Ribbon microphones were staples in recording and broadcast studios between the ’30s and ’50s, before the bulkiness (typically due to the size of the magnet and ribbon required to produce an adequate amount of output) and relative fragility (explosive input signals such as coughing and blowing could shred the ribbon to pieces) of early models caused them to be replaced by dynamic and condenser mics. Despite the hassles, vintage ribbons such as the RCA 77A and 44B/BX are worshipped by many engineers because of their naturalness and warmth—qualities that make them especially suitable for digital recording.

The Apex210 ($329 retail/$229 street) is Canada-based Apex’s first foray into the world of ribbon mics, and, after using it for a couple of weeks, I’d say they’re off to a good start. The Apex210 sports a vintage look and feel—right down to its built-in standmount and non-detachable cable—and it appears to be sturdily constructed. The mic also cops a lot of classic ribbon vibe sound-wise, exhibiting a very smooth and natural response. The high frequencies are somewhat muted, which is partially due to the nature of ribbon mics in general, although some manufacturers have devised technologies that compensate for this, and I suspect that’s part of what you don’t get for the modest cost of the Apex210.

I used the Apex210 on several sessions. On instruments that produce limited high frequencies—such as a vintage Martin ukulele, an African kalimba, and large hand drums—the microphone captured the performances in great detail, and the recordings sounded full and rich. Acoustic guitars and other instruments with extended and/or complex highs, on the other hand, lacked airiness and sparkle, and I found myself blending the Apex210’s signal with a condenser mic to get the right balance of frequencies.

The Apex210 really shone on guitar amps, which don’t have a lot of ultra-highs happening anyway. When recording quietly played parts through the clean channel of a Rivera Chubster 55, the Apex210 captured every subtlety. Funky rhythm parts played with the amp slightly cranked had plenty of presence and punch. The real excitement, however, came while recording heavily distorted power chords. By positioning the microphone about four inches from the outer cone of the speaker, the ribbon’s natural proximity effect added such weightiness and chunk that the amp sounded more like a stack than a 1x12 combo—and with hard rock attitude to burn.

I wouldn’t recommend buying an Apex210 unless you already have a good dynamic and at least one decent condenser. But as an addition to those essential mics—particularly as a secret weapon to capture sounds you simply can’t get otherwise—this microphone is a wonderful gateway into the world of ribbons, and an absolute steal for the money.