RecordingHacks.com

CAD Professional Microphones E-100

2009-07-17T19:56-07:00

CAD's original E100 microphone was an inexpensive (for its time) multi-purpose studio condenser microphone, with an electret capsule and a neutral sound profile. Part of CAD's "Equitek" series, the E100 had an innovative transformerless amplifier circuit design.

CAD
Typical FET (field effect transistor) condenser microphones use discrete designs. This means they use individual transistors that must be carefully matched for proper characteristics. Even with careful matching, discrete designs are inherently nonlinear.
Equitek microphones use a different approach. We do not use any discrete FETs. Instead, we use advanced high speed OpAmps (Operational Amplifiers). These OpAmps are individually laser trimmed for optimum performance and have very high gain. This allows a large amount of negative feedback to be used to significantly reduce any non-linearity.
During transients, these OpAmps may require more current than typical phantom power supplies can deliver. The extra current demands are accommodated by our unique power supply design. Instead of using phantom power to operate the microphone, we use it to charge a pair of rechargeable batteries.
This system creates a huge current reserve for the microphone's electronics, yet there is no maintenance involved because the microphone automatically keeps the batteries charged during use.

SoundOnSound reports that the OpAmp in the mic's output circuit is an OPA2107. The OPA2107 was manufactured by Burr-Brown, and is currently made by Texas Instruments.

The mic could be powered by 48V phantom power, or by two 9V user-supplied batteries (not to be confused with the rechargeable batteries built into the amp circuit).

The E100 was manufactured in the US; a revised version, the e100², was manufactured in China.

The E100 capsule was a back-electret design manufactured by a company called Primo. (The capsule was eventually discontinued; the revised edition of the microphone used a different, smaller electret capsule.) The capsule was shockmounted within the microphone headbasket.

The E100 body was molded from urethane plastic. The grille was made of brass. An inner, finer screen made of stainless steel acted as a pop and EMI filter. The Primo capsule also had an integrated pop filter of some sort.

The face of the microphone provided three switches: power, high-pass filter (@80Hz), and -20dB pad.

SoundOnSound, 1997
Each microphone is issued with its own frequency response plot... and this showed the mic to be flat (± 1dB) between 10Hz and about 7kHz. It fell to -6dB by about 15kHz and was roughly -8dB by 20kHz.

The E100 was also available in matched pairs, CAD p/n E100MP. This kit shipped in a padded hardshell plastic carrying case; the mics were hand-matched for output level and frequency response.

The E100 was discontinued in 2003, with the launch of the e100² in November of that year.

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Related microphones:

CAD Professional Microphones e100² - The e100v2 was a revised version of the E100.

CAD Professional Microphones equitek e60

2009-07-17T16:04-07:00

The e60 is a medium-diaphragm solid-state condenser microphone in an unusually rugged package.

The capsule measures 16mm in diameter and utilizes a gold-sputtered diaphragm. It is a "true condenser" (externally biased) design.

The amplifier circuit is a next-generation version of CAD's "equitek" circuit, which uses op-amps rather than FETs or transformers in the output circuit. Earlier mics from the equitek line required internal batteries to provide high current to the op-amps during transients, but in the e60 the circuit has been redesigned to run fine on 24V phantom power.

Intended primarily as an instrument microphone, the e60 is suggested by CAD for use on drum OH, acoustic guitar, hi-hat, and brass.

The mic has a 4-way high-pass filter, providing selectable low-frequency rolloff at 6dB/octave at 40Hz, 85Hz, or 122Hz.

A second switch provides a -10dB non-capacitive pad.

The mic was introduced at Summer NAMM 2004.

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CAD Professional Microphones GXL2400

2009-07-16T22:54-07:00

The CAD GXL2400 is a low-cost, large-diaphragm FET condenser microphone with a fixed cardioid pickup pattern. It was introduced in 2002 as part of CAD's "Global Audio" product line.

