Shop Keyboard Deals, Financing, and More

Beyerdynamic M 130 Ribbon Microphone Demo

Double-ribbon Microphone with Figure-8 Polar Pattern

Demo Savings!

Save $84.90 when you buy this demo! What is a demo?

The price below reflects your savings.

$764.10
Demo Savings: $84.90

New for $849.00

Condition Notes:

This item is in excellent condition and is in perfect working order. Includes all original accessories. Ships in its original packaging which shows some signs of wear.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. The images shown do not necessarily represent the condition of this particular item.

Earn $39 back in Bonus Bucks OR pay $32/month with 24 month financing*

Only 1 Left!

Add to Cart
Notify me about deals

Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

What is a Sales Engineer?
Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Have one to sell?
Check out Sweetwater's Gear Exchange!
Learn More

Most Popular Accessories & Related Items

Beyerdynamic M 130 Ribbon Microphone
Only 1 Left!
$764.10
Add to Cart
Add to list
Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

The Classic Figure-8 Double-ribbon Microphone

Although it brandishes contemporary aesthetics, today's Beyerdynamic M 130 delivers the same time-tested sound as its predecessor, using the same sound-relevant components. The M 130 boasts a unique double-ribbon design, yielding an intricate, true-to-life sound that flatters everything it captures. This top-shelf, German-built ribbon mic offers exceptional sound rejection from its sides, making it a terrific choice for stereo, ambience, and instrument recordings. Every well-stocked mic locker needs at least one ribbon microphone, and thanks to its superb transient response and hyper-detailed sound, the Beyerdynamic M 130 should be at the top of your list.

Clear, uncolored sound

The M 130's bi-directional figure-8 polar pattern effectively suppresses unwanted interference from the sides. Here at Sweetwater, we've found that the M 130's balanced, uncolored sound can handle a wide variety of applications, including background vocals, overheads, toms, and more.

Ideal for mid-side recording

When used in conjunction with the hypercardioid M 160, the Beyerdynamic M 130 is ideal for creating an authentic stereo image through the use of the M-S (mid-side) technique. The M 130 delivers excellent M-S results when recording or broadcasting a true stereo image.

Outstanding for ambience recording

The M 130's rugged design handles the demands of remote recording and broadcast sessions as easily as in-studio use. Used by itself, the M 130 allows the recording of background audience noise and concert hall "ambience" without unwanted resonances. In the studio, the M 130 is effective with backing vocal groups, percussion, and mounted toms. The M 130's crisply articulated, uncolored sound is well-suited to such demanding audiophile applications as digital and direct-to-disc recording.

Beyerdynamic: quality you can count on

Beyerdynamic microphones are held in high esteem at Sweetwater due to the company's unwavering commitment to excellence since its founding in 1924. The M 130 — like all Beyerdynamic products — is designed and crafted in Germany to the most stringent engineering standards, using only the highest-quality materials. Experience the Beyerdynamic difference: add an M 130 to your mic locker today!

Beyerdynamic M 130 Ribbon Microphone Features:

  • An impressive mic with contemporary aesthetics
  • Employs the same sound-relevant components as its predecessor
  • Unique double-ribbon design yields an intricate, true-to-life sound
  • Figure-8 polar pattern offers exceptional sound rejection from its sides
  • Pairs seamlessly with a hypercardioid M 160 for M-S recording
  • Handbuilt in Heilbronn, Germany

What is Demo Gear?

At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call a "demo" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

What demo means to us is that we've had it out of the box, or maybe it was in a customer's hands for a few days and isn't "factory fresh" as a result. Every demo item we sell has Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty, and has been tested and verified up to "new" specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it's in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

When you buy a Demo item at Sweetwater, you get:
  • 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!
  • Products inspected and tested by our factory-authorized techs, guaranteed to function like new (or better)!
  • FREE shipping on most items
  • Equipment that will MEET or EXCEED your expectations!

Click HERE to browse our current inventory of Demo equipment. Purchasing demo gear from Sweetwater is a smart and safe way to save!

Additional Media

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage

Free 2-year Warranty

Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ Warranty gives you extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Tools Icon

Save money with free parts & labor!

Fast Icon

Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time.

Award Icon

Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department.

Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Ribbon
  • Ribbon Type: Double, Pure Aluminum Diaphragm
  • Polar Pattern: Figure-8
  • Frequency Response: 40Hz-18kHz
  • Output Impedance: 200 ohms
  • Sensitivity: 1.3mV/Pa (-57.5dBV)
  • Connector: XLR
  • Dimensions: 5.03" x 1.51"
  • Weight: 5.64 oz
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 730173

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

Back to navigation

Customer Reviews

Write your review
Rated 5/5

M 130 - A classic! Superb small-ribbon mike with very neutral sound

I've had a pair of these for about 15 years. They have an incredibly neutral and detailed sound.

