BM9 ribbon mic tips & tricks

Looking after your new Viking ribbon microphone

Your Viking comes with a LIFETIME WARRANTY for all mechanical parts. The ribbon is warrantied for one year.

To keep the ribbon performing beautifully, keep it away from dust, dirt, wind and moisture by keeping it in its lovingly crafted box when not in use. Blasts of air can stretch the ribbon, so keep away from the holes in ported bass amps and kick drums, and use a pop shield for vocals.

If you do damage the ribbon, click here for repair details.

Ribbon mic tips & tricks

Can I use the microphone horizontally for drum overheads?

 Yes.  They sound great.

Does the microphone need a power supply?

No. It is completely passive and does not need any kind of power supply.

Will the microphone be damaged if I apply +48V phantom power?

No. These microphones are transformer balanced and under normal circumstances cannot be damaged by phantom power. There are a couple of caveats.

Firstly, phantom power should only be run through good, healthy balanced cables. Running phantom power through unbalanced cables can cause damage to ribbon mics and other equipment too.

Secondly, phantom power should never be run through jack patch bays. This can cause temporary shorting or unbalancing of the phantom supply, which can damage mics, preamps and other equipment. Use an XLR patch bay for phantom power! Do NOT connect to older T-power supplies. These are unbalanced and can cause problems.

Do I need a matching transformer?

No. The BM9 has an output impedance of 300 ohms. We chose that value because it was a standard used by the BBC since the 1970s.  Almost every modern preamp on the market is designed to work well with a 300 ohm microphone.

However, if you need extra amplification we recommend the Atomic Analog Actifier microphone booster.

Will the ribbon sag if I store it horizontally?

No. The ribbons are very light and will not permanently deform under gravity. Store your microphone in the supplied box to keep it clean and dry. Close the lid slowly.

What things can damage the microphones?

Your real enemies are dust, dirt, wind and moisture. Small magnetic dust particles can stick to the magnets inside the microphone, preventing the ribbon from moving freely. Blasts of air can stretch the ribbon, so keep away from the holes in ported bass amps and kick drums. Use a pop shield for vocals.