Calidus Tube Ribbon Mic

PRODUCT INFORMATION

About the Calidus Tube Ribbon Microphone

The Greenbox Calidus Tube Ribbon Microphone was designed to deliver a sophisticated, natural, and immersive sound, combining the delicacy and musicality characteristic of ribbon microphones with the harmonic richness of a tube circuit.

Ribbon microphones are renowned for their ability to reproduce sound with extreme naturalness, smooth high frequencies, and excellent transient response. The Calidus takes this characteristic to a new level by combining the ribbon element with a carefully engineered tube circuit, resulting in a warm, full-bodied tone.

Its figure-8 pickup pattern provides a natural and highly musical response, allowing for the capture of both the primary sound source and the room's ambience. This sonic profile makes the Calidus an especially compelling tool for recording vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, amplifiers, brass, strings, drum overheads, and various other acoustic sources.

The result is a sound characterized by depth, body, and smoothness, preserving recording details without introducing overly aggressive or artificial high frequencies.

Ribbon and Tube Circuit

At the heart of the Calidus lies the combination of its ribbon element and a tube circuit engineered to work in perfect harmony with it.

The ribbon delivers the classic sonic signature of ribbon microphones: a natural tone, smooth response, and an exceptional ability to capture the nuances of the sound source. Meanwhile, the tube adds a rich harmonic structure to the signal, imparting a greater sense of body, dimension, and musicality.

A key feature distinguishing the Calidus is its dual-audio-transformer architecture, with each transformer designed to perform a specific function within the signal chain.

Immediately following the ribbon element is a toroidal transformer with a nanocrystalline core; this component was carefully selected to match the signal from the ribbon, preserving its sonic characteristics while ensuring excellent audio signal transfer performance. From this initial stage, the signal proceeds to the tube circuit, where it receives the necessary amplification and acquires the harmonic richness characteristic of tube technology.

In the next stage—following the tube—lies the Mu-Metal core output transformer, responsible for the final signal coupling and delivering the audio to the microphone's output.

This architecture—combining a ribbon element, a nanocrystalline toroidal transformer, a tube, and a Mu-Metal core output transformer—creates a signal chain carefully engineered to deliver harmonic richness, body, depth, and naturalness.

The result is a microphone with a distinctive yet extremely versatile sonic signature, capable of excelling in both modern recordings and productions seeking a more classic, organic aesthetic.

Dual Output Transformers

The Calidus design employs two audio transformers with distinct characteristics along the signal path, each serving a specific function.

The first transformer, located immediately after the ribbon element, features a toroidal construction and a nanocrystalline core. It receives the signal generated by the ribbon element and performs the necessary impedance matching for integration into the microphone's electronic circuitry.

After this initial stage, the signal passes through the tube circuit, which is responsible for amplification and the design's characteristic harmonic profile.

In the final stage, the signal from the tube is routed to the second transformer—featuring a Mu-Metal core—which handles the microphone's output signal coupling.

Using two transformers with different core technologies allows each stage to be optimized for its specific function, resulting in a sophisticated and meticulously developed audio chain.

Premium Domestically Manufactured Transformers

The transformers used in the Calidus are custom-made for Greenbox, utilizing selected materials and construction specifications carefully tailored for professional audio applications. The design employs two distinct audio transformers:

Input transformer — nanocrystalline toroidal core: located after the ribbon element, it was developed to match the ribbon signal with excellent efficiency while preserving the pickup's sonic characteristics.

Output transformer — Mu-Metal core: located after the tube circuit, it handles the final signal coupling, contributing to audio transfer to the microphone output and shaping the unit's sonic signature.

The use of a nanocrystalline core for the transformer paired with the ribbon, alongside a Mu-Metal core for the output transformer, demonstrates the meticulous care taken in developing the Calidos, utilizing technologies traditionally prized in high-end audio applications.

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