Golden Age Audio - R1 ST

The Golden Age Audio R1 ST is based on a classic, rigorous approach to stereo recording, using the Blumlein principle, originally developed to capture a sound image faithful to real space. This technical choice is based on two superimposed ribbon elements, each oriented at 45 degrees to the central axis, forming two perfectly complementary figure-of-eight patterns. This configuration makes it possible to reproduce both the sound source and its environment with remarkable coherence, without phase artifice or artificial processing.

Each section of the R1 ST operates completely independently, with a transformer-balanced output, allowing both stereo and mono use of each capsule. The pure aluminium ribbon, 2 microns thick and 50 mm long, guarantees excellent responsiveness to transients while retaining the smoothness characteristic of ribbon microphones. Attacks are clean but never aggressive, even on high-energy sources such as brass, drums or percussive ensembles.

Thanks to its ability to handle up to 160 dB SPL without noticeable distortion, the R1 ST is easy to integrate into demanding configurations. It can be used as a room microphone, as the main stereo pick-up for an acoustic ensemble, or as a wide mono microphone when one side is used alone. Its balanced frequency response, from 30 Hz to 18 kHz, ensures natural reproduction, without artificial brightness or excessive emphasis at the top of the spectrum.