Switches on the microphone body provide a -10dB pad and a high-pass filter (-6dB/octave @ 100 Hz).

The large-diaphragm capsule is externally biased. The back side of the capsule has a "passive" diaphragm that is most likely not sputtered nor wired into the circuit, but helps control the cardioid pickup pattern.

The mic's self-noise level is variously reported as 16dBA (on cadmics.com) or 20dBA (in the 2008 catalog).

The mic ships with an elastic shockmount and a soft pouch for storage.

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CAD Professional Microphones E100S

2009-07-17T15:16-07:00

The first mic in CAD's "USA Series," the E100S is a large-diaphragm FET condenser with the lowest self-noise of any microphone we've seen to date: 3.7 dBA. (Find other low-noise mics on the Zeitgeist page.)

The mic's capsule is an edge-terminated, large-diaphragm design. The diaphragm is a 4-micron polyester film, metallized (via vapor deposition) with nickel rather than the more traditional gold. The diaphragm diameter is approximately 24mm; the outside diameter of the capsule assembly is 25.9mm.

The capsule is imported from longtime CAD associate and supplier.

Switches on the front of the mic body provide a -10dB pad and a high-pass filter (6dB/octave at 80Hz).

The mic's input stage has been described as a "quadra-FET" design. It has four FETs, the specific selection and application of which are part of the secret of the mic's extremely low noise floor.

The output is transformerless. Described as a "twin 5087 output driver," it incorporates two bipolar transistors, one for the positive signal and one for the negative.

The amplifier design is fully differential, which allowed for the omission of a phase-splitter circuit that could have limited the performance of the microphone.

The circuit board is made in the US, and is the result of about 18 months of development by CAD, according to company VP of Engineering Kelly Statham.

The mic ships with a low-profile "stealth" shockmount in a padded cherrywood storage case.

As part of CAD's "USA Series," the E100S was designed and is assembled and tested in the US, using components sourced locally as well as abroad.

The mic was announced just prior to Summer NAMM 2009, and is scheduled to begin shipping in August, 2009.

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ADK S-7C

2009-07-12T20:20-07:00

The ADK S-7C is a large-diaphragm transformerless FET condenser microphone derived from the S-7, a high-SPL instrument microphone that shares the 7C's capsule and circuitry.

The S-7C differs from the two other S-7 models in tone. The S-7 provides a neutral or uncolored response. The S-7B is a dark/mellow response. The S-7C has a brilliant or bright response.

Both the S-7B and S-7C have equalization circuits built into the amplifier. That circuit is responsible for the different voicings. Except for this circuit, these microphones differ only in the color of the grille.

The S-7 mics offer a 3-position pad (flat, -8dB, -18dB) and a 3-position high-pass filter (flat, 150Hz, 100Hz).

The output circuit is balanced and transformerless.

The microphone capsule can be found in the A-6 and the other two S-7 microphones. It is a 32mm capsule with a 6-micron, 25mm diaphragm, center-terminated.

The S-7C ships in a padded wooden case with a metal "ring mount." Available separately is ADK's "Pro Kit," which includes a Neutrik XLR cable, a pop filter, a foam windscreen, an elastic shockmount, and a metal flightcase (with room for the wooden mic case).

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Related microphones:

ADK S-7B - The S-7B and S-7C differ only in frequency response.
ADK S-7 - The S-7 and S-7C differ only in frequency response.

Crowley and Tripp Soundstage Image

2009-07-10T12:31-07:00

The Soundstage Image is a bidirectional passive ribbon microphone voiced for uncolored sound. It was designed for ambient and distant recording was was described as providing "highly accurate stereo imaging in pairs."

It was one of Crowley and Tripp's first three microphones, with the Studio Vocalist and Proscenium. All three were housed in stainless steel with a hard-painted red "bikini" logo on the front of the microphone body. Cosmetically they differed only in the color of the inner grille screen, which was red on the Soundstage Image.

