Electro-Voice V-1 High Impedance Ribbon Microphone (1934 – 1950’s)

Always exciting unwrapping a new vintage microphone that has just arrived!

Launched in 1934, the Electro-Voice V-1 gave the purchaser the opportunity to acquire a well-designed, quality ribbon microphone at a budget price. Costing $25 the V-1 was less than half the price of an RCA 44BX!

Even by 1947 this art deco gem in gleaming chrome was still only $32.85.

The Electro-Voice V-1 also had one feature that set it aside from the competition……….. It was the first microphone to be fitted with a humbucking coil. This meant that it could be operated in proximity to other electrical equipment (such as amplifiers) without suffering from the 60Hz mains hum which plagued many PA microphones of the period. Electro-Voice co-owner Al Kahn found the inspiration for this exciting new development from reading, in an old technical publication, about what he describes as “an ancient watt meter- patented in 1892 or thereabouts”. This meter featured a balanced winding which cancelled any 60 Hz mains hum that might be picked up. He recalled “A little light bulb went off above my head, and I rushed back… got some tin snips, cut some laminations out, and I made a transformer and put it in and it worked!”

90 years on, ‘humbucking’ coils feature in a whole range of manufacturer’s equipment, including the likes of Sennheiser and AKG. In 1935 Arnold Lesti patented the first humbucking guitar pickups. All thanks to Al Kahn’s ‘light bulb’ moment!

Connection is via a single-contact unbalanced Amphenol plug.

Where possible, I have always been a fan of leaving vintage microphones in their original condition. They provide an invaluable window into the evolution of audio, and I am always keen to hear what interesting colouration and texture they might bring to the sound. All too often when microphones have been ‘modified’ or ‘upgraded,’ the unique character of the original is lost and gone for ever.  As luck would have it my newly acquired Electro-Voice V-1 appears to be pretty much as it was when it left the factory in Buchannan Michigan around 1950.  Soooo… Let’s find out what this Electro-Voice V-1 really sounds like.         

 CLICK HERE to hear guitar and vocals.

Conclusion

During the decades that Electro-Voice was owned by Al Kahn and Lou Burroughs, microphone production was characterised by creative and innovative design. Apart from the hum-bucking V-1, we also have the ingenious T45 which revolutionised battlefield communication in WWII. After the war, as the company grew, Kahn and Burroughs surrounded themselves with a talented team. This included the brilliant Wayne A. Beaverson who was responsible for patenting the first modern shotgun microphone. In 1963 the EV642 won an Academy Award ‘Oscar’ for its role in dramatically changing the way in which dialogue is recorded in the film industry. Also worthy of mention is the famous Electro-Voice Variable ‘D’ design, first developed in the 50’s, which is still to be found in studios all over the world, mostly in the form of the legendary RE20.   

Kahn and Burroughs are long gone but their legacy, right back to the 1930’s, lives on! 

MY DAD – DECCA RECORDS – & THE MARCONI-REISZ MICROPHONE.

Manchester BMG Club (Frank Mitchell 2^nd row 3^rd from left)

Spindler’s Banjo Quartet.  (Frank Mitchell 2^nd from left)

In 1928, at the age of 17, my dad, Frank Mitchell, an apprentice brick layer and enthusiastic amateur banjo player, joined the Manchester Banjo Mandolin & Guitar Club. The Manchester BMG musical director was George Spindler, a master tailor, and talented zither banjo player. Mr Spindler is seated to the left of the shield in the top photo and 3^rd from the left in the Quartet picture. The club met every week in a room above a shop at 100 Upper Brook St, Manchester.

Apart from the full BMG orchestra Mr Spindler also led a Banjo Quartet (pictured above) and a larger banjo ensemble rather grandly named ‘G. R. Spindler & His Mamelok Banjo Band’ (sadly no photo survives).  At the time, the banjo was enjoying a wave of popularity, and a few months after Frank Mitchell joined, the band was invited by the recently formed Decca Records to record at their studio on London’s Kings Rd.

Chenil Galleries, 181–183 King’s Road, Chelsea

Timeline

• The Decca Record Company began trading on 28^th February 1929.
• In September/October 1929 the company fully refitted its Chenil Galleries studio.
• November 20^th 1929 G.R. Spindler & His Mamelok Banjo Band arrived to record tracks for a 78rpm gramophone record.

