Royer Labs R-121 B-Stock

The Royer Labs R-121 is often described as a "bread and butter" microphone – one that performs reliably across a wide range of sound sources and consistently delivers excellent results. As a passive dynamic ribbon mic, it doesn't require phantom power. It can handle sound pressure levels up to 135dB from the front, and despite its ultra-thin 2.5-micron ribbon transducer, it remains impressively durable thanks to Royer's patented ribbon arrangement. When used with the rear side facing the sound source, the mic produces a brighter tone, though with a slight reduction in maximum SPL. Its sensitivity of 2.2mV/Pa is relatively high for a ribbon microphone, but to get the best performance, it should be paired with a high-quality, low-noise preamp.

Royer Labs is an American company founded in 1998 by David Royer and Rick Perotta. The key element at the core of Royer Labs' commercial success is the R-121 ribbon microphone, developed by microphone enthusiast and sonar measurement engineer David Royer in 1997 - at a time when the ribbon microphone was considered to be something endangered and exotic. The R-121 rapidly gained a remarkable reputation in international recording studios and quickly became a "classic" for miking guitar amplifiers. In 2013, Royer Labs was recognised with a Technical Grammy, the music industry's highest honour, for its dedication and inventive spirit. To this day, Royer Labs exclusively builds ribbon microphones. In addition to the legendary R-121, Royer Labs now also offers stereo ribbon microphones and active ribbon microphones with internal amplifier circuitry.