The Soundstage's advertised frequency response was 30 - 15k Hz, although the -3dB points were closer to 65Hz and 6500Hz.

The output transformer in the Proscenium, as in all the Crowley and Tripp microphones, was a low-noise, high-efficiency, shielded design tuned specifically to complement the microphone's tone.

All Crowley and Tripp microphones were built by hand in the USA, at Soundwave Research Labs' Ashland, MA facility.

The Soundstage Image carried a non-transferable limited lifetime warranty against defects.

The entire line of Crowley and Tripp microphones was purchased by Shure in 2009. Shure has announced that the Soundstage Image microphone has been officially discontinued.

SoundOnSound
The frequency range this mic brought out was biased more towards the higher frequencies than any of the others, with a lot of emphasis on the upper mid-range. Transient response was great and the hi-hats were very much brought to the front. We thought it would be more useful as a main overhead in pairs than as a crunch mic, for which role we felt it would capture too much cymbal information.

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Crowley and Tripp Recordist

2009-07-09T21:34-07:00

The Crowley and Tripp "Recordist Ensemble Kit" included a pair of passive, symmetrical ribbon microphones and a stereo mounting bar, for use in Blumlein stereo recording.

Bob Crowley
Same size as Naked Eye but have a very different ribbon motor with extended top end, and a reach designed for front-of-stage and other distant and semi-distant recording jobs, and The Recordist has a very strict, symmetrical response which is important for Blumlein and also M-S Stereo applications.

The mics' symmetrical figure-of-8 pattern was tested and confirmed by Herb Singleton of Cross Spectrum Labs; see the PDF link in the sidebar. Symmetrical response is critical for true Blumlein recording.

The Ensemble Kit shipped with two Recordist microphones, two "monacle" mounts, and a stereo mounting bar in a watertight, unbreakable carrying case. The mics had a 3-year warranty.

The product was unexpectedly successful, due to its utility for stereo location recording. As a passive ribbon microphone, it required no phantom power, yet had higher output than typical dynamic microphones.

The Recordist microphones were also available separately.

The Crowley and Tripp product line was sold to Shure in 2009. Shure's website confirms that the Recordist microphone has been discontinued.

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Gauge Microphones ECM-47

2009-07-10T22:41-07:00

The ECM-47 is a large-diaphragm multipattern tube microphone. It is described as having "the warmth of a tube 47 and the presence peak of a C12."

The mic has a 35mm capsule, with dual 6-micron diaphragms. A switch on the external power supply allows selection of any of 9 pickup patterns, from omni to figure-of-8. The manual warns that "whenever the polar pattern is changed, please allow at least 3-minutes for the change to take full effect."

The amplifier circuit uses a 6072 vacuum tube and has a transformer-coupled output. The transformer is a dual-bobbin design with a 6.5:1 ratio. (The Neumann BV8 transformer in the U-47 had the same ratio.)

The Gauge quality control program requires that:

Tubes are tested for gain and noise prior to assembly; if more than 1 in 20 tubes fails, the entire shipment is rejected.
Capsules are manufactured to higher tolerances than for low-priced mics.
Mics are burned in for 48 hours prior to shipping from the factory.
Each mic is individually auditioned in California by Gauge staffmembers.

The ECM-47 ships in a hardwood case with a pop filter, elastic shockmount, tube power supply and power cable, in a flight case.

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ADK S-7B

2009-07-12T20:10-07:00

The ADK S-7B is a large-diaphragm transformerless FET condenser microphone derived from the S-7, a high-SPL instrument microphone that shares the 7B's capsule and circuitry.

The S-7B differs from the S-7 in tone, because the S-7B has an EQ circuit hardwired into the amplifier to produce a smoother, "mellower" tone that has been compared to the sound of ribbon microphones. It was originally intended for brass recordings where high SPL capability and mellow tone would be appropriate, and was produced as a "one-off" within ADK's Custom Shop. The S-7B was officially added to the product line in 2008.

