Tube Microphones...
- Thread starter andrewjt
- Start date
Blue Jinn
Rider of the ARPocalypse
as opposed to transistorized
snow lizard
Dedicated Slacker
A tube mic is generally a form of condenser mic. The earliest examples of condenser mics used vacuum tubes to resolve certain electronic design elements before alternate technologies were developed.
Then a few years ago David Royer changed all that by introducing a tube ribbon mic. Go figure. This is an oddball specimen.
The head amp and capsule of a tube condenser require power to operate. Most tube mics have a dedicated power supply for this. Several years ago a German company called Microtech Gefell (formerly Neumann Gefell) developed a tube condenser that runs off of standard 48 volt phantom power. Again, this is an oddball.
"Oddball" is not to say that they're not good mics. I haven't used them so I really wouldn't know first hand, but if price point is an indication, they're probably very good mics.
Tube mics are used for capturing audio. They aren't really any different from any other design type in this respect. Considerations for the selection of any mic would be size restrictions, SPL restrictions, polar pattern, frequency response and transient response. A couple of special considerations might be "air response" - eg. if you're recording outside and it gets windy, omni mics tend to reject howling more than other types, while traditional ribbons can be destroyed easily by blowing into them or putting them inside a kick drum. Humidity is a consideration for condensers as they can stop working in overly humid conditions.
A common misconception is that tube mics will somehow magically add "warmth" or something to a signal in much the same way that a vacuum tube guitar amp can versus their solid state counterparts. It's a different kettle of fish, really. Nothing quite so obvious.
Having said that, there are a number of highly expensive, old and sought after tube mic designs that sound wonderful. There are also some cheap knockoffs that use the "tube thingy" more as a gimmick.
So at the end of the day, what have you got?
Lots of options for very good microphones of all design types.
AND!
Not.
Good.
Mics.
Of all design types.
Then a few years ago David Royer changed all that by introducing a tube ribbon mic. Go figure. This is an oddball specimen.
The head amp and capsule of a tube condenser require power to operate. Most tube mics have a dedicated power supply for this. Several years ago a German company called Microtech Gefell (formerly Neumann Gefell) developed a tube condenser that runs off of standard 48 volt phantom power. Again, this is an oddball.
"Oddball" is not to say that they're not good mics. I haven't used them so I really wouldn't know first hand, but if price point is an indication, they're probably very good mics.
Tube mics are used for capturing audio. They aren't really any different from any other design type in this respect. Considerations for the selection of any mic would be size restrictions, SPL restrictions, polar pattern, frequency response and transient response. A couple of special considerations might be "air response" - eg. if you're recording outside and it gets windy, omni mics tend to reject howling more than other types, while traditional ribbons can be destroyed easily by blowing into them or putting them inside a kick drum. Humidity is a consideration for condensers as they can stop working in overly humid conditions.
A common misconception is that tube mics will somehow magically add "warmth" or something to a signal in much the same way that a vacuum tube guitar amp can versus their solid state counterparts. It's a different kettle of fish, really. Nothing quite so obvious.
Having said that, there are a number of highly expensive, old and sought after tube mic designs that sound wonderful. There are also some cheap knockoffs that use the "tube thingy" more as a gimmick.
So at the end of the day, what have you got?
Lots of options for very good microphones of all design types.
AND!
Not.
Good.
Mics.
Of all design types.
chrisghost
New member
Tubes are in vogue, so manufacturers make all kinds of tube stuff to dazzle buyers.
A good example are those pedals, little preamps etc. that run on a 9 volt battery/power supply.
The notion of tubes running properly on 9 volts is fairly rediculous.
Always know what you're buying and why.
A good example are those pedals, little preamps etc. that run on a 9 volt battery/power supply.
The notion of tubes running properly on 9 volts is fairly rediculous.
Always know what you're buying and why.
