When recreating a vintage vibe, looks are everything. A Beatles cover band loses a lot of the visual impact if the Ringo portrayer is playing a Simmons hexagonal electronic kit, John has a Flying V, Paul plays a Steinberger headless bass and George is shredding on a B.C. Rich Warlock with demon graphics. The same applies to theater, where even the smallest anachronisms can spoil the scene, shattering the illusion that the director is trying to project, especially in a period piece.
Occasionally, intentionally breaking the rules can be fun, like having Prospero on his iPhone, texting a message to Ariel in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, but when going for authentic feel, the little details can make the difference. In a theatrical production, where a vintage-looking mic may be called for, a non-functional prop model can be created using some metal scraps and access to a wood lathe and some paint. In fact, a quick Google search turned up one enterprising individual that made a reasonable facsimile that could pass at a distance — using a fluted 500 ml plastic water bottle, some wood doweling and a can of aluminum spray paint.
Getting Real
Non-functional stage props are one thing, but if your production – theatrical or vocal performance — requires a practical (working) model, then a few other factors come up. Beyond theater applications, many musical performers — ranging from oldies “flashback” bands to country and Americana artists, and vocalists in nearly every genre — enjoy incorporating a vintage-style microphone into their presentation. And aside from appearances, sometimes these are just plain fun.
Certainly, one could simply select the genuine article, but these can be fragile and/or expensive. Meanwhile, dealing with older technologies, such as carbon or crystal microphone elements with their inherent level and/or impedance issues, and the reliability of older designs also come into the equation.
On the budget side, a look that calls for a Neumann U47 (where the originals can range from $20,000 and up) will certainly create some concerns for the producer and/or prop manager. Yet here, numerous low-cost, Asian-sourced mics (priced from $200 or so) may suffice in recreating that classic U47 appearance.
Some vintage mic solutions, such as finding a 1960’s era vocal broadcast mic, can be pretty easy, especially as industry-standard models — such as the Sennheiser MD-421 or Electro-Voice RE20 — present no problem at all. Both are still in production, their basic designs have remained unchanged over the years, and are affordable and commonly found in the inventories of sound companies worldwide,
Behold the Western Electric 397
The issue becomes more complex with finding working examples of very early microphones, but even in this case, various possibilities exist. One classic model that paved the way for improved radio broadcasting and helped launch the electrical recording revolution of the mid-1920’s — when acoustical recording horns were replaced by microphone-driven, amplified disk cutterheads — was the Western Electric Model 387. This was a widely imitated, double-button carbon mic with a hockey puck-sized capsule, often suspended by eight springs from a large ring mount. Attempting to convey this iconic look with an SM58 just doesn’t cut it.
One modern solution comes in the form of Myrtle from Ear Trumpet Labs (www.eartrumpetlabs.com). Priced at $599, Myrtle is a modern microphone design that pairs the vintage look of a spring suspended capsule with up-to-date components. The mic is nearly a foot tall, including the 6.5-inch suspension ring. However, there’s no attempt to emulate or recreate an old-time sound.
Myrtle employs a 26mm large-diaphragm cardioid condenser capsule (48 VDC phantom powered) with transformerless FET electronics. A 1-inch diameter copper support tube beneath the suspension ring houses the electronic components and XLR output jack, but also provides EMI protection and offers a convenient location for attaching a standard mic stand clip.
Ear Trumpet Labs also offers a number of other vintage-look mics, including the $599 “Louise,” which provides a crisper tone with a bit more presence, or Edwina ($550), that has a tone similar to the Myrtle, but lacks the suspension ring and is designed for closer-in miking or handheld applications.
Another entry in the spring-suspended capsule category is the Knucklehead 97-C in an antique copper finish from Cascade Microphones (www.cascademicrophones.com). Priced at $269, the Knucklehead 97-C is a passive ribbon design that combines the acoustic components of the company’s popular Fat Head ribbon with a shock-mounted, six-inch diameter headbasket. The ribbon motor uses neodymium magnets surrounding a 2.2-micron corrugated aluminum ribbon that exhibits a figure-8 pickup pattern.
