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I just sent in my Beyer M 160 for factory servicing because it was
making a buzzing sound. I'm not sure how they diagnosed the problem,
but they informed me it would require a new ribbon assembly. I have
typically used the M 160 for close micing electric guitar amplifiers
which can be loud but not 100 watt cranked loud.

I know some ribbon manufacturers advertise their mics can handle loud
guitar amplifiers. The Royer 121 maximum SPL is 135 dB for example.
The Beyer M 160 specification sheet doesn't state the maximum SPL. I
don't believe my M 160 has been subjected to any loud blasts of air or
other abuse, so I must be exceeding the maximum SPL rating. I'm
wondering if anyone has an idea what maixmum SPL this microphone can
take. Thanks.

Gary V

[Scott Dorsey]

wrote:
I know some ribbon manufacturers advertise their mics can handle loud
guitar amplifiers. The Royer 121 maximum SPL is 135 dB for example.
The Beyer M 160 specification sheet doesn't state the maximum SPL. I
don't believe my M 160 has been subjected to any loud blasts of air or
other abuse, so I must be exceeding the maximum SPL rating. I'm
wondering if anyone has an idea what maixmum SPL this microphone can
take. Thanks.

The tension on the M160 is very high... the way the capsule is designed,
it can handle outrageously high SPLs... up to the point where the compression
of air becomes a problem.

What it cannot handle is wind. People who blow into the microphone to
make sure it's on will wreck it really fast. I can't imagine a guitar
amp could ever hurt it, but a bass amp could hurt it, maybe. Dropping
it on the floor is more apt to damage it, though.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mike Rivers]

wrote:
I just sent in my Beyer M 160 for factory servicing because it was
making a buzzing sound. I'm not sure how they diagnosed the problem,
but they informed me it would require a new ribbon assembly.

I know some ribbon manufacturers advertise their mics can handle loud
guitar amplifiers. The Royer 121 maximum SPL is 135 dB for example.
The Beyer M 160 specification sheet doesn't state the maximum SPL. I
don't believe my M 160 has been subjected to any loud blasts of air or
other abuse, so I must be exceeding the maximum SPL rating.

Don't beat yourself up about this. Beyer mics seem to need new ribbons
after 10-15 years no matter how they're used or even how little they're
used. Ribbon replacements used to be cheap but no longer. That's why two
of my three M260s got Stephen Sank 77DX ribbons in them after the second
Beyer replacement. My M260s are still OK but I'm expecting them to go at
any time. I usually just use them on banjos and screechy fiddles.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers ) but you can't send anything
larger than 30K to that account, do don't try.