Favorite use for Tape Op ribbon

[jmann]

Do you have a Tape Op ribbon mic? I have two and like them but I’ve always been afraid to destroy them with SPLs so I don’t pull them out enough.

What’s your favorite use for it?

[The Scum]

Stuff I don't want to be too bright: Jazz drum overheads with really thin cymbals. Fingerpicked 12 string.

Stuff where the total side null cuts out bleed: Vocals sung while playing guitar, again the drum overheads.

Stuff where a Blumlein pair makes a nice stereo image: small string or wind ensembles, group backing vocals.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Ribbons can easily and happily take high SPLs just not direct blasts of air. You'll do no damage putting it on a raging guitar amp or as a snare mic for a really heavy hitter. Just keep it away from the port of the kick drum or anywhere where you can feel air moving.

I never got in on the group buy but I've had a pair of Apex ribbons that are basically the same. I'm down to just one of them now. I don't use it tons but that's mostly because I've got other choices that I like more when it comes to ribbons. I have used them as overheads a bunch and been quite happy there. Same goes with smashed room mic for drums. Mine is currently parked on the speaker of the built in amp on my Farfisa VIP combo organ. The Farfisa plus the internal solid state amp are what you would politely call crazy fucking bright. It sounds like being stabbed in the eyes but also good. I'm not describing this well. Anyway, the ribbon does a beautiful job rolling off all that ice-pick treble.

My Farf is just like this one minus the drum machine (boo-hoo).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hxJ2xy ... nel=wuurly

[Scodiddly]

I've got one, but it rarely ever gets used.

Though just a couple days ago I took it apart to verify details about the layers of mesh and fabric. There was a question about that on a DIY microphone group.

[drumsound]

One of mine has been living in the 'knee/wurst' type position, over the BD shell. I'm not even super particular with positioning. What's really been amazing me is what it does to the BD sound. Its giving me more of the cool low woomp that I always want for the outside BD mic, but don't always get.

Here's a song from several years ago where I know its on the lead vocal and harmonica, and probably on the upright bass as well.
https://open.spotify.com/track/1sOS56co ... a75f084eb8

[jmann]

Thanks for the ideas, guys!

[CraigS63]

Was this a DIY from the magazine? Or are they for sale somewhere?

[digitaldrummer]

pretty sure it was a group buy and that the Apex 205 is the same mic (or really close). Now I only see an Apex 210B for sale. I have a Nady RSM-2 and it's essentially the same guts. Useful mic for some sources.

http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/A ... ronics/205

http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/A ... ronics/210

I also have a Cascade VinJet (with a Lundahl xfmr upgrade -- another long ribbon) and it sounds nice. Then I have several short ribbons too - a pair of Cascade Fatheads (Lundahl upgrade again) and a "Nsonic" NS1, which is the same as the Nady RSM-3, and has the "lawsuit" offset ribbon similar to the Royer 121. I uses these both a lot on guitar amps.

[standup]

I had a pair, but they’re gone now.

One got stolen when my house got broken into, I guess it was the biggest and most impressive looking mic I had. I eventually sold the other one, I have better ribbons now.

Last week I recorded a drum kit with a Stager SR-2n, single mic, to a track of 4-track cassette. Sounded pretty good.