Equipment?

Over a number of years I have researched in vain to discover what equipment, specifically microphone, was used at this new Decca Studio. I have trawled through every scrap of information I could find about the early days of the company. I have written to Decca several times and received no reply. There is a wealth of material about the later Decca Studio at Broadhurst Gardens, but nothing emerged about the original studio in Chelsea. And then………. A few months ago I finally came across this photograph………..

Ambrose and his Orchestra taken at Chenil Galleries studio on Dec 30^th 1929, only a few weeks after G.R.Spindler & His Mamelok Banjo Band! There at the front of the picture is a Marconi-Reisz carbon microphone identical to the one which for many years has sat on the desk next to my computer!

At the back of the Ambrose photograph we can also see a second Marconi-Reisz which may perhaps have been used for talk-back.

Now as I sit here looking at my classic art deco, Marconi-Reisz, I can picture my Dad, Frank Mitchell, back in 1929 playing his banjo in that Decca studio facing an identical microphone.

Unfortunately my Marconi-Reisz has never worked quite as well as it should, and over the next few months I will check out the mica diaphragm, renew the carbon granules, and maybe try it with a different pre-amp. Listening to these early Decca recordings it is immediately apparent that the Marconi-Reisz is in fact a surpisingly capable carbon microphone, with a frequency response well suited to 78rpm recording.

CLICK HERE to listen to the complete Decca Recordings of ‘G.R. SPINDLER & HIS MAMELOK BANJO BAND’.

Following the first session at Decca, the record was well reviewed in several magazines. The reviewer in ‘The Gramophone’ said that he prefered it to all the other banjo records that week ‘because it has more banjos’!  What greater praise can you have?! Radio appearances also followed, and in July 1930 the band returned to Chenil Galleries to complete 4 more tracks for Decca.

Frank Mitchell and colleague relaxing on Blackpool beach in 1929 after winning the BMG “Rhythm” Challenge shield (see top picture).

P.S.

Just found this page from the BMG Magazine in October 1957 amongst my Dad’s old music.

MERRY MICROPHONES TO ALL 2023 !

For more than a decade my live recordings of Martin Jarvis reading Richmal Crompton’s ‘Just William’ stories have been a regular feature of Christmas programming for BBC Radio 4.  Over the years all of these brilliant performances have all been captured using the same microphone.

The AKG C414BTL perfectly reproduces every nuance of the actor’s voice from a shout to a confidential whisper and Martin Jarvis is an artist who really understands how to use the microphone. He can also turn the pages of a script silently! So if you are around on Christmas Eve at 7.15pm (GMT) tune in and enjoy!

And if you miss it there is a repeat on Friday Dec 29^th at 10pm on Radio 4 Extra. After that it will be available online for a while. Have a great Christmas!

Extinct Audio BoRbon Pocket Ribbon Microphone

It is always a joy to come across a brand new microphone which is not simply another clone of an old favourite (usually a Neumann U87)!

With the BoRbon Pocket Ribbon Microphone, Extinct Audio have created an unusual and distinctive design unlike any other microphone I can think of!   

The body is laser-grade plywood made from sustainably sourced birch.

There are different options for the front and back: wooden mics with walnut sheets or tortoise shell effect in acrylic. The ribbon motor inside is nickel plated magnetic steel.

Technical Details

Output impedance = 200 ohms at 1KHz
Directional Pattern: Offset figure-8 (the ribbon is 2mm closer to the
front of the microphone.)
Transducer Element:  Aluminum ribbon
Frequency range: 50 Hz – 15 kHz @ ±6dB. (excludes proximity effect)
Maximum SPL: 130dB @ 20 Hz
Sensitivity: 1.6 mV/Pa, -56 dBv/Pa at 1 kHz
Self noise (thermal): -132 dBV at 20ºC (20 kHz bandwidth).
Signal to noise (1kHz at 1 Pa): 79 dB.
Proximity effect: Strong
Electronics: Passive. No power required
Output configuration: Transformer balanced
Output Connector: XLR3, Pin 2= +ve, Pin 3 = -ve, Pin 1 = Ground
Weight: 135g (120g Woody version)
Size 85 x 42 x 42 mm.

