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

RSA Selmer RL1 Ribbon Microphone 1947-1958

Wireless world Advert October 1946

Looking back from the 21^st 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.

Optional step-up transformer 15 Ohms – 50k Ohms (below)

 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?

Tannoy Microphone Circa 1950.

Background.

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.  

 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.  

Conclusion.

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.

Steane’s ‘Ellipsoid’ Ribbon Microphone Circa 1948. A Sorry Tale!

Steane’s ‘Ellipsoid’ was a budget ribbon microphone made in Melbourne Australia in the late 1940’s. The advertising literature from December 1948 declares it to be the ‘World’s Smallest Ribbon Mike’!

Other claims made in the blurb also raised my curiosity, especially the bit about ‘No boom or puff’!  (Never previously on my list of ribbon mic problems!)   So when my newly purchased Steane’s ‘Ellipsoid’ arrived I had to plug it in straight way. However………….. As I turned up the volume on my headphones I was horrified by the sound that assailed my ears. It had a very unpleasant nasal honk and a gratingly harsh high end! This was not what I was expecting! The previous owner had assured me that this shiny gem was fully working and all original. Hmmm!

On opening it up this is what I found. Whaaaaaaaaat TF!

The ribbon motor and transformer had been removed! The body of the mic was filled with grotty, yellowing, wading and a crudely soldered Astatic ceramic element dumped unceremoniously on the top.The whole horrifying confection was sort of held in place with a couple of random bits of grey foam.

The grill was also stuffed with wading to stop the lose element from rattling around (and maybe improve the tone?) Perhaps it was an attempt to get rid of some of that legendary Aussie ‘Boom’ and ‘Puff’!   Anyhow, I sadly stuffed it all back together as I found it and bunged it back in the post to the previous owner for a full refund. What a disappointment!

P.S.

If like me you are unfamiliar with Steane’s microphones here is their Microphone catalogue circa 1948/9. The mics listed here offer a range of applications for both the professional and the amateur user. I notice that the Dynacard model also guarantees ‘No Boom or Puff’!  🤣  The Home Studio shown on the last page is interesting as it appears to be an early form of Karaoke system allowing the user to sing along with the radio and thereby add ‘zip’ to any party!

Anyhow, perhaps one day another Steane’s microphone will come my way.

Recording Marimba a New Experience!

One thing I really love about this job is that there is always something new to learn! Having worked as a Sound Engineer for more than 30 years, until last week I had never recorded a Marimba.

What an amazing instrument! With a very wide frequency response and huge dynamic range the marimba produces a stunning variety of colour quite unlike any other percussion instrument I can think of. Such tonal subtlety coupled with a battery of rapid transients requires a careful choice of microphone/s.

I did consider using a pair of Sennheiser MD441 dynamics as they have the required frequency response and have an excellent track record on other varieties of percussion, producing a big ‘punchy’ sound with plenty of attack.  I also considered going down the condenser route with a pair of AKG C414s. Great frequency response and bags of detail.  But………… In the end I realised that what was really needed to capture those rapid transients and subtle detail was a high quality stereo ribbon!  In many respects a ribbon microphone has the best of both worlds. Being a variety of dynamic it can pack a great deal of attack and ‘punch’ and on the other hand has an incredibly light diaphragm (ribbon) which can react to transients and fine detail with incredible precision. There is also an intangible ‘smoothness’ to ribbons that even the best condensers just don’t seem to have.

Extinct Audio’s ‘Valkyr’ BM9x2 Stereo Ribbon Microphone was placed on a tall stand, stage centre, about 2m away from the instrument.  The mic set in M-S configuration.

CLICK HERE to hear an excerpt from virtuoso percussionist 18 year old Darcy Beck (winner of Gloucestershire Young Musician of The Year 2020) performing ‘Prism’ by Japanese composer Keiko Abe.

In Conclusion

Apart from capturing the fine detail of even the most rapid passages the ‘Valkyr’ also delivers a very pleasing impression of the reverberant acoustics of the hall.

Season’s Greeting to All My Readers! (Just in case you need some more Christmas Music!)

Usually at this time of the year I post a slightly crazy photo, but this year I thought you might like an audio Christmas card! This video is a piece of Christmassy joy captured by the Extinct Audio BM9x2 ‘Valkyr’ Stereo Ribbon Microphone. Apart from the fabulous audio quality and detailed stereo image this microphone is also extremely unobtrusive (see pics), making it perfect for this type of live performance.

