Rode NTR Active Ribbon Microphone and Grace Design M101 Preamp Kit

Designed by Rode to be at home in world-class recording facilities as well as project and home studios, the NTR Active Ribbon Microphone is based around its sensitive 1.8-micron-thick ribbon element, which is capable of providing a wide 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response, uncommon for a typical ribbon mic. Thanks to its broad response, its applications go beyond that of a typical ribbon mic, allowing it to be more accommodating for a broader range of vocal types, as well as strings, brass, electric and acoustic guitars, drum overheads or room mics, and more.

Internally, the mic features a custom-designed and manufactured transformer, in addition to an internal shock mounting system. A ribbon-securing travel screw is included, allowing you to secure the sensitive ribbon while transporting the mic, assuring it is not accidentally damaged. Like many Rode microphones, the NTR has an extended 10-year warranty with registration, which includes one free ribbon replacement during the period.

The m101 from Grace Design is a single channel microphone preamplifier that uses the same fast, musical transimpedance amplifier architecture as the model 801 and model 201, but packaged and priced to be within the reach of any recording engineer, musician or studio. The preamp now employs 0.5% precision metal film resistors.

An upgrade from the model 101, the unit still employs fully balanced, transformerless circuit topology and has no electrolytic capacitors in the signal path. With incredible bandwidth, headroom and resolution, the unit is remarkably natural, musical and detailed. A universal power supply is internally mounted.

The m101 features a ribbon microphone mode which provides additional gain that is usually required by that type of microphone. Pushing the dedicated ribbon switch does three things. Phantom power is locked-out to prevent potential damage to ribbon microphones, the impedance of the microphone input is raised from 8.1kΩ to 20kΩ, and the 48V DC blocking input capacitors are bypassed with sealed gold contact relays.

The included instrument DI input is designed to accommodate a wide variety of high impedance input sources, making the unit an excellent choice as a DI box which will flawlessly preserve the sound of any plugged-in instrument while imparting lackluster sounding instrument pickups with clarity and detail.

The black, 15' Mogami Gold Studio XLR Female to XLR Male Microphone Cable is a high-quality, 4-conductor cable engineered for maximum rejection of RFI and EMI, accurate signal transmission with low noise, and durability. It uses the company's Neglex twisted, double-conductor quad cable with a spiral, bare copper shield, which is effective in maintaining signal integrity, even when used with unbalanced equipment, in professional or home studios suffering from wiring and grounding problems.

The cable is terminated with black-body, gold-plated XLR connectors, and features a 0.236" diameter jacket, ideal for applications where a small-diameter quad mic cable is required.