sE Electronics RNR1 | High Frequency Active Ribbon Microphone

sE Electronics RNR1 High Frequency Active Ribbon Microphone

With custom transformers and discrete circuitry from the man behind the recording industry as we know it, the RNR1 hears more than any other ribbon on the planet.

Ribbon mics have been around for a long time, and have always been particularly prized for the exceptionally "natural" sound they provide. Not too forward, never bright or shiny, they capture midrange detail with a pleasant intimacy and usually sit quite easily in a mix.

One downside of their mellow nature used to be physical delicacy, but that challenge was conquered long ago with more rugged, reliable materials. But the other main negative with ribbon mics is the high-frequency roll-off inherent in their design, which had never been dealt with until Rupert Neve - the father of the recording console - decided to make a microphone.

Nobody knows audio transformers better than Rupert Neve, and ribbon mics require more transformer attention than any other. This is because the transformer that couples the ribbon to the output needs to accomplish a fairly massive impedance conversion.

With the RNR1, two custom Rupert Neve-designed transformers form the buffer between the ribbon and the outside world. The circuitry between those transformers helps maintain the ultra-wide frequency response, compensating for the ribbon's natural predisposition to roll it off, and thus high-frequency content is preserved.

Technical Specifications

Acoustic Operating Principle
Electrodynamic pressure gradient with active electronics
Generating Element
Hand-tensioned 2.5µm aluminum ribbon
Directional Pattern
Figure-8
Frequency Range
20 Hz - 25 kHz
Impedance
200 Ohms
Sensitivity
22.39 mV/Pa (-33 dB)
Max SPL
135 dB (0.5% THD @ 1kHz)
Signal to Noise Ratio
76 dB
Self Noise
18 dB(A)
Low Cut Filter Switch
100 Hz
Matching Connectors
XLR3F
Power Requirement
48V phantom
Weight
860g / 30.34oz