Individually, they are great on instruments of all kinds. They have a smooth rolloff below 100 Hz, so they are ideal for any instrument which doesn't need strong low end response.

As a figure-8 mike, they also work in the specialized recording method created by ASC and called the Quick Sound Field. This relies on a ring of Studio Traps to create a diffuse set of quick reflections at the mike. To take best advantage, you need a neutral-sounding mike with rearward sensitivity, so either an omni or figure-8. The M 130 works great for this, though be aware that this method involves a working distance that is around 2 feet, and this mike has low output and may need a lot of gain with a greater working distance.

Another useful technique with this or any figure-8 ribbon mike is to vary the working distance to control the mix of direct sound from the source and the reflected sound coming back to the rearward lobe.

Using a pair of them opens up some good stereo techniques. I like to use crossed, near-coincident M 130s to record acoustic guitar and piano and they give an incredible, natural tone. Using them in a spaced arrangement and parallel orientation is another classic technique, but of course, mono compatibility will be reduced.

All in all, a classic and very useful mike!
Music background: Composer and musician
Rated 5/5

Great mic!!

First, I should say, I've been purchasing from Sweetwater steadily over the past several months. They're great, excellent customer service, fast shipping, terrific.
Now, on to this mic. This is a stellar microphone! And perhaps underestimated, it seems to get less attention than its counterpart, the M 160.
For drums, I've been recording in a Glyn Johns type fashion, which has worked quite well, with the right placement. But I addition to that, I had been using LDC about 5 feet out in front of the kit, set to a figure 8 pickup pattern, and then compressed and checked for phase in mix to bring out the room ambience. I've been able to achieve a very full, natural sound this way.
But I wanted to try a ribbon mic for this application. I chose this mic because it's middle price point, and BeyerDynamic's long standing reputation.
The first thing that struck me was how small this mic actually is, I'd heard is was small, but it is really small.
But don't fooled, this mic has a huge sound.
For front of drumkit application, it is perfect. A nice punchy, natural sound.
I've since tried it on my guitar amp, in conjunction with a Sennheiser MD421, and I am finally getting the guitar sound that I hear from the amp. Adjusting between the two in mix and no more EQing is necessary.
The only way to describe is that the guitar sounds "live", no other way to put it, really.
Obviously, most people know the history behind the M160, but this mic is every bit as good. Maybe better, definitely versatile, being a figure 8 pattern it's useful in stereo applications, m/s, blumlein, etc.
Sounds great on acoustic guitar as well. Very pleased with this purchase, may need a second one soon.
Music background: Musician/songwriter
Rated 5/5

Absolutely Fantastic

This is my now my "go to" omni mic. Very flat uncolored response. Highly recommended.
Rated 5/5

M 130

HAD ONE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. I USE IT WITH IT'S COUNTERPART CARDIOID M 160 FOR MID-SIDE RECORDING OF MY MARTIN D45 ACOUSTIC GUITAR. I RUN IT THROUGH A GRACE M201 PREAMP TO BOOST THE SIGNAL ON RIBBON SETTING AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT'S STEREO FIELD EDITING THEN RUN THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE EACH THROUGH THEIR OWN UNIVERSAL AUDIO LA-610 MK2 PREAMP/COMPRESSORS TO FATTEN, WARM AND COMPRESS BEFORE RUNNING IT THROUGH A TASCAM M-2600 MK2 ANALOG MIXER THEN OUT THE MAINS TO BE PROCESSED MORE BEFORE RECORDING DIRECTLY TO A TASCAM DA-3000 MASTER RECORDER. THE M 130 KEEPS THE MARTIN SOUNDING LIKE A MARTIN. THE MID SIDE TECHNIQUE KEEPS THE GUITAR MORE AMBIENT AND NATURAL AS THE VOCALS CUT UNENCUMBERED THROUGH THE CENTER. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR SOUND GO TO MY WEBSITE douglafon.com AND LISTEN TO THE ALBUMS "OR DID I" AND "TAKE AT BEDTIME". HAPPY RECORDING.
Music background: SOUND ADDICT
Rated 5/5

Best ribbon mic for recording Vox amps.

I use this microphone in conjunction with my Sennheiser BF 521 to record my Vox AC100CPH and it works better than Royer R121 for my needs. It captures the chime produced by the Weber Ceramic Blue Dog speakers in my speaker cab beautifully. The thing I like the most is its nice mid-range, it's warm without being boxy. However, unlike some modern ribbon mics like the Voodoo VR1, it isn't sterile and clinical sounding, it imparts a nice coloration to the tone like some of the best vintage ribbon microphones. I firmly believe that this ribbon microphone has got everything to be the next industry standard.
Music background: Guitarist
Close Close $2,000 Pick Your PRS Giveaway -- input your email address below to enter or click here to learn more.

See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners!

Success!

Your email, has been entered to win this giveaway. Good Luck!