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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Released in 1955, the STC4105 is a small, black, unobtrusive, dynamic PA microphone, boasting a cardioid polar pattern and a brand new design of plastic diaphragm. Previous STC dynamics were made with aluminium diaphragms which were much more susceptible to changes in temperature and more easily damaged. The 4105 was also the first true cardioid, single diaphragm, dynamic produced by STC. Previous models such as the 4035 were essentially omnidirectional, but with some directionality at high frequencies.
Here below is the original STC4105A brochure with a full description and technical specification.
I have often seen it claimed, online (mostly in web forums and on selling sites), that the STC4105 was used by the BBC. So far, I have found no detailed evidence to support that claim! The National Science and Media Museum here in the UK have one in their collection, which I am told came from the BBC, and the catalogue simply says “Used as hand-held reporter’s microphone”. However, as far as I can ascertain, the STC4105 does not appear in any BBC R&D technical report or in any BBC Training Manual. I can also find no photograph of it in a BBC studio or on an outside broadcast. Indeed, I can find very few period photographs of it in action anywhere! I had been hoping to unearth a wealth of pictures of it on stage with the rising stars of rock ’n’ roll, but sadly all I could find were a few images of British politicians of the 1960’s pictured at conferences. I think that the sad truth about the STC4105 is that although it had a good deal to recommend it, it was not a popular choice of microphone for either broadcasting or PA.
Pictured below.
Labour Party Leader Hugh Gaitskell,
Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson and
Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath. (Loving the look of boredom on the faces of the 3 guys on the left! Is the bloke in the corner asleep?) Interesting to note that Heath is not addressing the mics and would probably have been better off with a pair of 4035s!
Pricing could have been a factor influencing the popularity of the STC4105. In 1962 a Reslo RB/L (as used by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones) cost £9.12s. A Grampian DP4 (also popular with young performers) cost £8.0. On the other hand the STC4105A cost £22.10! In today’s money that would be more than £500.
The early 1960’s saw the arrival of exciting, and technically superior models from Germany, Austria and the USA. The days of the STC dynamic microphones, with their limited frequency response, and somewhat out of date styling, were numbered.
However, reading this warning from the brochure;
I can’t help wondering if the fortunes of the 4105 might have been different if STC had followed their own advice and simply manufactured the mic with a ‘simple windshield’……….Perhaps a wire mesh ball with foam inside? After all the frequency response is not that different to the Shure SM58, which came 10 years later!
Following on from my posts about the LABOR W MD7 and the MD21, here is another gem from the early years of Sennheiser. Released in 1951, the MD4 is an unusual looking, handheld, noise-cancelling, dynamic microphone designed to suppress feedback and ambient noise.
Back view.
So How Does It Work?
The MD4 is side addressed. Sound can enter through the openings on either side of the capsule. When the user is speaking in close proximity to the front of the microphone their voice is strongly reproduced and very little sound is entering at the back of the diaphram. On the other hand, unwanted sound arriving at the microphone from further away, and in particular at the sides, will enter front and back simultaneously. Bearing in mind that the back of the diaphragm is 180 degrees out of phase with the front, these sounds will be cancelled in varying degrees. This capsule design achieved a considerable degree of off-axis rejection, making it much less likely to pick up unwanted sound from PA loudspeakers or other sources.
Outside of the military and commercial aviation, the MD4 was the first purpose designed, dynamic, noise-cancelling microphone that I can think of, on sale for domestic use.
N.B. Sadly the original Grosse Tuchel connector has gone missing but at some point I will replace it. For now it works fine direct wired.
In a market previously dominated by feedback-prone omnis, the MD4 gained considerable popularity for use in public address and continued in production until 1973. Although initially intended for use with speech the MD4 also found favour as a vocal mic.
Here is the legendary Sonny Boy Williamson II pictured at a folk/blues festival in Germany in 1963.
So what does it sound like?
Here is a Voice Recording Demonstrating the Noise-Cancelling properties of the MD4
N.B. In the context of a live gig the noise-cancelling properties of the MD4 will provide considerable isolation from other performers.
Below is some technical information on the MD4 from the 1953 LABOR W catalogue.