No EQ or processing has been used.

Many thanks to Pam Smith at http://www.petalpics.co.uk/ for the great photos.

Martin Mitchell’s Music For 3 Saucepan Lids and Spatula ! Recorded by the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492. 😊

Inspired by washing up! I did this recording for a bit of amusement on a cold rainy Saturday morning (crazy sound engineer’s idea of having fun!) ……… but I really love the way this beautiful old ribbon mic reproduces the ring and detail of these sounds. I suspect that the 492 would also make a great drum overhead. Anyhow, enjoy!

Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 Ribbon Microphone (Circa 1950) A rare piece of British cinema history.

I bought this microphone out of curiosity! It caught my attention because I had never seen or heard of it before (shock, horror!).  It came in its original felt lined wooden box, of the kind normally reserved for valuable scientific instruments. The name Gaumont I recalled from the old UK cinema chain but beyond that I knew nothing.

Researching this microphone has proved to be a challenging task.

It would appear that the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 was never on sale to the general public. It was marketed along with other Gaumont-Kalee equipment purely within the cinema industry. So far the only contemporary references I have found have been in trade journals such as British Kinematography and Cine Technician.

It was manufactured by British Acoustic Films Ltd (B.A.F.), which by 1947, along with Gaumont-Kalee, was one of the many companies which made up The Rank Organisation.

Specifically designed as a boom mounted microphone, the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 was most likely used to record dialogue and music for the classic British movies made at The Rank Organisation’s studios in the 1950’s. By this time The Rank Organisation in Britain had become one of the biggest film companies in the world. They owned 5 major studios including Pinewood and Ealing and Denham. Rank also owned and controlled distribution for several hundred UK cinemas.

B.A.F., under the Gaumont-Kalee brand, produced a number of sound recorders for the cinema industry, both optical and magnetic. Below is an advert from Cine Technician March-April 1953. My assumption based on this is that the Type 492 ribbon mic (and the Type 493 condenser not covered here) were designed for use with these machines. A 1947 BBC technical report on The G-K Sound on Film Recorder also makes passing mention of 2 microphones being supplied with the machine.

The Gaumont-Kalee Portable Recording Equipment pictured here features 35mm or 17.5mm sprocketed magnetic film which could be run in sync with a professional movie camera. In post-production this enabled easy editing and transfer.

These days when we talk about portable sound recording equipment we are maybe thinking of something the size of a mobile phone. The ‘portable’ equipment described above would have filled the boot of a car and required fairly muscular crew to carry it! However, its mobility nevertheless extended the possibilities of location recording both for TV and film production. (Also worth mentioning that magnetic film made a considerable improvement to the available frequency response.)

From this advert it can be noted that other users included BBC Television, Universal, a number of Newsreel companies, San Angel Inn (Mexico) and Dear Film (Rome).

 

Technical Information on the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492

In the absence of any detailed manufacturer’s literature, below I have made some observations and speculation about the design of this mic.

Noise has always been the enemy of the motion picture sound recordist, whether it be camera and equipment noise, on-set noise, tape hiss, or electrical interference generated by lighting. Trying to obtain clarity, especially in dialogue, has always been something of a challenge. This was particularly true in the age before shotgun mics.

• In common with all figure of eight microphones the dead zones at the sides of the Type 492 could be directed to minimise unwanted mechanical noise from cameras and other equipment.
• The yellow wiring around the ribbon is cunningly arranged to form a humbucking loop, helping to reject electromagnetically induced–noise. This is very useful when operating in the vicinity of lighting equipment and large mains transformers radiating strong magnetic fields.
• In addition, the interior of the grill is lined with ultra-fine wire mesh which not only provides a certain amount of blast protection and back pressure for the ribbon but also creates an effective Faraday Cage.
• The interesting-looking baffle arrangement on either side of the ribbon has the effect of producing a boost to the high end frequency response. This may provide greater clarity to dialogue, especially when recording at a distance (in order to keep the boom mounted 492 out of the camera shot). It was also common practice at this time to boost signals going to magnetic tape at around 4kHz on the way in and cut by the same amount on playback. This returned the desired signal to flat and reduced unwanted tape hiss by several db.

