Popping back into Andertons felt like visiting family. Lee Anderton and I slipped straight into that familiar British banter about whether it’s “schedule” or “shedule,” “envelope” or “onvelope,” and if anyone here actually says “one twenty-one.” But behind the jokes, we were there for something serious — a blind shootout. No bias, no labels, just two ribbon mics, an SM57, and our ears.
Setting the Scene
We wanted to find out how the brand-new Warm Audio Fen-tone holds up against the industry favourite Royer R-121— both paired with a Shure SM57, placed precisely the same distance from the centre of a Celestion Alnico Goldspeaker.
Each setup was identical: same cab, same amp, same performance, same mic positioning. We recorded two takes, labelled A and B. Neither of us knew which was which. It was a true blind comparison — no preconceptions, just tone.
The Lineage Behind the Mic
Despite its modest size, the original Bang & Olufsen BM3 ribbon mic looms large in recording history. In the US it was imported by Fenton and sold as the Fen-tone, which is the name Warm Audio have revived. The new model pays faithful homage to the BM3’s silhouette — even keeping the decorative “collar” around the base — while adding modern practicality.
Under the grille, Warm Audio have opted for smart engineering choices rather than museum-grade replication. The ribbon is made from pure aluminium, not the alloy used in vintage models, and it’s mounted dead-centre for a true figure-8 pattern. That means it can double beautifully in a Blumlein pair or as the “side” in an
M-S setup.
And here’s the modern twist: the Fen-tone can run passive or active, thanks to a fixed-gain internal preamp that adds a clean 26 dB boost when phantom power is applied. That’s a serious advantage if your preamp doesn’t offer masses of gain or you’re running long cable runs.
On paper, Warm quote a frequency response of 30 Hz–15 kHz (±3 dB), with a gentle lift around 2 kHz and a smooth roll-off above 10 kHz — classic ribbon territory.
The Blind Test Begins
Lee played a beautifully refreshed PRS Singlecut 594 — updated by Paul Reed Smith himself — through a simple overdrive setup, riding the guitar volume to go from chime to push.
We sat back and listened blind.
Both combinations sounded excellent, but Mic B caught our attention almost immediately. The low end felt flatter and more even — less lumpy, more natural — and the overall tone closer to what we were hearing in the room. Mic Asounded great, but B just sat more comfortably in the mix, with the ribbon and 57 seeming to “click” together.
Then we pushed into more driven territory. Differences narrowed, but B still held its composure, with a balanced low end and a coherent image.
When the reveal came, it surprised at least one of us.
Mic B was the Warm Audio Fen-tone.
Mic A was the Royer R-121.
What We Heard
Soloing the individual mics explained the chemistry. The SM57 brought its usual midrange bite and presence — the sound of countless records. The ribbon added width and warmth, the low-end glue that makes a guitar tone feel finished.
The R-121 sounded a touch more modern and hi-fi on its own — perfect as a solo mic. The Fen-tone, meanwhile, brought an even, cooperative low end that blended effortlessly with the 57. It didn’t hype or smear, it just sat right.
In that sense, the Fen-tone wasn’t a copy of the Royer’s refinement but a return to the smooth, balanced sound of the original BM3. In a mix, that even low end and stable phase relationship make life much easier.
Measured Reality
In broader testing, the Fen-tone aligns closely with the BM3 between 100 Hz and 10 kHz — exactly where most of the musical action lives. The very lowest octave (below 80 Hz) can be a little softer than some modern designs, but in active mode the bass response tightens up.
It’s also impressively quiet in both modes, and while Warm’s quoted output impedance of 300 Ω measured closer to 600 Ω on our unit, it made no audible difference. Passive sensitivity is perfectly healthy, and the built-in gain stage is genuinely clean — not the hissy circuit you sometimes find in cheaper active ribbons.
Build and Value
You get a tough Peli-style case and a simple clip. No shockmount, but a decent branded mic sock for protection. The Fen-tone is smaller and lighter than either the BM3 or the Royer, partly because its shell metal is thinner. And yes, it’s very shiny.
Warm Audio have built a reputation for honouring classics and keeping prices reasonable. The Fen-tone isn’t quite the bargain that some of their other releases are, sitting around mid-range for a modern ribbon. Still, none of its rivals — not even the Extinct Audio BM9, Royer R-10 or Samar AL95 — offer this blend of BM3 styling and switchable active circuitry.
Key Takeaways from the Blind Shootout
1 The SM57 still rules for immediacy and cut.
2 The Fen-tone blends beautifully with it, giving roundness and dimension without mud.
3 Blind, both sounded professional — you wouldn’t know which was which without labels.
4 The Fen-tone’s even low end makes it very mix-friendly, especially when layering guitars or fitting around bass.
5 The active mode is a bonus, saving you an inline preamp and keeping noise low.
Final Thoughts
This was no sponsored demo and no setup was weighted in favour of one mic. It was a proper blind shootout — two engineers listening, reacting and only learning which mic was which after forming our opinions.
The result? Warm Audio’s Fen-tone genuinely impressed. It delivers the smoothness of a true ribbon, the reliability of modern engineering, and the flexibility of active or passive operation — all while staying faithful to the understated charm of the original Bang & Olufsen BM3.
If you already love your Royer, keep loving it. But if you want something that nails the classic ribbon feel, pairs perfectly with a 57, and performs beautifully under blind conditions, the Warm Audio Fen-tone absolutely earns its name back from history.
Huge thanks to Lee and the entire Andertons crew for the hospitality, the humour, and the honesty. Leave your thoughts below — which mic would you pick blind?
Check Out The Warm Audio Fen Tone: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/7aYX1r
Check Out Royer Labs R-121: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/OrRjWr
Check Out Shure SM 57: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/k0g3Lx
Speaker Used: Celestion Alnico Goldspeaker