The S-7B ships with a black wooden jeweler's case and a metal "ring mount." Available separately is ADK's "Pro Kit," which includes a Neutrik XLR cable, a pop filter, a foam windscreen, an elastic shockmount, and a metal flightcase (with room for the wooden mic case).

Trumpetman, 2007
Mic "B" coupled with the [Great River ME 1NV] had the best tone of all mics, to include the Telefunken [AK47] and the [Cascade] Fat Head.

Mark Isham
If you record brass, if you play brass, you shouldn't be without an S7b.

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Related microphones:

ADK S-7 - The S-7 and S-7B differ only in frequency response (and grille color).
ADK A6 - The S-7B and A6 use the same 25mm capsule.
ADK S-7C - The S-7B and S-7C differ only in frequency response.

Crowley and Tripp Proscenium

2009-07-07T22:28-07:00

The Proscenium is a bidirectional passive ribbon microphone voiced like traditional ribbons -- "full in the low and midrange," according to the product manual, for use in distant-miking in classical music applications.

Robert Crowley
It's intentionally designed to have that old-school, ribbon response like an RCA 44.

Unlike most historical ribbon microphones, the Proscenium is a good deal less fragile, yet more sensitive (meaning, has higher audio output) than traditional designs. This is a result of several innovations developed by Crowley and Tripp, as well as a ribbon motor and circuit design that minimize signal loss between the transducer and the output.

The output transformer in the Proscenium, as in all the Crowley and Tripp microphones, was a low-noise, high-efficiency, shielded design tuned specifically to complement the microphone's tone.

All Crowley and Tripp microphones were built by hand in the USA, at Soundwave Research Labs' Ashland, MA facility.

The product line was sold to Shure in 2009, and the Crowley and Tripp microphone line was officially retired on June 24, 2009. As of this writing, Shure has not announced plans to re-release the Proscenium microphone.

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Related microphones:

Crowley and Tripp Naked Eye - One side of the Naked Eye was tuned to reproduce the Proscenium’s dark, classic-ribbon sound.

Telefunken Elektroakustik R-F-T AK47

2009-07-08T13:33-07:00

The AK47 is a large-diaphragm multipattern tube condenser microphone.

Although based on the same K67-style capsule as the company's M16, the AK47 has a much different tone or color due to the differences in circuit design, tube model, and transformer.

During its conception, the AK47 was intended to be a limited-edition "signature" mic, named for Alicia Keys. The signature line never materialized, but the name stuck.

Both mics are part of Telefunken Elektroakustik's "RFT" series (for Radio Fernseh Technik). This line of microphones combines imported parts with selected Western components with the intention of creating professional microphones at prices far below what the company charges for its vintage reproductions.

The AK47 amplifier circuit is new, not a vintage reproduction. It was co-designed by AMI/TAB-Funkenwerk, the supplier of the mic's BV47 output transformer. The vacuum tube is a NOS Telefunken EF-732 sub-miniature tube.

The capsule is a K67 derivative, despite the "47" in the microphone's name. Telefunken's internal part number is TK47, but regardless it is the same China-made K67 copy as found in the M16. It is a center-terminated, large-diaphragm design with dual 6-micron membranes.

A switch on the power supply allows selection of omni, cardioid, figure-of-8, or intermediate patterns (9 total).

The AK47 ships with an elastic shockmount, 7-pin cable, PSU, and a padded wooden box for the mic.

Electronic Musician, 2006
For general use I prefer a large-diaphragm condenser with more midrange and low-end warmth [than the M16 Mk II], and that's just what the AK 47 delivers. I was consistently impressed by this mic's rich tone, graced by an extended high end that kept it from being too warm or undefined.

SoundOnSound, 2008
With the AK47 I got a great sound both really close to the singer and 12-14 inches away. In fact, it seemed that wherever I pointed it I got a positive result, and I needed little or no EQ to arrive at the sound I wanted.

