Microphones

Front 1

What is the Microphone, describe it's characteristics.

Back 1

This is the AKG C-12

* Soft High-frequency rise

* Good general-use vocal
microphone
* Remote pattern-select box

* These have original PVC
membranes (later models used
mylar)

* Ancestor of the AKG C-414

* Similar capsule and electronics to ELAM 251

Front 2

RCA 74-Jr Ribbon mic
Slightly hard high-frequency sound quality can accentuate detail and texture of reed instruments, horns, electric guitars. Can handle moderate to high SPL.

Back 2

Describe this Microphone

Front 3

RCA 44-DX Ribbon Microphone
Rich, dark microphone that sounds exceptional on deep voices and instruments, including string bass, organ and Johnny Cash.

Back 3

What is this Microphone?

Front 4

RCA 77-DX
Classic ribbon mic for voice, horns, strings. Has a mellow sound that blends well with complex arrangements and can be useful in combating sibilance. Can be switched to omni directional pattern by closing louver on rear of grille.

Back 4

Describe this microphone

Front 5

RCA BK-1
Omni directional dynamic mic. Can be used where a close mic is necessary on a loud source (guitar cabinet for example) but where pattern-induced proximity effect needs to be avoided. Can also be useful as an ambient mic where wide frequency response and fine detail are not needed. Okay, it's a dumb-sounding dynamic mic that has occasional uses.

Back 5

Describe this Microphone

Front 6

RCA BK-11
Late-stage ribbon mic with a neutral sound quality and moderate SPL capability. Can be useful in making thin or brittle acoustic instruments sound fuller. Has internal three-position low-frequency roll-off switch.

Back 6

What is this Microphone?

Front 7

RCA BK-5A
Ribbon mic with baffles that induce a cardioid polar response. Crisp, slightly aggressive HF response makes this a good choice for guitar cabinets, some vocalists. Has internal bass roll-off switch.

Back 7

Describe this mic

Front 8

Royer R121
Modern ribbon mic based on the bang and Olufsen/dynaco/Speiden design. Can handle much higher SPL than archaic designs. The rear pattern has a slight treble tilt compared to the front, which may make it preferable in some situations. Excellent on guitar cabinets, horns, harsh voices, drum overheads. Takes additive HF EQ very well. Sound quality similar to STC 4038, but with less proximity effect (bass boost) and higher SPL capability.

Back 8

What is this microphone?

Front 9

Royer R122
Active version of the Royer R121. Internal phantom-powered head
amplifier/buffer gives higher output and makes this more useful on quiet sound sources like acoustic string instruments, piano, voice. Conventional "passive" ribbon mics can be "tuned" by varying the load impedance the mic sees (the input impedance of the mic preamp), varying the sound quality by choosing different preamps. This mic does not exhibit this trait, as it is isolated by its buffer amplifier. This can be either good or bad, depending on your expectation.

Back 9

What is this Microphone?

Front 10

Royer SF-12
Stereo version of the Royer design, descended from the Speiden mic. Slightly lower output level and headroom than the R121, but very similar sound quality. Exceptional as a drum overhead or piano mic. Like most ribbon mics, it has a gradual HF roll-off, but has a usable response to well over 20kHz.

Back 10

Describe the Mic

Front 11

Schoeps M221 Tube Condensor
Exceptional acoustic instrument and ensemble mic. Pattern can be switched acoustically between cardioid and omni. Excellent sound quality, but has appreciable noise when used with high gain.

Back 11

What is this Microphone? Describe it's characteristics.

Front 12

Sennheiser 441
Bright hypercardioid dynamic mic that can handle very high SPL. Has variable bass roll-off.

Back 12

Who makes this microphone? Describe its characteristics.

Front 13

Sennheiser MD-409
Hypercardioid dynamic mic, useful for guitar cabinets, drums and vocals when pretending to be in Pink Floyd. Sometimes called a "Hi-Fi" SM57, whatever that means.

Back 13

Describe this microphone.

Front 14

Sennheiser MD-421
Versatile, general-purpose dynamic mic. Often used on bass drums, toms, snare, bass guitar, electric guitar, vocals, horns. Can handle extreme SPL. Has high-pass filter variable from flat ("M" for music) to strong hi-pass ("S" for speech).

Back 14

What is this microphone, describe it.

Front 15

Shure KSM 141
Versatile small-diaphragm condenser. Acoustic pattern can change from cardioid to omni (don't use in-between settings). Can handle high SPL, and has internal -10 and -25 dB pads, making it useful on snare drum, electric instruments and dynamite. This particular one is a prototype.

Back 15

Who makes this mic? Describe it's characteristics.

Front 16

Shure KSM-44
Versatile , neutral mic with very low noise floor. Suspension mount is bulky and cumbersome, but not usually necessary. This particular one is a prototype.

Back 16

Who makes this microphone? Describe its characteristics.

Front 17

Shure SM-57
Piece of shit dynamic mic some people are inexplicably crazy about. Sounds equivalently good on everything from snare drum to electric guitar. Unfortunately, not a very high standard of "Good." If you need to record something and there's no microphone available, this will do, I guess.