English Translation
Moving coil microphones
Moving coil microphones have two major advantages over other types of microphones:
They are robust and insensitive to weather influences.
Due to their low source resistance, they can be easily connected via lines of several 100 metres.
Moving coil microphone MD 2
Universally usable microphone for particularly rough operation. Well suited as a table microphone because of its elegant shape in combination with a table base. Frequency range 50-10,000 Hz. Sensitivity approx. 0.1 mV/ub at 200 . Dimensions: 54 Ø x 120mm. Table base available as an accessory.
Moving coil microphone MD 21
Thanks to a new design and modern production methods, we have succeeded in creating a high-quality universal microphone that, despite its low price, is top class. Frequency range 50-15,000 Hz. Sensitivity 0.20 mV. Dimensions: 120 x 46 x 46 mm. An elegant table base is available as an accessory.
Stand microphone MD 3
Very popular as a stage microphone because of its barely visible input stage. The high-quality moving coil element housed in the base ensures high transmission quality. Frequency range 30-10,000 Hz. Sensitivity approx. 0.08 .V ub and 200 Ω. Spherical polar pattern. Dimensions: base 170 mm Ø, 60 mm high, tube 900-1 500 mm long.
Stand microphone MD 3 Studio
In a frequency range of 30 to 15,000 Hz, it has an effective treble boost from around 6,000 Hz. Externally, it can only be distinguished from the MD 3 by the form of the input stage.
MD 3 and MD 3 Studio are supplied with an attachable Plexiglass panel, which gives the microphones a slight directivity.
Probe measurement microphone MD 3 M
The extremely small sound absorption of only 8 mm Ø does not cause any distortions in the sound field. Therefore particularly suitable for many acoustic measurements. Frequency response 50-10,000 Hz + 2.5 db.
Moving coil microphones (page 2)
Table microphone MD 3 T
A particularly elegant table microphone for first-class transmission of speech and music. Base plate can be unscrewed and has a thread suitable for mounting on a photographic tripod. Balanced frequency range 50 -10,000 Hz. Sensitivity 0.08 mV/ub at 200 Ω. Omnidirectional polar pattern. Dimensions: ball 60 mm Ø, plate 70 mm Ø, projection 450 mm.
Hand microphone MD 4
The MD4 has proven to be excellent for all voice transmissions where there is a risk of acoustic feedback. Through particularly effective compensation, any sound coming from a greater distance is very strongly suppressed. The MD4 is therefore just as suitable for transmissions from very noisy rooms. Frequency range 50-10,000 Hz. Internal resistance 200Ω. Voltage emitted during normal discussion 4mV. Dimensions: case 60 mm Ø, length 180 mm, weight 380 g. – The MD4 is available with a talk switch and also in a switchable high-impedance version.
Hand microphone MD 42
Field of application like MD4; but is end addressed. Frequency range 200-10,000 Hz. Internal resistance 200Ω. Voltage emitted during normal discussion 2.5 mV. Dimensions 47mm Ø. Length 120 mm, weight approx. 135 g.
Moving coil microphone MD 5
Universally usable microphone in a favourable price range. Can be used as a hand, table or tripod microphone. Excellent reproduction, especially for voice transmission. Available in low and high resistance, with and without a switch. Sensitivity approx. 0.25 mV/ub or 7mV/ub. Dimensions: 86 x 65 x 52 mm.
Speech microphone MD 7
Particularly good speech intelligibility due to emphasis on high frequencies. Therefore recommended for announcement and dictation systems. The soft rubber housing makes the MD7 insensitive to rough use. Available in low-impedance and high-impedance versions. Dimensions: 76 x 48 x 48 mm.
Microphone Accessories
Tripods, flexible necks, table bases, cables, couplings in various designs available.
Conclusion
Throughout the decade following the establishment of LABOR W in June 1945 Fritz Sennheiser and his colleagues at Laboratorium Wennebostal worked hard producing a range of innovative microphones for a variety of purposes, aimed at different sectors of the market. They offered microphones for the home, the office, the stage, journalism and TV and sound studios. As we can see from the catalogue above they demonstrated a remarkable degree of ingenuity, technical expertise and creativity. These are characteristics which distinguish the Sennheiser brand to this day.