The BoRbon is supplied with a delightfully simple plywood stand mount which fixes easily to the XLR plug and also incorporates a threaded microphone stand adapter (see photos above).

If shock mounting is required to protect against unwanted vibration through the microphone stand, a Rycote Universal Shock Mount may be used.

This neat little transducer is part of a long tradition of small British ribbon microphones. Back in the 50’s and 60’s we had a variety of diminutive ribbons from the likes of Reslo, Grampian, Tannoy and STC. However, appearances can be deceptive, and although the BoRbon is only 5% of the weight of an RCA44 and a fraction of the size, its output level is very similar!

Looking Coooool is all very well but What Does It Sound Like?

Over the coming weeks I shall be employing it on a variety of different projects. Being a brand new design the BoRbon has not yet had chance to build up a reputation in any particular field. So let’s find out what it can do!

CLICK HERE to hear it in action on Electric and Acoustic Guitars

Appologies

The recording below has just been removed by SoundCloud because they claim it is by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with violinist Kim Chee-Yun !!!! Whilst this is deeply flattering, it is also annoying! So am now waiting for the dispute to be resolved!

UPDATE 2 days later.

Can’t be bothered to wait for SoundCloud to get around to realising that they have made a mistake and so I have put a YouTube video together using the very same audio clip from the concert along with some photos from the afternoon rehearsal. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE to hear Violin and full Orchestra

Many thanks to 19 year old Violinist Isaac Williams winner of Gloucestershire Young Musician of The Year 2023 and Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra. The recording was made in a 1930’s church with not the best acoustics. The BoRbons, set as a Faulkner Array, have done a great job of cutting down the unwanted side reflections.

CLICK HERE for Vocal recording

CLICK HERE for Gipsy Jazz Recording of Swing From Paris.

Conclusion.

The Extinct Audio BoRbon is an extremely versatile and highly manoeuvrable small ribbon microphone with performance qualities normally associated with much larger and more expensive models.

Soooo……. With Christmas coming up here is the perfect gift for any sound engineer.

Roland CS-10EM Binaural Microphones/Earphones

Binaural microphones seek to emulate the characteristics of human hearing in order to produce recordings which when played back via headphones recreate a realistic 3D stereo illusion of the original sound stage.

Back in the 1970’s I first became aware of binaural sound when the BBC broadcast a pioneering mystery radio drama, written by Andrew Sachs, called ‘The Revenge’. It was 20 minutes long and packed with dramatic action, but contained no dialogue! The play was recorded using a dummy head affectionately known as ‘Fritz’ with microphones built into his ears. 50 years ago headphone listening was not generally common, and most people listened to their audio through loudspeakers. At that time the downside of binaural audio was that it is only truly effective when played back via headphones, and therefore had somewhat limited appeal.

Fritz

Scroll forward to the present and there has been a considerable resurgence of interest in binaural audio. From the arrival of the Sony Walkman around 1980 through to the present day there has been a shift in listening habits from the shared experience to the personal. Thanks to mobile devices, streaming, and every other kind of online delivery, more and more of us choose to listen to our sounds via headphones/earphones.

Binaural Microphones

Dummy head binaural microphones like ‘Fritz’, have become a popular tool. Amongst the ASMR community dummy heads are frequently used to record ASMR triggers. Binaural sound has also found a home in the world of computer games and immersive film. Major manufacturers such as Neumann, AKG and Sennheiser have all produced their own dummy heads, and owners give them suitable names! This one below is call Martin and today he is wearing the Roland CS-10EM Binaural Microphones/Earphones.   

As you can see, rather than employing a costly ‘dummy head’, the Roland CS-10EM uses the owner’s own head with the microphones/earphones inserted into the ear canals. Whilst the Roland CS-10EM may not be able to match the audio finesse of the £7,000 Neumann KU100 dummy head, when it comes to field recording there is nevertheless a great deal to recommend these miniature transducers. A full size dummy head is awkward to carry about and not always easy to position. On the other hand, the CS-10EM are extremely light and unobtrusive and can be used in conjunction with most of the handheld recorders on the market today. I also very much like the way that the wearer can simply direct the attention of the listener with natural movements of the head.

So what do they sound like?  

