Royer Labs has announced its latest active ribbon microphone, the Royer Labs R-12. It’s designed for you to use for studio recordings as well as for live sound applications.
What’s a ribbon microphone?
A ribbon microphone uses a thin piece of metal ribbon suspended within a strong magnetic field to pick up sound. As sound hits the metal ribbon, it vibrates, and this movement in the magnetic field generates a corresponding electrical voltage. This process also creates a warm sound, which is regarded as very natural sounding. Royer Labs says that the R-12 is ideal for capturing instruments the way they sound at the source.
R-12 ribbon element
The Royer Labs R-12 ribbon microphone features the same 2.5-micron direct-corrugated ribbon element as used in the company’s industry-standard R-121 model. As a result, the R-12 can handle extremely high sound pressure levels (SPLs) of up to 160 dB at 1 kHz.
The microphone has a switchable -15dB pad. This means that you have excellent headroom for recording louder sources such as drums and electric guitars.
Phantom-power
The Royer Labs R-12 is an active ribbon microphone. This means that you need to supply it with power. The R-12 features Royer’s proprietary onboard phantom-powered electronics circuitry. It also uses what the company calls a “beefed-up transformer.”
Royer Labs says that this delivers condenser microphone output levels for recording vocals, acoustic instruments, and other quieter sound sources. In addition, the R-12’s active electronics also place a perfect load on the ribbon element at all times. As a result, the microphone gives you its full sonic potential, whatever preamp or DAW you use.
Other features
The Royer Labs R-12 ribbon microphone features a switchable high-pass filter. This is precisely tuned to reduce low-end proximity buildup and rumble. As a result, the R-12 is great for capturing vocal performances, or close-miking instruments and loudspeaker cabinets. And the R-12 has an internally shock-mounted ribbon transducer. This helps to isolate and protect the ribbon element and also reduces handling noise. There’s a built-in triple-layer wind screen system to protect against plosives and other wind-related noise as well.
John Jennings, President of Royer Labs, said, “The R-12 is a beautifully designed ribbon mic, delivering world-class performance at a killer price. It has roots in our non-powered R-10 ribbon mic, which is in studios around the world and has been on Dave Grohl’s insanely hot live guitar cabs for years, and it contains active ribbon mic circuitry based on what we use in much more expensive Royer models. It’s an extremely versatile ribbon mic that we’re proud to release now”.
What we think
You can’t deliver a great video without having great sound, and you need a good microphone to capture great sound. The R-12 is the latest in a long line of high-quality microphones from Royer Labs. It’s ideal for capturing studio performances, ensuring that both instruments and vocals sound warm and natural. If you film musical and vocal performances, the Royer Labs R-12 could take your audio to the next level. Just be sure to use wind protection if you are working outdoors. A strong gust of wind could potentially stretch or tear the ribbon, damaging your mic.
Pricing and availability
The Royer Labs R-12 Ribbon Microphone and mic mount come in a hard-shell case. It retails at $899, or you can pick up a matched pair for $1,849. Royer Labs says the R-12 should be shipping by the end of July 2025.
