Soviet-American Audio Systems

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Soviet-American Audio Systems

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Soviet-American Audio Systems, Music production studio, 1021 S. Walnut Street, Bloomington, IN.

A reliable resource for rare, obscure, and esoteric vintage microphones and audio equipment with a primary focus on (but not limited to) Soviet and Japanese designs (ie LOMO, Kinap, IRPA, Oktava, Sony, Toshiba, Aiwa, etc).

10/25/2024

Tons of exquisiye mics for sale. Rare, obscure, classic old, and new, and all of them working as their designers intended. Here's a smattering of what's available, but I'll try to post one mic that we're selling every day, or at least every other day. In the meantime scroll through or visit the link in our bio.

Full list is posted below, message me for more details and info about anything you see that is of interest.

You can buy directly from the site, or send me a DM with an offer. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

TUBE MICS:
Neumann SM69 Tube - $16,000
LOMO 19a18 - $2,500
3 x LOMO 19a4 - $2,500/each
2 x Gefell CMV563 - $7,500/pair

CONDENSER MICS:
Sony C37p #1046 - $2,100
Sony C37p #1055 - $2,400
Sony C37p (both) - $4,200
Sony C48 - $1,600
2 x Schoeps CMC-5 w/MK4, MK41, more - $2,800 total
2 x Sony C500 Consecutive Pair - $4,600/pair
2 x Soyuz Bomblet - $1,000/ea
Technics – RP3800 (National 730a) - $1,100
LOMO UM51 NOS Stereo Pair - $1,800/pair
LOMO UM51 NOS Deluxe Set - $1,200

RIBBON MICS
RCA BK5b w/windscreen - $1,500
AEA R88a Active (stereo) - $1,800
AEA R84 - $750
AEA N22 - $750
2 x AEA R92 - $650/ea
Toshiba Type K - $1,900
National VM-1 - $750
Soviet M.D.L. - $3,000
Fostex M88rp (like new) - $750
NHK/Toshiba RU4 Consecutive Stereo Pair - $2,200
Oktava ML19 NOS Stereo Set - $1,250/stereo set
2 x NHK/Aiwa RV-1a $3,000/pair, $1,600/ea
Toshiba G-Type - Consecutive Stereo Pair - $3,000
2 x Oktava ML11m - $1,000/ea, $1,900/pr
Oktava ML17 (mint) - $800
Oktava ML16 - Mint, Tan in Original Suitcase - $800
Oktava ML16 – NOS Mint Green in Suitcase - $1,000
Toshiba Type C w/Cinemag Transformer – $650
MRTP ML15 - very rare “LOMO/KINAP” Version - $1,800

DYNAMIC MICS:
Yamaha MZ-Series Drum Mic set of 5 - $1,250
Sony F-V300 (w MD409 capsule) - $650

OUTBOARD
2 x 60U261 LOMO FET Compressor Pair - $3,000
Gyraf Ambler Tilt EQ - $2,750
Iron Age V2 EQ – $1,400
2 x Buzz Tonic 500 Series EQs - $600/ea
2 x Drawmer DS-101 500 Sereies Gates - $300/ea
4 x AWTAC Compresors - $700/ea
4 x Pultec EQP-500x - $1,200/ea
2 x Vintage Langevin 117a Program/Mic Amps - $1,250/ea
4 x LOMO 60U-127 Passive Tube Tilt EQs - $1,250/ea

10/21/2024

After 15 years of searching, we've finally found not just one, but two LOMO 19a33s. I wouldn't know this mic even existed if it weren't for an eBay listing from the mid 2000's. All I knew is that it had two capsules and that strange PSU. So naturally I assumed it was a stereo mic. Now I know it's not (for now).