CLICK HERE for GUITAR WITH TRAFFIC  The sound in Keith Thomson’s studio was rather too ‘dry’, and so we decided to experiment in the street! I particularly like the ‘Disco Car’ and the car which goes right to left on the last chord adding a strange sort of phasing effect.

CLICK HERE for VINTAGE STEAM TRAIN Fantastic percussion!

In Conclusion

Packed up and ready to go! My Roland CS-10EM Microphones/Earphones and my old faithful M-Audio MicroTrack 11.

It would be difficult to imagine a smaller, neater 96kHz 24 bit Binaural Recording system which can be deployed in seconds in almost any location.

ROLAND CS-10EM TECHNICAL  SPECIFICATION

TWO FUNCTIONS IN ONE

The CS-10EM provides combined in-ear monitoring and binaural recording, enhancing the convenience and enjoyment of field recording — a great companion for the Roland R-05, R-09HR, and R-07 field recorders. Simply wear the microphone-equipped earphones and capture what you hear, then listen back instantly. You can enjoy realistic sound as if you were there. You can also monitor while recording thanks to the CS-10EM’s all-in-one design

CS-10EM

MICROPHONE

Element

Electret Condenser

Polar Pattern

Omnidirectional

Frequency Response

20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Open Circuit Sensitivity

-40 dB 1V/Pa

S/N

Greater than 60 dB

Impedance

2.2 kΩ

Current Consumption

500 μA

Power Requirements

2 V to 10 V

EARPHONE

Type of Construction

Dynamic

Driver

φ12.5mm

Sensitivity

102 dB/1mW, 500 Hz

Maximum Input

200 mA

Frequency Response

15 Hz to 22,000 Hz

Impedance

16 Ω

.

Weight

4.5 g (without cord)

Cord

1.5 m

Plug

Stereo mini (gold-plated) x 2

Accessories

Carrying Pouch, Ear pieces (S, M, L)

Sennheiser e608 Super-cardioid Dynamic Clip-on Microphone

Over the years I have gathered together a useful collection of what I would describe as ‘workhorse’ microphones. Most of them are not models of historic importance, and few are covered in shining chrome. However, what they have in common is that they are all great performers in their particular field. When an artist walks out on stage to give of their best, these are microphones that can be relied upon to deliver that performance to the audience.

Small, lightweight and unobtrusive, the Sennheiser e608 is one such example. Designed for use on brass and drums, the e608 easily clips on to the bell of the horn, or on to the rim of the drum. From there it can then be precisely positioned using the fully adjustable flexible gooseneck.

The dynamic capsule is provided with a neat, and very effective, rubber shock mount, providing excellent insulation from mechanical noise. Despite its diminutive looks it is a robust microphone capable of handling high SPLs. Also, having a small, and extremely light diaphragm, the e608 is able to effortlessly capture rapid transients and fine detail. In addition, the e608 has a super-cardioid polar pattern giving it excellent gain before feedback.

CLICK HERE to listen to the warm smooth bass of the Euphonium contrasted with the rapid transients and wide dynamic range of the Snare drum

Tech Spec.

In favour of clip-ons.

As a live engineer I must confess that I am a huge fan of clip-on microphones for brass players. Not only does it give the player great freedom of movement on stage, but at the same time maintains a fixed distance between microphone and instrument. This brings great joy and happiness to the person operating the FOH mixing desk!

Without this simple tool, it is surprising how many brass players seem to be incapable of maintaining anything like a constant relationship to the microphone. Some years ago I worked with a sax player whose somewhat erratic style of delivery was legendary. He seemed to have an aversion to actually pointing his instrument at the microphone. In the middle of a solo he would suddenly step back for no apparent reason, or swing the instrument off to one side, causing dramatic and unwanted changes in level through the PA. During verses he would often carry on widdling away, but wander off several feet from the mic. The poor sod on the mixer would spend the entire gig desperately tweaking the gain and chasing the fader in order to keep him in the mix! To crown it all, at the interval he would bitterly complain that he couldn’t hear himself in the monitors! Arrrrgh!

Conclusion

For touring musicians and engineers the Sennheiser e608 is a great choice for all the reasons listed above. Also, it saves on one mic stand and weighs almost nothing to pop in your gig bag!

