Add the Renowned Royer R-121 to Your Mic Locker
The flexibility and versatility of the Royer R-121 ribbon microphone are two significant reasons why it remains a perennial best-seller here at Sweetwater. Indeed, recording engineers across the industry have cited the R-121 as a veritable “desert island” microphone that you can use on guitar amps, percussion, woodwind and acoustic instruments, vocals, and just about anything else. Its sound is lusciously natural and smooth in typical ribbon mic fashion, but its high >160dB Max SPL makes it far more applicable than most other mics in that category. Plus, the R-121’s sleek, sophisticated profile makes it easy to place in any space. So, whether you’re looking for a top-shelf all-rounder in the studio or seeking that special ribbon flavor on a wider variety of sound sources, adding the Royer R-121 to your mic locker is sure to get the job done — especially when bundled with the superb RSM-SS1 Sling-Shock shockmount.
Related Videos: R-121 Studio Ribbon Microphone
Ribbon-velocity studio microphone
The R-121 ribbon microphone represents Royer's flagship product. Like most ribbons, the R-121's pattern is figure-8, its sensitivity is roughly equal to a good dynamic mic, and it exhibits a warm, realistic tone and flat frequency response. But when it came to design, Royer threw out the molds and took a fresh approach to ribbons, using advanced materials and cutting-edge construction techniques. Indeed, the Royer R-121 redefines ribbon microphones: it's a sleek, light, extremely versatile microphone that is easy to use, wonderfully musical, and extremely sturdy.
Ready to deploy on your recordings
A Royer R-121 ribbon microphone hears things the way your ears hear them. If you've ever heard that incredible guitar, melodic trumpet, sweet flute, or deep kick drum and found that getting that sound to tape or hard drive was impossible, you owe it to yourself to try a Royer ribbon. On playback, you'll notice that the recorded sound is natural and alive, with a panoramic, ambient feel much like what you heard when you were standing in front of the instruments you recorded.
A Royer R-121's response is flat and well balanced. The low end is deep and full without becoming boomy, the mids are well defined and realistic, and the high-end response is sweet and natural sounding, never edgy or sibilant.
Need to record at loud levels?
No problem! The Royer R-121's maximum SPL rating is >160dB, and it can take that all day long. In practical terms, that means you can put your R-121 directly in front of a souped-up mega-watt Marshall and turn it up to 11 without microphone distortion or damage to the ribbon. We don't recommend trying this with other ribbon mics, but the Royer R-121 can take it without breaking a sweat.
Two mics in one
At distances of two feet and closer, the back of the Royer R-121 is brighter than the front side. The difference in the sound is somewhat like blending 10% of a condenser mic in with your ribbon mic signal. This can be extremely useful when you record acoustic guitars, vocals, and other sound sources that you may want to hear more top end on.
Royer R-121 Features:
- Royer's flagship ribbon microphone with high SPL capabilities
- No internal active electronics to overload or produce distortion up to the max SPL rating
- Extremely low residual noise
- Ribbon element is not affected by heat or humidity
- Absence of high-frequency phase distortion
- Equal sensitivity from the front or back of the element
- Consistent frequency response regardless of distance
- Field replaceable ribbon transducer
