royer Active Ribbon SF-2 Operation Instructions Manual & User Manual Download Page 6

cause  the  microphone  to become  inoperative.  Since the active  electronics isolate the  ribbon 
element from phantom power, a miswired cable should not cause damage to the ribbon.

5. Never  attempt  to  “test”  the  SF-2  or  any  ribbon  microphone  with  an  ohmmeter.  A  blown 

ribbon could result.

6. Always provide adequate wind protection by using a windscreen or mic sock with your SF-2 

(and any other ribbon microphone).

7. If the microphone is to remain set up on a stand when not in use, place the provided mic sock 

over it until it is to be used. Do not carry the  microphone around without placing a mic sock 
over  it.  Failure  to  follow  this  commonsense  practice  may  yield  a  stretched  ribbon  and 
compromised performance.

Using the RSM-24 Shock Mount Accessory

Description

The  SF-2 comes standard with an SFS-2 shock mount. This mount is operated by squeezing the 
clip side of the shock to widen its felt-lined interior,  inserting the microphone,  then releasing the 
clip to hold the mic securely. 

The  SF-2  with  Deluxe  packaging  is  supplied  with  a  Royer  RSM-24  suspension  type  shock 
mount. The  RSM-24’s  specially  formulated  polymer  mounts  provide  maximum  isolation  from 
shock  and  vibration  while  holding  the  SF-2  securely  in  place,  allowing  the  microphone  to  be 
safely positioned at any angle.

Carefully  slide  the SF-2  into  the RSM-24,  lining  up the  microphone’s logo  with the  RSM-24’s 
forward facing slot. The  fit will  feel  tight,  but  the RSM-24’s Teflon interior will  not  scratch  the 
microphone’s finish.  

Amplification Considerations

Most  quality  microphone  preamplifiers with  nominal  to  high-gain  characteristics and a  built-in 
48-volt  phantom power source will  give good results with your SF-2 active ribbon microphone. 
Unlike  standard  ribbon  microphones,  which  depend  on  a  proper  impedance  match  to  deliver 
optimal  performance,  the  input  impedance of your preamplifier will have  minimal  effect  on  the 
SF-2’s performance because the ribbon element is loaded perfectly via the microphone’s internal 
electronics. Careful consideration should be given to the quality of the microphone preamplifier. 
Studio  grade  preamplifiers  usually  sound  much  better  than  cheaper  models.  Headroom,  noise 
floor,  transparency and coloration are all factors to consider in determining which preamplifier is 
suitable for your studio or live applications. Other features are usually secondary and fall into the 
categories of convenience or interface capabilities (such as digital or optical outputs). 

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Summary of Contents for Active Ribbon SF-2

Page 1: ...Royer Labs Model SF 2 Active Ribbon Velocity Microphone Operation Instructions Manual User Guide Made in U S A ...

Page 2: ...n 8 The Sweet Spot 9 Finding and Working with the Sweet Spot 9 Other Types of Microphones 9 Proximity Effect and Working Distance 10 The Sound That is More Real than Real 10 Microphone Technique 11 General Tips for Using Ribbon Microphones 11 Recording Loud or Plosive Sounds 12 Stereophonic Microphone Technique 13 Classic Blumlein Technique 13 Mid Side Technique 13 Care and Maintenance 15 Care for...

Page 3: ...iliar with the SF 2 s capabilities It will assist you in making the most of the microphone s superior acoustic properties This owner s manual is a handy reference guide and we suggest you refer to it whenever questions arise on the use and care of your SF 2 ribbon microphone Active Ribbon Technology The SF 2 is distinguished by its cross field ribbon transducer and its proprietary electronic syste...

Page 4: ...Please keep this in mind as you use your SF 2 Handled carefully it will be many years before you need to re ribbon your microphone ribbons can last indefinitely if not abused Ribbons in the Digital World Digital recordings benefit greatly from the properties inherent in ribbon microphones Since A D converters cannot distinguish between the sound source being recorded and the complex distortion com...

Page 5: ...ecting the microphone bring the channel faders down and unplug the microphone cable ends It is also advisable to turn off the phantom power before unplugging the microphone whenever possible Operation 1 The SF 2 is a side address figure 8 bi directional microphone and the rejection in the null points is very strong The null points are the sides top and bottom of the microphone Engineers use the nu...

