Audio-Technica unveiled its first-ever ribbon microphones – the AT4080 and AT4081 Bidirectional Active Ribbon Microphones.
Audio-Technica’s R&D team in Japan engineered and manufactured these products from the ground up, utilizing a hand-built, proprietary design and rugged, durable construction. Both offer smooth, warm and natural sound with precise, articulate detail to meet the critical requirements of today’s recording, broadcast and sound reinforcement professionals.
The AT4080, whose footprint is that of a classic “suspension cradled” side-address condenser, is recommended for vocals, horns, strings, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, orchestras, ensembles and guitar cabinets. The AT4081, with an appearance more like that of a pencil condenser, is optimized for strings, saxophones and other horns, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, orchestras, ensembles and guitar cabinets; its low-profile stick design maximizes placement options. Both mics excel in recording studios as well as in live-sound settings.
The AT4080 and AT4081 are side-address active ribbon microphones with bidirectional polar patterns. Delivering the versatile performance and warm, natural sound of classic ribbon microphones, the AT4080 and AT4081 each feature a robust build for long-lasting performance and offer active electronics for easy use with microphone preamplifiers. Extremely powerful N50 rare-earth neodymium magnets provide high output levels, and the mics’ innovative dual ribbon construction offers increased sensitivity and SPL handling capability. The bidirectional polar pattern of the mics makes them equally sensitive to sounds originating in front and back of the mic. Both feature extended frequency response for natural audio reproduction, and the AT4080 utilizes an acoustic baffle system and an extra-large output transformer, providing extended low-frequency response and dynamic range.
While the application of phantom power was prohibited for typical ribbon microphones, the AT4080 and AT4081 in fact require 48V phantom power for operation. The phantom power, however, is used not for the microphones’ dynamic ribbon transducers, but for their active electronics, which bring their output to near condenser microphone level.
The AT4080’s included AT8449/SV shock mount and the AT4081’s included isolation clamp provide superior isolation and permit mounting on any microphone stand with 5/8″-27 threads. The AT4080 comes with a dust cover and a protective carrying case, while a windscreen is included with the AT4081.
The AT4080 and AT4081 Bidirectional Active Ribbon Microphones will be available in November 2009 with respective U.S. MSRP’s of $1,245.00 and $895.00.
More information: Audio Technica