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Related microphones:

Telefunken Elektroakustik R-F-T M16 Mk II - The M16 and AK47 mics have the same K67-style capsule.

Telefunken Elektroakustik C-12

2009-07-07T22:40-07:00

Telefunken Electroakustik's C-12 is a historically-accurate reproduction of AKG's famous C-12 microphone. It is a large-diaphragm, multipattern tube condenser built around a reproduction CK12-style capsule.

The mic was originally introduced as the "Ela M 12" in 2003, at a price of $5999. That mic had Telefunken Elektroakustik's reproduction CK12 capsule (then called the TK-12) and a NOS 6072 tube, later changed to an ECC81.

Telefunken Elektroakustik founder Toni Fishman posted some background information on the complexity of recreating the CK12 capsule; see the sidebar link to the Ela M 251E profile for more on this.

The M12's capsule is designated CK-12 by Telefunken Elektroakustik. The discontinued "F" (or "no frills") version included a capsule designated TK-12. This was a variation of Telefunken's CK-12 capsule; it performed and sounded the same as the CK-12 but had cosmetic differences, and used molded-plastic parts that were presumably easier to manufacture. The TK-12 capsule has since been discontinued (as of mid-2009).

The mic has 9 pickup patterns, switched via the tube power supply.

Three different power supplies have been available over the years:

A historically-accurate model, with an external pattern-switching device in its own housing.
A vintage-design model, with integrated pattern switch. This is the model currently shipping (as of mid 2009).
A "modern" design, which sounds the same as the others but uses a less-expensive housing. This model was included with the "F" series version of the M12, which was discontinued in June, 2009.

The mic ships in a padded wooden storage box, with a power supply and cable in a vintage-style suitcase.

Historical purists note that Telefunken never sold the C12 microphone, which was designed, built and branded by AKG (although some were cobranded by Siemens, such as the one at Electrical Audio). This may be why this reproduction was originally named the "Ela M 12."

The Ela M 12 / C12, like all of Telefunken Elektroakustik's "Platinum Series" mics, is covered by a transferable, limited lifetime warranty. The tube is covered by a 90-day warranty.

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Related microphones:

Telefunken Elektroakustik Ela M 251E - The TK12 capsule (CK12 reproduction) can be found in both the C12 and Ela M 251E from Telefunken Elektroakustik.

AKG Acoustics C 214

2009-07-01T23:35-07:00

The C214 is a large-diaphragm FET condenser microphone conceived as a less-costly, cardioid-only version of the multipattern C 414B.

It has a version of AKG's modern teflon-ring CK12 capsule, although in this case appears to be a single-diaphragm version. AKG claims that the mic performs "close to the C 414 B-XLS."

As in the current versions of the C 414B, the capsule in the 214 is shockmounted within the headbasket, reducing the transmission of ambient vibrations to the microphone capsule.

The mic has a -20dB pad and a high-pass filter.

The C214 ships with AKG's H85 universal shockmount (which fits all mics with shaft diameters from 19 to 26 mm), a foam windscreen (p/n W214), and a hardshell case.

The C214 is also available as a "stereo set," introduced at Winter NAMM 2009. The kit includes two factory-matched C 214 mics, a pair of shockmounts, a pair of stand mounts, a pair of foam windscreens, and a certificate of authenticity, all packed into a foam-lined suitcase.

The mic was designed and is manufactured by AKG in its facility in Vienna, Austria.

MIX
[T]his mic generally inspires confidence... it sounded great in a majority of situations. Of course, the C 214 isn't all things in all applications, but it excels for acoustic guitar, guitar amp, hand percussion and around a drum kit.

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Related microphones:

AKG Acoustics C 414 B-XLS - The C214 is intended to be a cardioid-only version of the C414 B-XLS.

Telefunken Ela M 251

2009-06-30T11:46-07:00

Designed and manufactured by AKG at the request of Telefunken, the Ela M 251 was a 3-pattern tube mic built around AKG's famed CK12 capsule.

