ROYER BULLETINS

Royer Labs is phasing out the use of lead based solders previously used in the manufacture of all models of its microphones. The decision was made to address the health related concerns that result from the use of lead. All products will bare a stamp that reads "RoHs Compliant".

Careful consideration was given to this subject long before RoHS became a buzz issue in our industry. Our engineers had concerns about conductivity and solder ability of ultra low impedance ribbon transducers and non-lead based materials. Fortunately, the new solders that meet the RoHS specifications actually have higher electrical conductivity properties than lead based solders

Definitions of RoHS Compliant Products

Pb-free
Mindspeed products that contain ≤ 0.1% lead by weight in homogeneous materials and can withstand 245C-260C maximum temperature profile per IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020C.
Green (RoHS compliant)
Mindspeed products that contain ≤ 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyls ethers (PBDE) and ≤ 0.01% for Cadmium and that meets the recommended maximum reflow temperature in accordance with IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020C.

Homogeneous Material
Homogeneous material means ‘of uniform composition, examples are individual types of plastics, ceramics, metals, alloys, paper, board, resins and coatings and mechanically disjointed means that materials can be, in principle, separated by mechanical actions such as unscrewing, cutting, crushing, grinding and abrasive processes. A semi-conductor package contains many homogeneous materials i.e. the impurity limit does NOT apply to entire component.

ROYER MICROPHONE & CABLE SET
PIN-OUT LEGEND

Effective 10/19/05

R-121, R-122, SF-1
Standard 3-Pin XLR
Pin 1                Ground
Pin 2                Signal Hot (+)
Pin 3                Signal Cold (-)

SF-12, SF-24
Standard 5-pin XLR
Pin 1                Ground
Pin 2                Upper transducer: Signal Hot (+)
Pin 3                Upper transducer: Signal Cold (-)
Pin 4                Lower Transducer: Signal Hot (+)
Pin 5                Lower Transducer: Signal Cold (-)

R-122V
7-Pin XLR
Pin 1                Ground
Pin 2                Signal Hot (+)  (unbalanced)
Pin 3                No Connection (open)
Pin 4                High DC Plate Supply Voltage (approximately 135-VDC)
Pin 5                Heater supply (6-Volts DC)
Pin 6                Ground
Pin 7                No Connection (open)

The optical black finish on the SF-24 microphone is actually a sophisticated surface treatment designed to refract light rather than reflect light. The purpose of the optical black finish and its properties are to make the microphone appear less conspicuous, especially when used with high intensity lighting or within a camera shot. The finish requires a certain amount of maintenance to retain a smooth, even appearance and to maintain its unique optical qualities.

The metal components of the microphone's case are comprised of a low carbon steel alloy. The outer surface is treated with a special process that is mainly responsible for the microphone's unique optical properties. The actual finish consists of black chrome oxide deposited over a nickel substrate. Together, this process creates a finish that minimizes the reflective nature of the metal surface. To protect this finish, a small amount of oil is worked into the finish at the factory. However, physically handling the microphone and absorbent materials (like the foam padding of the microphone case), as well as any cloth will draw out some of this oil due to "wicking" action. This may give the microphone an uneven appearance as the oils are drawn out of the microscopic surface layer. To renew the appearance of the microphone simply "massage" it gently with a lint free cloth treated with a small amount of light machine oil or WD-40™ applied to the cloth (not to the microphone!) will restore the microphone to "like new" appearance. Be very careful whenever working around the transducers to avoid contamination of the ribbon elements.

Age, handling, and naturally occurring atmospheric conditions will also cause physical changes in the appearance of the finish due to oxidation. This patina is quite normal and occurs slowly over time and is not considered an imperfection in the plating process. If you have any questions regarding the finish or care of this microphone please contact customer service at Royer Labs (818) 847-0121.

We are all concerned about the negative affects of depleting ozone in our upper atmosphere but have you considered the effects of too much ozone right here on terra firma?

There is a recent trend to use portable ozone generating machines in closed spaces like homes and recording studios to get rid of unwanted odors, such as smoke or mildew. Be aware that these devices can cause irreparable harm to anything that contains natural or synthetic rubber compounds. Microphones are extremely vulnerable because capsules and shock mounts use rubber to isolate components from vibration and low-frequency energy. Ozone will destroy these items in a very short period of time requiring a costly repair. Other devices are also at risk. Tape recorders, CD changers, DAT recorders and video recorders all use rubber components for shock absorption. And don't forget your speakers and microphone cables. Anything that has rubber, natural or synthetic, is at risk if you use an ozone generating device. Check with the manufacturer of these devices to see if they will guaranty that harmful amounts of ozone are not being produced. We have included a picture of an AT-84 shock mount that was ruined by an ozone generating machine. The shock is less than three months old!

Recently we have become aware of PS-101 copycat pop screens being distributed in the United States. They are being made in China and they are dead ringers for Royer Labs' PS-101, which is manufactured for Royer Labs by Stedman Corporation. Even though these pop screens look like the real McCoy, they differ greatly in performance. The patented expanded metal screen used for the genuine pop screen works very effectively, while the Chinese made copy does not! The Chinese version lacks the angled louvers that are at the heart of the pop screen and therefore acts more like a cloth pop filter than a pop screen. These versions do not effectively prevent P-popping and therefore we do not recommend their use. Please make sure you purchase a genuine Royer Labs or Stedman Pop Screen. The counterfeit versions are cheap, but they don't work well and are no bargain at any price.