When it comes to selecting a microphone, it’s important to understand the differences among the types of microphones available. Whether you’re recording in a studio or performing live, the choice of microphone can have a huge impact the sound quality and the outcome of the performance.
Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic mics are known for being both durable and versatile. Dynamic mics are an excellent choice for live performances due to their ability to handle high sound pressure levels (SPL).
If you perform on stage frequently or need a robust microphone, dynamic mics like the Shure SM58 or the Audix OM7 are great mics to turn to for these applications.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser mics do require a power source, which can be provided by batteries or phantom power through an audio interface.
You’ll find that condenser microphones, such as the Neumann U87 or Vanguard Audio Labs V4, are sensitive and capture more detail, making them ideal for studio recordings, especially for vocals and acoustic instruments.
Ribbon Microphones (Passive and Active)
Ribbon mics offer a vintage sound and have a figure-eight polar pattern, capturing sound from the front and back but not the sides.
There are two types of ribbon mics and these are passive and active.
Passive ribbon mics
Passive ribbon mics have a low output compared to condenser mics and require a preamp with more gain than a typical preamp to allow you to record quiet sources without running into noise problems.
Passive ribbon mics also require a high-impedance preamp to get the full potential out of them. Pairing a passive ribbon mic with a preamp that has a low input impedance can have a negative effect on the low end, transient response, and overall frequency response. A high-gain and high-impedance preamp let a passive ribbon mic operate at its peak performance level. However, some people like using low impedance preamps creatively to change the color and tonality of the microphone.
Engaging phantom power with a passive ribbon mic can potentially damage a passive ribbon mic. However, if the ground pin is shorting on your XLR cable or if you patch a TRS cable on the input of your mic while phantom power is engaged, this can blow up your ribbon!
Active ribbon mics
Active microphones are the same as passive microphones with one major difference – they have electronics in them that require phantom power to operate. These ribbon mics actually require phantom power to operate.
The electronics have a few key benefits that give them more flexibility over their passive counterparts: more gain, better signal to noise ratio, and a consistent impedance over the whole frequency spectrum.
The electronics also protect the ribbon from blowing up if phantom power is accidentally engaged while patching a TRS cable on the input of the mic. While the electronics protect your ribbon from blowing up, we still recommend avoiding hot-patching while phantom power is engaged because it is hard on the electronics.
Unlike passive ribbon mics, an active microphone can be used with any preamp and their frequency response will sound very consistent – including preamps built directly into recording interfaces. This lets you focus on adding color and saturation with preamps instead of worrying whether they will affect the bass response of your mic.
Examples of passive ribbon mics are: Royer Labs R-121, Beyerdynamic M160, Coles 4038, and AEA R84.
Examples of active ribbon mics are: sE Electronics VR2, Sterling Audio ST-170, Blue Woodpecker, and Golden Age R1 Active MK3.
- On 07/26/2024