Credits
Many thanks to my old school friend Alan Marchant for kindly donating this fascinating microphone. Alan is owner of The Vintage Wireless Co in Manchester at 174 Cross St, Sale M33 7AQ. His shop is an amazing Aladdin’s cave of ancient wirelesses, car radios, gramophones and phonographs. Well worth a visit!
Thanks also to Keith Thompson for sparing the time to record the tasty blues guitar clips.
And thanks to Hazel Hanson for the English translation of the LABOR W Catalogue.
When pressure is applied to a crystal of Rochelle salt (sodium potassium tartrate tetrahydrate), causing it to flex, a tiny electrical charge is induced on its surfaces which is proportionate to the amount of pressure applied. Below is a simple diagram illustrating how this piezoelectric property is utilised in a crystal microphone.
As sound waves cause movement of the diaphragm, varying pressure is applied to the crystal. The electrical signal thereby created can then be amplified to produce audio.
Rochelle salt is fragile and susceptible to damp and the passage of time has not been kind. These days it is becoming increasingly difficult to find crystal microphones that are still in working order. Even though later crystal microphones used ceramic materials such as lead zirconate and barium titanate which were somewhat more durable than Rochelle salt, the stock of working crystal microphones has been steadily dwindling. In the 60’s with the arrival of cheap, reliable, dynamic and electret-type condensers the crystal microphone was quickly superseded.
During the 1950’s home tape recording became a popular hobby, and there was a super-abundance of budget machines aimed at the amateur recordist. Although some of the more upmarket models came with a dynamic microphone, most of these tape recorders were supplied with a cheap and cheerful crystal microphone…………… Which brings us to the Ronette ‘CORONATION 53’
The ‘CORONATION 53’ is a high impedance microphone and comes with a standard 1/4inch balanced jack.
To record my voiceover on the video I used an inline Hosa MIT-129 50k Ohms- 200 Ohm transformer which enables connection to an XLR mic input.
Not perhaps the flattest frequency response graph, but nevertheless a bargain for the princely sum of 52 shillings! (20 shillings to the pound in 1953). Based on the Ronette 088-u7 ‘Soundball’ already in production, Ronette spared absolutely no expense in creating the ‘CORONATION.53’. A quick mod to the plastic moulding to create a short handle, and the words ‘CORONATION.53’ in small raised letters on the ball. Job done!
Conclusion
BBC TV live coverage of the Coronation launched mass television viewing in the UK. Demand was so great that electrical shops everywhere sold out of TVs. Unlike today, the British royal family were at a high point of post-war popularity. Amidst all this flag-waving and razzmatazz Ronette saw a marketing opportunity. However, even in 1953, I really can’t imagine many people rushing out to buy a cheap, plastic, crystal microphone just because it called itself the ‘CORONATION 53’!
Today they are somewhat rare. Until I bought this one I had never seen one before. However, in fairness to Ronette it does sound a lot better than I thought it would, and might still come in handy for something!
Designed in the early 1950’s and used extensively by the BBC, the STC4035 replaced the STC4017C which had been in service since 1938. Throughout the 50’s and 60’s the 4035, along with its Bakelite cousin the STC4032, were amongst the BBC’s primary outside broadcasting microphones. Apart from the casing and switching on the 4032 these two microphones were identical. Although both models had the same very effective wind resistant fine mesh grill, in the event of very high wind or rain the 4001.A. windshield could be added.
The 4035 was much lighter and smaller than the old 4017, and although it was essentially omnidirectional there was some directionality at high frequencies.
Here is a full description and technical specification.
N.B. In today’s money £18.10.0 would be around £520.00.
At the BBC the 4035 was used for a very wide range of tasks.
Big Ben
In the mid 50’s an STC4035 with a modified connector/mounting attachment was installed directly beneath ‘Big Ben’ in the Elizabeth Tower at Westminster. This was connected to BBC Broadcasting House and used to broadcast ‘live’ the world famous clock chimes of this huge, iconic bell. My Dad (along with the rest of the British population) always used to set his watch by the BBC chimes.
