Omg got totally wrong here. I though the royer would be the B because i feel it goes more mids. I got my doubts because well... sometimes more high quality gear are more brights. I think that OPR is a good gear
Mic B! I felt it was a little fuller and rich, but on the mesa hi gain I liked mic A because it had more of a rolloff in the lows and mic B was too bassy, but if I had to pick I would pick mic B!
I have an O.P.R. grill. My opinion is that in this video the Royer sounds better to me. But in real life, I like the sound of the Grill better. I dont use as much gain as this guy, thats probably the biggest reason i would guess. Great frikkin value though. I live in the U.S. He says $500 in the video, but total cost with shipping to the U.S. included was $239.00 U.S.D. Cant much beat that for the price. And now that I hear it, I shoulda ordered 2 lol. I did the pre-order, so with covid shipping at its worst(spring/summer 2020) it took right at about 6 months. Easily worth the wait though. I bought a bunch of cheap($80-400) ribbon mics a couple years back just to see what they were all about. Its not even a fair contest. If you've never bought a ribbon because of the price, dont hesitate with this one.
I don't know which one was which, but I think they were pretty different. A had a lot more sparkle on the top end, where as B had a much thicker warm vibe in the lower mids! I would like both hahaha!
Mic B was fuller and richer, but I think Mic A would suit a busy, dense mix better. It sounds like it has less of a problem frequency low-mid going into the pre, so I think there'd be less stuff to declutter later.
All sounds pretty fizzy/metalz, but from the 'clean' part near the beginning, I preferred B, FWIW. They EQs are definitely different - B is warmer, which probably means it's rolling the highs off a bit (at least). B perhaps also had less noise - this may be related to high-end roll-off ... especially given your metalz set-up ... Interested to know which is which, anyway.
This video convinced me to take a chance on the OPR. Thank you! I've been learning home recording and my SM57 mic sounds too harsh by itself. Needs something to compliment. I thought the OPR sounded better than the Royer. I can't justify $1,000+ on a Royer. Would like to see an OPR Grill paired with SM57 video with high gain guitar.
wowsers - great tones / great playing man - I like B for sure - but they are very close - kinda hard to tell if they were positioned the same, but assuming they were, I'd buy B
Mic B definitely had more warmth. Mic A didn't sound bad, just not as good as B. That said, in a mix with EQ and processing I doubt many people would be able to tell a difference. It would be hard to justify the extra money for the Royer in that case.
Yeah, preferred mic B! Which appears to be the OPR. That extra low end fullness adds a lot. Sounds like nasaly. Question, are you using the stock Grill or the U-mod Grill??? Thanks
It really does sound like the U-Mod. Been listening to O.P.R. mics for a while. That transformer has a 'sound' and it does color overdrive guitar a little... you'll notice on the distorted parts, the Royer sounds flat and natural, but the OPR U-Mod adds a 3D type quality, and changes the overall sound just a bit. The standard Grill sounds very good and flat with little coloration, but I do like what the U-Mod adds, particularly to natural instruments. Great great mics by OPR all across the product line. Amazing really.
so well presented what a pity he didnt use more crunch and clean as high gain is almost like throwing a blanket over the tone.but this guy does a great job on this..theres hand made russian 121 clones now that just sound so good i feel ripped of by royer ha ha .mind you the 121 royer makes my studio advertising look sleek
They're both suitable. I am in the market for additional mics to expand beyond 57s and e609s. I would have considered the R121 but for $1300USD would be inclined to try others. Actually I was inclined to just stick with existings and explore condenser mics for their proximity options. I am trying to record the resonance and reverberance. Currently this works with a 57. I have to EQ it, but it brings in the bottom. The AKG414 is spoken of highly, and will also do vocals. And it's expensive, seems no way to get around the four figure mics. I will price the OPR, thank you for the video. As an aside, your tone is very scooped. In the room you probably notice the cabinet and reverberance, but that isn't be captured with close mic. To record these tones, it's has proven necessary to use an ambient mic (414 for example) and use Hi/Low Pass filters on each mic line. You could really tailor the sound by shaving off the extremes. It also improves the compression of the audio when unnecessary info is omitted. I only recently learned this. I was determined to go without EQ/filter, but when I changed my way of thinking the tones improved dramatically. I don't know why I resist change. ;) Rock on!
Glad you enjoyed the video. I usually high pass around 80hz and low pass somewhere around 8k but I wanted to compare the raw tones of these two side by side; maybe I'll put up a clip with some post EQ applied. The Royer with a 57 is the best of both worlds IMO; you get the thick lows and smooth highs from the ribbons with the mid range bark from the 57. The OPR is something like $499AUD . Personally I'm not the biggest fan of room mics for heavy tones but they're awesome with clean sounds. As I'm writing this I'm thinking I'll have to compare these in a mix paired with a dynamic mic!
