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Samson VR88 (No Longer Available)Item ID: VR88Bi-directional, High SPL Active Velocity Ribbon Mic with Shockmount and Case 
Sorry, the Samson VR88 is no longer available. We've left this page up for reference only. Check out the great alternatives on this page or call toll-free (800) 222-4700 to speak with a Sweetwater Sales Engineer about similar products. From Our Research Team:Active Ribbon Mic with High Output!Samson went from a back room in a music store in Orange County CA to a world leader in music technology by one simple idea. Produce high-quality equipment at a price that anyone can afford. They continue this mission with their new hand-crafted VR88 velocity ribbon mic. If you're ears have wrapped around the sound of ribbon mics, but your budget hasn't been able to stretch quite far enough, now you can have that sound - prized by top producers, engineers, and recording artists - at an incredible price. When you hear the smooth, creamy musical sound that a ribbon mic imparts to vocals and instruments, you'll wonder how you ever recorded without one, but thanks to the VR88 you won't have to wonder any more. The Samson VR88 ribbon mic is a limited run and believe us, they're going to go fast.Five years in the making, the Samson VR88 features a fine, pure aluminum corrugated foil ribbon suspended within an intense Neodymium field producing a warm and natural response that is silky smooth from top to bottom. In addition, the VR88 is capable of handling high SPLs of up to 138dB, making it an excellent choice for miking vocals, acoustic instruments, and even electric guitars. The quality of the VR88 compares to the most highly regarded classic ribbon microphones found in top recording studios. It comes in a durable, lightweight aluminum case with a yoke mount, shockmount and right-angle XLR cable. Samson VR88 Features:
The VR88 from Samson puts a high quality ribbon mic comparable to the finest classic ribbon mics in your studio at an incredible price - this amazing limited run mic is going to go fast - order your today! VR88 Image Gallery
Can We Help?call toll-free (800) 222-4700 or E-mail usto get personalized advice from a Sweetwater Sales Engineer. Additional Online Resources:
ReviewsAll my dream come true in this mice
by Joris from Netherlands
This microphone is unbelievable, especially for this price:December 31, 2007 Music Background: Recording Engineer, Pro Musician, Composer, Producer How transparent, how accurate, how uncolored & clean but definitely warm... All I ever dreamt of in a mic has now beco... read more [+]me reality. I have bought a stereo pair and the sound they catch is truly amazing... all in all: a real-world experience. I can only advise: buy them, and be sure to use them on a quality pre-amp. I'm connecting my VR88's to my Apogee Duet, so.. nothing to complain! Now... all I hope is that they will last a long time; I will handle them as babies, because with ribbon mics you can't be careful enough! close [-] A very surprising product.
by Ben, OmniClassic Recording from Phoenix, Arizona
Reading the two previous reviews only re-enforces the fact that everyone's experience and circumstances are different. One guy thought it was too limited and dark sounding, one thought it was the answ... read more [+]er to his dreams. I do agree with him in one respect when he says "use a quality pre-amp."
February 23, 2009 Music Background: Old N.Y. Recording Engineer, former musician Of course this is a powered mic and the purpose of the electronics is to give it more gain and to make it immune to impedance differences. Normally that would suggest a more uniform result regardless of pre-amp...., but who knows? using quality on this end at least will give the mic a chance. Always skeptical of something that seems too cheap...., or inexpensive, for its claims, I was fortunate to have a prior use of the VR88 and was impressed then and not disappointed this time. The build quality and packaging was top notch.., even more so than some other way more expensive ribbon mics I own. Yes it is a warm sounding mic which is normal for a ribbon, so I will chose where I want to use it. I bought it in the afternoon and put it in use that evening for a live jazz group recording. This time it was upright acoustic bass..., and it did a remarkable job. I was able to use the fig 8 pattern to reject most sounds from piano and drums on either side of the Bass. The sound was punchy clean and well defined and fit well within the mix. It will now probably become my "go-to" choice for this application. In previous use I tried it on spoken word and really liked the quality it gave to a voice. I haven't tried it on other instuments yet.., but then I have different mics that do what I need on many things. So finally, I guess we can't judge anything exclusively by its price these days. close [-] Samson VR88
by Joshua from Monterey, CA
I tested this mic out on acoustic guitar, vocals, and drums. It excelled on guitar, fell far short of acceptable on the others. Don't get me wrong, this is by all means a quality budget mic, I just ho... read more [+]ld higher standards when it comes to ribbons. Again, in it's defense, it absolutely glowed when I mic'd my acoustic guitar. The highs were sparkling, lows were present, mids were EXTREMELY creamy. However, the mic just sounds too dark and dull on other applications. Drums were particularly lacking (I only had one, so I tested it on a small kit as a single overhead). The cymbals seemed very repressed, not open whatsoever. In my own opinion, if you're looking for a versatile budget ribbon mic, look elsewhere (see the Cascade Fat Head). If you're just looking for a specific sound, give this a try on an acoustic, you'll love it, but you won't be able to use it on anything else. close [-]
November 26, 2008 Music Background: Project Studio Owner, Musician, Hobbyist 
Samson VR88
Buy Today, MakeSweetwater's Flexible Payment Plan is a convenient, interest-free way to buy gear now and stretch your purchase across three budget-friendly payments. Simply choose the "3 Easy Payments" option in your cart, and we'll divide your purchase amount into three convenient payments, billed to your current MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card. There is a $10 processing fee for using this service, and your billing address must be in the United States to be eligible. It's just another way we make shopping at Sweetwater easy and convenient!Get your Samson VR88 now and spread out the payments! |
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