• The connector pictured above is a Reslo. This mic came with a 3 pin Amphenol. When I took the mic apart it became clear that this was a modification as it was chipped and had been filed to fit! Stewart Tavener at Xaudia informed me that the two 492s he had previously repaired had Reslo connectors. The Reslo fitted perfectly. Thanks Stewart!
• Unlike many of the ribbon microphones of the period which have impedances of 50 ohms or less, this Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 has an impedance of 300 ohms with a strong output signal which requires considerably less amplification than many of its contemporaries.

So what does the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 sound like? CLICK HERE.

 In Conclusion.

Having emailed academic institutions, museums, collectors and fellow sound engineers all over the world, so far I have only tracked down a handful people who have come across the Type 492. The serial number on mine is 132 and I assume from the complete dearth of information that only a limited number were made. Sadly, much of the recording equipment from that period has long since gone in the bin along with company records, technical literature and drawings. Trying to unearth information about the Gaumont-Kalee Type 492 has highlighted to me the growing problem of vanishing history in the field of audio technology. Living links to the past are dying out and records are being lost. It is therefore important to preserve what we can before it is too late!

NEWS FLASH UPDATE  12 Nov.2019  

   have kindly unearthed this single page ad for the Gaumont- Kalee Type 492 and Type 493  in a May 1951 GB-Kalee product catalogue ‘Everything for the Cinema and Theatre’.  GB Kalee Type 492 Advert 1951

UPDATE 28th Nov.

Stroke of luck! Have just purchased this GB-Kalee Catalogue for 1950 on ebay and here on page 4 are the frequency response graphs for the Type 492 and 493!

Gaumont British-Kalee proudly projects it’s brand across the world! The British Empire is marked in pink. Within a couple of decades the Empire was gone along with GB-Kalee and most of British industry!  (N.B. Even by 1950 the map above was out of date. India got rid of us in 1947 !)

 

Useful Links.

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/an-engineer-works-on-a-laboratory-set-up-to-develop-news-photo/90777079?adppopup=true   Taken at B.A.F. factory at Mitcheldean in Gloucestershire in 1953, on the workbench is a Gaumont-Kalee Type 492. The zeppelin shaped mic up in the air is the Type 493 condenser.

http://xaudiaelektrik.blogspot.com/2014/02/motm-gaumont-kalee-type-1492-ribbon-mic.html  It is interesting to note that the microphone featured here has a 1 inserted in front of the 492. Apart from having an impedance of 50 ohms, what the difference was I have no idea.

‘The Beatles Mic’ Reslo RB/L Black Label (Circa 1961)

Reslosound Ltd were a British company based in Romford, Essex, manufacturing microphones and electrical equipment throughout the 50’s and 60’s. In recent years the Reslo RB has become known as ‘The Beatles Mic’ because of its association with The Beatles early days at The Cavern Club.

However, as I recall (‘cos I’m that old), the Reslo RB was simply a popular vocal mic with many up-and-coming young beat groups in the clubs and pubs around Liverpool and Manchester. Like the Shure SM58 today, the Reslo RB was not, perhaps, the greatest vocal mic in the world, but it wasn’t bad either, and most importantly it was pitched at a price that gigging musicians could afford! In 1962 the Reslo RB/L could be purchased for £9.12s, which was less than half the price of an AKG D19B. A Sennheiser MD21 cost £16gns, or if you couldn’t quite afford the Reslo you could always settle for a Grampian DP4 L at £8. For their first gig at The Cavern in 1961 The Beatles were paid £5.

So how on earth did a delicate ribbon microphone survive whilst an enthusiastic singer (straining to get heard through a 50watt Vox PA) screamed ‘Twist and Shout’ at a distance of half an inch? (Or in the case of my mate’s band, an old valve amp built into a re-purposed rabbit hutch!) Reslosound clearly knew their market and gave this problem some thought. To avoid instant annihilation of the ribbon, Reslo had a cunning plan! Firstly the RB was designed with the ribbon motor facing backwards i.e. with the ribbon nearest the back of the microphone and thus somewhat shielded by the magnet. Secondly the RBs were supplied with a set of fine fibreglass ‘ acoustic correction pads ‘.

These had a range of functions, described in detail in the Reslo Instruction Manual. However, the most important purpose of the pads was to prevent the implosion of breath on the ribbon.

