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CardioidTelefunken Elektroakustik RM-5C

Cardioid Ribbon Microphone

The RM-5C is a cardioid ribbon microphone designed by Jerry Silvia of Silvia Classics. It was introduced as the Silvia SC-5C, but renamed to RM-5C once Telefunken USA acquired exclusive distribution rights. The only difference between the SC-5C and the RM-5C is the finish; the latter has a black “crinkle” finish.

Silvia Classics ended its distribution agreement with Telefunken USA in January, 2009, and began selling the SC-5C directly at that time.

The mic was inspired by, and to some degree modeled after the classic RCA cardioid ribbon, the BK-5. The two mics share a general form factor and architecture, although the RM-5C has been updated with new ideas and components.

The ribbon “faces” the front end of the microphone, and is protected with two layers of blast shielding. The back of the ribbon is coupled to an acoustic labyrinth that creates phase cancellation within acoustic waves entering the rear of the microphone; this allows the mic to have a cardioid pickup pattern with ~18dB of attenuation for off-axis sounds.

The ribbon is a narrow, thin (2 micron) strip of corrugated duralumin (aluminum alloy), measuring approximately 25mm by 1.4mm.

The RM-5C ships with a padded wooden case, shock mount, wind screen, and a transferable 10-year warranty.

See the Silvia SC-5C page for additional product information.

Electronic Musician, 2007

Compared with other ribbon microphones I own, the RM-5C has unique, unribbon-like characteristics, such as an aggressive upper midrange and a less substantial low end…The RM-5C achieves a tighter directionality than the 77DX, picking up significantly less ambient room sound when close to the source.

The standout application was on upright bass, where the RM-5C sounded amazing. Situated about a foot and a half in front and a couple of inches above the bridge, the mic gave me a full, clear, rich tone, without the boomy bottom of many other mics in this position. The balance between the woody thump and the articulation of the fingerboard was about as good as one mic alone can capture.

The Telefunken Elektroakustik RM-5C is also known as: RM5C.

The mic was released in 2006.

Specifications

Pickup Patterns Pads & Filters
Cardioid (2.8 mV/Pa; 30 - 18,000 Hz)
Ribbon Construction Impedance SPL/Noise
2 micron, 1.4mm x 25mm, duralumin alloy ribbon 250 Ohms (Low) Max SPL: 160 dB
Weight Length Max Diameter Interface(s)
516g (18.20oz) 193mm (7.60'') 44mm (1.73'')
  • 3-pin XLR male (1)
Power Specifications

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