It's a solid state mono condenser microphone with two small diaphragm capsules positioned at a 120 degree angle. The PSU/control box powers the mic and provides remote control over the mic's utility. The 19a33 was designed to be used on a stage where there may have been multiple soloists or a moving target, like in opera or theater, by having the ability to be "turned" anywhere within a 120 degree span without having to move the mic itself by blending between the two capsules with the remote/PSU. The big dial on the front of the control box smoothly adjusts the blend between the capsules, effectively allowing you to point the mic without having to move it. Turn it 120 degrees left and the mic only picks up from the left capsule, turn it to the center and it picks up both capsules front and center, and turn it all the way to the right and it picks up at a 120 degree angle to the right of center. The switches on the top allow you to hang the mic upside down or right-side up and flip left and right accordingly.

Personally, it seems like some complicated and well-done engineering for something that doesn't seem particularly useful, but the mic sounds incredible. I've used one for vocals and the pair for acoustic guitar with great success so far. I'm interested in modifying the supplies to be able to output each capsule's signals separately for stereo use, or better yet, modify the dial to control stereo width from 120 degrees wide stereo to mono.

Audio samples pending.

10/07/2024

This is an IRPA MK3 large diaphragm tube condenser microphone from the1950's. The few MK3s that have surfaced (three that I know of) have always been referred to as a LOMO 19a7, including the one we have pictured here. I recently uncovered some original documentation and some photos that bust that myth once and for all. You can see a complete original MK3 set and some original documentation by swiping through the photos.

The original MK3 used a copper diaphragm (much like the Japanese Tsushin Kogyo CU-1 from the same era, which I posted about last week), but our MK3 arrived with an M7-style MK13 capsule. The MK3 microphone has no output transformer in its body because it is located in the power supply (also like the CU-1, and many other Soviet and Japanese tube mics). You can see the original PSU in the later photo as well, and it looks quite impressive. We had Greg Norman of Electrical Audio rebuild the sh*tty home-brew PSU our MK3 came with about 10 years ago. Greg reused the same little output transformer in his PSU, and I suspect that it's this transformer that makes the mic sound wrong. I'm almost certain that if I paired it with the same output transformer and coupling capacitor from the 19a9 PSU, it would start to sing. I'll try it and record before and after clips for all you nerds out there.

09/30/2024

This is number twelve of twelve Tsushin Kogyo CU-1 microphones ever made. Commissioned by NHK in Japan in the 1950s, this was the very first iteration of the iconic Sony C37a microphone. This historically significant microphone uses the same amplifier circuit as the C37a with a 6AU6 in a cathode-follower configuration. Our CU-1 is paired with a CP-2, but the original was paired with, you guessed it, a CP-1, which is next to impossible to find. I have included a photo of another CU-1 (serial #9) along with its original CP-1 PSU for reference. In that photo you can see the original NHK letters that were glued to the body, and on our CU-1 you can see the glue that was left over from the letters which are now long gone.

The CU-1 had a proprietary capsule that was quite different from the C3 capsule found in the C37a, C37p and C37b. It was cardioid-only, had a fascinating clamping resonator ring, and used a 45-micron thick copper diaphragm which you can see in the last photo. The original diaphragm was very noisy and unusable, so we sent it to John Peluso to see what could be done. Using a typical 3-6 micron mylar diaphragm wouldn't work, the capsule sucked it through the backplate. Instead, John sourced a 40-micron thick conductive aluminum sheet which he used to make a diaphragm for the mic and installed it with the same tension as the original. And believe it or not, the mic sounds absolutely incredible! We were shocked to find out that despite its low output (which makes sense since the diaphragm is so thick), it’s not only full range, but also pretty impressive sounding.

And yes, you can hear it used to record a full song where it was used on every instrument at the link in the comments below.

09/16/2024

This is an Oktava MD44 dynamic microphone manufactured in Soviet Russia in the middle of the last century. The MD44 isn’t a particularly rare or coveted microphone, but this particular example is just beautiful and we've never seen one quite like it, with the Soviet mint green, the matching tabletop stand, the build-in shockmount, and overall elevated build quality compared to others we've seen. Its diminutive size is incredibly eye-catching. It’s a cardioid dynamic, likely designed for voice amplification for town halls and speeches. Despite its limited frequency response, it sounds pretty good on its own or as a fun option as a room mic, a color mic or a blend-in mic on drums, vocals, or guitar amps.

