You know the scene in movies where a bomb defuser has the task of cutting the right wire to save the day? If the audio world had such a scenario, the protagonist would likely be dismantling a ribbon mic—cut the wrong proverbial wire, and it's "goodnight, sweet prince." Well, that's a bit of an overstatement, but it does capture the narrative that has long shrouded the enigmatic ribbon microphones. For years, ribbon mics have been seen as the delicate flowers of the audio community, to be handled with more care than a newborn panda. But is there any truth to these stories that have made us tiptoe around these seemingly terrifying devices?

The Ribbon Mic Urban Legends

They might not have the allure of Bigfoot sightings, but the myths surrounding ribbon microphones are almost as enduring. According to the collective wisdom (or paranoia) of audio enthusiasts, ribbons supposedly tremble beneath the mighty blast of an exhaled breath, require babysitters more vigilant than Nanny McPhee, and supposedly reset countdowns if you so much as whisper too loudly. It's an absurd level of caution that could put a bomb specialist to shame.

The 'No Door' Policy'

One urban legend suggests that ribbons dislike doors. There's a tale of an over-eager slam-shut that once silenced the ethereal voice of a choir and aged a sound engineer 10 years. It's this fear of even mild air movement that has resulted in folks avoiding ribbon mics in settings where anything less than vacuum stability is an impossibility.

Ohma's ribbon mics are crafted to be tougher than the average chap. Pre-stretched ribbons mean they can stand up to a bit more air than you’d think. Where conventional wisdom would dictate steering clear of ribbon mics for vocalists who pull out all the stops (and puffs), here, a pop filter is all you need to keep your ribbon safe.

Ribbons are so much more durable than most people imagine. Bands like Boygenius, Jane's Addiction, Ginger Root, Sunny Day Real Estate, Silversun Pickups, Manchester Orchestra, and Speedy Ortiz have used Ohma Ribbon mics on the road nightly to capture blazing guitar amps and heavy hitting drums.

In fact, one of our favorite places to use a ribbon mic is on a kick drum. We recommend placing it next to the port so that it doesn't take any direct blasts of air. While somebody plays the kick, use the back of your hand to see if you can feel any air and move back until no more air is felt. That's the safest place to position your ribbon.

The "Phantom Menace"

The story about phantom power being the ribbon's kryptonite? Myth. Ohma’s ribbon mics not only tolerate phantom power — they crave it. With an active buffer board in play, these mics are not only safe but also reaping the benefits of an extra sonic punch, enhancing performance with most preamps and providing extra gain. It allows you to use your Ohma mic with any ol' regular interface.

Though we recommend that you never hot patch your mic as that can short it and hurt the electronics. This goes for most microphones!

The 'Storage Wars'

It's said that ribbons must be stored like museum artifacts, stored upright to protect the integrity of the ribbon against the assault of gravity. The idea of storing your ribbon in a specific position is not true. Our ribbons are light enough and tuned in a way where gravity isn't going to pull the ribbon down and hurt it.

We do recommend covering your ribbon with something when it is not in use so that ferrous metal particles do not enter the inside. Your ribbon is surround by two large magnets that will pull any metal particles that float in the air directly into it. This can cause problems in the long run and the best way to prevent that is by storing it in its box.

It's A Mic, Not a Football

I mean, common sense would dictate that you don't use a microphone as a projectile, but dropping an Ohma ribbon isn’t the equivalent of slapping an 'I break at a whisper' sign on it. Don't do it, naturally, but don’t live in fear of accidentally knocking it over during a studio shuffle.

The Takeaway

The culture of caressing microphones like they're made of eggshells has dislodged itself from the realm of cautionary advice into urban legend territory. Yes, there are some guidelines—more like suggestions—on how to handle ribbon mics, but these stories of their fragility don't apply to the Ohma Ribbons. The next time you're in the studio with your Ohma ribbon microphone, treat it with the respect you’d afford any quality piece of gear. But don’t lose sleep over phantom power or storing it horizontally instead of vertically. After all, they're microphones, not Fabergé eggs.