Horse Racing
In order to capture the exciting thunder of horses’ hooves and all the thrills and spills of the race, BBC Manchester Radio OBs used to place a 4035 in every jump for the Grand National.
Wimbledon.
1962. Interesting arrangement of two STC4035s with windshields. (Photo IET Archives)
They were also used as general effects mics at many other sporting, and outdoor events, very often used to pick up atmosphere and the sound of the crowd.
Perfect for Political Speeches
British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1957 (Photo BBC)
STC Dual stand.
ITV arrived in the mid-1950’s and also found plenty of use for the mighty 4035!
1967 Coltishall Airshow AngliaTV: STC 4035 in a Grampian Parabolic Reflector. (Photo Dave Taylor).
I love the look of dedicated concentration, trying to focus the dish on high speed aircraft using only headphones!
The 4035 connection socket is the same as most STC microphones and requires the 4069A plug (which is still widely available). Interesting to see the screw heads in this picture. These can be undone to separate the upper and lower halves of the microphone for repair. Normally they are covered with hard wax.
If there was a competition for the world’s most boring looking, least stylish microphone, the STC4035 would definitely be in the running, with its dull grey/black finish and uninteresting shape. Also, unfortunately, unlike the ‘Apple and Biscuit’ STC4021 or ‘The Stick’ STC4037, the poor old 4035 doesn’t even have an amusing nickname! However, good looks aren’t everything and if you are simply looking for a robust ‘workhorse’ microphone with a reputation for being completely reliable, even in the most adverse conditions, then the STC4035 is definitely worth considering!
In 1945, just a few weeks after the end of World War 2 Fritz Sennheiser and 7 fellow engineers from the University of Hanover set up a business designing and producing a range of electrical equipment in a laboratory called Laboratorium Wennebostel (“LABOR W” for short). The laboratory was named after the village of Wennebostel in the municipality of Wedemark, where it had been relocated during the war. LABOR W began building microphones in 1946 and by 1953 (see catalogue below) they had developed a whole range of microphones, including the legendary MD 21 which is still in production today. By 1955 the company had expanded to 250 employees and in 1958 changed its name to Sennheiser.
These days microphones from the early LABOR W period are becoming increasingly rare, so when this unusual looking MD7H turned up on eBay, ‘untested’ but very cheap, I immediately clicked ‘Buy Now’.
The ‘H’ indicates that this is the High impedance version.
The photograph on eBay however, gave no sense of scale and it wasn’t until the microphone arrived that I realised just how small it is! I was reminded of the anecdote of the person who buys a gorgeous sofa online at a bargain price and when it arrives it turns out to be for a dolls house! Had I seen the LABOR W advert below that might have given me a clue.
‘Our most powerful moving coil microphone MD7 for speech’
Below are the microphones featured in the 1953 LABOR W Catalogue.
(Translation of catalogue description above)
‘MD7 Speech microphone
Particularly good speech intelligibility due to emphasis on high frequencies. Therefore recommended for announcement and dictation systems. The soft rubber housing makes the MD7 insensitive to rough handling. Available in low and high impedance versions.
Dimensions: 76 x 48 x 48mm.’
For a sense of scale here below is the baby MD7 along with its Senneiser cousins the MD21 , MD421 and the mighty MD441.
Innovative design
In the early 50’s the soft rubber housing of the MD7 was an innovative design feature, and indeed made it very robust and resistant to rough handling. I haven’t tried it, but I think it would probably bounce if dropped from a height! It therefore came as no surprise once I had soldered a jack plug on to the cable it burst into life working perfectly.
Looking back from the 21st century it is hard to picture a ‘dream’ PA system as being 2 x 8” speakers attached to a 12 WATT amplifier with 2 mic inputs!! However, in the UK this marks the beginning of the age of amplified, modern popular music. Within a few years the wattage and power output of PA systems would be rising rapidly, trying to keep pace with bigger and louder guitar amps!