Back 17

Describe this mic.

Front 18

Shure SM-58
The vocalist's SM57. Serves them right. Excellent for holding onto and spitting into. Keep the windscreen clean so it doesn't smell like bad breath.

Back 18

Describe this mic.

Front 19

Shure SM-7
High quality dynamic vocal mic. Windscreen removes for extra orwellian futurism.

Back 19

Describe this microphone.

Front 20

Shure SM-98
Small cardioid condenser mic with nifty drum and stand-mounting gooseneck hardware. Can handle very high SPL and will fit almost anywhere. Hardware can be used to mount on frame of drums, rims, stands, brim of cowboy hat, collarbone...

Back 20

Describe this microphone.

Front 21

Sony C37p
Rich, smooth-sounding mic with good high-frequency response and moderate-to-high SPL capability. Often used on guitar cabinets, voice, and particularly on snare drum when low-frequency thickness must be combined with a dry, bright high-end. Similar to: Sony C48p, Josephson C609

Back 21

What is this microphone?

Front 22

Sony C48p
Exceptionally well-designed microphone that sounds good on almost everything. Low noise, extended, crisp high-end with smooth bass response. Has internal compartment for 9V battery, not necessary for normal phantom power use, but allows for use without external power. Can handle high SPL easily. Similar to: Sony C37p, AKG C414

Back 22

What is this microphone?

Front 23

Stapes Microphone
Electret Omni mic with nice construction and a tiny profile, sound quality is very similar to other mics of this type -- It's principle attribute is its small size, at no cost to utility or sound. Similar to: Normaphone N1, N5, Earthworks TC30k

Back 23

Describe this Microphone.

Front 24

Telefunken SM-2
Telefunken-branded version of Neumann SM2. Other than the logo plate, which does look more badass, they are identical.

Back 24

Describe this microphone.

Front 25

VTL CR-3A
Looks like a dime-a-dozen Chinese guitar store mic, but with VTL (Manley) electronics and strenuous capsule QC, it is an altogether different mic. Bright, clear high-end with plenty of headroom. Useful for guitar cabinets, crisp vocal and acoustic instruments.
Similar to AKG C414, Audio Technica 4033, Sony C48p

Back 25

Who makes this microphone? Describe it.

Front 26

Normaphone NVT 4.0
This is a Shure Beta Green 4.0 mic with a Greg Norman designed vacuum tube output stage using a plate-loaded 5703 tube. It can use any power supply for Neumann CMV 582 or CMV 563, Although it works best with a regulated supply. Very bright, zingy sound. Zingy.
Similar to: Lomo 19a-18, AKG C60/61

Back 26

What is this microphone?

Front 27

Normaphone N4
This is an electret microphone, transformer balanced, and phantom powered. It has a cardioid pic-up pattern and no low end. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it mumble mumble mumble.
Similar to: Normaphone N1, Stapes mic, Earthworks ZX30

Back 27

Describe this mic, who makes it?

Front 28

Neumann U67
Standard large-diaphragm, multipattern mic. Slightly brighter than Neumann U48 or 563.
Similar to: Neumann 563

Back 28

What is this microphone? Describe this microphone.

Front 29

Neumann U48
Famous as a vocal microphone, the U48 is also useful as an instrument and area microphone. The U48 differs from the U47 in that its two patterns are cardioid and figure-eight, while the U47 offers cardioid and omni.
Similar to:
Neumann 563, Lomo 19a13

Back 29

What is this microphone?

Front 30

Neumann SM-2
Dual nickel-diaphragm capsules (used also in Neumann KM56) with individually-selectable patterns. Often used as a mid-side microphone, useful as acoustic instrument and ensemble mic. Also good for drum overhead, piano or other stereo use. Has a bright, peaked response that can accentuate detail. Top capsule rotates through 180 degrees.
Similar to: AKG C24

Back 30

Describe this microphone.

Front 31

Neumann 582
Electronically very similar to Neumann 563. This takes an assortment of small diaphragm capsules including:
M70 (cardioid)
M94 (cardioid
M62 (cardioid)
M93 (omni
M58 (omni)
The 582 Can use same power supplies as Neumann 563. Not the lowest noise floor in the cabinet, but not normally a problem.
-10dB pads mount between capsule and body for high-SPL situations.
Similar to: Neumann 563, AKG C28, Gefell UM70

Back 31

Describe this microphone.

Front 32

Neumann 563
Nicknames: "Little Hitler," "Lollypop"
Triode tube mic with interchangeable capsules. M7 capsule is the cardioid forerunner of the U47 capsule, N55k capsule is a bright, large-diaphragm omni capsule. Useful as vocal and instrument mic with M7, acoustic guitar, drum overhead or ambient mic with N55k capsule. We have Neumann "kassette" powersupplies and modern regulated power supplies, which have less noise and more headroom. Some people prefer one or the other.
Similar to: Neumann U48, Neumann 582, Gefell UM70, Neumann U67

Back 32

Describe this microphone, and it's characteristics.