royer R-122V Operation Instructions Manual & User Manual Download Page 2

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Model R-122V Vacuum Tube Ribbon Microphone

Revised August 2006

Introduction

page 2

Active Ribbon Technology

page 3

Description

page 5

Applications

page 5

Ribbons in the Digital World

page 6

User Guide

page 6

Power Supply Input Module

page 8

Operation

page 10

Amplification Considerations

page 11

Equalization & Ribbon Microphones

page 12

Hum, Noise & Mic Orientation

page 13

The Sweet Spot

page 14

Other Types of Microphones

page 15

Proximity Effect & Working Distance

page 15

Microphone Technique

page 17

Recording Loud or Plosive Sounds

page 18

Stereophonic Microphone Technique

page 21

Specialized Recording Techniques

page 23

Care & Maintenance

page 24

Troubleshooting

page 27

Features & Specifications

page 28

Electrical Specifications

page 28

Mechanical Specifications

page 29

Polar Pattern & Frequency Response

page 30

Notes

page 31

Warranty

page 32

Summary of Contents for R-122V

Page 1: ...ROYER Labs Model R 122V Vacuum Tube Ribbon Velocity Microphone Operation Instructions Manual User Guide Made in U S A ...

Page 2: ...bon Microphones page 12 Hum Noise Mic Orientation page 13 The Sweet Spot page 14 Other Types of Microphones page 15 Proximity Effect Working Distance page 15 Microphone Technique page 17 Recording Loud or Plosive Sounds page 18 Stereophonic Microphone Technique page 21 Specialized Recording Techniques page 23 Care Maintenance page 24 Troubleshooting page 27 Features Specifications page 28 Electric...

Page 3: ...22V is the first professional grade ribbon microphone that utilizes vacuum tube electronics and Royer s patented Offset Ribbon transducer assembly This operator s manual describes the R 122V its function and method of use It also describes the care and maintenance required to ensure proper operation and long service life The User Guide section of this manual offers practical information that is de...

Page 4: ... noise very low distortion and very high SPL handling without the use of pads The system gives the R 122V an output level comparable to that of condenser microphones and its buffer stage provides a low impedance output while presenting a perfect impedance load to the ribbon element Non powered ribbon microphones suffer substantially degraded frequency response and lowered sensitivity when they are...

Page 5: ... state component Key points No longer is it necessary to mate a ribbon microphone to an ultrahigh gain low noise preamplifier for optimum performance Any preamplifier of nominal gain will provide good results with the R 122V No longer is it necessary to carefully consider impedance matching characteristics when choosing a preamplifier Microphone loading is a non issue although we still suggest tha...

Page 6: ...ited for many critical recording applications Its smooth frequency response characteristics and ability to capture detail make it a fine choice for many instruments as well as for general broadcast applications Its gentle low frequency proximity effect makes it especially useful for vocalists and announcers Female vocalists often benefit from the R 122V s ability to capture high frequencies withou...

Page 7: ... tube configured as a cathode follower This circuit arrangement offers ideal impedance matching properties and very high headroom The vacuum tube is powered from a dedicated power supply that supplies high voltage B and heater current through the microphone cable The tube s heater supply is a constant current design that enables the tube to perform correctly even with microphone cables of varying ...

Page 8: ...gh it is usually safe to hot plug most phantom powered and passive microphones to a preamplifier or console with the phantom activated we suggest that you de activate the phantom power prior to plugging the microphone to the cable if possible This reduces the possibility of loud pops being transmitted to your monitor speakers should the volume control be raised Serious damage to your speakers coul...

Page 9: ...r supply It serves as a means to connect and remove the AC mains cable it houses the AC line fuses provides a convenient method of voltage changeover and also serves as an RF line filter AC power is supplied to the unit via a removable IEC type business machine cable that plugs into the bottom section of the Power Input Module The power cord must be removed to gain access to the door to change fus...

Page 10: ...TION Never attempt to bypass a fuse or use one of a higher rating Not only is this an unsafe practice but it will void the factory warranty Voltage Changeover The power supply can be set to operate from voltages ranging from 100 to 240 volts AC For 230V operation use the 240V setting A small window at the rear of the Input Power Module will display the current voltage setting To change operation t...

Page 11: ...al microphones or at about the same distance used for cardioid microphones This method is used to achieve the same ratio of direct to reflected sound 2 In the horizontal plane the R 122V does not discriminate against the highs off axis nor does it boost highs on axis Therefore several instruments or vocalists can be placed in front of the microphone without favoring the performer positioned in the...

Page 12: ...ne Unlike standard ribbon microphones that require a proper impedance match to deliver optimal performance the input impedance of your preamplifier will have minimal affect on the R 122V s operational performance because the ribbon element is loaded perfectly via the microphone s electronics package However preamplifier impedances below 2 000 ohms will impair headroom Careful consideration should ...

Page 13: ...lifiers It is therefore recommended that the microphone preamplifier have a switchable pad to prevent the possibility of overloading the preamplifier s input stage electronics Some preamplifiers are more thoughtfully designed than others and a suitable pad will be provided before the active electronics not incorporated into a feedback loop as with some cheaper models Even with the pad engaged a po...

Page 14: ...s are the most likely sources of radiated noise Building wiring and electrical utility transformers are other likely sources A well designed microphone provides shielding to minimize the effects of stray magnetic radiation In severe cases complete isolation is impossible and the result is hum or buzz Passive ribbon microphones can potentially manifest this condition to a greater degree because of ...

Page 15: ... acoustic information is exciting the microphone in such a fashion that the resulting reproduction is very desirable usually without the need for additional equalization or electronic manipulation There are only general rules as to where the sweet spot may be found for any given microphone and usually experimentation reveals it The sweet spot can be extremely variable since it depends on the quirk...

