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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I was abit unsure of how this mic would hold up, but now that have used it, here is my opinion; I ran this mic thru the GA Pre73 for acoustic guitar, not bad, a bit muddy. But whenI matched the R1 with a UA Audio 610 SLO, it really performed well, clear non brassy, very smooth response. My voice is a cross between Neil young and Tom Petty. I have a Rode Nt2 and a TLM 103, but the R1 is my choice for my voice. Great price for a Ribbon under 200$ amazing value.

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I recommend the GA R1 MKII RM because it seems to produce a rounded, clear sound without requiring additional tonal treatment; eq, comp., etc., to make it sound acceptable. Voice sounds full without unwanted harshness. You should use a pop filter (to not damage the ribbon element,) maintain 6-12 inch distance from the mic and then the sound will be even without proximity effect (not too much bass.) You will also need a 'cloud lifter' or, high gain pre amp to boost the signal to a good level (check with Zzounds.com.) The figure 8 mic pattern will pick up room sound from the other side of the mic, so you want a quite area to record in. Also remember, it is VERY delicate, so read all instructions on how to use it and handle with care. I was initially concerned about the purchase, because in addition to technical requirements, many reviews did not definitively say, yes you can use it for vocals. But after some research I found that ribbon mics were first developed to offer a natural reproduced sound and now, I would agree. As a vocal mic, I find it adequate for singing - not shouting, but singing. Recording good sound is a learning process and for me, ribbon mics represent another step in the study. If you purchase one from Zzounds.com, I hope you will find it useful and enjoyable too.

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I have tried a lot of microphones in a less than ideal acoustic space. Rode NT1A, Shure SM7B, MXL, Shure 57Beta, etc. And could never get one to sit right on his vocal. I think we have found a winner. The microphone is not hyped or detailed in the high frequencies like a condenser but delivers just whats in front of it minus a little of the high frequency. The microphone was placed in a SE Electronic Reflexion Filter and into a cloud lifter, then into a UA Preamp and then in a Golden Age PreQ3. I prefer the UA mic chain. It is true there is no one perfect mic. Would not be the first microphone I buy, but it is definitely worth the addition. I never had to contact the manufacturer for this product but I did for their preamp and the service was great.