R1 Active MKIII Active Ribbon Microphone

The media could not be loaded. Microphone Reviews are tricky because the usefulness of a review depends on whether or not you plan to use the mic for the same things the reviewer uses it. So to avoid that issue, my review is based on recording the following:- Voice-over for both male and female voices that tend to have a bit of sibilance and are not especially dark or deep- Violin and other acoustic higher register instruments such as mandolin that tend to sound harsh when recordedFor these two main groups, the Golden Age Project R1 Mark III Active Ribbon microphone performs really well, much better than equivalently priced large diaphragm condenser microphones. In fact, because these are the two main things I record, this is my go-to mic almost all of the time and my two other condenser mics and dynamic mics are seeing a lot less use.Why? Two reasons:- Bass response--this mic has a warm low end that flatters most voices and most of the higher register stringed instruments like violin. Additionally, you can back the mic away from the instrument a little bit more and still retain the low frequency capture, unlike most affordable large diaphragm condenser (LDC) mics which tend to lose low frequency response pretty quickly once they're moved back from the source.- High Frequency roll-off--This mic differs from almost all of the less than 500 USD LDC mics in that it does not seem to have a "presence peak"--that annoying "feature" of most affordable LDC mics where the higher frequencies get a pretty significant boost which often results in highlighting sibilance (that annoying "ssss" sound in some peoples' voice) or making an instrument sound shrill.Because the R1 Mark III is phantom powered (thus the "Active" in its name), it is easy to use with pretty much any pre-amp. This is a unique and welcome feature because ribbon mics typically require pretty beefy pre-amps with quite a lot of gain to work well.

Pro:I've been recording soprano sax with this microphone in my home studio with great results. It brings the kind of sound I'm looking for.Con:I didn't like the pre installed xlr cord.

I have revised my assessment. Unlike conventional passive ribbon mics which can be damaged by phantom power, this one needs phantom power to function!Once placed appropriately, it captures a very smooth mellow signal, which is a welcome relief from the shrill upper frequencies offered by most Chinese LDCs. Excellent for voice(both male and female) and strident instrumental sounds.Excellent value for money. Some hiss is audible at high gain but can be handled in post or by gating, particularly on voice overs.

Love the warmth and emotion of this mic. I frequently prefer it for vocals over my condensers because it has such character. Timeless and vintage sound. Mine is a little noisey so not ideal for quieter instruments. I record folk/soul/jazz/pop/blues.

I was on a quest to find a microphone with less unpleasant sibilance than the CAD M179. Of the MXL 2003a, Shure SM58, the TZ Stellar X2, and the TZ Stellar X3, this GAP R1 MKIII came the closest to doing that, i.e. it differed the most from the others.The very natural reproduction and neutral off-axis coloration of ribbon microphones gives them a unique and distinctive sound. Low end repsonse is so strong that you can get quiet far away from the microphone without the source sounding thin, and the extra room tone that the figure-8 pattern picks up is not at all weird or unpleasant like it can be with Figure-8 condeners.However, the lack of a shock mount combine with the very good LF response makes this microphone difficult to use in an environment with with LF rumble, footsteps, etc. It will pick all of that up very clearly.The thing that really prevented me from being able to use this microphone for my purposes is the noise.For vocals, you have to be at least 8 inches away from the microphone to avoid plosives (to which it is extremely sensitive), but at this distance the amount of self-noise the microphone produces at reasonable source volumes is excessive to the degree that even running the signal through an expander/gate can't produce an acceptable result. I could see it working for guitar cabinets, drum overheads, or very loudly-sung vocals, but not for anything intimate/quiet/accoustic.Which is a shame because it does sound very natural.I should also note that, regarding sibilance, if you use EQ to boost everything above 200Hz (which where this starts to roll off) 10-15dB, it will sound similar to a condenser in terms of brightness, and the sibilance will sound pretty much identical too, plus you'll have boosted a lot of hiss from the built-in preamp. So unlike what many people say, I don't think it's a valid solution to sibilance problems, at least not unless you're allergic to EQ. Conversely, you can make any of the condeners listed above sound very similar to this microphone by doing a 10-15dB cut off everything above 200Hz (but none of them will ever have quite the same amount of LF body).The smoothness/naturalness of the reproduction of the ribbon can't be replicated with EQ though.In my case, I got better results by using the TZ Stellar X3 from 2-4 inches away, plus some EQ, than anything I could achieve with the GAP R1 MKIII. Regarding self-noise, there's no comparison.I might pick up the passive version of this microphone and see if that gives better results. But I still think it's never going to cut it for vocals unless at opera-singer volumes.Regarding the build quality: it's worse than I expected. Body is painted rather than powder coated and the knurled knobs/swivel mechanism feels cheap, flimsy, imprecise.

Wonderful microphone. I may never sound fantastic, but this gives me a nice, warm feeling--better job than any other mic I've tried. Using it with a Presonus USB96, works just fine. Also sounds good with my Pyle XLR to USB Signal Adapter.

Recording classical guitar, this mike is warmer than my Rhode mics. Will use them as a pair. Satisfied especially for the price.