The RCA Look
RCA engineers Les Anderson and Harry F. Olson made history, inventing the first ribbon mics (the PB-17 and PB-31), which offered bi-directional pickup pattern. In 1931, the PB-31 was replaced by the enormously successful RCA 44A, which exhibited smooth tone, reduced the effect of reverberation on soundstages and offered higher gain-before-feedback in live sound applications. RCA later launched the unidirectional 77A/77B models and the multipattern 77C/77D mics. Even today, these are still highly prized by engineers worldwide.
The originals are pricey and fragile in live performance, but some modern equivalents exist. For decades, Wes Dooley of AEA (www.wesdooley.com) has dedicated himself to recreating these classics, including some models that are museum-quality replicas of the original. While far from inexpensive, the AEA R44-series microphones share the sound, feel and look of the 1936-38 RCA 44BX. The least expensive in the line is AEA’s R44CE ($2,520/street) that features the exact same ribbon, transformer and luscious sound of the top-end R44C, but with simpler, more economical exterior trim.
Reflecting the general look of RCA’s 77 Series is AEA’s R84, a modern bi-directional ribbon design in an 8-inch tall, 2.7-inch diameter package. Retail is $1,035.
Substantially more affordable at $179, is the Cr77 from MXL Microphones (www.mxlmics.com). Although it bears a more-than-casual resemblance to RCA’s ribbon Model 77, the MXL CR77 is a dynamic model designed for live audio applications, with a supercardioid pickup pattern and an integrated internal foam windscreen. Unlike the RCA 77, the CR77 has a black chrome finish on the perforated metal windscreen and a matte black body.
A Shure Thing
In 1937, Shure (www.shure.com) engineer Ben Bauer began working to develop a low-cost cardioid dynamic microphone using a single-capsule design. He found that partially blocking the rear capsule openings created a short phase delay that effectively cancelled the sounds from the rear. Varying the rear port resistance created various directional patterns — cardioid, hypercardioid and supercardioid — and the Unidyne was born. Debuting in 1939 as the Model 55, the Unidyne was an immediate hit.
Still in production today, in a slightly more compact package than the original, the Shure 55SH Series II Unidyne vocal mic features a satin chrome-plated die-cast casing for a vintage look, a modern cardioid capsule with Shure’s characteristic presence peak and a front-mounted on/off switch. Retail is $179.
Shure also offers the Super 55 Deluxe ($249), an updated version of the 55SH Series II, which is also a dynamic model with a similar look, but has a supercardioid capsule and an extended frequency response of 60 Hz to 17 kHz. The Super 55 Deluxe omits the on/off switch to avoid any “what happened to the sound” issues when a performer inadvertently turns the mic off.
In celebration of the Unidyne’s 75th anniversary, Shure launched the 5575LE Unidyne Limited Edition cardioid dynamic microphone. The mic replicates the larger-body original design used by Elvis and Sinatra, but with appropriate improvements in durability and sound quality, including a modern Unidyne III capsule, the classic outer grill and vintage badging. Retail is $399, with desk stand and aluminum flight case.
Crystal Meets P.A.
“The Fin” from Heil Sound (www.heilsound.com) takes the post-war coolness of Turner Microphones’ 1947 Model 34X crystal microphone and bumps it up a notch with a modern, large-diaphragm dynamic capsule based on Heil’s cardioid PR20. The exterior features a chrome or matte black finish. As a dynamic mic, no phantom powering is necessary; however, when 48 VDC is applied, four LEDs inside the mic body light up, providing a cool and unique effect found on no other microphone. The blue LED model retails at $220; a version with white or red LEDs is $241.
CAD Kick-Off
CAD Audio (www.cadaudio.com) kicked off its 85th anniversary earlier this year with the debut of the A77, a reissue of Astatic engineer Bruce Kamp’s 1957 patent (#185,712) for a side address microphone. The new A77 will be offered as a $249 supercardioid dynamic model (updated with a PowerGap high-gauss magnet and a TrueFlex diaphragm) and a A77r ribbon version priced at $349.
