The R-10 “Hot Rod” 25th Anniversary limited-edition ribbon mic is our popular R-10 on steroids! The R-10 Hot Rod is fitted with a custom Anniversary Edition transformer that gives this microphone 5dB more output than the standard R-10, with a punchier feel and increased low-midrange focus. The R-10 Hot Rod also sports a 25th Anniversary black-accented trim package that looks as cool as this mic sounds.
Like our original R-10, the R-10 Hot Rod handles extremely high SPLs (160dB @ 1kHz), has an internally shock-mounted ribbon transducer & 3-layer wind screen system that combine to give the ribbon element excellent protection, features lowered proximity effect that make it an excellent for close miking instruments and singers, and carries a 5-year warranty with the first re-ribbon free. Like all Royer microphones, the R-10 Hot Rod is hand-built in Royer’s Burbank, CA facility.
The R-10 Hot Rod’s compact size and mounting system allow for flexible, unobtrusive positioning. Its 2.5-micron aluminum ribbon element is formed with our patented direct-corrugation process and the ribbon transducer is wired for humbucking to reject electromagnetically induced noise.
The R-10 Hot Rod’s built-in windscreen provides superior protection from air blasts and plosives. It also reduces proximity effect (bass buildup from close miking) so guitar cabinets and acoustic instruments can be close-miked with less bass buildup. The R-10 Hot Rod’s internally shockmounted ribbon transducer isolates the ribbon element from shocks and vibrations, increasing the ribbon element’s durability.
The mic’s open grill design minimizes standing waves and associated comb-filtering effects and its smooth frequency response, phase linearity and lack of self-distortion make it ideal for all digital recording and live sound formats.
The mic’s open grill design minimizes standing waves and associated comb-filtering effects and its smooth frequency response, phase linearity and lack of self-distortion make it ideal for all digital recording and live sound formats.
The Sound
Royer ribbon mics are legendary on electric guitar and the R-10 Hot Rod shows some of its best stuff on studio and live electrics, capturing all the low end, midrange warmth and punch guitarists and engineers have come to expect from a Royer. If you want more bite in the highs but don’t want to multi-mic (particularly on live stages where blending microphones can create phase-related problems), the R-10 Hot Rod takes EQ beautifully.
Drums are full-bodied with realistic (not over-hyped) transients response, and the R-10 Hot Rod’s figure-8 pattern conveys superb ambience and depth when used for room miking applications. A compressed R-10 Hot Rod in front of the kit sounds huge and punchy.
R-10 Hot Rod recordings of violins, ukuleles, steel-stringed and nylon-stringed acoustic guitars, banjos, and other stringed instruments are warm and natural and fit into mixes easily. “Airing out” the recorded track by opening up a bit of 12K with an EQ often gives surprisingly good results.
Vocals record warm and naturally on an R-10 Hot Rod, and the EQ-friendliness of the mic allows for dialing in completely different sounds with liberal use of EQ.
Patented Offset Ribbon Technology
The R-10 Hot Rod’s patented offset-ribbon design positions the ribbon element toward the front of the transducer, which allows for high SPL handling on the front (logo) side and the option of a brighter response when recording lower SPL sound sources on the backside.
