Royer Labs R-10 Ribbon Microphone
- Extremely low background noise
- Ribbon element insensitive to heat and moisture
- Frequency range: 30 to 15,000 Hz (+/- 3 dB)
- Output impedance: 100 Ohm
Royer R-10 Ribbon Microphone Review
The release of a brand new Royer studio mic is always a big reason to celebrate, but that’s especially true with the Royer R-10 Ribbon mic.
You might not guess it from the microphone’s impressive sound quality and solid build, but at around $499, the R-10 is actually one of the most affordable Royer mics yet. The stereo pair comes with two mics with consecutive serial numbers, two swivel mounts, and a pair of fabric storage pouches, all packed in a foam-lined carrying case.
The Royer R-10 is essentially a mono, passive electrodynamic pressure-gradient, bidirectional ribbon mic that uses Royer’s patented offset-ribbon transducer and a 2.5-micron ribbon
Royer R-10 Ribbon Performance
The R-10 features Royer’s patented offset-ribbon technology and a lightweight aluminum ribbon element. Its custom-designed impedance-matching transformer reduces saturation, while the open-grille design minimizes standing waves and the resulting comb-filtering effects.
The transducer uses a flux-frame construction and rare neodymium magnets to create a strong magnetic field that increases sensitivity and lowers magnetic radiation. Altogether, this results in a top-tier modern ribbon microphone that any recording studio or live rig should have. And with the R-10’s surprisingly affordable price, owning a pair is especially useful.
Royer R-10 Usage
The R-10 is perfectly suited for capturing drums and percussion. This mic does a great job with vocals, sounding excellent on both female and male singers. The built-in windscreen is all you need—it does an outstanding job of protecting the ribbon element from plosives and wind damage, all without adding any sonic coloration.
The Royer R-10 delivers a clean, pure sound with a powerful frequency response and plenty of headroom, making it an excellent choice for almost any sound source, especially guitar amps, drums, brass, and other particularly loud instruments. The R-10 is surprisingly affordable and belongs in the same sonic league as ribbon mics that cost two or three times as much. This makes it a fantastic option for both project and professional studios, as well as for live use.
Royer R-10 Design
It’s probably not surprising that the brand-new R-10 comes from the already well-proven R-101. Apparently, a couple of Royer engineers had been experimenting with different ideas on an R-101—they shortened the barrel, removed the slotted grille to create more open space around the transducer, altered the internal framework, and so on. The resulting experimental prototype became known as ‘Stumpy’, and further development led to what is now the R-10.
The R-10 is physically smaller than the R-101, measuring about 50mm shorter at 149mm. It’s also slightly narrower at 35mm in diameter and over 100g lighter than the R-101 at 368g. However, it’s 125g heavier than the R-121 and almost exactly the same weight as the excellent Royer SF-12 stereo ribbon. In your hand, the R-10 feels solid, chunky, and durable—clearly built to handle the demands of stage work.
Like most of its siblings, the R-10 features a green lozenge badge to mark the front, along with an engraved model number. The serial number is printed on the bottom of the mic around the threaded stem that houses the output XLR connector. Instead of an elaborate cat’s-cradle shock mount, the R-10 comes with a simple swivel mount that screws onto the mic’s threaded stem.
This straightforward design has the dual benefits of lower manufacturing costs and a smaller, neater footprint, making it easier to place the mic in tight spaces. Since ribbon mics are naturally sensitive to shock and vibration, the R-10 uses a very similar internal shock mount system to the R-101—just reworked with a simpler frame to fit the smaller body and reduce manufacturing costs.
Royer R-10 Specs
When it comes to sensitivity, the R-10 is rated at 2mV/Pa. For reference, that’s about 2dB more sensitive than a Shure SM57. Compared to other Royer models, it’s roughly 6dB less sensitive than the R-101 and 4dB quieter than the R-121. If you’re recording quieter acoustic guitars or delicate vocals, you might find it helpful to use a preamp that provides 65dB of gain or more, or consider adding an inline gain stage.
With a nominal output impedance of 100Ω, the R-10 is lower than most microphones, which are typically either 150 or 200Ω. This is likely due to the R-10’s custom output transformer, since both the R-101 and R-121 have an output impedance of 300Ω.
However, this lower output impedance is actually beneficial, as it helps reduce the noise contribution from the connected preamp. The R-10’s specs recommend using a preamp with an input impedance greater than 700Ω, though most preamps are usually well above 1.5kΩ (and dedicated ribbon preamps often provide more than 10kΩ).
According to the specs, the frequency response is listed as 30Hz to 15kHz with a ±3dB tolerance. The low-end response depends on how close the mic is to the source, but the proximity effect isn’t as pronounced in the R-10 as in many other ribbon mics. This was a deliberate design choice, making it easier to close-mic guitar amplifiers and similar sources.
Like all ribbon mics, the R-10 can be EQ’d without introducing harsh resonances or distortion.
- High SPL handling — perfect for close-miking electric guitar, brass, and other instruments
- Multilayer windscreen provides effective protection for the ribbon element
- Internally shockmounted ribbon transducer for increased durability
- Passive circuit with custom transformer minimizes high-SPL overload
- Vanishingly low residual noise
- Ribbon element impervious to heat and humidity
- Flat frequency response with no high-frequency peaks, ringing, or phase shifts
- Equal sensitivity from front or back of element
Why You Need the Royer R-10 Ribbon Mic
The R-10 is a unique animal compared to the R-121, but it still has plenty of that classic Royer DNA. It flatters most instruments—especially lively ones—with beautiful warmth, richness, depth, and even a subtle hint of saturation.
Having a pair of these in your mic collection will likely make them a go-to choice for nearly every recording session you do. Royer backs the mic with a five-year warranty and offers a free re-ribbon within the first year. There’s really no reason to wait—grabbing an R-10 early in 2018 is a smart move.
Conclusion
The Royer R-10 is a sturdy, well-built microphone that sounds great on just about anything you want to record. It can make your vocals and instruments sound beautiful, giving you that “proper” instrument sound you’d expect from a “proper” studio.
You’ll love how the Royer R-10 performs on acoustic guitar. While it may not suit every style of music, if you’re aiming for a folky, dark, natural acoustic sound that’s not too bright, this mic is an excellent choice.
If you have any questions about this microphone, please let us know in the comments below or reach out to Royer’s web customer care!
