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Sonically the SF-24 differs from the unpowered SF-12 in one subtle way; due to the extra iron in 
the  SF-24’s  much  larger  transformers,  low-end  frequencies  sound  slightly  tighter  and  more 
focused.

Key Points:

No  longer  is  it  necessary  to  mate  a  ribbon  microphone  to  an  ultra-high  gain,  low  noise 
preamplifier for optimum  performance. Any preamplifier of  nominal  gain will  provide good 
results with the SF-24.

No  longer  is  it  necessary  to  carefully  consider  impedance  matching  characteristics  when 
choosing  a  preamplifier.  Microphone  loading  is  a  non-issue  and  consistent  performance  is 
assured, regardless of the preamplifier’s impedance characteristics.

No longer is it necessary to be  concerned about damaging the ribbon element with phantom 
power.  The  active  electronics 

need

  phantom  power  to  operate  -  a  first  for  ribbon 

microphones.

No  longer  is  it  necessary  to  worry  about  the  effects  of  long  cable  runs  degrading  the 
performance  of  your  ribbon  microphone.  The  active  electronics  provide  a  robust  low 
impedance signal that can handle long cable lengths with minimal loss of signal.

Description

The  SF-24  stereo  coincident  active  ribbon  microphone™  is  the  only  microphone  of  its  kind 
available,  combining  high  audio  performance  with  outstanding  separation  and  imaging.  It  is  a 
modern ribbon design, with no audible diffraction effects or cavity resonance. The SF-24's active 
electronics  produce  an  output  comparable  to  phantom  powered  studio  condenser  microphones 
and  because  the  ribbon  elements  are  electronically  isolated  from  the  outside  world,  the 
possibility  of  ribbons  becoming  damaged  as  a  result  of  faulty  wiring,  brownouts  or  phantom 
power supply defects is virtually eliminated.

The  SF-24  is  a  compact,  stereophonic  ribbon  microphone  array  consisting  of  two  matched 
microphone elements that are placed one above the other. Each transducer is positioned at 45

¼

 to 

the  left  and right  of center,  or 90

¼

 from each other. When  held vertically,  connector down and 

the “ROYER”  logo facing the sound source, the upper element is the 

right

 channel and the lower 

element is the 

left

 channel, from the perspective of an observer behind the mic. The microphone 

elements  are  each  bidirectional  (figure-8)  and  may  be  addressed  from  either  side  with  equal 
sensitivity. The  in-phase signals are  achieved when the microphone  is addressed from  the front, 
as indicated by the  “ROYER”  logo. If,  however,  the microphone is suspended upside down,  the 
connections to  the  preamplifier  should  be  reversed  since  what  was  the  left  transducer  is  now 
responding to signals from the right and vice versa.

4

Summary of Contents for SF-24

Page 1: ...Royer Labs Model SF 24 Stereo Active Ribbon Velocity Microphone Operation Instructions Manual User Guide Made in U S A ...

Page 2: ...the Shock 8 Removing the Microphone from the Shock 9 Connecting the SF 24 9 Amplification Considerations 10 Stereo Microphones and Ground Loops 11 Equalization and Ribbon Microphones 11 Hum Noise and Mic Orientation 12 Microphone Techniques 13 General Tips for Using the Royer SF 24 13 Specialized Stereo Recording Techniques 15 Classic Blumlein Technique 15 Mid Side M S Technique 16 Care and Mainte...

Page 3: ...mance capabilities of this microphone Royer Labs products are manufactured to the highest industrial standards using only the finest materials obtainable Your model SF 24 went though extensive quality control checks before leaving the factory Normal care is all that is required to assure a lifetime of trouble free service Please read this manual thoroughly in order to become familiar with all of t...

Page 4: ...available combining high audio performance with outstanding separation and imaging It is a modern ribbon design with no audible diffraction effects or cavity resonance The SF 24 s active electronics produce an output comparable to phantom powered studio condenser microphones and because the ribbon elements are electronically isolated from the outside world the possibility of ribbons becoming damag...

Page 5: ...ic to super wide Although spaced microphones can produce similar stereophonic results such recordings when summed to mono can suffer from comb filter effects peaks and dips in the frequency response When the SF 24 is used for M S recording the feeling of space changes but the sonic quality does not For more detailed information on the M S technique see the chapter Recording Techniques Mid Side M S...

Page 6: ...wer transducer Pin 5 signal cold for the lower transducer If additional extension cables are used be sure they are in good serviceable order Standard microphone cables provide a shielded ground carried along to Pin 1 and a balanced differential signal carried along Pins 2 and 3 with Pin 2 signal hot and Pin 3 signal cold 2 Although it is usually safe to hot plug most phantom powered microphones to...