In 1947 R.S. Amplifiers Ltd was bought by H. Selmer & Co Ltd who were at that time the largest musical instrument manufacturer in England. RSA’s newly launched Truevoice U12 PA system (described in detail below) continued in production until 1958 and formed the starting point for the Selmer Truevoice range of amplifiers. Selmer amps soon became a firm favourite for a whole generation of guitarists and bands.
Photographs of U12 PA Courtesy of Mario Martins.
The handy compartment lined with green baize is where the microphone would be stored in transit.
The RSA Selmer RL1 Microphone
Designed as a gigging PA microphone the body of the R.L.1. is very solidly cast in aluminium. The styling is distinctive and unusual. Somewhere between Art Deco and Mock-Tudor! I can’t think of another microphone like it. The design of the grill is also peculiar to this model (and the later RL2) with baffled slots cleverly contrived to prevent the direct implosion of breath on the ribbon.
Inside the R.L.1. the ribbon motor is also further protected by a cotton bag.
This enabled the mic to be plugged into a high impedance PA input or even a guitar amp.
Performance.
In terms of performance the R.S.A. Selmer RL1 is pretty much what you would expect from a ribbon microphone designed to go with the U12 PA system. Although it is somewhat lacking in high end response this would not have been a problem when delivering through 2 x 8 inch speakers! However, it has a pleasing, warm midrange which is flattering for most vocalists.
I had been intending to record a vocal clip to illustrate the qualities of this microphone but current COVID-19 restrictions here in the UK still make it difficult to meet up with performers. Hopefully in the next few months this situation will improve and I will be able to add a suitable recording to complete this post.
P.S.
Here are a couple of likely lads from Liverpool (circa 1960) with the Selmer RL2. The grill is identical to the RL1 but the bodywork is somewhat different. I wonder what ever happened to these fresh-faced youths?
The Tulsemere Manufacturing Company was founded in London in 1926 by Guy R. Fountain. In 1928 the name was changed to Tannoy. Rectifiers used in the company’s amplifiers utilised an alloy made from lead and tantalum. The name is simply a contraction of TANtalum/allOY.
In the UK throughout the 1930’s Tannoy built up a considerable reputation for the design, manufacture and installation of industrial public address systems. Tannoy systems appeared in department stores, factories, offices, public buildings, academic institutions and sports grounds. In fact, just about anywhere that public announcements needed to be made- indoors or outdoors. There were even mobile systems fitted to vans!
During World War 2, Tannoy manufactured installations for the British Army, Navy and Royal Air Force. Orders and day to day communications would be announced over ‘the Tannoy’.
By the end of WW2 the Tannoy brand was pretty much synonymous with any PA system. In 1946 the word ‘Tannoy’ passed into the Oxford English Dictionary as a noun meaning ‘public address system’. This usage is still current in the UK today.
As can be seen on the microphone featured here, Tannoy were not shy when it came to emblazoning the company name on their products. Judging from the tasteful antique bronze and grey paint finish, this gooseneck announcement microphone may well have been mounted on a mahogany desk in a Town Hall or other municipal building.
At first glance I assumed that this specimen, which has no model or serial number on it, was simply a dynamic paging mic in a fancy-looking case. However, when plugged in I was very surprised to hear how good it sounded! I carefully removed the grill and inside this is what I found……………
……. A well-made and neatly constructed, end addressed, ribbon motor. The back of the ribbon is enclosed by the magnet and the rear section of the casing. This produces a pretty much cardioid, directional polar pattern. It is similar in design to the STC4113 featured in a previous post.
So what does it sound like? Because, here in the UK we continue to be under COVID-19 lockdown restrictions I still can’t get close to any proper musicians. I have therefore put together a slightly eccentric audio ‘collage’ of ‘percussion’ from around my desk to illustrate some of the impressive qualities of this distinctive Tannoy microphone. Marvel at the slightly sinister sound of 2 small terracotta plant pots being rubbed together and check out the creaky floor board! The finest details and complex textures of a variety of sounds are effortlessly reproduced as well as delivering natural speech with a high level of intelligibility.
This is definitely a microphone to keep. Apart from vocals and percussion, I have a feeling that it will work well on a whole range of instruments. Ribbons are always great for beefing up guitars! Can’t wait to get back to gigs and try it out!
