USVI (May 16, 2024)—After getting back home, we decided to get together at drummer Ray Levier’s studio for some last-minute guitar overdubs. We all love to try new gear, so we lined up a 1973 Fender Vibro Champ and a 1966 Gibson Falcon miked up with the Samar Audio AL95 ribbon.
The AL95 passive ribbon microphone is fully made in the USA and features a bi-directional/figure-eight polar pattern. In use, it became clear immediately that this mic is exactly what a ribbon should be: smooth and creamy.
It has a full but controlled low end, adding plenty of thickness to the small, 8-inch speaker of the Vibro Champ without getting muddy like some ribbons can when placed right up on an amp’s grille. The top end is extended yet smooth, able to capture all the presence of the amp without any sign of harshness—again, just what we wanted in a ribbon mic.