Listen for yourself at the link in the comments below. It's an entire song recorded with an MD44 without any processing of any kind.

08/22/2024

Today I’m sharing another exotic Soviet ribbon microphone, the KINAP 9a1. Built in 1948, this is the second oldest Soviet mic we’ve seen. As usual, this mic is exceptionally rare - we know of only four 9a1s in the world, though I would guess there may be more laying around in a closet in the lower level of a former Soviet cinema studio. On first glance you wouldn’t be crazy to think that this was the USSR’s answer to the ubiquitous RCA 44BX. As it turns out, the 9a1 was a Soviet spy because under that convincing facade is something else entirely, because not only is it far different from a 44BX, but also from just about any other ribbon mic of that time period. Since it was developed by KINAP, the mic was most certainly designed and manufactured specifically for Soviet cinema, Lenin's most treasured art form.

The mic was serviced by and he was pretty blown away by what he discovered, “Yeah, (a) very unique motor! For such a large microphone you’d expect a wide ribbon, but the width of the ribbon is very small for the size of the microphone. And the dual horseshoe magnets are pretty unique!”

And as you can see from the photos, a lot of care and attention to detail went into the construction of this microphone, which translates into the sounds it reproduces. The result is a microphone that is detailed, refined, luxurious, and impressively hi-fi. Truly unlike any other mic in our locker.

07/12/2024

If you are in or near Nashville, TN tomorrow, Saturday July 12th, stop by at the Quonset Hut from 10 am until 5 pm for the 2024 AES Audio Gear Sale Extravaganza. I'll be there with all this stuff and I want to go back home with none. Swipe through to see event details.

Can't make it? Most/some of this stuff, including all that cool Soviet Mic merch, is available in our store (link in comments).

06/25/2024

I am excited to present a bonafide unicorn, the Soviet MLS-1. Discovering, acquiring, and listening to the most exotic and rarest Soviet microphones has been one of my greatest obsessions. And over the past 20+ years I’ve discovered and learned about dozens of the most obscure Soviet mics by pouring over old documents, papers, historical photographs and brochures or by stumbling across them online and through friends in Russia and Eastern Europe. There are a handful of mics that I like to refer to as Soviet Unicorns - these are mics are the rarest of the rare, sometimes less than a dozen manufactured and only a few left in existence. These are the ones that I don’t expect to ever see in person, maybe only in an historical photo or an acoustic journal. The MLS-1 is in the top three rarest Soviet Unicorns I’ve ever come across, after seeing one in the photo of Yuri Gagarin in the last slide (we’ll get to that second mic another time).

There is no greater pleasure than to hold one of these mythological devices in my hands, see the immaculate craftsmanship that went into each handmade microphone inside and out, and then put it in front of a sound source and listen to it transduce sound for the first time. I have been in this privileged position many times, and not just with Soviet mics but with other classics like the AKG C12, Neumann M49b, RCA PB-31 and countless others, and I can count on my hands the amount of times that the myth of the mic matched the sound that it produced. Too many times have I been unimpressed if not underwhelmed by the experience, but not with the MLS-1. It may be the only mic I’ve heard whose sound exceeded its excalibur status and surpassed my expectations of what a microphone could sound like.

I know that I’ve really built this up but I’m going to have to let you down because I do not have a recording sample for you to listen to at this time. I promise that there will be a follow up post about the MLS-1 that will be accompanied not only by an entire song recorded with it, but also with a dramatic story and some exciting news.

06/18/2024

This fully restored Altec M11 Tube Microphone Set could be yours for $2,650 at the link in the comments below. Price includes fully insured shipping anywhere in the USA (it’s heavy as hell). International shipping will be calculated separately but we’ll cover the first $75.