Leon Todd Myself, I get a lot of flanging when I add a second mic and mix it. But if reduced against the main mic, that goes away. This is what forced me to EQ that ambient mic, so it would still maintain some presence. It seems that getting the sound of the cabinet and resonance is what I am after, so rather than back the mic away and into the room, just focus more on the sides and back of the cabinet. Lots of good stuff around there that will fill out the close mic. I'll be watching. Thanks for your reply!
The beauty of ribbon mics in this situation is that they have a native figure 8 polar pattern, so they pick up the room sound from the back of the mic while they are capturing the speaker at the front. Also you have none of the phase issues associated with using two mics in different locations, because it all happening from the exact same location. This is a big part of the ribbon mic sound and why they feel so realistic.
The OPR has too much proximity effect, and exhibits a lot of high end roll off. Due to that it sounds boomy, especially for high gain usage. On a different note try the Extinct Audio 'Black Ops', it's a great option for people who want a Royer R121 alternative that is truer to its Bang & Olufsen roots than the Royer.
B is my pick, smooth, warm, tonnes of bottom end (great for taking care of the lows and low mids while a dyn or cond do the upper mids and highs) Could you message me with the great reveal?
Thanks for the feedback so far guys; A - Royer, B - OPR.
Omg got totally wrong here. I though the royer would be the B because i feel it goes more mids. I got my doubts because well... sometimes more high quality gear are more brights. I think that OPR is a good gear
@@washaconte3956 Wild hey! You could buy a few OPR's for the price of the Royer.
That's. what I thought. The Royer has that top end.
Nice comparison! I would love to hear Mic B paired with an SM57, just to hear the frequency spectrum.
Mic B! I felt it was a little fuller and rich, but on the mesa hi gain I liked mic A because it had more of a rolloff in the lows and mic B was too bassy, but if I had to pick I would pick mic B!
I have an O.P.R. grill. My opinion is that in this video the Royer sounds better to me. But in real life, I like the sound of the Grill better. I dont use as much gain as this guy, thats probably the biggest reason i would guess. Great frikkin value though. I live in the U.S. He says $500 in the video, but total cost with shipping to the U.S. included was $239.00 U.S.D. Cant much beat that for the price. And now that I hear it, I shoulda ordered 2 lol. I did the pre-order, so with covid shipping at its worst(spring/summer 2020) it took right at about 6 months. Easily worth the wait though. I bought a bunch of cheap($80-400) ribbon mics a couple years back just to see what they were all about. Its not even a fair contest. If you've never bought a ribbon because of the price, dont hesitate with this one.
I don't know which one was which, but I think they were pretty different. A had a lot more sparkle on the top end, where as B had a much thicker warm vibe in the lower mids! I would like both hahaha!
Mic B was fuller and richer, but I think Mic A would suit a busy, dense mix better. It sounds like it has less of a problem frequency low-mid going into the pre, so I think there'd be less stuff to declutter later.
I defintely thought the Royer was Mic B. Just goes to show you can great gear at a good price these days. Great video, thanks!
All sounds pretty fizzy/metalz, but from the 'clean' part near the beginning, I preferred B, FWIW.
They EQs are definitely different - B is warmer, which probably means it's rolling the highs off a bit (at least). B perhaps also had less noise - this may be related to high-end roll-off ... especially given your metalz set-up ...
Interested to know which is which, anyway.
This video convinced me to take a chance on the OPR. Thank you! I've been learning home recording and my SM57 mic sounds too harsh by itself. Needs something to compliment. I thought the OPR sounded better than the Royer. I can't justify $1,000+ on a Royer. Would like to see an OPR Grill paired with SM57 video with high gain guitar.
That should be a great combo!
Definately, B mic is fuller and balanced compared to A. Soundswise B is better than A.
wowsers - great tones / great playing man - I like B for sure - but they are very close - kinda hard to tell if they were positioned the same, but assuming they were, I'd buy B
Yep both the same position on the same speaker. B seems to be the winner :)
Leon Todd - can u direct message me or email me the results? Which is which? Intrigued! Phil phil.gaudion@newhope.net.au
Mic A is the Royer, B is the OPR :D
T H A T I S A M A Z I N G ! ! ! ! ! doubly happy now that I've ordered a pair - WoW! thanks Leon for the great video - cheers phil
Mic B definitely had more warmth. Mic A didn't sound bad, just not as good as B. That said, in a mix with EQ and processing I doubt many people would be able to tell a difference. It would be hard to justify the extra money for the Royer in that case.