Page 16: ...here is for large diaphragm condenser microphones which often give the flattest response at an angle of about 10 20 degrees off axis where phase loss and diffraction effect offset each other somewhat Proximity Effect and Working Distance The Sound That Is More Real than Real Ribbon microphones have long been renowned for rich bass This effect is largely due to the fact that ribbon microphones gene...

Page 17: ...elow 150Hz or so but the fundamentals are weak If a microphone that has no proximity effect and a rising high frequency response is used on an upright piano or on a person with a thin weak voice the recorded sound is likely to sound even thinner than it was in real life In contrast using a microphone with strong proximity effect on such sound sources can deliver a better than real sound since the ...

Page 18: ...hone slightly above the instrumentalists and angled down a distance of three or four feet will do the trick nicely Pianos sound excellent when recorded with R 122Vs and are free of phase related 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 up front sound will be achieved...

Page 19: ... making the cymbals sound splattered A kick drum should be miked at a distance of at least 18 inches and possibly used in conjunction with a pop filter to prevent excessive ribbon movement If the front head has a hole cut in it position the microphone away from the hole to avoid excessive air blasts An R 122V used as a mono room mic four to six feet in front of the kit and compressed will yield a ...

Page 20: ...oosing the optimum placement for the microphone slightly angle the microphone in such a way that the percussive wave is not directed head on at the front of the mic Often a slight angular tilt either vertically or horizontally is all that is required to prevent harm to the ribbon see examples 1 2 and 4 It should be noted that as the microphone is tilted vertically relative to the sound source the ...

Page 21: ...at pressure wave iss off axis B Standard miking position Angling the micro phone slightly will minimize stressing the ribbon Due to the microphone s pick up pattern sound will not be affected 4 Horizontal Positioning Technique Applied to kick drum similar to that utilized for other loud or percussive instrument 20 ...

Page 22: ...wo figure eight microphones positioned as in the sketch see Figure 1 so that one faces left and the other right at an angle of 90º i e each displaced 45º from center Each microphone ultimately feeds one speaker in a stereo system and due to the directionality of the microphones the result is a very well defined stereo effect on playback For classical music particularly the reproduction can be very...

Page 23: ... as shown in Figure 2 and they are connected as shown in Figure 3 If the outputs of the two microphones are equal or made equal using gain controls the stereo pickup will be similar to that of two microphones placed as a Blumlein X Y pair delivering a wide stereo image As you reduce the level of the side microphone the width of the stereo image will narrow until with the side microphone turned all...

Page 24: ...loud guitar amplifiers and other instruments An interesting phenomenon as a result of this offset ribbon construction is that the R 122V records slightly brighter on its back side than on its front logo side when the microphone is three feet or closer to the sound source This can be extremely useful when a brighter response is desirable such as when recording acoustic instruments or vocalists When...

Page 25: ...e the R 122V s offset ribbon design allows ample space for rearward excursions of the ribbon element However tracking on the back side causes the ribbon to move forward towards the front side of the microphone where the internal dampening screen is much closer to the ribbon element Rear side recordings of loud low frequency sounds or vocalists with no pop filter can drive the ribbon into the front...

Page 26: ...t even the smallest metal particles into the ribbon transducer which can result in compromised performance and the need for a re ribbon 7 When not in use store the microphone power supply and cabling in it s protective case 8 Leave disassembly of the microphone to a trained technician Disassembly of the microphone will void your warranty There are no user serviceable parts inside 9 The R 122V s po...

Page 27: ... blown fuse the new fuse blows your power supply must be serviced Never substitute a larger size fuse in an attempt to make a faulty power supply work This invalidates the R 122V s lifetime warranty and could precipitate a fire shock or other health hazard R 122V CABLE PINOUT 7 Pin XLR Function Specifics Pin 1 Ground Pin 2 Signal Hot unbalanced Pin 3 No Connection open Pin 4 High DC Plate Supply a...

Page 28: ...uld fail only if a problem is present If the power supply blows a fuse check the cable set for damage If none is found make sure the fuse is of the correct type Make certain the power supply is set to the correct voltage for your area If the supply still refuses to power up contact the factory If the supply and microphone indicate that power is being supplied properly but the mic still produces no...

Page 29: ...Electrical Specifications Acoustic Operating Principle Electro dynamic pressure gradient Polar Pattern Figure 8 Generating Element 2 5 micron aluminum ribbon Frequency Range 30HZ 15 000HZ 3dB Sensitivity 36dBv Ref 1 v pa Self Noise 18dB Output Impedance 200 Ohms balanced Rated Load Impedance 1000 Ohms minimum Maximum SPL 135dB Microphone Cable 7 Pin male to female XLR Output Connector Male XLR 3 p...

Page 30: ...Weight 3 5 lbs 1 6 Kg Shipping Weight 15 5 lbs 7 Kg Finish Dull Satin Nickel Matte Black Chrome or Gold Plate Accessories Dedicated power supply 7 Pin microphone cable AC line cord protective wooden case protective mic sock RSM 1 shock mount camera style carrying case instructions and documentation Warranty Lifetime to original owner repair or replace at Royer s option For up to the minute informa...

Page 31: ...Polar Pattern Frequency Response 30 ...

Page 32: ...Notes 31 ...

Page 33: ...ply if the product has been damaged by accident or misuse or as a result of repair or modification by other than a Royer Labs customer service facility authorized to service this product Should it ever become necessary to service your Royer Labs product please contact the factory for a return authorization number and packaging instructions In our continuing effort to improve our products Royer Lab...

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