This complete M11 set comes with the M150 “Coke Bottle” microphone base and its original case, a 21D omnidirectional glass-diaphragm capsule, and a fully racked P519a power supply with the original TBB-103 output transformer. The PSU has been completely overhauled and is mounted in a custom wooden rack with wooden vented rackpanels and a custom-made aluminum engraved back panel that facilitates the power connection, input, and output since the original p519s were designed to be hardwired into a studio. The set is rounded out with a new high quality 20 foot cable and a spare hand-selected NOS 6aU6 tube. This set sounds as good as it looks and is ready for another 70+ years of record-making.

I first heard the Coke Bottle as an intern at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio in Chicago back in 2002 and it qu**ky became a “must have” microphone. Only four months ago, Steve came to Bloomington for a weekend for an event I was hosting and finally visited the studio for the first time since it opened 20+ years ago. I was beyond excited to show him around and to nerd out about mics, especially considering he was the primary reason I ended up opening a studio and obsessing over mics in the first place. We spent the most time talking about the Altec Coke Bottle and marveled at how despite being one of the first condensers in history, designed over SEVENTY YEARS AGO, it’s stlll somehow one of the most natural, musical, and euphonic sounding mics in the world, withstanding outrageous SPLs. I feel very fortunate to have been able to hang out and talk mics with Steve in my studio before his unexpected departure.

You can listen to this very mic used to record an entire song at the link in our bio. You can also search for and listen to “Hang Your Picture” by Bullet Points, which was recorded using just one Coke Bottle for a single live vocal + acoustic take. I’ll put a link to that below as well.

06/14/2024

This near-mint condition Sony C37p is available for $2,750 - you can hear it and buy it at the link in the comments below, or reach out directly via DM. The price includes fully insured UPS shipping anywhere in the USA, or just the UPS shipping alone (not the insurance) to anywhere in the world.

Formerly part of the mic locker at No Fun Club studios in Winnipeg, it now could be part of yours. It has its original capsule and diaphragm in perfect condition and cosmetically looks fantastic with just a few small paint chips and scratches. It comes with an original Sony flight case that was originally used with a C38b, but fits this mic perfectly. The mic has an original built-in microphone cable (I believe this one is about 15-20ft), and comes with a thread adapter so it can be used with standard microphone stands. The shock mount bushings inside the yokes of these old Sony microphones are all starting to dry rot - a very common and frustrating issue that we have resolved for you by replacing the bushings with a proprietary bushing kit developed by our friend John Peluso.

The C37p is the solid-state version of the Sony C37a, and uses the same C3 large diaphragm capsule with FET electronics. The capsule has a mechanically adjustable acoustic chamber that is accessible from the rear of the mic, allowing the user to switch between cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns. The C37p also has a four position high pass filter that is switched by turning the metal ring around the mic, and an 8dB pad on the back.

This mic excels in many applications, but we end up using ours most frequently on guitar amps and close drums. They handle high SPLs exceptionally well, and have a smooth upper frequency response that handles midrange really well.

You can hear this exact microphone used to record every instrument by visiting the link in the comments below. You will also be able to purchase it from there which is incredibly convenient for everyone.

DM with any questions or to find out what else we have "in store" haha that's a pun.

05/30/2024

The Sony C17b is a Japanese small-diaphragm tube condenser from the early 1960’s. With a diameter of only 15mm, its diaphragm is even smaller than the Altec 21B/D capsules, possibly making it the smallest condenser capsule of any vintage tube-era microphone. The microphone itself is also quite small since it only contains the microphone’s 6DH3 tube, which was Sony’s version of the AC701K, manufactured by Sony to be their proprietary microphone tube. The 6DH3 was also used in Sony’s other non-export tube microphones such as the C57, C107, and C220a, was made in extremely small quantities, and is now truly impossible to find in any condition. Most of the 6DH3 tubes we have come across have become noisy over time, so we replace them with a Telefunken EF732, which sounds exactly right and would be impossible to discern in a blindfold test.. actually you’d be able to pick it out because it’s not noisy.

