Royer R-10 Ribbon Microphone

Dynamic Ribbon Microphone with Figure-8 Polar Pattern

AudioTrove® Rating for the Royer R-10 Ribbon Microphone

5/5 Stars From 135 Buyers

16 Reasons To Buy

1. Budget friendly yet AWESOME. All users are amazed  on how R-10 is true to its claims in terms of performance and quality. One user said he was extremely blown away with this microphone and wouldn’t ask for anything more.
2. Flawless design. Hand-built with compact design perfect for every studio. Reviewers find the design stunningly good as it is sleek and has a tough build. Users also liked its mounting system that allows flexible and unobtrusive positioning.
3. Warm and well-defined sounds. This microphone definitely lives up to the hype when it comes to the  sound quality it produces. All users reported that they enjoyed low end sound that is warm, tight, and extremely clear cut. A reviewer noted that every note is perfectly heard using the R-10.
4. Shrill free.  Most reviews applauded the R-10’s capability to capture high notes flawlessly without the shrill that they have experienced with other microphones. A user commended the microphone’s response to a trumpet, which was warm and crystal clear on the loud lead parts. The reviewer was surprised that there’s no need for alterations to the raw audio.
5. Natural vocals. All users commended this microphone in giving off a rich yet natural sound during vocal recordings. A reviewer was floored that this microphone  matched his tenor voice and gave off a thick and well-rounded sound.
6. Less background noise. The R-10 is a must have in any studio with a noisy environment. One user said that despite his not so perfect home studio, this microphone  did not capture background noise.
7. Very low self noise.  Most users said that this microphone captures low end sound so beautifully and without self noise. 
8. Stands out among its competitors. All reviews agree that at the price point of R-10, no other microphones have its kind of power and caliber.  
9. EQ friendly. Ribbon microphones like the R-10 handle EQ very well compared to condenser microphones, but R-10 makes EQing with great ease. Reviewers were surprised on how this microphone delivered an excellently balanced sound field.
10. Able to hold high sound pressure. All users find this microphone astoundingly good in handling louder signals such as amplified electric guitars, drums, and loud strummed acoustics without damaging the ribbon.
11. Essential for Starters. Are you starting to build your home studio? Or would like to have a microphone collection? All users commented that the R-10 should be in every starter's “must buy” list.
12. Excellent in Everything. All reviewers complimented on how versatile this microphone is. R-10 is so well-rounded that it can be used on all kinds of instruments. Most reviews were all  about how this microphone is a perfect match with their guitars, both acoustic and electric, but  some users were raving on how R-10 worked well with their percussion, piano and wind instruments.
13. No extra bass. All users were pleased with the sound R-10 produced compared to other ribbon microphones. Reviews stated that the design of this microphone made close miking possible without that extra bass, giving  the exact sound you want from an amp.
14. Top-notch mic. Electric guitar users will love this microphone. All reviews mentioned that the tone that R-10 picks up for guitars is one of the best. One user even called this microphone, “a slice of heaven”.
15. Open grill design. All reviewers praised the microphone's architecture for reducing standing waves and delivering smooth frequency, making it suitable for digital recording and live sound formats.
16. Mic that will last. R-10  will be a microphone classic when it  comes  to ribbon microphones. All users appreciated the new design of R-10 for a more wind resistant ribbon, a built-in windscreen, plus a  shock mount made for the ribbon increased the microphones  durability.

5 Reasons NOT To Buy

• Users highly advised the use of a pop filter for this microphone.
• One user noticed that this microphone is better used during loud and live band performances than subtle acoustics.
• Users suggested that this microphone works best with a mic preamp with a high gain especially for quieter sounds.
• A reviewer recommended using cloudlifter for this microphone to improve its signal.
• Some users had a hard time with the microphone’s holder and mentioned that it was hard for them to make the microphone stay on where they wanted it to be.

Royer R-10 Product Research Summary

Royer’s addition to the R-series microphones made huge waves for the music industry and  also for the microphone enthusiasts. R-10 is an affordable offering without changing their state of the art engineering for ribbon microphones. This gentle workhorse prides itself with its patented 2.5-micron aluminum ribbon with rare earth Neodymium (Grade 52) magnets element and direct-corrugation process ribbon technology that is made even durable with additional protection of three-layered windscreen and shock mounted ribbon transducer all designed by David  Royer. 

David Royer didn't stop there; he also added a custom-designed transformer with a high overload tolerance, reducing saturation even at incredibly high sound pressure levels. This must-have ribbon microphone boasts a maximum SPL rating (measured at 1kHz) at an impressive 160dB which is ideal for close miking and capturing loud sounds. In addition, to reject electromagnetically induced noise, the ribbon transducer is wired to humbucking.

The R-10 retains the iconic Royer ribbon mic sound for electric guitars, capturing nice and warm tones while enhancing the highs without making them sound too thin. Expect a natural and full-bodied sound from this go-to microphone for brass and close-miked trumpets, trombones, and other brass instruments. Realistic sounds from percussion and stringed instruments that fit into mixes with ease. Voice recordings produced are EQ friendly, great for experimenting.

Since this is a mono, bidirectional microphone, users are like getting two mics in one. Depending on the sound source, the mic's sides can be reversed, with the front side handling higher SPLs with the back side being much more top-end.

With all these innovations, R-10 is at an amazing price point, no one can go wrong with this microphone. A ribbon classic and an exceptional addition to the R-series by Royer.

Product Specifications

• Brand: Royer R-10 Ribbon Microphone
• Acoustic Operating Principle: Electrodynamic pressure gradient
• Polar Pattern: Figure-8
• Generating Element: 2.5-micron aluminum ribbon
• Magnets: Rare Earth Neodymium (Grade 52)
• Frequency Response: 30Hz-15,000Hz +/- 3dB
• Sensitivity: -54dBv (re. 1v/pa)
• Output Impedance: 100 Ohms
• Maximum SPL: 135dB @ 50 Hz, 160dB @ 1kHz

RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS

• Close miking in the studio and on live stages
• Electric & acoustic guitars
• Drum overheads, kick drum (see manual for position), room miking
• Percussion instruments
• Brass, horn sections
• Strings - solo & sections
• Acoustic piano
• Vocals

Design:

• Accessories: Microphone Holder, Mic Sock, Carrying Case
• Microphone: Adjustable Swivel Mount (Black)

Dimensions

• Dimensions: Length including mounting base: 5 7/8 inches (149 mm) Width 1 3/8 inches (35 mm)
• Weight: 13 oz (368 grams)
• Shipping Weight: Single: 2.5 lbs, Matched Pair: 4 lbs

Powering Interface:

• Recommended Load Impedance: 700 Ohms (or greater)
• Output Connector: Male XLR 3-pin (Pin 2 Hot)

Famous artists/producers/musicians/records that used this microphone:

1. Sam Smith
2. Maroon 5
3.  Lana Del Ray