Golden Age Audio R1A Premier

A "modern" ribbon: vintage spirit, practicality of an active mic

Ribbon microphones have been appreciated for decades for their natural sound, smooth highs, and ability to "smooth out" harsh sources without losing character. This Active Ribbon Microphone with Figure-8 pattern continues this tradition while adopting a more current approach: active electronics powered by +48 V and integrated tools (pad and high-pass filter) that facilitate everyday recording. Compared to many passive ribbons, the goal is clear: to gain ease of use, limit level issues, and make the microphone more versatile, whether on a home studio audio interface or a recording console.

For which uses and profiles?

This microphone is aimed at sound engineers, musicians, and creators seeking a ribbon aesthetic for studio recording, ambiance capture, or recording instruments with rich harmonic content. Its figure-8 pattern is a major asset whenever you want to shape space: room capture, rounder overheads, brass sections, strings, or vocals with a dense and less sharp sound than a bright condenser.

Thanks to the -10 dB pad and a high maximum SPL, it performs very well on powerful sources such as guitar amps, snare drums (depending on placement), percussion, or close brass instruments. The high-pass filter helps control the proximity effect typical of pronounced directional patterns and cleans up unnecessary low frequencies before conversion, saving time during mixing.

Key features for controlled recording

Figure-8 directivity: depth, separation, and stereo techniques

The figure-8 directivity captures front and rear while strongly attenuating the sides. Practically, this allows better isolation of a source in a lively environment, playing with depth (by exploiting the rear of the mic), and achieving very realistic stereo images using the Blumlein technique. In M-S configuration, combined with a cardioid mic, you can precisely adjust stereo width during mixing.

-10 dB pad: safety for very loud sources

The -10 dB attenuator pad is a simple but decisive tool to avoid overloading the input stage and maintain clean dynamics on sources that "push." Combined with the stated maximum SPL (160 dB with pad), it allows closer and more creative placements with fewer compromises on saturation and distortion.

High-pass filter: cleaner lows, clearer mix

The integrated high-pass filter (-3 dB at 160 Hz, 6 dB per octave slope) serves to contain vibrations, handling noise, or excessive low-end related to the proximity effect. This is particularly useful on vocals, room captures, or instruments where you want to keep body without overwhelming the low end of the mix. In practice, this upstream filtering allows better use of your preamp and converter's dynamic range, resulting in a cleaner and more stable sound.

Active electronics and impedance: easy studio integration

This microphone requires +48 V phantom power. The advantage of an active ribbon is improved compatibility with many preamps and interfaces, limiting the need for extreme gain often associated with passive ribbons. With a balanced 200 Ohm output impedance and a recommended load impedance above 1000 Ohm, it naturally integrates into most modern audio chains. To best exploit its sensitivity, favor a quiet preamp and high-quality balanced connectors.

Technical specifications

Frequency response - start	30 Hz	Capsule	ribbon dynamic
Frequency response - end	18 kHz	Connection	XLR
Category	studio microphone	Color	Black
Directivity	bidirectional

Type	Ribbon Microphone	Attenuator pad	-10 dB
Frequency response	30 - 18,000 Hz (-3 dB)	Output impedance	200 Ohm balanced
Sensitivity	40 dB (0 dB = 1V/Pa) at 1 kHz	Recommended load impedance	above 1000 Ohm
Max SPL (less than 1 percent THD at 1 kHz)	160 dB with attenuator pad	Dimensions	69 x 185 mm
High-pass filter	-3 dB at 160 Hz, 6 dB per octave	Weight	820 g