Since the C17b only has a tube in its body (and possibly a cap and resistor), that means that the rest of the microphone’s circuit lives in the PSU - just like every other Sony tube mic. This particular C17b is an early version that uses the older CP2 PSU, while most of the other C17b’s we’ve come across use the more common CP3b PSU.

In terms of sonics, the mic sounds quite pleasant with a good amount of body and an extended high end that makes it a very nice choice for acoustic instruments, vocals, guitars and even a snare drum if you’re feeling bold and reckless. Want to hear this mic for yourself? You’re in luck! You can listen to an entire song recorded with a Sony C17b without any EQ or processing here: https://www.sovietamericanaudiosystems.com/products/sony-c17b-1

How about that?

04/23/2024

The LOMO 19a4 is a tube small diaphragm condenser manufactured in small quantities by the LOMO plant from 1963 - 1968. It is estimated that approximately 300-400 19a4s were produced in that time. The microphone uses the 6S6B subminiature tube, which is also used in the 19a10, 19a13, 19a14, and 19a18 microphones, and is the Soviet equivalent of the AC701K. It is powered by an external 20B50 PSU which has "ONLY FOR USE WITH 19A4 MICROPHONE" inscripted on its face. We presume that the reason for this is because there is a second version of the 20B50 PSU that was used with 19a18's from the same era, but the 19a18 had its coupling cap in the mic body, whereas the 19a4 has the coupling cap in the PSU.

It can be deduced by looking at it that the microphone was heavily inspired by the Schoeps 221b, and like the 221b it has a rotating capsule head that allows the user to cover or open the capsule’s rear vents, thereby changing the mic’s polar pattern from cardioid (vented) to omni (closed). And while we have not compared the two mics side-by-side, the 19a4 has a similar rich and velvety sound with a slightly rounded top end. Despite being somewhat dark sounding, it has excellent transient response and is still able to capture incredible detail without any harshness or midrange emphasis making it both natural and euphonic at the same time. This makes it a fantastic choice for room mics, acoustic guitars, overheads, guitar amps, and bowed instruments.

If you’d like to hear a pair of 19a4s used to record an acoustic guitar (you really should check it out, it's amazing), visit the link in the comments.

04/20/2024

This is the Sony C48. It isn’t especially rare, but it is an exceptional multi-purpose multi-pattern solid state large diaphragm condenser mic that isn’t as well known as many of the famous mics that it handily outperforms. It is essentially Sony’s answer to the U87 (as their flagship solid state LDC), but less “honky” and just overall a bit classier sounding. The C48 uses the same exact capsule as the C800g, which is their copy of the Neumann K67 capsule, and gets very high marks in just about every application from lead vocals to stereo room mics. As strange as it may sound, and as scary and difficult as it might be to position, it is my favorite snare drum microphone. Thankfully the C48 has come down a little in price since the pandemic, and they can be found for under $1,500 which is a really great price for a mic that sounds this good and is this useful in the studio. Shout out to the Sony engineer that came up with that swiveling XLR plug, that’s just genius.

04/18/2024

The microphone in the middle is more different from the two it sits between than you might guess. It’s a Sony F-V300, and unlike the Sony C48 and Sony C38B that it was clearly inspired by, it is a dynamic microphone. It’s next to impossible to find one of these mics, and even harder to find any information on it. With only two clues to go by - the first being its unusually high output impedance of 1 KOhm and the second being its model number (it appears as though all of Sony's Japanese karaoke mics start with “F-V”) - I am almost positive that the F-V300 was Sony’s flagship karaoke microphone. Karaoke is taken very seriously in Japan, and this may very well be the king of all karaoke mics. This is all conjecture, I actually have no idea. But it’s a really cool mic, sounds great on kick drums and guitar amps, and is a favorite among our studio’s engineers. The only other one we’ve been able to find arrived with a destroyed capsule, so our buddy popped an NOS M380 capsule for maximum low frequency extension.

