Ribbon mic DIY Build Microphone HOW TO MAKE A RIBBON MIC

Make a ribbon microphone from a dynamic mic body. Build this DIY mic with magnets and other simple parts and see exactly how it's made. In a few hours you can make a microphone to use in any studio that rivals expensive boutique mics! I record drums and guitar with the microphone in the video. ➤Please subscribe to my channel!!: goo.gl/p1xmZJ
By request, here are some affiliate links(I make a small commission when you purchase) to some items to make your own ribbon mic:
🧲Magnets: (Only long magnets are available on amazon. These won't fit inside a handheld mic. Be careful, they are fragile!)
amzn.to/2Fn658s
⚙Tranformer: amzn.to/2FonEVF
🎤Donor Mic body: amzn.to/3bPalcI
🪒Ribbon foil:amzn.to/2LCErHP
🔧Tools: amzn.to/3hWSPVv (my current, personal fave)
🎤🎙Some sweet ribbon mics:
amzn.to/2DUD2IJ
amzn.to/32oJHV5
There's lots more info here about choosing parts and how to construct your ribbon mic, Here:
vintagemusicte...
This is an elaborate microphone mod, but with careful planning and some attention to detail a great sounding ribbon microphone can be achieved.
Required parts:
Neodymium magnets
Aluminum channel
Acrylic flat stock or bar stock
super glue
saw
sandpaper
copper foil tape
Aluminum foil (signwriters leaf, or custom ribbon foil)
Very sharp hobby blade
Screws
Screwdriver
soldering iron
Thanks for watching!!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

I added some links to the description for buy parts from amazon! 👆For magnets, you'll have to find a different source, Amazon only sells the huge ones.

[@wildbillhackett]

I had an old RCA BK-11. I sent it to the son of the man who designed it to have it refurbished and got it back in wonderful condition (it was in good shape already) and with a NOS ribbon and grommets. A lot of people say that was the last great vintage ribbon mic and possibly the best ever made. I can't say I ever found much use for it as a musician. It seemed that even my cheapest condenser mics were better for almost everything. However, one thing I found that ribbon mics excel at is distance recording. They would make fantastic stage mics because even at 6 to 8 feet away they still sound very full. I imagine they would sound good on a choir too for the same reason. Nice video, thanks.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for checking out the vid! Yeah, there's a reason singers switched from the RCA 44 to the Neumann U47. I think ribbons are finding a new life with current musicians(myself included!) as they translate really well on drums. I like a long ribbon either in front of or behind the kit, and something on the bass drum. That alone can make for a great drum sound. Or a pair as overheads can be very sweet. Many people are using them on guitar cabs, which to me often comes out a bit soft. They are almost always paired with the SM57(on guitar cab) to make up the midrange. Anyway, I have a growing list of ribbon mics I'd like to own, and pretty much any RCA is on the list! Until that happens, I'll have to just keep making them! All the best!

[@wildbillhackett]

@@FrankOlsonTwins I never tried them on drums (I haven't mic'd drums in years), but I can certainly see where they could work as overheads or even just a pair of them used to mic a whole kit in stereo like so many good, live jazz albums in the 60's were recorded. And for what it's worth, someone advised me decades ago to use one of my ears like a microphone, turning my head to one side and then to go around the room listening to see where an instrument sounded best while being played. I found that guitar speaker(s) usually sounded best from about 3-feet away and maybe 2-feet above, pointed down at the speaker(s). I also favored the SM-58 over the 57 as it took out some of the harshness. I know that goes against a lot of tradition, but using my ear like a mic really helped me. But then Jimmy Page used to put mics out in the hall, under mattresses, all kinds of places, so whatever works. Have a good one.

[@fishhookfood]

This is an awesome DIY build; it looks so easy to make, watching it compressed in a 12 minutes video. You must have spent so much time thinking of the design, finding easily available components to make it all fit… congratulation.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Yes, thanks! It took a lot of research and a number of prototypes before landing on this design. Give it a try!

