Ribbon microphones? Review for the RNR1 & VR2 by SE

Hi, my name is Rusanda Panfili, i'm a violinist, composer and arranger and this is my home studio setup.
In this video i am demonstrating my SE Electronics RNR1 Rupert Neve Design and VR2 Voodoo active ribbon microphones.
Additional gear:
Interface: Apogee Duett
Software: Logic X Pro
Pre Amp: Rupert Neve Design 5211
Computer: Mac Book Pro
Violin: Giovanni Paolo Maggini- build in 1610
Strings: Larsen Strings "Il Cannone" E Soloist, ADG Medium
Performed music: Czardasz by Vittorio Monti
filmed and edited by Stefan Panfili : www.stefanpanfili.com
find me on Instagram : @rusandapanfili
find me on facebook : rusandapanfiliofficial
find me on Spotify: open.spotify.c...
official website : rusandapanfili.com
Support my future videos and my art through Patreon: / rusandapanfili
all rights reserved

[@christianseitz7050]

Brilliant video. 2 of my favourite mics on solo violin ... (along with a vintage Neumann U67). Brilliant information ... with 2 little ‚mistakes‘: 1) Even active ribbons always need a mic preamp. 2) Ribbons don‘t suppress ‚imperfect rooms‘. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Ribbons are insensitive from 90 degrees, but totally sensitive backwards (actually as sensitive as from the front). You‘ll record everything that bounces off the back-wall. In an imperfect room I recommend ribbon mics with a shield (eg. SE Reflection Filter or SE SPACE) behind it‘s backside. It does miracles!! All best!

[@RusandaPanfili]

Thank you very much for the info! I am still very new when it comes to sound engineering! It’s probably a life time learning process! I know a pre amp is essential for a high quality recording when using ribbons thiamin why I got the 5211! I also have a condenser microphone and it’s soooo much more sensitive than the ribbons! I am also getting the reflection filter in a few days! Very excited to see the difference! I might also make a little video demonstrating that!

[@christianseitz7050]

Rusanda Panfili I forgot mentioning that your playing is fantastic! I‘ll book you for a beautiful solo this year, if I may!!

[@RusandaPanfili]

Christian SEITZ with pleasure!!!

[@violin-schwerin]

love the vr2 for violin and piano! I've those and the Beyer m130s

[@mariodario9033]

Great setup, great sound, you are high class violinist, congrats for your hard work for so many years to get that level of skills ! You can check out some passive EQ to add some highest frequencies that helps your violin shine, something like plugin SPL PassEQ or Plugin Alliance MaagAirEQ. Ribbon mics are silky on high frequencies and violin has some of that shine on highest frequencies. typical EQ makes them harsh but passive EQ will add some air and shine to your violin without making them harsh. Cheers!

[@melperry3576]

and a sound engineer to boot, superwoman

[@dennismoore1116]

Very helpful video. Thank you. One comment, you could arrange the two mics as a blumlein pair for stereo. They are pointed one 90 degrees right and one 90 degrees left. You'll get a nice stereo effect. You will need to match gain, but even with two different ribbons this will work nicely. Oh, and you play beautifully.

[@ChrisEbbrsen]

Thank you! Your violin sounds wonderful. My only criticism is that your scroll was drooping down. This is taboo! It is one of the first things we as violinists are taught never to do! What is this? You are dropping your scroll! Other wise your work is very beautiful! I would have liked to hear a longer passage and then a gradual fade. Are two microphones really necessary? How long has S.E. been manufacturing microphones? How long is their warranty? Your animal was a great distraction. Are we selling animals here or microphones? Thank you for showing these microphones for recording violin; that much is pertinent to my situation and I applaud your diligence and virtuosity. I remember that ribbon microphones are sensitive but did not know of the two forms. Active and passive ribbon microphones.I would be interested in recording.a duet sometime with you should you be interested. I look forward to more violin microphone cameos should you decide to do so.what about A.K.G. or Newmann? I loved your recording and your expressiveness! You should have introduced your dog to the audience if you decided to show him or her. Nice having met. Bye!😅

[@VladUsa-u3v]

Hey Rusanda, a great video...!!)) I am in a permanent process of figuring out where and how to place the mics I have. If you could use only 1 out of these 2 mics, which one you'd pick?