04/11/2024

The IRPA MKE-7 was developed and manufactured in the 1980’s by the Popov Institute in Leningrad. These rare electret mics were hand made in very small quantities. Just like a vintage IRPA/Oktava mic with an MK # # is a tube condenser and a MK # mic is a solid-state condenser, any MKE- # #'s is an electret condenser. Electret capsules differ from “traditional" externally polarized condensers in that their backplate is pre-charged and doesn’t require an external polarization voltage like other condensers. Many early electret microphone capsules have lost their charge over time resulting in low output, poor noise-floor, and skewed frequency response, but this is not the case with most MKE-7s. The MKE-7’s elecret capsule screws onto the microphone below the grill, and very closely resembles the KK84-capsule that is used in the tube MK15 and MK12 mics.

As you can see from the photos, the MKE-7 is a very well made microphone with excellent attention to detail. The beautiful grill pattern is almost identical to that of a LOMO 19a18. The sturdy and handsome connector and stand mount are very well made, and the mic neatly screws onto its own proprietary desk stand. Although it isn’t pictured here, the MKE-7 came with its own beautiful wooden box with red velvet lining, and every one had its date and serial number painted onto its body by hand, presumably by the same person because the handwriting is identical on every mic we’ve seen. The ergonimics of this microphone strongly indicate that it was designed to be a conference or speech microphone to be placed on a desk to capture a speaker's voice. This would imply that it does a good job picking up mid-range frequencies, which it most certainly does with grace, making it a great colorful microphone on acoustic guitars, snare drums, and guitar amps. It has a gentle low frequency roll off, a present but smooth midrange, and a soft top end that suits musical instruments quite well.

If you would like to hear the MKE-7 used to record an entire song, visit the link in our bio which will lead you to our new website where you can read about and listen to more fascinating microphones. Thank you for your interest.

04/05/2024

This is the second installment of a two-part post about the M.D.L. microphone.

Today we present the MDL-2 which we can presume is the follow up to the MDL posted yesterday, unless it’s a Star Wars type prequel sort of thing.

The MDL-2 differs from the MDL by displaying a “2” after “M.D.L”. There are a few other minor cosmetic differences such as the shape of the protruding cable shaft on the back of the body. I think that by deeper examination we may find that there is some electronic difference as well - maybe a different transformer, output impedance, stronger magnets, different dynamic capsules or a filter network of some kind. I thought about opening them up side by side to see, but….

OK as I was typing that I decided to just open them up. I noticed that the MDL 2 felt heavier in the hand, and when I opened them both I noticed that the MDL-2 has an extra toroidal transformer between the dynamic capsule and the output, I believe as an output transformer for when the microphone is switched to Dynamic (omni). I also noticed that both mics had their main output transformer located in a metal can that fits neatly into the “cup” at the bottom of the body. I’m not brave enough to go digging that deep, but I did snap some quick and dirty shots which I included in this post.

The biggest difference that you’ll notice between the two microphones is the dynamic capsule. This MDL-2 has its original RED dynamic capsule in perfect working order along with its original metal capsule cover. When comparing the MDL (with its new MD409 capsule) to the MDL2 sonically, the MDL2 has extended high end, a smoother midrange, and more low frequency extension. This makes sense since the MD409 capsule doesn’t have much bottom end or extended top end, which is why it makes such a great guitar amp mic.

Another piece of information that I discovered was that the MDL I posted about yesterday does in fact have a year and serial number: 1952, N. 17 - which matches the number on the magnet. The MDL-2’s year and serial have been worn off, and unfortunately there are no markings inside the mic either, but we can presume that it’s a later model, unless of course it’s a prequel mic.

04/04/2024

This is the first installment of a two-part post about an early multi-pattern dynamic mic. A fascinating, remarkable sounding and exceedingly rare Soviet microphone: The M.D.L.

