Launched in 1970 the LBB9050/05 was Philips flagship dynamic microphone, and was heralded in Philips literature as being a ‘revolutionary new design incorporating high and low frequency systems’. However, a small amount of research reveals more than a passing similarity in technical specifications between the LBB9050/05 and the popular D200 series of microphones by AKG, which had been around for several years.
The mystery unravels further, and the true origins of this microphone become clear when we observe the words ‘Made in Austria’ on the packaging, the storage case, and on the microphone itself. Michael Amon, top technician at AKG for 30 years, has confirmed to me that the LBB9050/05 was indeed made by AKG for Philips in 1969.
Picture above shows Tuchel socket, and ports for the LF capsule.
The Dual Capsule Design.
The original Austrian patent dates from 1960. The full specification appears in the English patent registered by AKG in 1965, and shown below. This makes an interesting read if you want to understand how this clever piece of technology works.
Original AKG Patent for Dual Capsule Microphones
Philips Advertising Leaflets Courtesy of Philips Company Archives.
leafletLBB9050 microphone, leaflet, 1971
So What Does It Sound Like CLICK HERE for a short clip of Blues Guitar
In Conclusion
Just like its AKG cousins the D200, D202, D222 and the D224, the Philips LBB9050/05 is a serious quality professional microphone, exhibiting a wide frequency response, tight cardioid polar pattern, and no proximity effect. Sadly, these days it is much less well known than the AKG models. But maybe Philips is to blame? If you were to choose a completely unmemorable name for a product you really couldn’t do better than to call it the LBB9050/05! Two minutes from now you will probably have forgotten it!
Martin Mitchell's Microphones 