Royer Labs R-121 Live MP Ribbon Microphone (Matched Pair, Nickel)

The R-121 is known for its warm and natural sound, and the R-121 Live offers the same sonics with slightly less high-end. Often, you cut high end in live performances for the sake of the audience, but with the R-121 Live, you might be able to skip that step altogether. With exceedingly high SPL handling and great bleed rejection thanks to its figure-8 polar pattern, the mic is perfect for anything from guitar amps, to horn sections, to full drum kits.

Made for Live Sound

The ribbon element thickness in this mic is increased from 2.5 microns to 4 microns, giving the microphone greater durability and a slightly reduced high-end response. Highs are often rolled off in live performances, but due to the R-121 Live s exceptionally smooth high-frequency response, you ll need far less EQing than you would with condenser and dynamic mics.

Rugged Design

The R-121 Live delivers the performance you d expecte of a top-quality ribbon microphone, but with the added benefit of durability when you mic a sound with a high SPL. Does your live guitar player like loud levels? No problem: The R-121 Live s maximum SPL rating is 135 dB at 20 Hz, and it can handle that all day, every day.

In practical terms, that means you can put your R-121 in front of a souped-up 100W Marshall, and mic it without microphone distortion or damage to the ribbon. One shouldn t try this with many other ribbon mics, but the R-121 Live was built to take it.

Figure-8 for the Stage

The R-121 Live s pickup pattern is figure-8, which can be used to control stage bleed with great effect. Side rejection in the null points is strong position the mic s dead side to face the offending instruments, and bleed will be virtually eliminated. The top and bottom of the microphone are also null points. If monitors are in close proximity to the rear side of the microphone, a positioning adjustment can place the monitors output in the mic s null, isolating the monitor from the mic s pickup areas.

Transparent Audio Reproduction

Exhibiting almost no noise of its own, the mic is completely absent of high-frequency phase distortion, and it gives you a consistent frequency response, regardless of your distance from the mic. All of this means one thing: an exceedingly transparent audio reproduction.

True-to-Life Sound

If your goal is to capture something the way it really sounds ”which is often the case onstage ”put up some Royer Live Series mics and get ready to be impressed. The R-121 s response is flat and well balanced, with a deep, nonboomy low end, well-defined and realistic mids, and a smooth and natural-sounding high-end response that s never edgy or sibilant.

Great for a Variety of Sources

You can use this mic on almost everything. In a live setting, it excels on electric guitar amps, brass instruments, horn sections, and all manner of percussion.