Page 7: ... of the microphone cancellation can result if two tenors are placed on opposite sides at equal distances and are singing in unison Therefore listen to the feed before committing to it 3 The Royer model SF 24 is a phantom powered microphone and must be connected to a preamplifier or console cable of delivering 48 volts at a minimum of 4 milliamperes per channel Faulty or improperly wired cables cou...

Page 8: ...ces forward and the M S slot is 45 to the left Usage It is important to use the RSM 24 shock mount correctly Making sure that the microphone is inserted properly into the shock mount will minimize any chance of the mic coming loose and will assure proper orientation of the transducer elements It is also important to make certain that the mic is inserted and removed gently to avoid unnecessary shoc...

Page 9: ... set consisting of a 25 foot 5 pin male female XLR microphone cable and a separate Y type splitter cable The splitter cable converts the stereo signals from the microphone cable to a pair of standard 3 Pin male XLR plugs that provide the RIGHT and LEFT signals to a stereo or two channel preamplifier With the microphone positioned upright logo facing sound source the UPPER element is RIGHT and the ...

Page 10: ...ide the noise Transformer coupled designs tend to sound punchy and fullbodied and offer the added benefit of true electronic isolation This greatly enhances their ability to interface with other equipment with minimal noise or hum There are many excellent preamplifiers on the market today Choose one that fits your budget and offers good performance but remember that you get what you pay for If you...

Page 11: ...le fix is to disconnect one of the microphone s two Pin 1 ground connections A better method is to make a small ground lift adapter fashioned from a male female XLR barrel adapter Switchcraft makes a very nice one and it takes less than five minutes to wire it up Simply connect Pin 2 to Pin 2 Pin 3 to Pin 3 and leave Pin 1 disconnected Correcting the problem at the preamplifier is preferable but i...

Page 12: ...ral ability to repel magnetic radiation Unwanted noise hum can only come from external sources Fortunately simply repositioning a ribbon microphone is the best way to get rid of unwanted noise If hum is detected the microphone is in the proximity of an alternating magnetic field While listening preferably with headphones to the mic move it around The mic will find the noise source quite easily For...

Page 13: ...s beautifully Simply find the point in the room where you hear the best blend of the instruments and room sound and place the microphone there with its logo facing the performers Strings For stereo recordings of stringed instruments start by positioning the microphone a few feet off the body of the instrument Depending on the acoustics of the room you may want to move the microphone closer to or f...

Page 14: ... multiple instruments try placing the microphone slightly above the instrumentalists and angled down at a distance of two to four feet Piano There are several positions that will give excellent results with the piano Start with a distance of one foot to several feet from the knee of the piano A more direct up front sound will be achieved when the microphone is placed closer to the soundboard If it...

Page 15: ...t and we recommend using our R 121 or R 122 ribbon microphones Specialized Stereo Recording Techniques Classic Blumlein Technique For many years coincident microphone setups have been widely used for picking up sounds in stereo as naturally as possible The Blumlein technique named for A D Blumlein involves the use of two figure eight microphones positioned as in the sketch see Figure 1 so that one...

Page 16: ...at the center of the performance the microphone will be rotated 45 counter clockwise and correctly positioned for M S recording With the SF 24 in a vertical position cable end down the upper ribbon element faces the center of the performance and is the mid microphone and the lower ribbon element is at 90 to the performance and is the side microphone If the microphone is to be mounted upside down m...

Page 17: ... strong air currents Use a windscreen or suitable blast filter when close miking a vocalist or certain types of wind instruments P popping does not necessarily damage the ribbon element but may produce unacceptable preamplifier overload and could cause damage to speaker systems 3 Do not expose the microphone to liquids or caustic smoke 4 Do not expose the microphone to strong alternating electroma...

Page 18: ...o wicking action the physical handling of the microphone absorbent materials it is exposed to like the foam padding of the microphone case etc As the oils are drawn out of the microscopic surface layer the microphone finish may develop an uneven appearance If this happens simply massage the microphone gently with a lint free cloth treated with a few drops of light machine oil or WD 40 apply the oi...

Page 19: ...t Impedance 300 Ohms 1kHz Recommended Load Impedance 1500 Ohms Maximum SPL 130 dB Output Connector Male XLR 5 pin Power Requirements 48 Volt Phantom per channel only Supply Current 4 mA per channel Dimensions 270mm X 39mm base X 25mm top 10 5 8 X 1 5 wide base X 1 wide top Weight 531 grams 18 7 ounces Finish Optical Black Chrome 18K Gold optional Accessories Protective carrying case protective mic...

Page 20: ...To learn more about Royer products and their usage visit our website at www royerlabs com Wiring Diagram Polar Pattern Frequency Response 20 ...

Page 21: ... 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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