Not all old microphones are good microphones!

[rob aylestone]

We appreciate many of the old mics that are either rediscovered or never went out of fashion, but I found a boxed microphone bought by my dad for work in 1973 - a Grampian DP4/H and thought I'd give it a spin. The leaflet talks about frequency response, sensitivity, impedance and other things, but is very vague on directivity (although it does mention the word 'pressure'). I'd always thought they were omnidirectional, but then I spotted a little grommet hole on the side, and I wondered if this was a port - so instead of pressure operation (omni) it could be a pressure gradient (cardioid).

Clearly, the conclusion was it was omni, the vent seemed to do nothing and the sound was thin and unappealing, not the sort of mic I can imagine having a use for. Nostalgic, maybe, but not in the same league as the old STC (now Coles) or the Reslo ribbons.

 

[Papanate]

We appreciate many of the old mics that are either rediscovered or never went out of fashion, but I found a boxed microphone bought by my dad for work in 1973 - a Grampian DP4/H and thought I'd give it a spin. The leaflet talks about frequency response, sensitivity, impedance and other things, but is very vague on directivity (although it does mention the word 'pressure'). I'd always thought they were omnidirectional, but then I spotted a little grommet hole on the side, and I wondered if this was a port - so instead of pressure operation (omni) it could be a pressure gradient (cardioid).

Clearly, the conclusion was it was omni, the vent seemed to do nothing and the sound was thin and unappealing, not the sort of mic I can imagine having a use for. Nostalgic, maybe, but not in the same league as the old STC (now Coles) or the Reslo ribbons.

It was the era of Bull Crap - they aren't good microphones you are right - Don't know if they are Omni - do know they are a weak ass excuse for a microphone.

 

[TalismanRich]

I have my Dad's old Wilcox-Gay Recordio tape recorder from the late 50s. It had a small gold microphone that he used to record various programs.

I tried to fire it up to see what it sounded like...... nothing... nada... not a peep. After checking the plug, I opened the case and found that it was a salt crystal microphone, and over the past 70 years, the salt had disintegrated into powder. I briefly thought about trying to find an new capsule, but those ancient crystal elements that were so plentiful and cheap are outrageously expensive now. So I put the screws back, shoved it in the case and left it.

I suppose I could get a cheap dynamic mic capsule and put it in, just to make it look "vintage", but I have no use for a crappy sounding mic.

 

[rob aylestone]

What I really don’t understand is why a PA mic would be remotely useful as an omni. I don’t remember too much as I was 15, but there was a four channel mixer amp, 100v line output, and nobody working it so it must have been set and forget, but maybe it was just because the speakers, not the mics were directional?