:
Click to expand...


One thing to notice is at least a couple of the lower-end ribbons are going to be awful similar... Seems to be made by the same manufacturer, and I think each retailer may customize what they want. Not sure on the whole story, just a heads up.
Click to expand...

I think this refers to the "Nady" style Ribbon, BIG ass mic. The Tbone and CADs seem to be constructed very differently.

Also, the SE electronics ribbon is significantly more than the really low end ones, but seems to be more similar to the Royer.
http://www.seelectronics.com/R1_Ribbon.html
r1_med.jpg
Click to expand...

The SE R1 looks like a great mic, however, it's a bit too expensive for me. The Cascade Fatheads or the CAD Trion 7000 are more in my price range and are looking pretty good.
 
Hey guys, I pulled the trigger and bought two CAD Trion 7000 ribbon mics from Bayview Pro Audio. I got a great deal...under $400 for the pair. Thanks for all of the help. :rock:
 
amiller":a62b7 said:
Hey guys, I pulled the trigger and bought two CAD Trion 7000 ribbon mics from Bayview Pro Audio. I got a great deal...under $400 for the pair. Thanks for all of the help. :rock:
Click to expand...

Nice! I might just pick one of those up soon when I have the cash.

Post some clips when you get em man.

-Joe
 
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