The Basic and Essential Facts About Ribbon microphone

There are so many kinds and types of microphones out there. They all vary in sizes, prices, features as well as specifications. In terms of categorization according to built, there are actually three (3) major classifications of microphones. These classifications are the condenser, the dynamic and the ribbon microphone. They have their own characteristics and specifications that you need to understand.

Now, when it comes to understanding one of kind of microphone, specifically the ribbon microphone, you need to know first some of the most basic and essential information about this kind. If you will ask me, I have found out by reading lots of related articles that the basic things you need to understand about this kind are its history, operational principle as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using the said kind of microphone.

On the one hand, the history of the ribbon microphone tells us the major phases of its developments. It was actually in the early years of the 1920s when two (2) doctors namely Dr. Walter Schottky and Dr. Erwin Gerlach jointly discovered the first ever ribbon microphone. Later that decade, another doctor began developing the said type of microphones using the field of coils as well as permanent magnets later on.

However, it was only in 1931 when its production started. During those times, the said kind of microphone introduced a breakthrough to the audio recording as well as broadcasting industry. It is actually one of the first breakthroughs that introduced a new standard when it comes to frequency response. Moreover, the clarity of the sound it produces as well as the realistic quality of the sound cannot be matched by any kind of microphones out there then.

Jumping to several decades after, the ribbon microphone has been developed further in 2007. During that time, a new kind of ribbon microphones was introduced to the market, which is made from strong nano-materials and technologies. It is again another milestone for the said type of microphone because it offered orders of improvement in the magnitude when it comes to signal purity as well as quality of output.

On the other hand, after knowing its basic history and milestone, I know that you are already wondering how it really works. In general sense, the ribbon microphone is called as such because it uses a very thin aluminum or a nanofilm kind of ribbon. This material is placed between the poles of the magnet incorporated in the system in order to generate voltage through the concept of electromagnetic induction.

In this kind of microphone, a current will be induced to the right angles relative to the ribbon velocity as well as the direction of the magnetic field. The said ribbon that I have mentioned above will vibrate because of the sound pressure. This will undergo several technical process that will produce the pickup patter of the microphone.

Lastly, aside from understanding the history and technicalities of the ribbon microphone, you also need to know its advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to the positive side of this kind, it is well known for its ability to produce high quality of recording details. However, it is too vulnerable and fragile compare to other kinds of microphones that you can see out there.

The Pros and Cons of Ribbon microphone

Like in other kinds and types of microphones that have been developed in the industry today, they have their respective advantages and disadvantages. After all, there is no perfect product that can please or deliver all out specific needs. This is also true when it comes to the ribbon microphone.

I have said this because there are certain microphones that might be the best fit for a person but definitely not the same case with the other people. This is because we have our own specific needs and demands for the microphones that we will use. Hence, it is very vital to determine the usage of the microphones that we will buy. One way to effectively do this is by way of determining their pros and cons.

On the one hand, when it comes to the advantages of the ribbon microphone, we can include here its capability to capture details with high frequency of quality. This is very important most especially if you are going to use the microphone for studio recording. Of course, you do not want a substandard audio production. Well, that feeling is quite normal because all people want the best for them. In this light, the only way to do this is by using modern ribbon microphones instead of ordinary kinds that you can simply buy out there.

Another advantage of this kind of microphone is its property to produce bi-directional pickup pattern. This is actually one of the most basic features of a ribbon microphone because the ribbon on the microphone is open to sounds coming from both front and the back. Hence, these sounds respond to the gradient instead of the sound pressure. This feature is also called as the figure-eight by experts in the industry.

Furthermore, another good thing about this kind is that it can be configured to an array of pickup patterns like variable polar pattern, omni-directional, hypercardioid as well as cardioids patterns. Hence, this feature gives more flexibility to your device, which cannot be usually found in other varieties out there.

On the other hand, as I have said above, the ribbon microphone is not a perfect device. This is because it also has its own disadvantages and negative traits. One of these is that it has relatively lower voltage output compared to other kinds of microphones. This means that it has to use a step up transformer in order to increase its output and impedance. If you are an expert in this field, I am sure that you fully understand the repercussions of this.

Aside from that, the price of the ribbon microphone is a bit expensive if you will compare it to the other kinds available today. Well, I must say that this is the price of its pride to produce high quality of sound that no other products can do. However, another downside of this kind is that it is too delicate. So, if you are looking after the most durable microphone, I don’t think that buying this kind of microphone is the best idea.