Telefunken had never manufactured microphones, but instead served as the distributor -- and brand name -- for mics made by Neumann and AKG. Notably, the early U 47 microphone was branded by Telefunken, despite having been designed and manufactured by Neumann. When Neumann began distributing its products under its own name, Telefunken was reportedly left without a large-diaphragm condenser in its product line, and commissioned AKG to develop a replacement.

Two different glass tubes were used in the Ela M 251 microphone:

Ela M 250/251 - This mic used a hard-wired Telefunken AC701k tube.
Ela M 250E/251E - The "Export" version of the 250/251 used a socketed 6072 tube, which at the time was more readily available outside of Europe than was Telefunken's AC701k.

How were the C12 and ElaM 251 different?

The circuit in the Ela M 250 and Ela M 251 were similar to, but not identical to the circuit in AKG's C12 microphone. In additional to various voltage differences, the Telefunken-branded mics had pattern-control switches on the microphone body -- whereas the C12 put the pattern switch on the external power supply.

Also, the tube in the 251 was inverted, to shorten the distance between the capsule and the tube connection. Long wire runs in the C12 led to capacitance losses that can affect the performance of the microphone.

The two mics have different shapes. The size, contour, and placement of the mics' headbaskets and grilles affect the frequency response of the capsule, even though the capsules are the same.

Klaus Heyne
The ELAM and C12 timbres are very much related... However, in addition to a lower noise floor, the ELAM's head construction and circuitry makes for a slightly more opaque sonic impression, which, considering the considerable amount of overall clarity and high frequency content of a C12, is not a bad thing at all.

Stephen Paul
The 251 had the same capsule with different circuitry and a very different grille and body. The grille has an additional layer of mesh internally, which tends to smooth out the high frequencies and adds a peak at 5 kHz. It also tends to make the resonance at 12 kHz a bit narrower.
The 251 also was designed to have less bottom end, and rolls off starting at about 100 Hz or so, and this gives the mic a good characteristic for female vocals.

How are the Ela M 250 and Ela M 251 different?
The 250 was a 2-pattern mic (cardioid and omni). The 251 included cardioid, omni, and figure-of-8.

The 250/251 mics introduced a new feature to the industry. Both mics were designed in a modular fashion with the intention that the mics could be repaired without tools, by replacing components or assemblies. For example, if the circuit were to fail, a new circuit (encased in a plastic holder) could be easily snapped into place. The tube was socketed; the 6072 tube in the E-for-Export version of the mic could be "readily purchased at any parts house" (according to Telefunken sales literature of the day).

The mic shipped with a 30-foot cable, the tube power supply, a padded wooden storage case for the microphone, and an individual frequency graph.

See this series of Ela M 251 photos taken by Mike Castoro of Wunder Audio. In early 2009 he sold a mint pair of "investment grade" 251s at auction. The photos show a pair of what must be the best-preserved 251 Es in the world.

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Related microphones:

Telefunken Elektroakustik Ela M 251E - The Telefunken Elektroakustik 251E is a recreation of the original Ela M 251.
Soundelux E251C - The Elux 251C is modeled after the ElaM 251.
Bock Audio 251 - The Bock Audio 251 is modeled after the Ela M 251.

Naiant X-D

2009-06-29T12:03-07:00

The X-D is a compact omni condenser microphone intended for close-miking drums. It uses a 10mm electret condenser capsule with a frequency response profile tailored for percussion. Relatively low sensitivity (~4mV/Pa) helps prevent clipping downstream electronics in high-SPL applications.

The mic carries a 5-year warranty, valid even after the mic gets smacked with an errant drum stick.

All Naiant microphones are made by hand in the US, and have a 10-day trial period/return policy.

See also Naiant's X-T and X-T/D models (profiles coming soon).

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Related microphones:

Karma Audio K-Micro - The K-Micro and Naiant X-D are compact electret condensers for percussion applications.