recordinghacks

BidirectionalNady RSM-5

MSRP: $130 Bidirectional Ribbon Microphone

Nady RSM-5

Description

Nady’s RSM-5 is a Chinese-made ribbon mic sharing a ribbon motor design with the RSM-3 (itself based on the Royer 121). It is manufactured, or at least sold by Alctron.

This mic is plagued by documentation errors and production changes; for example, the Nady website and the user’s guide claim the ribbon uses 2-micron aluminum, but the RSM-5s modded by Michael Joly have all utilized heavier ribbon material (probably 6-micron).

Further, the mic initially shipped with a padded wood box with a shockmount, but since late 2007 appears to have been stripped to its essentials, most likely reflecting the drop in MSRP from $379.95 in 2005 to $129.95 today. Current stock has no shockmount or wooden box, but a simple mic clip in a cardboard carton.

Michael Joly has documented another suspected production change, in that initial RSM-5s (and RSM-3s) employed the offset-ribbon design patented by Royer for the R-121. (Read more on the RSM-3 page.) The “cardboard box” edition of the RSM-5 has reverted to a symmetrical ribbon design.

The Nady RSM-5 is also known as: RSM5.

The mic was released in 2005.

Pickup Patterns Pads & Filters
  • Bidirectional (30 - 18,000 Hz)
Ribbon Construction Impedance Max SPL
45mm, 2-micron aluminum ribbon 200 Ohms (Low (50-1000 Ohms)) 165 dB
Weight Length Max Diameter Interface(s)
312g (11.01oz) 165mm (6.50'') 54mm (2.13'')
  • 3-pin XLR male (1)
Power Specifications

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