This microphone has no manufacturer, date, or serial number. It just says M.D.L. - which stands for "Microphone. Dynamic. Ribbon.” - because it is a microphone that uses a large diaphragm omnidirectional pressure-gradient dynamic capsule and a bi-directional ribbon element to achieve three different polar patterns: omni (dynamic), figure-8 (ribbon), and cardioid (the two combined). This is the same topology used in a few more well-known vintage microphones such as the Altec 639b “Birdcage”” and the STC 4033. In fact, the Soviets even had another mic that used this technology - the KINAP 10a1 (featured in a previous post). Much like the 10a1, the M.D.L. was carefully made in extraordinarily small quantities and is both better built and better sounding than the more common “mass-produced” examples made by Britain and the USA.

This particular M.D.L. does not have it’s original dynamic capsule, as it was totally blown beyond repair upon arrival. We sent it to - our most trusted dynamic and ribbon microphone repairman in the world. After gawking at this engineering marvel, Cole cleaned the ribbon motor, replaced the ribbon, and after attempting to bring the original dynamic element back to life, replaced it with an NOS Sennheiser MD409 capsule. “But that’s not an omnidirectional capsule!” you might be screaming right now. And you’re right, when air can get behind it, it’s a cardioid. But seal it up so sound only hits it from the front and you’ve got yourself an omni - just like when that hardcore singer puts their hands over the ball of a 58 causing the monitors to feedback (cause he just made it an omni).

While this mic looks incredible, like it was found in a troll’s cave on the way to Elrond’s palace or placed on the desk in Darth Vader’s library,, you might think it’s just a novelty and sounds stupid. Well, you’re wrong. It sounds amazing.

Check back tomorrow for our second installment of "The Mysterious M.D.L."

04/01/2024

Easily one of the rarest and most historically significant microphones in our collection, this LOMO CM57 is the only one of its kind. The fact that the Soviet CM57 and the American Shure SM57 - the most recognizable and iconic microphone in the world - look nearly identical is no coincidence. The Soviet Union and the United States of American engaged in one the most significant international rivalries in modern history. And while the infamous “Space Race” took the front seat of international media coverage, Soviet and American electrical audio engineers were in a fierce race to create the most durable microphone transducer with the greatest performance to cost ratio that the world had ever heard. In an act of cultural defiance, the engineers at CKBK/LOMO decided to take the unmistakably “American” look of the SM56 and replace its moving-coil design with a revolutionarily efficient, affordable and surprisingly accurate sounding condenser capsule, and called it the LOMO CM57. While most Soviet mics typically used a “K” to designate a condenser mic, LOMO chose to go with a “C” as an extra layer of symbolism - a bit of a “f**k you” to the Americans - with yet another layer of symbolism in that the Cyrillic letter “C” represents the English letter “S”.

In early March of 1965, days before the Soviets were poised to debut the CM57 at an international press conference announcing the first space walk in history, an American spy named Jeremy Sherman absconded the only CM57 prototype ever made before hopping on his plane back to the US, delivering it to Shure Brothers in Illinois. The engineers at Shure were assigned the daunting task of recreating the CM57 in time for the United States’ press conference announcing the first multi-person spacecraft, the Gemini 3, scheduled for March 24th, 1965. To their utter dismay, the CM57 condenser capsule was missing. With only weeks to spare, the engineers did the best they could with the time that they had and came up with the the perfectly mediocre and impossibly iconic SM57 microphone - the very same one that has been used for every presidential speech and just about every snare drum and guitar cab since 1965.

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We have over 30 fully serviced vintage mics available for purchase, including every mic you see in this reel (for now). DM or link in bio. #LOMO #AKG #Neumann #RCA #Fostex #Sony #Sonyproaudio #National #Oktava #NHK #Aiwa #AEA #Soyuz #Toshiba #Schoeps #vintagemic #vintagemics #vintagemicrophone #vintagemicrophones

Recording guitars for @deerhoof's forthcoming LP "Miracle Level". Visit @russianrecording for a deep dive into both setups using a variety of cool mics and recording techniques. #studiorecording #vintagemic #guitar #guitarrecording #recordinggear #analogrecording #recordingstudio