PULSE MIC-3000LJ Headset Condenser Microphone.

Not long ago I saw a large sign on the wall in a theatre dressing room which read:- 

‘PERFORMERS PLEASE REMEMBER TO

TAKE OFF YOUR RADIO MIC BEFORE GETTING IN THE SHOWER’!

It turned out that a local dramatic society had been in doing a show the week before, and apparently this was a necessary reminder!

Allowing performers anywhere near your valuable and fragile microphones is always a risky business! Even in the secure, ordered environment of a studio, accidents can occur, but in the out-of-control world of live performance, anything can happen!  

All microphones are vulnerable to damage, but in theatre-land, lavalier/tie clip and headset microphones are particularly at risk. Ruining microphones is not just the prerogative of amateurs. A few years ago I was working with a well-known TV personality who, on the first night of the tour, marched confidently onto the stage whilst somehow detaching his clip-on mic. It landed on the boards directly in the path of his descending left foot! There was a loud bang through the PA followed by silence…. followed by me running on with the backup mic. So that was £300 straight down the drain!  However, these tiny, delicate mics are often trashed in a far less dramatic manner. Hairspray, makeup and sweat have caused the demise of many an expensive transducer, and headset mics have often been known to end their lives tangled up in a costume or a wig, bent and twisted beyond repair.

Sadly, I have never found a way of stopping performers from inadvertently wrecking their personal microphones. The best I can offer is a suggestion to cut the costs of the disasters! Twenty years ago the only way to deliver a quality professional performance was with an expensive, top-of-the-range lavalier or headset. However, over recent years, as new designs and manufacturing techniques have evolved, the cost of high quality miniature microphones has dropped greatly. Whilst there are still plenty of expensive models to choose from, for the more budget conscious production, there are now some excellent cheaper models to consider.

I was first introduced to PULSE headset mics a few years back whilst working on a rock ’n’ roll musical. The PA company brought in a couple to try out as replacements for the somewhat pricey microphones that we had been using. Whilst no one claimed that they were any better than the previous expensive model, we quickly concluded that there was not a lot to choose between them (apart from the price!).

PULSE MIC-3000LJ Headset Condenser Microphone.

Costs around £50 – £60

Tech Spec.

There are 2 different versions of this microphone:-  

Cardioid.

This model has a frequency response tailored to compensate for proximity effect and is somewhat less susceptible to feedback when working live in a very loud environment.

Omni directional.

Has a near flat frequency response aimed at producing a smooth, natural sound.

NB. The mic featured here is the Omni version. 

So…….. What does it sound like?  

CLICK HERE for some Rock ‘n’ Roll Vocals 

Conclusion.

It is not often that I recommend a budget microphone but I do think that the PULSE MIC-3000LJ does a great job and is worth every penny!

1950’s VITAVOX Microphone

This is a story which begins and ends in a radio repair shop.

Vitavox was founded in 1930 by Leonard Young, an ex-Merchant Navy seaman and radio repair shop owner. Right from the early days, the Royal Navy was an important customer for Leonard Young’s new company. Over several decades (apart from building a considerable reputation as a loudspeaker manufacturer) Vitavox has continued to produce a wide range of naval communications equipment, including a number of microphones.  

The model featured here appears to be a Vitavox Admiralty Pattern 12936 from around 1953. Unfortunately the back plate has been damaged in an accident, and has no model number displayed, just part of the serial number. This microphone and the earlier Admiralty Pattern 1359 (from around 1944) were both manufactured under patents licensed from ST&C. Indeed, both mics look very similar to the famous STC 4017C (as used by the BBC). Although this particular microphone looks physically identical to the Admiralty Pattern 12936, the absence of a model number on the back plate may indicate that it was a version sold for civilian consumption and therefore the Admiralty model number was omitted. I have previously written to Vitavox on two occasions hoping for clarification but so far my emails have gone unanswered.  

The 2 screw holes in the bodywork would originally have had a threaded mount attached for fixing to a microphone stand.

Sadly this has gone missing, perhaps when the mic was dropped. The 12936 weighs 933 grams! Not something you would want to land on your foot!

The diaphragm pictured below is identical to the Admiralty pattern 1359 but somewhat larger than the STC4017C.

