Stager Microphones are high end ribbon microphones from Nashvillle, Tennessee.
Stager Microphones – ribbon mics hand built in Nashville
It is not uncommon in the recording technology world that simply last names of the founders are being used for company names. So as Matt Stager is the person behind the company, he used his own name for his microphones.
To pronounce „Stager“ properly, do not think of „stage“, like in live performances. Combine „steak“ and „tiger“ to „Stager“ instead.
When you buy a Stager, you get a ribbon microphone that has been developed and handmade in one of the world's musical top spots: Nashville, TN. Nashville's vibrant recording scene is capable of
The housings are a rugged straightforward, no-frills design. Stager uses different sizes and thicknesses of aluminium ribbon materials and mostly Neodymium magnets for a strong magnetic field. The key feature is undoubtedly the step-up transformer. Why? Because Stager build their own transformers to be able to gain full control over the sound.
There are quite a bunch of ribbon microphone manufacturers around. So why should you choose Stager? First of all: They sound massive! This is not your daily dose of exaggerated marketing claims – they DO sound massive. The low end the Stager ribbon mics capture is huge, but still always very controlled. No problem to tame with an EQ. But from vocals (crooners!) to drum-kits (overheads, mid-kit, FOK…) to deep cabinets… if you use a Stager, you will not regret it. The mids are astonishingly balanced, the trebles are very, very detailed and clear, even when put up close to the sound source. You can throw anything at them, they are all true allrounders. Stager's microphones sound like the most high-end ones, even if their price tag tells something different. You will be amazed how affordable they are compared to other high end ribbon mics Made in USA.
There are several models available, with the Stager SR-1A being the flagship. It uses ultra-heavy Alnico magnets, a basis for a vintage sound. SR-1 for many is the go-to vocal ribbon microphone, but anybody reducing its use to voice would definitely miss out a lot. SR-3 has a similar looking vintage housing and a very long, but thinner ribbon. Not that heavy, ist is also cheaper and described a tad cleaner. SR-66 offers the long ribbon in a compact housing and even more affordable. SR-2N is probably the most versatile workhorse, used in stereo pairs or as the SR-2N in Blumlein or MS configuration, it is being loved a lot – and not only in Nashville! Stager's SR-5 is a hypercardioid microphone, suited for studio and live situations and literally any kind of signal.
|
Model |
Type |
Ribbon |
Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR-1A | Flagship | 2.5 micron, 2“ | Alnico |
| SR-3 | Super long Ribbon | 1.8 Micron 3’’ | Neodymium |
| SR-2N | Compact | 1.8 Micron, 2’’ | Neodymium |
| Stereo SR-2N | Blumlein & MS | 2 x 1.8 Micron, 2’’ | Neodymium |
| SR-5 | Hyper-Cardioid front fire | 1.8 Micron, 1’’ | Neodymium |
| SR-66 | Compact | 3’’ | Neodymium |