Help me identify this mic

Tom Cram

Tom Cram

New member
It's an old RCA ribbon mic. It has a square brownish/charcoalish body. The RCA logo isn't the big red round one, it's square. The ribbon inside goes over the top and down the back. It seems to be a figure eight pattern but also has three switch positions (patterns? impedance? low cut? wha?). When I switch the positions I can hear the low end getting thinner, but that could be from changing patterns or low cut. The cable is attached and the mic stand collar is directly attached to the mic. In other words, it doesn't have the U bar cradle that you see with the big cylindrical suppository shaped 77DX's or the square 44BX's. It is shaped more similarly to a 44BX, but smaller. A friend is letting me try it out (possibly buy). The only thing he knows about it is that he got it from a military guy at Los Alamos NM (where they built the bomb).

A model number and dollar value would be very helpful.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
 
Last edited:
Don't go near that mic. Its either radio-active or a listening device planted by the chinese to steal American recording tricks
 
Actually...

I was kind of wondering about the radioactivity. If it's from the 40's who knows?

I checked out those JPEG's Regebro, no cigar. I wonder if this was an OEM for the military? Maybe this thing is more rare than I initially thought (cool).

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
 
I'm getting closer

It has the BK11a body style, but the RCA logo isn't the round red one, it's square.

http://www.k-bay106.com/rca_bk11.jpg

By the way it sounds incredible. It actually sounds better upside down for some reason, a little more zing to the high end...weird, maybe it's psychoacoustic.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
 
Re: I'm getting closer

Tom Cram said:
It has the BK11a body style, but the RCA logo isn't the round red one, it's square.

http://www.k-bay106.com/rca_bk11.jpg

By the way it sounds incredible. It actually sounds better upside down for some reason, a little more zing to the high end...weird, maybe it's psychoacoustic.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
Click to expand...
Tom,

You'll wanna talk to Stephen Sank - his dad designed most of those RCA ribbon mics. And no, it's not some weird thing about upside down "voodoo". The ribbon when it's left in one position for a log period develops a slight sag. In the old days, we would switch them to a hanging position for the same amount of time to even it back out. If you tilt the mic slightly forward, you can also increase the bottom end by using the sag. Here's Stephen's info.

Stephen Sank, Owner & RCA Ribbon Mic Restorer
Champlain Valley Speaker Company, aka Talking Dog Transducer Co.
http://www.thuntek.net/~bk11/home.htm
1624-B Eubank Boulevard N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico p.z.[ 87112 ]
505-332-0336 phone / Back-up email: stephen806@yahoo.com
 
You da man...

Harvey,

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that it wasn't my imagination. When you are talking maybe a db of difference, that is getting into voodoo territory. I'll check out your link. A buddy e-mailed me your review of the Marshall C12 knock-off, I'm going to check one out this week. I tried Marshalls cheapo $150? mic and was particularly unimpressed. It sounds like I mistakenly wrote off the whole line. I have an unfortunate and acute tendency towards gear snobbery, as you already know from the RNC flame wars of '01.

By the way you got hazed pretty bad, I'm glad you toughed it out.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
 
. In the old days, we would switch them to a hanging position for the same amount of time to even it back out. If you tilt the mic slightly forward, you can also increase the bottom end by using the sag. >>>>>harvey

is this a practice that no longer works in modern times?? :-D
 
mixmkr said:
. In the old days, we would switch them to a hanging position for the same amount of time to even it back out. If you tilt the mic slightly forward, you can also increase the bottom end by using the sag. >>>>>harvey

is this a practice that no longer works in modern times?? :-D
Click to expand...
LOL, no, it's still not a bad idea to change the mic position often,if you use ribbon mics a lot. Remember, back then, we had just a few models of Neumanns, and LOTS of ribbon mics.
 
Re: You da man...

Tom Cram said:
Harvey,

A buddy e-mailed me your review of the Marshall C12 knock-off, I'm going to check one out this week. I tried Marshalls cheapo $150? mic and was particularly unimpressed. It sounds like I mistakenly wrote off the whole line.
Click to expand...
Don't feel bad, I wrote off the whole line, too - till I actually got a chance to really try the whole line. The MXL-2001 didn't do much for me either.
 
If it indeed a BK11, do everything you can to score it...

I've got a lot of the old ribbons (I'm missing a KU3A and a couple others), and the BK11 is the best sounding mic of the bunch..

Get it into Stephen's hands--he'll make it sing...
 
Yes indeed...

It is a BK11A. It is a late 60's early 70's model after RCA changed logo's. I don't know if it affects the value at all, frankly I don't care, it sounds fantastic. I'm trying to find a est. value so I can make an offer. Hopefully Stephen Sank can help me out. I'm planning on sending him an e-mail as soon as I have more to go on.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com
 
I paid 400 bucks for one a couple years ago, but that's low...

I feel the mic is worth what a 77DX or even a 44BX is worth, but the market today does not have the same opinion (wait a couple years!). BK11s go for anywhere between 8-1000.00, whereas 77s in good shape go for 1-1.2K, and 44s for 1.2-1.5 or more...but the BK11 is the pick of the litter, IMO...

The way to buy ribbons like the BK11 is to find one that sounds horrible, or doesn't sound at all, and offer accordingly. Send it to Stephen Sank, and for an additional 150 bucks or so you've got yourself a world class mic...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top