ResloRB_INSTRUCTIONS_TECHDATA

In the almost inevitable event of catastrophic failure Reslo also had ‘Plan B’ in the form of replacement ribbons which came mounted on a plastic frame ready to do a quick swap.  It was also not uncommon for musicians to replace a blown ribbon themselves using the thin aluminium foil that came in cigarette packets! Having heard the results this is not to be recommended……… but it worked!

Another bunch of likely lads with a Reslo RB. The Rolling Stones in 1963

The BBC Connection

In 1961 the BBC were looking around for small, unobtrusive microphones to use on TV. After serious deliberation, and thorough testing of the Reslo RBM/T, the Research Department concluded that ‘The performance of the microphone fell short of broadcasting standards’ (a night out at The Cavern would have told them that!).  However, the cheapness and robust construction of the RB was also noted, and they therefore suggested implementing a number of simple changes to the design which would bring it up to broadcasting specification. The full report can be read here…….

 1961 BBC Modifications.

The modified broadcast microphone is known as the Reslo VRM/T

The VRM/T was sold to the BBC for the princely sum of £10 per microphone.

Home Taping

The Reslo RB was also popular with amateur tape recording enthusiasts. Once again, it gave good results without breaking the bank. The British tape recorder manufacturer Ferrograph sold Reslos with some of their machines and made their own in-line transformers to match them to the input. Here is a review of the RB by Fred Judd, who edited Amateur Tape Recording magazine for a number of years……. ResloRB_review by F Judd

Reslos also appeared in re-badged versions for various equipment manufacturers including VOX and GEC.

Conclusion

Fronting many famous (and not-so-famous) names of the 60’s the Reslo RB has rightly earned a place in rock ’n’ roll history, and thanks to its solid design there are many examples still in circulation. With a bit of a clean and a new ribbon they will probably carry on rocking for another 60 years.

So what does the Reslo RB/L sound like?

CLICK HERE 

P.S.    If your Reslo RB needs re-ribboning or if you fancy upgrading to BBC spec http://xaudia.com/ do a fantastic job.

 

Extinct Audio ‘Valkyr’ BMx2 Blumlien Stereo Ribbon Microphone (2019)

Following the success and critical acclaim of the ‘Viking’ BM9, Extinct Audio have continued the Nordic theme with their latest creation the ‘Valkyr’ BMx2 Blumlien Stereo Ribbon Microphone. If you are looking for a stereo ribbon mic which sounds fantastic and looks stunning this is it! The immediate reaction of performers and audio colleagues is ‘Wow, what is that’?  Even the ‘Fenrir’ anti-vibration mount is a beautiful and effective piece of engineering, gripping the mic firmly and making it easy to position.

These microphones are hand built by Extinct Audio at their workshop just outside York here in the UK. The ribbons are painstakingly tuned and perfectly matched.

So what does it sound like? 

1. Acoustic Guitar Recorded in M-S Stereo.
2. Swing From Paris. Recorded in X-Y configuration.
3. Church Organ. Recorded in M-S Stereo
4. Baroque Chamber Orchestra. M-S Configuration
5. Eight A Cappella Singers followed by 70 Strong Choir . X-Y Configuration
6. Cello and Orchestra. Y-Y Configuration

Minimal Mic’ing.

I have always been a fan of minimal mic’ing. The more open microphones on any recording the more distortion and low-level noise. On multi-mic’d orchestral and choral recordings almost inevitably there are also an abundance of out-of-phase signals to deal with, (caused by sound arriving at different mics at different times). In reverberant acoustics this problem is compounded by large amounts of reflected sound.

The last 3 recordings above demonstrate all the advantages of using a single, high-quality pair of coincidentally mounted microphones. In these examples the two microphones are encased in one body, the Extinct Audio ‘Valkyr’ BM9x2 . For all three concerts the mic was set on a tall stand positioned dead centre, (angled slightly down towards the back of the performers), a couple of metres behind the conductor.

1. The acceptance angle of the microphones either in M-S or X-Y configuration easily takes in the whole orchestra/choir.
2. The audio arriving at the front of the mics is phase coherent.
3. The stereo image produced has excellent depth and positional accuracy, such that the listener can easily identify where individual players/singers were sitting/standing!
4. The balance obtained completely reflects the conductor’s direction.
5. The rich acoustics are also accurately reproduced, capturing a clear impression of the building.

What’s not to like?

Update March 2020     Recording Marimba

 

For more information: https://www.extinctaudio.co.uk/