[@TimoBirnschein]

Can't believe you only have 4k subs. Good luck and may you channel grow large very soon!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Haha, thanks! You too, I guess were in the same boat! Btw, I used to own many RC cars, and learned so much radio/servo/battery tech and general diy from them. A great hobby. My favorite project was making wood skis for the front of my RC10 Team car! Tons of fun.

[@TimoBirnschein]

@@FrankOlsonTwins Indeed! For some reason my RC videos were my most successful but it wasn't my core interest...

[@leiferickson3183]

I can't believe I almost didn't watch this - So Awesome! I would like to hear more samples with it.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks! I'll see what I can do!

[@TiqueO6]

It was excellent! Had a very nice shapely sound on the guitar amp. Did you also record your voice or a voice with it at all? I’d love to hear that, it’s the most recognizable way right off the bat to hear the response of a mic.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks! I don't really have any vocal samples, and the mics I made are sold! When I make more, I'll do some vocal samples....

[@HOLOCULT]

great video! awesome job! subscribed!

[@genghisbunny]

This was impressive, and sounded really good as well. Nice work!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for watching!

[@miclairmiclair876]

@@FrankOlsonTwins hi. I have been struggling on finding the right foil for DIY ribbon mic and drivers. I head regular kitchen foil will not work because the are too thick and fold easily. But I was wondering, if I found a thin one , can I just put a tin layer of tape on top of it , so it doesn't fold. Do u think that will work ? Thanks

[@miclairmiclair876]

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out. I'm hoping it will also work as a mini tweater or headphone driver

[@xx4248]

What size magnets did you use here? It looks like maybe 3/4" x1/4"x1/16? maybe? Nice build!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for checking out the vid! 1/2" x 1/4"x 1/4" magnets.

[@andrewsmith1874]

Hey Frank, I really liked your video: you seem to be a practical person.... did you find an easy (ish) way to get the top-grill separated from the bottom grill. ?? Thanks mate

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for checking it out! This mic grill was pretty easy- just carefully pry it off(a little at a time, all the way around) with a small screwdriver. I don't know how the top grill to an SM57 is attached- I bet its soldered but I could be wrong. Good luck!

[@RijuChatterjee]

Yo this is insane! really helped me understand what exactly ribbon mics are and how they work. Out of curiosity, what kind of transformer exactly did you use?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

The transformer is a b-stock one, removed from a cascade microphone. Basically, any 1:37 (or higher) ratio step up transformer will work. Edcor, Lundahl and Cinemag all make new ones. Maybe Sowter too? If you shop online, just look up "Ribbon Microphone Transfomer" and you'll get lots of options. Good luck!

[@RijuChatterjee]

@@FrankOlsonTwins Thanks!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

BTW, i bought the transfomer on ebay as a b-stock, removed from a working mic.

[@RijuChatterjee]

@@FrankOlsonTwins I see. Are mic transformers very different from transformers used in amps or power supplies? More turns, thinner wire? Or could you imagine using a small transformer salvaged from an AC adaptor? (Let's say, as a science project and not necessarily to get the greatest sound)

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

sure, this is all passive circuitry, so there's no harm trying various types of transformers. Most mic transformers are well shielded, so that's something to consider to keep hum out of your signal chain.

[@franzplotzlich1876]

Hello Sir, thank you for sharing your knowlegde. Very nice contruction. I just want to mention there is an effect, called galvanic corrosion, wich could make the aluminum ribbon dissapear. @t The solution migth be to get some solder on the copper or use some tinned wire and wrap it around it, like you did with the sticky copper tape.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks! Good tip about galvanic corrosion, I'll check into it!

[@wildbillhackett]

The ribbons only last so long anyway, even in pricey mics.

[@goranbignami7621]

Cool project, well done! Wouldn't a balanced signal be more ideal for this application though? I guess it all comes down to the transformer choice in this case?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for checking it out! The transformer output is balanced, the red wire is "hot" and the white wire is "cold" as I recall. The shield, as in many handheld microphones is a small metal conductor that grounds to the body with a screw which also holds the XLR connector in place.