P.S.
Here below are a couple of photos of another Tannoy microphone sent to me by Stewart Tavener at http://xaudia.com/. This mic appears to share the same casing and ribbon motor as mine but has a switch and hinged stand mount.
When the American D9A was launched in 1938 it was notable because of its fashionable Art Deco ‘look’ inspired by the skyscraper skyline of New York and other great American cities. Indeed the side elevation of the mic appears to directly reference Manhattan’s famous Chrysler Building constructed in 1930.
This was the age of Jazz, and Rock’n’Roll was just around the corner. Microphones increasingly appeared centre stage in photographs and on screen as part of the performer’s visual image. Over the following couple of decades the American Microphone Company kept ahead of the game producing a number of stunning designs which appeared in movies and featured in commercials.
The transducer design of the American D9 is also interesting and unusual.
The D9A /D9AT is often incorrectly identified as a ribbon microphone! This matter can simply be resolved by undoing 4 screws!!
Does this look like a ribbon motor??!! In the advertising blurb below it is described as being ‘a pressure-velocity combination microphone’ which may have led some folks to think that the ‘velocity’ element must be a ribbon (like the Western Electric/Altec 639). However, the 2 elements are clearly both dynamic. One pressure element (omni) sealed at the back, and one velocity element (Fig of 8) open at the back. The signals from these 2 elements are combined to produce a cardioid directional response. I can’t off hand think of another microphone that is configured in this way using 2 separate dynamic elements.
Although I can accept most of the description given above, the notion that the DA9 has ‘qualities of ruggedness’ is somewhat farfetched. Sadly, the bodywork appears to be cast in a cheap zinc alloy which is brittle and easily damaged. The yoke is also made of the same material. These days it is hard to find one without bent, cracked or broken ribs.
Some years ago I was working on a theatre show in which an over-excited actor, (playing the part of Jerry Lee Lewis) unintentionally launched my treasured Electro-Voice EV664 right across the stage. It landed 30 feet away with a sickening thud. Apart from a slightly damaged switch the mic was unmarked and still worked perfectly! That is rugged! I wouldn’t want to try that with my D9AT. This is definitely not a mic to drop by accident. As well as the fragile body the chrome plating is remarkably thin. Even though my D9AT is from the tail end of production in the mid 50’s much of the chrome has worn away. Nevertheless it is still a stylish looking object.
The American Microphone Company D9A / D9AT was not designed as a high quality studio instrument. It was recommended for P.A. and installation use. In 1938 most dynamic P.A. mics were feedback-prone omnis. American’s dual element cardioid with its promise of higher gain before feedback could therefore be seen as an exciting new development. However, the following year Shure launched their game changing Unidyne 55 featuring a single cardioid capsule. The new single capsule design was soon adopted by most manufacturers as it was clearly cheaper to make and capable of producing excellent results. American carried on manufacturing the D9A/ D9AT for another 15-20 years. In 1955 the company was bought by Elgin-Neomatic,Inc. whose main business was watch making. At the time Elgin had the notion that they would develop miniature parts for microphones but this idea soon faded. My D9AT featured here is from the Elgin period.
Around 1960 American was sold again to General Cement Company Rockford, Il (AKA G.C.Electronics). Several years later the company was finally bought by Electro-Voice who soon retired the brand.
In Conclusion
Although the American Microphone Company D9A/AT may not win any prizes for its audio quality it nevertheless provides an interesting link in the development of directional microphones in the first half of the 20th century.
Martin Mitchell's Microphones 
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.
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Posted in 1930s Microphone, 1940s Microphone, 1950's Microphone, 1960's Microphone, BBC Microphones, Commentators Microphone, Microphone Tech Specs, Microphone techniques Ancient & Modern, Noise- cancelling microphones, Ribbon Microphones, STC Microphones, STC4104 A, Uncategorized, Vintage Broadcasting, Vintage Brochures and Tech Specs, Vintage Microphones
Tagged 1950's Microphone, BBC Microphones, Microphones for Television, STC Microphone, Vintage Microphone