Several of our mics were used to record Satomi’s vocals for @Deerhoof 's *Miracle Level* on day 6 of our two-week session at @nofunclub_wpg last June. After auditioning half dozen vocal mics (including a vintage U67, Sony C48, and Coles 4038) and settled on a Sony C37a as the main vocal mic (used as the primary/only vocal sound for 90% of the record), an RCA 77A as a secondary mic for blending, backups/doubles or as a secondary option, an IRPA MK14 stereo tube mic (a Soviet SM69) as a room mic, and added a rare Fostex M86rp which was fed to a JHS Color Box pedal whose output was split off to two different guitar amps in the big live room. The first amp was a Harmony H304, and was mic’ed directly. The second was a cranked princeton reverb sitting on top of the grand piano firing down at the strings. I placed a dumbell on the sustain pedal, and taped a pair of Altec Coke Bottles to the soundboard to pick up the sound of Satomi’s voice resonating strings. A Fostex M22rp M/S Stereo Mic was placed in the live room to pick up the ambiance of the amplfiiers. While the C37a and stereo room mic were used regularly throughout the record, the 77A, amplified vocal, resonating piano effect and amplifier room mics were used pretty sparingly for effect as needed. No artificial reverbs, delays or effects were used on this record, so any vocal effects (or otherwise) heard on the record were generated by using the sound captured from the mics you see in this video. The song in this video is from the new record and is called “Poignant Melody”. In the video, Satomi is singing another song altogether, but this demonstrates the recording setup and process. The audio in the video alternates between the final master and each individual mic solo’ed up as it appears on the screen - this is best experienced using headphones. Visit @russianrecording for more photos and info. #vintagemic #recordingstudio #vintageaudio #audioengineer #audioproduction #microphones

SAAS Vintage Mics - May, 2022

Enjoy this dramatic video of the vintage mics we have restored over the past 8 months which are available for purchase starting this weekend. If you’re interested in seeing the full list with prices, photos, and descriptions, sign up for the newsletter at http://eepurl.com/hgUZg1, it should be going out Saturday or Sunday. I only do 2-4 newsletters a year, but if you don't want to sign up and still want the list, shoot me a DM. After the newsletter goes out, any mics that are still available will be listed on here and on FB groups. Any mics left after that will be listed on Reverb.

Rare and Obscure Microphones for Sale

We have a ton of incredible microphones and outboard equipment now available for sale, including everything you see in this video (and more - see list below). All of our mics are carefully tested, serviced, cleaned, tested again, and working exactly as they should. Sign up for the newsletter here: eepurl.com/hgUZg1 to receive the full list (and future lists) complete with detailed photos, descriptions, audio samples, and pricing. The newsletter won’t go out for another 2-3 weeks, but if you see anything here that you want immediately or have questions about, please send us a DM or email at [email protected], and I can provide pricing and more info straight away. Here’s what’s available now: Neumann M50b, Rare LOMO KMD/19a9, 2 x Sony C48, Melodium M42b, RCA 77DX, Sony C220a Stereo Tube Mic, Beyerdynamic M360, 2 x Aiwa VM17SA (stereo pair), 2 x Aiwa VM15, 2 x Toshiba Type G, 2 x National CM-501, 2 x LOMO 19a18 (stereo pair), LOMO 19a18 full original set, IRPA MK12, Oktava MK61, LOMO 19a9, 2 x Oktava MK13m, Oktava ML11m, Toshiba Type F, Toshiba Type K, Orange County CLX-S-FM Stereo Compressor, Oktava ML17, Sony C450, Ramsa WM8100, 2 x LOMO UM51x LOMO UM53 Full Set, Schoeps CMC4, Intercity AEF-1 Plus EQ, 3 x Beyerdynamic M500s, 3 x Aiwa DM68, 2 x Sony F-560, Sony F660, 2 x Sony F760, Oktava MD-35, Sony Stereo Dynamic, 2 x Tesla EKV 1015 Passive EQs