Value-packed Tube Ribbon Mic
Golden Age R1 Tube Active ribbon microphone combines a classic ribbon transducer with two transformers and a tube buffer amp. The result is natural, musical ribbon sound with the consistency afforded by active electronics. Fat, warm, and punchy, with fast transients and life-like realism, the R1 Tube delivers gorgeous, just-press-record sonics you won't need to labor over to make sound great.
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A robust tube mic with classic ribbon sound
Golden Age R1 Tube Active delivers a classic ribbon sound with smooth highs and extended low end. Its fast transient response makes it a great choice for drums, acoustic and electric guitar, and piano. And with its high sensitivity (for a ribbon), it's awesome for capturing sensitive vocal performances. With its budget-friendly price tag, a pair of these versatile ribbons is perfect for stereo applications such as drum overheads. Unlike vintage ribbons, the R1 Active MKII features ultra-high 165dB SPL handling, which means you can use it on loud sources without trepidation. All considered, the Golden Age R1 Tube Active is an incredible value. It's the ribbon mic you've been waiting for. Pick up a pair from Sweetwater today!
The Golden Age Project
The Golden Age Project was founded in 2005 on the belief that vintage gear sounds best, and the desire to pass on this sonic legacy to a new generation of musicians, engineers, and producers. All discrete, Class A signal paths with no integrated circuits; the use of transformers, stepped controls, and military-grade build quality: these are the cornerstones of the legendary British equipment deployed in world-class recording and broadcast studios in the 1970s — the Golden Age of analog. Fat, warm, punchy, and authoritative; this is the sound heard on countless hits for nigh unto half a century. Locating, purchasing, restoring, and maintaining vintage gear is time-consuming and costly. Fortunately, this small, family-owned Swedish company makes gear the same way it was made back in the day — at an amazingly gentle price.
A distributor of high-end studio equipment for many years, Golden Age Project founder Bo Medin wanted to be able to offer products with much of the same exclusive sound in a price range that made them available to a larger audience. Inspired by original designs, Golden Age uses modern technology to re-create that lush, opulent sound, making it surprisingly affordable. They use some modern ingenuity to add new functionality to superb classic designs and produce them in a cost-effective way which allows them to be both optimized and affordable. From outboard equipment to condenser, dynamic, and ribbon mics; you can outfit your entire studio with vintage-inspired Golden Age gear without exceeding your budget.
Golden Age R1 Tube Active Ribbon Microphone Features:
- Natural, musical ribbon sound with the consistency of active electronics
- Low-noise 6J1-based tube amplifier isolates ribbon and gain make-up transformer and delivers higher output than a typical ribbon mic
- Classic ribbon sound with smooth highs and extended low end
- Fat, warm, and punchy, with fast transients and life-like realism
- Very high sensitivity, similar to many condenser mics
- Figure-8 polar pattern with wide sweet spots front and rear; excellent side rejection
- 50mm, 2-micron aluminum foil ribbon element
- Internal shock mount for the ribbon and magnet assembly
- Manufactured from the top-drawer materials for great performance and long-term reliability
- Can be used with any standard mixer or preamp, preferably with balanced input
- Frequency response: 30Hz–18kHz
- Equivalent noise level: 16dB A-weighted
- Ultra-high 165dB SPL capability
- Sensitivity: -40dB at 1kHz
- Includes aluminum flight case