[@zenlokamaya]

Insane build :D

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks!

[@lovepreetsinghgill517]

Excellent!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Many thanks!

[@CRMayerCo]

Very nicely done. 👍🏻 What transformer did you use? Is there a cheap one that you could recommend?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks! This is a Cascade "B-stock" removed from Fatheads when they started upgrading their mics to better transformers(I bought a "lot" of them, I have a few for sale if someone is interested). Lundhal and Cinemag have some pricey versions- worth it if you want the best sounding mic you can make. But also check out the Edcor model, pretty decent price as I recall.

[@CRMayerCo]

Frank Olson Twins Thanks for the info. It was kind of an idle question. I don’t own an XLR interface for my computer, so it’s unlikely that I’ll build a ribbon mic. Nonetheless, it’s pretty tempting. 👍🏻

[@camolver]

If you're still keeping up with these comments, I'd love to know how the magnet size affects the end product. Does a 2" long magnet provide better low response than a 1" magnet?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Yes, that's pretty much the way it works. To a large extent a longer ribbon will dip lower into the frequency spectrum, even down to 10hz. The other factors are ribbon tension and thickness. Generally ribbon tension will have a direct correlation to frequency response, lower tension giving more low end response. Likewise, a thin ribbon can make it a little easier to "find" those low notes. Ribbon elements over the years have generally been between 1 or 2" long, and a variety of widths up to a half an inch wide. Most are between .6 and 3 microns thick. Hope this helps!

[@camolver]

@@FrankOlsonTwins quite helpful, thank you!

[@S.T.G.]

Thank you for the amazing video. Could you tell me which mic was used as the donor body?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thank you! I believe it was a Nady microphone. I think there are many rebranded mics that are exactly the same. Pyle is one that comes to mind as well.

[@S.T.G.]

@@FrankOlsonTwins Thank you for your response!

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

You bet!

[@hifijohn]

very nice I've made a few myself One I liked so much I've actually used it in some of my recordings.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

It's really rewarding to make a recording with great you've made yourself!

[@hifijohn]

@@FrankOlsonTwins yes it is, but I did learn a valuable lesson, my first one didn't have a pop filter,(I thought it would interfere with the sound too much) I gave it to a friend who plugged it and didn't get a sound, he did what you would normally do and blow on it, something you can do with a dynamic mic but not a ribbon mic, he immediately destroyed the very delicate ribbon material.Note to anyone out there who wants to build one, only use neodymium magnets even the huge one you get from large woofers or microwave ovens are not strong enough.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

it still shocks me when people blow into microphones, I'm glad i never picked up the habit! it's so common though, that I have to tell anyone strepping up to my mics not to blow! The is some interesting reading about windscreens in the old BBC research papers about velocity microphones. A thin cotton gauze(or wire gauze) mounted close to the ribbon will attenuate bass frequencies, but it's a good trade for most recording work. However, if your ribbon is long enough and tuned properly, it should have no problem picking up those low notes.

[@koreahistory10000]

10:28 nice vedio~~~I have subscribed your channel^^

[@BeebopConnard]

Hi, I built a similar mini ribbon motor and I am a bit stumped by a strange problem , it is working quite fine but seems to pick up sound better when the source is a bit off axis in the length of the ribbon (don't know if i'm clear here). It's like there is a null when perfectly in front of the ribbon . Did you have that same kind of issue ? I mounted mine in a Bouyer 709 body which is kind of open in the back so would not really interfere with the figure 8 directivity of the ribbon but with or without insulation foam behind I have this "null" right in front of the ribbon . Also with the whole assembly outside of the mic body . Would it be due to the width of the motor magnets in relation to the width of the ribbon ? Maybe my ribbon has too much of a gap between its sides and the magnets ? I'm working with the same foil as you , my ribbon is approximately 4mm width and 2 cm lenght , approximately 0,25mm gap on each sides . Magnets maybe could be the issue , they are not whole magnets but stacks of small magnets put together to form bigger ones . Any clue ?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

