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$ 799 .00
or $34/month for 24 months 0% interest for 24 months. 24 equal monthly payments required. Learn more
In Stock
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SKU

846

beyerdynamic M 160 Hypercardioid Double Ribbon Microphone

Classic hypercardioid double ribbon microphone
MFR# 100668

Product Description

The beyerdynamics M 160 is a very unique ribbon microphone, with it's unusual hypercardioid polar pattern, it sets itself apart from your standard ribbon mic. M 160 has a very warm, silky sound, and a very high transient response, that makes it great for drums, acoustic instruments, brass sections, vocals, or as a room mic.

The hypercardioid polar pattern offers 25 dB of off-axis noise rejection, making it a go-to mic when multiple players are in the same room. The M 160 is the signature sound of John Bonham's huge drum tone, featured on Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks", as well as Eddie Kramer's first choice for Jimi Hendrix's guitar cabinet on all his recordings.

Features:

  • Hypercardioid polar pattern
  • Unique double ribbon microphone transducer
  • Extended frequency response
  • Excellent transient response
  • Compact and rugged design
  • Warm and natural sound

Product Specifications

Condition New
Package Contents Mic, mic clip, mic bag
Length 156 mm
Diameter 38 mm
Unit Weight 156 g
Tube or Solid State Solid State
Transducer Type Ribbon
Polar Pattern Hyper-Cardioid
Number of Microphones Single Microphone
Phantom Required No
Impedance 200 Ohms
Frequency Range 40 Hz - 18 kHz
Sensitivity -60 dBV/Pa (1 mV)

Product Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars.
Review Count (6)

write a review

Go to overhead mics

By Dante P on November 8, 2022

OK, Its Bowies favorite live vocal mic, Andy John's captured Bonham's iconic drum room sound for "When the Levee Breaks" with a pair of these and Eddie Kramer used it on most of Hendrix's recordings.... and last and not least, hand assembled in Germany by the same woman for decades... I was told by a Beyer representative "when she stops making these they will stop being made"

The mic itself is a workhorse and unique in design having 2 ribbon elements on top of each other, the result is a hotter output and more consistent tone... It can handle loud SPLs and some even love it on a snare, very natural on overheads, cabinet and just as well a acoustic or cello. Great if you wanted to warm up a Taylor guitar or Trumpet.. not to mention excellent rear rejection, a rare welcomed quality for a ribbon. This is a great first mic if you wanted to get a pro grade ribbon as it will be most useful over other more traditional designs.. Its a studio must have...

By Charlie C on April 13, 2021

Great sounding microphone. Exceeded my expectations.

By Ollie on November 6, 2020

Depends what you are looking for.
This is not bright but I have found uses for it where nothing will get this sound. I also purchased an m130 (figure 8) to match up for M-S recording.

By Larry B on February 6, 2019

Im not a professional musician or audio engineer, but my buddies and I like to record some covers as a hobby. We play a lot of classic rock covers, Zeppelin, Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, etc. I was reading up on how they got some of those iconic drum and guitar tones and this mic came up time and time again, apparently it was the microphone of choice for Jimi Hendrix on his guitar and the mics used to get the huge John Bonham drum tone. We decided to add two of them to the mic collection and record some Zeppelin and Hendrix tunes. When I put it on the electric guitar, I was instantly pulled to the past, it was the closest my guitar rig has ever sounded to a classic recording. It had far more definition in the note attack than my previous microphone, and much warmer sounding with my Strat. When we did the drums, I had a mic on the kick and snare, then put the M160s farther back in the room. At first I wasnt getting that huge tone, but once I learned what compression was those two mics sounded bigger than anything we tried recording before. Im really glad we added these mics to the setup, finally able to make some recordings that sound like my heroes.

By Pete N on May 11, 2017

I run a medium-low budget project studio, but my studio has a few high-end preamps and excellent conversion. After purchasing this mic with an M130 and AEA TRP preamp for primarily acoustic guitars, I knew ahead of time that this mic would get a lot of use on other sources. I'm a horn specialist & multi-instrumentalist. Recently I tracked my tenor sax with this mic, and I was seriously floored with the sound. The tracks on tenor sax was like something you'd hear on any top-notch modern jazz or pop album. Overdubbing solos & horn-lines to beach-music type tunes, I honestly didn't need any EQ or compression - the tracks were that even, smooth & natural. I have a music partner who does a lot of songwriting, and he's tracked entire demos with just this one mic. Now, I just have to keep myself from taking this mic out of the studio to live gigs! I will buy another as soon as finances allow. Definitely a 'work-horse' mic. BTW, the gain & clarity on the AEA is amazing on these ribbon mics. I'll be trying the AEA on dynamics & tube condensers soon.

By Charles on February 22, 2017

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I would like to thank VK for the wonderful sales assistance, service and prices. This was my first purchase with you and it won't be my last. I only wish I'd discovered you years ago!
Matthew R.
I had two Grammy wins this year - Ray LaMontagne & Carolina Chocolate Drops. Both made with help from Vintage King!
Ryan F.
In almost 20 years in Pro audio buying, never did I receive a unit so well packed and exactly as described. Works flawlessly. The whole process has been so smooth. I will never hesitate to do business with you guys in the future and will recommend you to everyone I know.
Martin C.
This was my first experience buying something from Vintage King (although I surf the "used" categories on the website frequently!), and, despite being on the other side of the world, I had absolutely no trouble and everything went very smoothly.
Phil T.
The speed of delivery exceeded my expectations! I was VERY pleased that my shipment arrived in time for a scheduled vocal tracking session. The packing insured that my order arrived safely. And the sales staff responded quickly to questions regarding the product.
James P.
Thank you so much! Vintage King has been so fair and easy to work with. I can't thank you enough. It feels good to trust such a hefty purchase to folks who are so helpful and knowledgeable. Vintage King is a sound designers dream store.
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You guys have excellent customer service and I am excited about the next upgrade I complete on my fifth recording facility. I've been in the studio business for forty plus years. The salesman I worked with at Vintage King was the best of the best. You all rock!
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Jake D.
My experience with Vintage King was excellent. The order was here fast considering it was out of stock. The sales person had SKB send it to me directly and I couldn't have been more pleased.
Michael D.
From the minute I placed my order I was kept well-informed through each step in your process. Even though I was buying a comparatively modest piece of gear, your attention to detail made me feel like I was purchasing a six-figure mixing desk.
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