Impressively affordable for a ribbon mic, the MXL R144 HE Heritage Edition is a bidirectional ribbon microphone that's built around a 1.8 micron aluminum ribbon. Though it's identical in composition to the R144, the R144 Heritage Edition is a member of MXL's Heritage Series, which means that this model comes with a vintage-styled satin finish for the aesthetically-inclined. If you need a workhorse ribbon mic, the MXL R144 HE is the microphone for you.