Page 6: ...aximum isolation from shock and vibration while holding the SF 2 securely in place allowing the microphone to be safely positioned at any angle Carefully slide the SF 2 into the RSM 24 lining up the microphone s logo with the RSM 24 s forward facing slot The fit will feel tight but the RSM 24 s Teflon interior will not scratch the microphone s finish Amplification Considerations Most quality micro...

Page 7: ...ing the preamplifier s input stage electronics Some preamplifiers are more thoughtfully designed than others with a suitable pad that is placed before the preamp s active electronics Other pre s may have a pad incorporated into a feedback loop which could still produce distortion due to overloading even when the pad is engaged Although this is not often an issue we felt it was important to cover t...

Page 8: ...ormers which repel magnetic radiation Hum can only come from external sources and simply repositioning a ribbon microphone is the best way to control it If hum is detected the microphone is in the proximity of an alternating magnetic field While listening to the mic s output preferably with headphones move the mic around It will find the noise source quite easily For example if you are miking a gu...

Page 9: ... sweet spot effect 1 Frequency response variations due to proximity effect 2 Frequency response variation due to treble losses as a result of absorption and narrowing of the pattern at high frequencies causing weakening of highs as the microphone is moved away from the sound source 3 Variation in ratio of direct to reverberant sound 4 Tendency of a microphone to favor the nearest sound source due ...

Page 10: ...ll be cut back by upwards of 20 dB compared to an unequalized microphone with a flat response Another area where proximity effect can be turned to an advantage is in making things sound more real than real For example many voices and certain musical instruments produce fundamental frequencies within the bass range below 150HZ or so but the fundamentals are weak In a worst case if a microphone whic...

Page 11: ...comb filtering The bass is full and rich while the top remains clean with no clatter Mic the piano at a distance of one foot to several feet depending on taste A more direct upfront sound will be achieved when the microphone is placed closer to the soundboard For capturing a piano in stereo place the SF 2 s apart one over the bass strings and the other over the high strings The farther the mics ar...

Page 12: ...a drum set placing the microphone s at a distance of three to five feet above the kit works very well The SF 2 is not recommended for use as a kick drum mic or close miking individual drums toms etc Recording Loud or Plosive Sounds Always remember that with ribbon microphones wind is the enemy Air movement is far more damaging to ribbon microphones than high SPL s Some sound sources can generate p...

Page 13: ... the reproduction can be very satisfying Figure 1 Classic Blumlein or coincident miking technique Mid Side Technique In the early days of stereo radio broadcasting there was need for a mic setup that would allow for simultaneous stereo and mono feeds from the same mic array The result was what is now known as the mid side microphone technique One mic faces sideways one faces forward as shown in Fi...

Page 14: ... on separate tracks the electrical connections shown in Figure 3 can be made at the mixer outputs and the adjustment of the stereo separation can be done during mixdown rather than during the actual recording This is very useful for live recording Figure 3 Typical M S connection set up 14 MID SIDE ...

Page 15: ...e will generate a scraping sound and a re ribbon will be required 7 When not in use store the microphone in its protective wooden case If the microphone is to remain set up on a mic stand between sessions cover it with its mic sock provided with your SF 2 Due to Royer s patented direct corrugation method the microphone can be stored horizontally without damaging the ribbon element 8 Leave disassem...

Page 16: ...inal luster Features and Specifications SF 2 Features Smooth wide frequency response Active electronics offer greatly enhanced output and deliver a constant optimized impedance to the ribbon element Extremely low residual noise Ribbon element is unaffected by heat or humidity Absence of high frequency phase distortion Excellent phase linearity even off axis Equal sensitivity from front or back of ...

Page 17: ...nsions 142 mm x 39mm base x 25mm top Finish Matte Black Accessories Protective presentation case mic sock Shock mount documentation Deluxe packaging is available Microphone Warranty Lifetime to original owner repair or replace at Royer s option Ribbon element not included in the lifetime warranty Ribbon Element Warranty One Year 17 ...

Page 18: ...Polar Pattern Frequency Response 18 ...

Page 19: ... date of original purchase and for the respective periods specified above Royer Labs agrees to repair at its sole expense all Royer Labs products which are defective in material and workmanship EXCLUSIONS This warranty does not cover the following 1 Defects or damage caused by accident fire flood lightning or other acts of nature 2 Defects or damage caused by abuse misuse negligence or failure to ...

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