This bizarre behavior happens when the magnet pole pieces are not properly aligned with the ribbon. The magnets must be magnetized "through the thickness" of the magnet, which should then be arranged parallel to the ribbon length, but perpendicular to the ribbon thickness. For example, if you're looking at the front of your mic(magnet, ribbon, magnet) the arrangement should be as follows: North pole/South pole/Ribbon/North pole/South pole. Or, South/North/Ribbon/South/North. Keep the pole orientation consistent, one pole must be drawn to the opposite pole so the magnets can be strongly drawn to each other. If your magnets are magnetized through the "length" you'll have to figure out another way to mount the ribbon, as your poles have shifted to the tops and bottoms of your magnets. So, you have to figure out how they are oriented, or buy new magnet that are magnetized through the thickness of the magnet.

[@BeebopConnard]

@@FrankOlsonTwins thanks for the answer , I figured that the magnet assembly was indeed the problem , they are in the right orientation but the oopsie I did was to assemble them like so : 2 stacks of 2 next to each other (2 stacks per side) , creating a null or and opposing magnetic field in the middle of the two stacks . Therefore only the extremities of the ribbon produce sound and not the middle . Thanks for confirming my theory :) Very inspiring video btw !

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way myself. But It's a fun and puzzling result! Here's another mic I built, and I'd say it turned out better: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3XWooqImpmhg8U

[@caseyholford]

How sensitive is this ribbon mic? Do you have any advice on what preamp to use with it?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

This mic is actually pretty sensitive and has a reasonably strong output. For the guitar and drums demo in this video, I'm using an average Mackie VLZ3 Preamp(good for about +60db of gain). For most closely miked instruments you won't need that much gain with this transducer. The magnets I used are fat and strong(Neodymium n52). For the video demo, my preamp was set to around 60%(+35db approx) for the drums, and 40%(+25db approx) for the close miked guitar. Most rock vocals would be fine with a similar preamp, but for soft speech or gentle singing applications you might consider pairing it with a mic booster(cloudlifter/fethead/dynamite) Or, you could do what the old broadcast radio stations would often do: use a "line amplifier" after your mic preamp to boost the signal. The ribbon has a good amount of travel, and deep corrugations so it will be good for loud sources like snare drums, guitar cabinets, and drum overheads. Maybe don't close mike the Kick drum with it, though ;)

[@peterwagner3398]

Do you know where I can get plans to build a metal corrugator for this?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

There are no plans that I'm aware of. If you want to do what I did, order a couple gears on ebay and carefully mount them in a little rig. Tip: When mounting the gears, use a piece of paper between the gears to simulate the space needed for the paper/ribbon. Pretty much any gears will work, just try to get some that are at least 1/2 inch wide.

[@icghost2]

That would be a common gear tooth size to salvage from an old laser printer or copier

[@steveflynn8311]

Could you use the transformer from an sm57?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

No, unfortunately the SM57 transformer is a very low ratio, it might be 1:2 or 1:1. So, there's very little voltage gain given by the transformer. Ribbon mic transformers, including this one are in the neighborhood of 1:30 or sometimes even 1:50. That's a much higher gain, which is required by the VERY low output of a ribbon motor. Dynamic mic elements (like the one in the SM57) are capable of much higher output, and need very little in the way of transformer gain.

[@nutrisativa2891]

There´s a difference between tape mic transformer and another tape mic transformer?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Sure, many transformers sound different to each other. Each manufacturer uses different methods which may affect the frequency response of the transformers.

[@nutrisativa2891]

@@FrankOlsonTwins Thanks

[@sevildogan8279]

great video! what are the dimensions of your corrugator gear?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

32, 48, or 64 pitch gears will work well for this task. The gear should be about 1" in diameter or a little more. 32 pitch is more of a vintage crimp, 64 is a very modern crimp. I find 48 to be a nice balance of the two.

