Golden Age Project R1 active Mk3

Big disapointment

Sorry to say that this mic was a big disappointment.

From the moment of unpacking it looks like a very cheap Chinese build mic with the back-plate (XLR input) not straight constructed. Also there were solder splutters on the cable.. not to nice :(

When testing it started out good, while this is a very nice sounding mic after 15 minutes or so it started making lots of noise and it became unworkable.

I send it back as fast as possible unfortunately.

Maybe this was a case of bad luck with the noise, but the overall construction of the mic I eyed and felt very cheap and fast build.

It's ...ok

This is a ribbon microphone, and because of this, it is naturally a bit different. One of the things I simply could not live with is the noise this thing produces. GA Projects were tremendous and sent me another chip to replace the native one, and it helped a bit, but it shouldn't be necessary. IT is tremendously bassy, and will need heavy EQ, but hey ...it's a ribbon! The fact that it runs with phanton power is awesome

very nice warm sound

using them as overheads, nice warm sound

Good mics

This is a quality microphone. Would describe the sound as "full" and warm, not so clear and crispy than maybe some condenser mics.

Practical Warmth

Great warmth, case is great, did have to buy another microphone stand so I can record amps and organ speakers as one cannot tilt ordinary mic stands, for me this was not a problem. Great sound, close to being an all purpose mic which sounds crazy for it being a ribbon.

Times have changed, one doesen't necessarily need the brightness of condensers, with the ultra bright digital technology one tracks with. Get yourself two of these, use it for drums for great vintage sound.

I am very happy with this mic!

I mainly record my own songs etc as a hobby at home. When it comes to electric guitar, I always have trouble getting a nice sound that's not too trebly with my SM57 or NT5, and this mic finally gets what I want. The sound is smooth and beautiful, and I've also found that I have to spend less time on mic positioning to get a sound I like.

I'm also glad to have the pad and high-pass filter, both of which have big, easy-to-use switches.

One thing that does bug me slightly is that rotating the mic through its cradle is awkward or impossible with a cable in it (depending on your cable), meaning I have to sort that aspect of the positioning first. Maybe I'm missing something obvious!

The packaging is very padded, and the storage/carrying case that comes with the mic is nice.

Lastly, the microphone is beautiful, nice and weighty in the hand (for me that's a plus, though some may prefer lighter mics!), and stunning to look at it. Not very important for the recording process itself, maybe, but very much appreciated!

Very versatile, very warm sound, active = handy. Bit noisy though.

Excellent as a first ribbon mic and a good second mic for those starting out. The sound - while not as precise as top-end ribbons - is really rounded and lovely, giving a warm glow to guitar cabs, vocals and strings especially, with a wonderfully solid and detailed low end. The advantage of an active ribbon is that you don't need a super clean preamp with 70dB gain - the preamps on most budget/mid-range audio interfaces with phantom power are powerful enough to drive this mic.

Like all ribbons, the mic produces a small but noticeable amount of background hiss. It is therefore unsuitable for very sensitive applications where a lot of dynamic range needs to be captured or where hiss will be a problem. I have used a pair of these mics in blumlein and MS configurations with very good results on instruments like piano that have then been layered in a mix - the presentation is excellent and the stereo field comes to life in a very natural way not possible with other miking configurations, and the benefit of having the wonderful ribbony goodness outweighs the slight issue of the hiss.

Noisy microphone

The level of background noise was simply unacceptable. This was my first ribbon so perhaps I've been spoiled by condensers.

Lovely warm ribbon sound at an accessible price

This mic gives a beautiful warm sound, with detailed lows and the typical ribbon mic subtle roll-off on the top end. Have used on male vocals and on a guitar cab with excellent results. Don't be expecting quite as much detail as a certain £1000 Royer ribbon mic, but for this price you're 110% getting your money's worth.

I'm using through Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 pres.

Only gave 4 stars for features as the sleeve that it comes with for storage / protection wouldn't help the mic survive any knocks in transit, however it is good for hanging the mic off a hook when not in use, as ribbons have to be stored upright to prevent the ribbon from sagging.

If you're unsure whether to press the 'order' button, do it!

Amazing microphone

The sound I get from this microphone is really good. I have been using it with vocals and acoustic guitars. For vocals it seems that almost no eq:ing is necessary and the sound is very natural. Very much worth the price, I highly recommend this microphone.