Royer SF-12 Stereo Ribbon Microphone

The Blumlein configuration uses two matched ribbon elements at a 90-degree angle to provide precise, phase-coherent stereo imaging. This setup captures a natural sense of space and depth, making it excellent for recording ensembles or acoustic environments where you want to maintain a realistic stereo field.

No, the SF-12 is a passive ribbon microphone and does not require phantom power. In fact, you should ensure your preamp's 48V phantom power is turned off to avoid any potential damage to the ribbon elements.

Yes, the SF-12 is fully phase-compatible for mono use. If you sum the two channels to mono, you will not encounter the phase cancellation issues common with other stereo microphone techniques.

Because ribbon microphones have lower output levels, you will get the best results using a high-quality preamp with plenty of clean gain. A preamp with at least 60-70 dB of gain will ensure you can capture quiet sources without introducing excessive noise.

The SF-12 is capable of handling sound pressure levels exceeding 130dB, making it very robust for loud sources. Its 1.8-micron ribbon design provides excellent transient response, allowing it to capture the punch and detail of drums without distorting.

The 5-pin XLR connector carries the signals for both independent ribbon elements in a single cable. The microphone includes a breakout cable that splits this into two standard 3-pin XLR connectors, which you then plug into two separate channels on your interface or preamp.