Anyone used vintage Bruel & Kjaer mic amps?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mr Funk
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Mr Funk

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I have seen a B & K 2604 for sale and wanted to know if this 60's 'lump' was any good?

Also, does anyone know anything about DAC (Digital Audio Corporation)? Is there AMP2 any good? I think it is from the 70's?

Cheers
 
A B&K is a good piece of gear, but it's
instrumentation gear. Set up very specifically for B&K mics, which have very unique connectors, are only omnidirectional, and are also very expensive.

You'll be buying a small boat anchor.

I'll bet if you chase around you can find an old B&K catalog on the net somewhere and find out a little bit more about these things.

I've used 'em, but in calibration and measurement applications, not recording.
 
Dan Kennedy said:
A B&K is a good piece of gear, but it's
instrumentation gear. Set up very specifically for B&K mics, which have very unique connectors, are only omnidirectional, and are also very expensive.
Click to expand...


Not at all true. In the early eighties many recording engineers where using B&K mics in recording studios. About that time they came out with a line of entertainment mics. The first was the 4006, which is in fact an omni directional mic. They added other products over time, including a high voltage version of the 4006 (the 4003), as well as high SPL versions (the 4007 and the 4004). They also put out two cardioid mics (the 4011 and the high SPL 4012). The 4011 is easily my favorite microphone for acoustic guitar, and the 4006 is the best room mic for drums I have EVER tried.

In 1992 B&K spun off the distribution of the pro audio line to two former employees, who named their company DPA. B&K still makes the mics, but DPA markets them to the pro audio industry. They have brought out a lot of cool mics, including a couple of large diaphragm tube mic (the special edition 4040, and the 4041T.

As for anything from the sixties, it would be possible to use it, but it would require some creative problem solving to match impedances and what not.

They are very expensive, however.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Remember, the discussion is about the 2604 preamplifier and the associated measurement microphone bodies and capsules, not the 4006 and other series mics, which are not in the same class of construction, or technical excellence.

I've used the instrumentation mics for measurement purposes, and recording, and I've used the newer recording only stuff. Both are good products, but not interchangeable, and in the case of the old instrumentation, not particularly suited for studio use.

They require very specific cabling, which uses unusual expensive connectors,very specific styles of microphone bodies, with a reasonable selection of omni-directional measurement capsules ranging from 1/8" diameter to 1". They will not work with other manufacturers products, with the exception of some rare aftermarket pieces from companies like General Radio and maybe ACO Pacific.


The recording mics mentioned are not at all related to the measurement mics. Well other than the original manufacturer. But different purpose, and different technologies.
 
I never meant to imply that it was worth doing. It would (as I said) take a great deal of creative problem solving to use it, and you would need appropriate capsules, cables, etc... But it could be done. I was just pointing out that the COMPANY made products which are incredible for use in recording. That is all.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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