Ribbon microphones defined high-fidelity recorded sound for half-a-century before falling out of general use more than 30 years ago. Now, vintage devices can fetch four figures on eBay, and a new crop of manufacturers is designing new models for the growing market. A few intrepid hackers have been making dirt-cheap versions from scratch, and a handful of these home-brew mics have even managed to impress the pros.

Old technologies frequently find new or extended life in music, where unique sound qualities are prized, and digital alternatives don't always win over golden-eared audiophiles. Even by that measure, ribbon microphones stand out as a rare example of a full-fledged comeback, though not without controversy.

Ribbon microphones captured iconic sounds from Bing Crosby's pillow-talk vocals to Ringo Starr's cymbal crashes and the audio of many iconic recordings made before the 1980s. Through their ubiquity on news broadcasts and talk-show-host desks, their signature look became iconic itself, and sublimated into our collective unconscious.

The recording industry finally turned its back on the ribbon mic in the the 1970s, as industry giants, in a dust devil of cocaine and modern alternatives, abandoned many of the old recording techniques and gear. Ironically, it was this fall from grace that led to their salvation. When cast-off vintage ribbon mics began selling cheap, young recording engineers snapped them up and got hooked on their unique sound. Some of these bargain hunters rose to fame and fortune, and took their ribbon microphones back into the mainstream.

Authors: Matthew Shechmeister

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