Listening back I'd have to agree. Going to be interesting to reveal these results.
I liked the top end of A better on the dirty stuff - both sounded great!
Yeah, preferred mic B! Which appears to be the OPR. That extra low end fullness adds a lot. Sounds like nasaly. Question, are you using the stock Grill or the U-mod Grill??? Thanks
It really does sound like the U-Mod. Been listening to O.P.R. mics for a while. That transformer has a 'sound' and it does color overdrive guitar a little... you'll notice on the distorted parts, the Royer sounds flat and natural, but the OPR U-Mod adds a 3D type quality, and changes the overall sound just a bit. The standard Grill sounds very good and flat with little coloration, but I do like what the U-Mod adds, particularly to natural instruments. Great great mics by OPR all across the product line. Amazing really.
thanks so much im trying to order one of these opr i think u saved me from buying a stagg clone
Mic B was my preferred one
They sound very similar. I prefer mic A however. Hard to explain why, maybe because it sounds less like a ribbon mic compared to B.
so well presented what a pity he didnt use more crunch and clean as high gain is almost like throwing a blanket over the tone.but this guy does a great job on this..theres hand made russian 121 clones now that just sound so good i feel ripped of by royer ha ha .mind you the 121 royer makes my studio advertising look sleek
Is it exactly the same? Not 100%. But as long as I can treat it the same way in a mix, then it does the job. Definitely seems close enough for that.
They're both suitable. I am in the market for additional mics to expand beyond 57s and e609s. I would have considered the R121 but for $1300USD would be inclined to try others. Actually I was inclined to just stick with existings and explore condenser mics for their proximity options. I am trying to record the resonance and reverberance. Currently this works with a 57. I have to EQ it, but it brings in the bottom. The AKG414 is spoken of highly, and will also do vocals. And it's expensive, seems no way to get around the four figure mics. I will price the OPR, thank you for the video. As an aside, your tone is very scooped. In the room you probably notice the cabinet and reverberance, but that isn't be captured with close mic. To record these tones, it's has proven necessary to use an ambient mic (414 for example) and use Hi/Low Pass filters on each mic line. You could really tailor the sound by shaving off the extremes. It also improves the compression of the audio when unnecessary info is omitted. I only recently learned this. I was determined to go without EQ/filter, but when I changed my way of thinking the tones improved dramatically. I don't know why I resist change. ;) Rock on!
Glad you enjoyed the video. I usually high pass around 80hz and low pass somewhere around 8k but I wanted to compare the raw tones of these two side by side; maybe I'll put up a clip with some post EQ applied. The Royer with a 57 is the best of both worlds IMO; you get the thick lows and smooth highs from the ribbons with the mid range bark from the 57. The OPR is something like $499AUD . Personally I'm not the biggest fan of room mics for heavy tones but they're awesome with clean sounds.
As I'm writing this I'm thinking I'll have to compare these in a mix paired with a dynamic mic!
Leon Todd Myself, I get a lot of flanging when I add a second mic and mix it. But if reduced against the main mic, that goes away. This is what forced me to EQ that ambient mic, so it would still maintain some presence. It seems that getting the sound of the cabinet and resonance is what I am after, so rather than back the mic away and into the room, just focus more on the sides and back of the cabinet. Lots of good stuff around there that will fill out the close mic. I'll be watching. Thanks for your reply!
The beauty of ribbon mics in this situation is that they have a native figure 8 polar pattern, so they pick up the room sound from the back of the mic while they are capturing the speaker at the front. Also you have none of the phase issues associated with using two mics in different locations, because it all happening from the exact same location.
This is a big part of the ribbon mic sound and why they feel so realistic.
do u feel opr has bit more low mids but still has the top end of the royer?
Acoustic?
The OPR has too much proximity effect, and exhibits a lot of high end roll off. Due to that it sounds boomy, especially for high gain usage.
On a different note try the Extinct Audio 'Black Ops', it's a great option for people who want a Royer R121 alternative that is truer to its Bang & Olufsen roots than the Royer.
That’s a cool mic, but with a little EQ or mic placement you can manage that easily, as well as save yourself a few hundred bucks.
B is my pick, smooth, warm, tonnes of bottom end (great for taking care of the lows and low mids while a dyn or cond do the upper mids and highs)
Could you message me with the great reveal?
Mic A is the Royer.
Leon Todd hell of a surprise there!
great stuff
is this the unmodded OPR?