The M 160 doesn’t tame harshness by rolling off highs—it reshapes them with physics, not filters.
The Beyerdynamic M 160 is a hypercardioid ribbon microphone introduced in 1957. It uses dual 15-mm aluminum ribbons suspended between alnico magnets, rotated 90° to achieve end-address directionality. It softens strident sound sources without dulling transients. It was used by Eddie Kramer on Jimi Hendrix’s vocals and amplifier and by Andy Johns on John Bonham’s drums for 'When the Levee Breaks.' It remains in production after over six decades.
It was built for broadcast speech and loud music—not studio versatility, but focused control.
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How directionality is engineered
Two 15-mm ribbons, rotated 90°, suspended in alnico fields—that’s how it achieves hypercardioid directionality.
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Harshness, not high end, is what it corrects
It softens strident sources without sacrificing presence—no EQ needed.
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What it actually recorded—and why
Its legacy isn’t nostalgia—it’s repeatable results on amplifiers and drums at extreme SPLs.
Worth your time?
Yes. Use the whole thing.
4.5/ 5
What works
softening harshness while preserving transients
rejecting rear sound in tight rooms
handling high SPLs without distortion
What does not
roll off high frequencies aggressively
offer switchable polar patterns
include built-in attenuation
tolerate phantom power
Use it if
engineers tracking loud sources with natural compression
broadcasters needing off-axis rejection
studios prioritising durability over flexibility
Skip it if
beginners unfamiliar with ribbon handling
users requiring figure-8 or omni patterns
those needing extended sub-40 Hz response
The written brief1 min read
What it is and what it was built for
A hypercardioid ribbon microphone introduced in 1957. Built for speech in broadcasting and music in live concerts and the recording studio.
How it works, in terms a player would use
It uses two 15-mm aluminum ribbons suspended between alnico magnets. The ribbon assembly is turned 90 degrees to make it end-address. This gives it a hypercardioid pattern.
What it does better than anything else
It softens strident sound sources more smoothly than most ribbons—without dulling transients—thanks to its dual-ribbon hypercardioid design.
What it does badly
It cannot reject sound from the rear as tightly as a condenser with switchable patterns. It offers no built-in attenuation, so loud sources risk overloading the ribbons if not positioned carefully.
What people made with it
Eddie Kramer used it on Jimi Hendrix’s vocals and amplifier. Andy Johns used it to capture John Bonham’s drum tone on Led Zeppelin’s ‘When the Levee Breaks.’
Who should use it, and who should not
Engineers tracking guitar cabinets, brass, aggressive vocals, or room mics where directionality and natural compression matter. Not for beginners unfamiliar with ribbon handling or phantom power risks.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you need a directional ribbon that tames harsh sources and can handle high SPLs without a pad. No—if you need figure-8 rejection, low-end extension below 40 Hz, or immunity to phantom power mishaps.