[@lance134679]

Rupert Neve was a quite a legend in designing recording gear, and this was a great collaboration with SE to bring help bring ribbon mics into modern recording. Great playing and sound - they're really perfect for violin, which can easily become harsh with the wrong mic. Thanks for the demo.

[@thatmancalledhobbs]

To my ear, the combination of the two mics is best, each of the mics on their own are wonderful but sound a bit clipped on the very high frequencies. So your choice of balancing the two like a stereo pair is excellent. I listened on headphones. Great performance and well done Stefan on a super video. Rusanda looking and sounding beautiful as always. :-)

[@TheCatGoesRawrMusik]

VR 2 likely gonna have two of those now. A little to poor for the others XD but with surch an amzing sound they are sure to be good for any use! Thank you very much for the demonstration. Very beautiful playing!

[@javierrevilla]

Years ago I worked as a microfonist. very good your explanation

[@ericvannielsen]

Wonderful performance! I actually felt the V2 had a more natural sound that accentuated the lower mids of the violin, giving it an almost viola-like tonal quality (perhaps this is also due to the specific qualities of your violin). Obviously anyone could EQ this in post but wow, what a great choice. Bravo 👏🏻

[@minutemaid123]

From what I understood she is not using phantom power, correct? 8:13

[@ChrisHaas1]

Thank you for a great video! First of all, finally a violinist who can play in tune!! Most of the other microphone demo players have poor tone and amateur tuning. You have great chops, but also beautiful tone. Your explanation of the gear was excellent as well. I need to add a ribbon mic to my collection and this is really helping me decide. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@PaLagadari]

Ciao Rusanda, ti vorrei chiedere se le tue origini sono italiane? Perchè il cognome Panfili è molto diffuso in Italia. Ciao

[@valeriaguimaraes9833]

Perfeito a emissão do som do seu violino,o microfone capta com uma qualidade incrível.Será que funciona para o contrabaixo?Parabéns eu sempre te acompanho pelo youtube.Você tem uma maneira especial de interpretar sua música.Tem como adquirir algumas de suas músicas? Obrigado por dividir aqui sua experiência com essa tecnologia.Abraço Perfect for the sound of your violin, the microphone picks up with incredible quality. Does it work for the double bass? Congratulations, I always accompany you on KZbin. Do you have a special way of interpreting your music. Thank you for sharing your experience with this technology here.

[@michaelwilliams8781]

Very interesting! I just sold a pair of old SE R1’s because they were passive with a rather weak signal even after my Cloudlifter. I found a stereo pair overhead worked best for me. Maybe I’ll buy a pair of Vodoos as your result was impressive, particularly with that Maggini! 😀👍

[@javierrevilla]

Beautiful!!! Your English is beautiful too, I am Argentine and English is not my original language, but I understood everything. Thank you. Congratulations

[@kellygilbert621]

Very interesting demonstration, Rusanda, and I always love to hear you play ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎻 and mischievous Rocco is so cute! ❤️🐾

[@daverobertsonandthekisslist]

Thanks for a great comparison video. I love ribbon mics and your playing is beautiful. To my ear, I prefer the individual mics on their own rather than combined. I believe this is because the movement of the violin is changing the relative distance to each mic resulting in a varying phase relationship and associated tonal changes. My usual approach on violin is to use co-incident mic techniques such as Mid/Side recording.

[@kieronconcannon]

Perfectly balanced review/presentation. Thank you.

[@andreidavidcandrianu]

suna foarte frumos! eu personal folosesc un ribbon si uncondenser cand trag vioara si ma joc cu ele din EQ. ar trebui sa te plateasca cei de la SE la cum canti ;) Succes in continuare :)

[@andersbostrom3745]

Thank you! Beautiful playing. I like the way the violin sound with these microphones. Something to put on my X-mas list.

[@whirldlee6352]

I love the sound of these mics, but also your violin - but most of all, your playing!

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Gorgeous demonstrations on top of the review content. Thanks! 🐶

[@LanceisLawson]

Your playing is so exquisite that it would sound good through a string and two tin cans. Bravo.