The magnet and voice coil assembly is very heavy and looks somewhat different to the STC, although it is basically the same design.

STC 4017C below.

Conclusion.

Apart from the obvious vulnerability of the screw terminals and the Bakelite back plate, the rest of the microphone is very solidly constructed. After soldering a lead direct to the broken terminals it burst into life as soon as it was plugged in.

So What Does It Sound Like?   CLICK HERE

The design of the Vitavox Admiralty Pattern 1359 and the 12936 date a back to the original 1930’s Western Electric 618A and the STC4017C.  By 1953 these Vitavox models were looking, and sounding, somewhat dated. This was the same year that Sennheiser released the MD21, with a near flat frequency response from 40Hz to 18kHz, taking dynamic microphone design to a whole new level, and leaving the likes of Vitavox and STC trailing in the dust! 

As I mentioned at the beginning, this story also ends in a Radio Repair Shop. An old school friend of mine Alan Marchant owns The Vintage Wireless Company in Manchester. It is an Aladdin’s cave of radio related vintage hardware. On a visit last year I found this Vitavox microphone sitting all alone on one of his shelves. He very kindly made me a present of it.      

THE END

BBC L2 (STC4104 A) Lip Ribbon Microphone Circa 1955

When this BBC L2 (STC4104 A) first arrived, I thought that I might lavish some TLC on it’s battle-scarred wooden case to make it look a bit smarter. However, the more I look at it, the more I think that I shall leave it just as it is. This microphone has clearly been around the block a few times and has history. The two stickers on the lid are REPAIR and TESTED labels from the BBC Equipment Department in the mid 1980’s. By then it had already been in service for 30 years!

I always feel a bit sad when I see a vintage microphone advertised on a selling site as being “Unopened in original box”, or simply “NOS”. No history, just old. Certainly not the case for this BBC L2 (STC4104 A). Opening the lid of the box reveals a microphone which has had a lot of use!

Most high quality microphones spend their lives cosseted, and looked after by skilled engineers, in the well regulated environment of a recording or broadcasting studio. This BBC L2 lip ribbon microphone has spent its life on the road with journalists, commentators and broadcasting crew. What is really amazing is that it is still in great working condition, along with its original 3 position Equaliser.

The only down side to this piece of kit is that the microphone, equaliser, and case have a combined weight of 13lbs! Most of this is the equaliser. Later models dispensed with the EQ. Instead the MED BASS roll-off was built into the microphone. However, it is pretty clear from the big splodge of red paint, that even with this mic, MED BASS was the preferred setting.

History Lesson

The BBC designed the L2 in 1951 as an updated version of the L1 which had been in service since 1937. It arrived just in time to play a starring role in the televised Coronation of Elizabeth II, when it was used to capture the famous commentary by Richard Dimbleby in Westminster Abbey. Dimbleby was known as the “Voice of the Nation”, and so on this occasion the L2 was perhaps the “Ear of the Nation”, into which he delivered his stately measured tones. It was the first mass-televised event in Britain. Shops selling televisions ran out of stock as people bought them for the first time!

(Watch from 3.30m)

The BBC L2 (STC4104 A) also made it possible to clearly broadcast commentary from even the noisiest of environments.

This microphone has an extraordinary ability to cancel out and reject unwanted surrounding sounds. It is particularly insensitive at the sides of the mic in the dead zones of the ribbon.

Here is Kenneth Wolstenholme at the 1966 Football World Cup.

CLICK LINK below to hear the end of the match !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/27005797

CLICK HERE to hear my STC4104 A in action!

CLICK HERE to hear the STC4104 A delivering a VOCAL. (Great new look for any singer!)

Technical Information

In previous posts I have occasionally (often) moaned about the difficulty of finding information about various vintage microphones. In the case of the L2 lip ribbon microphone, because it was designed by the BBC, there is a wealth of documentation available. Rather than writing a lengthy technical description myself, I would recommend reading the BBC Monograph which appears below. This explains the design and usage of this classic microphone in great detail.

P.S.  Today a version of the BBC L2 (STC4104) lip ribbon microphone is still made by Coles and is widely used by journalists and commentators all over the world.

bbc_monograph_07Download

As Always, Merry Microphones And A Happy New Year!