[@sevildogan8279]

@@FrankOlsonTwins awesome i think ill try it out. thinking of a longer ribbon

[@edgarflorez4534]

What kind of transformer did you use?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

The transformer is a b-stock one, removed from a cascade microphone. Basically, any 1:37 (or higher) ratio step up transformer will work. Edcor, Lundahl and Cinemag all make new ones. Maybe Sowter too? If you shop online, just look up "Ribbon Microphone Transfomer" and you'll get lots of options. Good luck!

[@steenhansen8]

Why using a transformer? The mike is inherently floating and will mate directly with a balanced input as it is.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Ribbon motors have a notoriously low output. The transformer steps up the output voltage to a suitable range for a mic preamplifier.

[@steenhansen8]

@@FrankOlsonTwins ok, so it is not a 1:1 xfmr. Thanks.

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Right, it's like 1:30 or sometimes 1:50

[@ianboard544]

What turns ratio is the transformer?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Approximately 1:35

[@dhavalvyadav]

how do I know if the tension on the ribbon is perfect ?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

That's a good question. It comes down to personal preference. An easy way to "eyeball" it is to tap the ribbon assembly somewhat gently and see how much the ribbon moves. If it looks very stiff with very little movement, you probably want to loosen it. If it looks really floppy or saggy, you want to tighten that up. Not a perfect method, but it will get you in the ballpark. You could advance this simple technique by running the "finger taps" through an EQ spectrograph and seeing how much bass is coming through. Most ribbon mic builders send a signal to the microphone to check what frequency the ribbon resonates at and tune it to what sounds best to them(or what's appropriate to a particular ribbon design). A ribbon with less tension will resonate at a lower frequency before it cuts off and a higher tension gives a higher resonant cutoff. For example, RCA 44 (long ribbon) is tuned down to 20hz. Royer ribbon(shorter ribbon) is tuned between 40hz and 80hz as I recall. Really, it's a tradeoff between cleaner bass(higher tension) and possibly muddy, floppy bass(lower tension). Tensions that are too high will start to resonate in the middle frequencies, and that will be very apparent(and unpleasant!) in the vocal range or higher. For a ribbon this small, I find that the ribbon tension is quite forgiving. As long as it's not too tight, it will probably be fine. The ribbon is so short that even a very loose ribbon sounds fine. That said, you could tune this ribbon up to 100hz and it would still sound great as a vocal mic. Good luck!

[@dhavalvyadav]

@@FrankOlsonTwins Damn, awesome and wholesome explanation. I saw a video where technician blew air from distance to adjust the tension, if it needed to be loosen. Thanks for the awesome video :p

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Thanks for checking it out! Yeah, "prestretching" the ribbon is common procedure nowadays. The first time I saw someone blow on a ribbon to do it, I thought it was a joke! In the studio, you're taught to never blow on a mic. But it does help to keep the ribbon stable at it's final tension.

[@carlosdeandro7046]

Hint: Put on 0.25 velocity.

[@stevenbrown5695]

Is it for sale or trade

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Let me check, i might still have one!

[@speakersaz4671]

what is size magnet on the video? width foil? distance between foil and magnets?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

The magnets are 1/4"x1/4"x1/2" long. The foil is about .23"-.24" wide. The gap between magnet and foil is as close and you can get without touching. See this video for a clear shot of the gap: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3XWooqImpmhg8U

[@speakersaz4671]

@@FrankOlsonTwins What about the direction of the magnets relative to each other? Absorption or excretion?

[@speakersaz4671]

@@FrankOlsonTwins can this mic connect to sound card 48 v phantom power?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Absorption

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

48v Ok, but never "hot patch" while connected to a patchbay

[@sujansujsaltamu8776]

Where is test?

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Microphone test is at the end of the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGHYcqeBp7OFl68 Thanks for watching!

[@YURIexr]

man u cray cray

[@anelyamayzlin8017]

First