Royer Labs has introduced the R-12 Ribbon Microphone, designed for both studio recordingand live sound applications. The new R-12 delivers high-quality performance at a sub-$1K price, offering thenatural sound of a Royer ribbon mic with the added versatility of onboard bass-cut and pad switches. The R-12excels at capturing electric and acoustic stringed instruments, vocals, brass, pianos and organs, as well asdrums and percussion instruments.
The R-12 features the same 2.5-micron direct-corrugated ribbon element as used in Royer’s industry-standard R-121 microphone, enabling it to handle the extremely high SPLs (160dB @ 1kHz) that Royer R-series mics are known for.
The R-12 features Royer’s proprietary onboard phantom-powered electronics circuitry mated to a beefed-up transformer, which combine to deliver condenser microphone output levels for recording vocals, acoustic instruments, and other quieter sound sources. The R-12’s active electronics also place a perfect load on the ribbon element at all times, enabling the microphone to deliver full sonic potential regardless of the preamplifier or DAW it’s plugged into.
By engaging the R-12s switchable -15dB pad, the mic’s output level drops to that of Royer’s non-powered R-10 ribbon mic, which is preferable for louder instruments like drums and high-volume electric guitars where more headroom is needed. Headroom-related distortion on even the loudest sound sources is non-existent.
The R-12 is also outfitted with a switchable high-pass filter precisely tuned to reduce low end proximity buildup and rumble, making it an easy choice for capturing vocal performances, close-miking instruments and loudspeaker cabinets, etc.
Completing its rich feature set, the R-12 houses an internally shock-mounted ribbon transducer, which helps isolate and protect the ribbon element while also reducing handling noise. Combined with a built-in triple-layer wind screen system, the microphone’s ribbon is effectively protected against plosives and other wind-related noise and air blasts.
John Jennings, President of Royer Labs, commented on the new R-12 Ribbon Microphone, “The R-12 is a beautifully designed ribbon mic, delivering world-class performance at a killer price. It has roots in our non-powered R-10 ribbon mic, which is in studios around the world and has been on Dave Grohl’s insanely hot live guitar cabs for years, and it contains active ribbon mic circuitry based on what we use in much more expensive Royer models. It’s an extremely versatile ribbon mic that we’re proud to release now.”
The Royer Labs R-12 Ribbon Microphone and mic mount ship in a hard-shell case, with a street price of $899 and matched pairs available for $1,849. The R-12 is expected to become available in mid/late July 2025. For additional information about the R-12, please visit www.royerlabs.com/r-12/.