[@ndrmkhn6559]

it should be mark as an AD :(

[@robertocesar8488]

LOVE FOREVER ❤️🇧🇷❤️Rusanda Pan❤️

[@robertocesar8488]

LOVE FOREVER ❤️🇧🇷❤️Rusanda Pan❤️

[@photronic]

Thank you for this great video! Truly beautiful playing. The only thing is it seems the two mics are in different positions (?) and that could impact the sound presentation greatly.

[@TobiasSebastien]

Wow, you do play a wonderful tone! I did not pay attention to the mics anymore just want to listen to more of your playing

[@robertocesar8488]

LOVE FOREVER ❤️🇧🇷❤️Rusanda Pan❤️

[@sonnydev9]

Brilliant , the 2nd and the 3rd Mic's feel better

[@lawrencerasmus]

Try a 2 mic set up , a sm57 straight down on left shoulder and the ribbon were you had it. The 57 fills in empty spots

[@tanukibrahma]

There are some resonant high frequencies that sound quite piercing in the close positions (much less so at the greater distance). I wonder if a darker ribbon microphone would sound better in this regard.

[@kamaluchika6656]

Can any of this be used in a hall, maybe a concert hall or a hall that has some natural reverberations/echo If not, what kind of mic would be for both recording the violin in a room and hall as well

[@pascalbouliniere3427]

Hi Rusanda, Thank you for all these explanations, but tell me, can you answer a question; Why do I always have tears in my eyes when I see you and hear you play ? I love you so much ! Pascal.

[@ajschot]

it is difficult to judge them because they are on different positions...

[@GVIC-tm2nc]

Very nice video-clip & playing. Even the dog is nice 😂 Thank U Rusanda.

[@gauthiergareau]

Have you added reverb to the mics? Would be great to have a version without reverb.

[@pelisinho]

That sounds amazing!

[@shizukabenaman]

Wonderful playing 🎉

[@alencarfreitas6873]

Thank you.

[@JaminVanDillen]

Wow you are amazing!!

[@MirceaTamas]

Bravo Rusanda!

[@aruraru6644]

Which one sounds more natural to your ears?

[@brandonramirez7401]

6:50 Your welcome

[@fadthetic]

💜

[@anikmohle8218]

Are you really sure about the "isolating" other sounds? Both yout ribbons have an "8" characteristic, meaning that the microphones catch exactly the same amount of sound from their backside as via the front... Also, claiming that these mics "have a great EQ" is veeeery strange... Why not use microphones which really only record from their fronts? And record the high frequencies in a way that I don't have to use an EQ? (=Cardioids!) How much editing have you done with the Monti examples? Could we please hear an unedited example? Anyway, your result sounds terrific (-:

[@RusandaPanfili]

You are absolutely right , these mics do capture a lot of the room but thanks a lot for the big compliment - I only added a little reverb on top of these recordings no extra editing- no EQ- just raw sound with some very small reverb. The mics are outstanding but indeed- one needs a good sounding room to record with Ribbons!

[@anikmohle8218]

​@@RusandaPanfili Thanks to your video, I have now tried my own high-end active stereo ribbon with some added EQ (on a recording trial I've made with Bach solo Partita pieces a few days ago in a large church). The sound improves indeed very much with that (-: I'll probably use Schoeps condensers for the actual recording in a few weeks, but I've now decided to not sell my ribbon as I had planned for a long time (-: Thanks!

[@MegaAbramovic]

Bravo👏👏👏

[@deonlee7353]

Beautiful!

[@limerot]

Amazing!

[@basic-decaf]

I'm a violinist also, and I was on the hunt for an affordable microphone that truly captures what I hear as I play the instrument. The violin actually has spectacular deep and warm tones that most mics fail to resolve and sometimes tones the audience can't hear. Lots of people might believe that that's a silly question, but what do musicians hear as they play, as opposed to the audience? Tones that are literally conducting into your skull from your chin! I purchased the sE VR2 because of this video alone, and I'm blown away by my recordings. I did a shoot-out comparing this microphone to the Blue Microphones Baby Bottle, and the sE VR2 tames the high end while retaining clarity, and adds so much more resolution and depth to the lows without sounding boomy. Very warm and clean. Very pleased. Thank you for this video!

[@matineemartyr38]

You are right in every respect. The same applies to brass instruments.