M 160
BeyerdynamicReleased Dec 1, 1999 · Analysis updated Jun 26, 2026
Rare hypercardioid ribbon microphone with smooth midrange, avoiding crosstalk, for guitar amps, drums, and strings. The Beyerdynamic M 160 scores 92/100 based on 4 expert reviews in the external microphones category. Coverage includes reviews from Musiciannerd, Recordinghacks, Audiofanzine, and Tapeop.
Critic Score
What's this?based on 4 expert reviews
Low confidence · only 4 reviews
General agreement: our scores range from 88 (Tapeop) to 98 (Musiciannerd). Tapeop tends to score generously across our dataset.
Average of 4 publication reviews, each normalized to a 0–100 scale. How we score
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Pros
- Hypercardioid pattern is rare and useful for a ribbon mic(2)
- Hypercardioid polar pattern helps avoid crosstalk(2)
Cons
- Too 'colored' for some as a drum overhead(2)
4 Publication Reviews
AI summary of this review
The Beyerdynamic M160 is one of my favorite microphones, and I'm beyond excited for the chance to review it today.
Score estimated from the review text
AI summary of this review
It’s hard not to like this mic; I don’t have anything bad to say.
Score estimated from the review text
AI summary of this review
The M160 is a unique and iconic mic that remains difficult to fault, offering a balance of naturalness and openness alongside the smoothness expected from a ribbon microphone.
Score estimated from the review text
AI summary of this review
The M 160 is a unique hypercardioid ribbon mic that is particularly praised for its smooth midrange on guitar amps and its ability to capture sources with minimal room bleed.
Score estimated from the review text
