Beyerdynamic Dynamic double-ribbon microphone

The M 160 is Beyerdynamic's double-ribbon classic — two ribbons stacked in one motor, hand-assembled in Heilbronn for decades. Rarer still, it's a hypercardioid ribbon: the smooth, unhyped ribbon top end, but aimable, so it works close to a source in a real room.

Strings, guitar cabs, drum rooms, brass — anywhere a condenser sounds like too much information. This mic is on some of the most recorded drum sounds in history.

Ribbons want plenty of clean gain, more than a bus-powered interface's last few decibels. And make a habit of switching phantom power off on its channel before plugging in.