The Coles 4038 is a ribbon microphone produced by Coles Electroacoustics. The microphone was designed and patented by the BBC in the 1950s [1] and was originally known as the STC 4038. [2] The sound of the microphone has been described as "British" with a "BBC politeness", [3] and its appearance has been likened to that of a waffle iron. [4] It is used in both sound recording and radio broadcasting. [5]
The microphone was designed by the BBC in 1953 and the prototype was assigned the model number BBC PGS/1. [6] It was designed as a result of the BBC's request for a strong and affordable microphone that was smaller than previous models [7] (such as the Type A). The 4038 was an improvement on the Type A's frequency response, and was described as "less obtrusive". [8]
The microphone was produced by Standard Telephones and Cables [9] before their manufacturing was transferred to Coles in the mid-1970s. [10] Since its design in the 1950s, the technical specifications of the 4038 have remained unchanged. [11]
In recording environments, the 4038 is often used as drum overheads and on brass instruments. [3] [12] The microphone became a favourite of British recording engineers in the 1950s and 60s, but did not receive widespread use in the United States. [12] The microphone was described as recording sounds "bigger than life" – such as drums or amplified guitars – some Beatles and Led Zeppelin recordings featured 4038s as overhead microphones on the drum kit. [13] [14]
In a 1994 interview, Steve Albini said that "if [he] owned one mic, this would be it". [1] Albini has also commented that "really nothing beats them as an overhead on a drum kit". [14]
At one point, Bush House (home of the BBC World Service) used the 4038 almost exclusively. [15]
The 4038's frequency response is flat, with a range of approximately 30–15,000 Hz. [16] The attenuation of high frequencies reduces sibilance on vocals, but also reduces detail. [3]
The microphone uses a bi-directional polar pattern. [17]
The microphone is connected using a Western Electric jack connector designated 4069, which adapts the microphone's 3-pin output to a standard XLR connector. [18]
A microphone, colloquially called mic or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public events, motion picture production, live and recorded audio engineering, sound recording, two-way radios, megaphones, and radio and television broadcasting. They are also used in computers for recording voice, speech recognition, VoIP, and for other purposes such as ultrasonic sensors or knock sensors.
A recording studio is a specialized facility for recording and mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enough to record a single singer-guitarist, to a large building with space for a full orchestra of 100 or more musicians. Ideally, both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician or audio engineer to achieve optimum acoustic properties.
Johann Philipp Reis was a self-taught German scientist and inventor. In 1861, he constructed the first make-and-break telephone, today called the Reis telephone.
Phantom power, in the context of professional audio equipment, is DC electric power transmitted through microphone cables to operate microphones that contain active electronic circuitry. It is best known as a convenient power source for condenser microphones, though many active direct boxes also use it. The technique is also used in other applications where power supply and signal communication take place over the same wires.
A ribbon microphone, also known as a ribbon velocity microphone, is a type of microphone that uses a thin aluminum, duraluminum or nanofilm of electrically conductive ribbon placed between the poles of a magnet to produce a voltage by electromagnetic induction. Ribbon microphones are typically bidirectional, meaning that they pick up sounds equally well from either side of the microphone.
A patch cable, patch cord or patch lead is an electrical or optical cable used to connect one electronic or optical device to another for signal routing. Devices of different types are connected with patch cords.
The Decca Tree is a spaced microphone array most commonly used for orchestral recording. It was originally developed as a sort of stereo A–B recording method adding a center fill. The technique was developed in the early 1950s and first commercially used in 1954 by Arthur Haddy, Roy Wallace, and later refined by engineer Kenneth Ernest Wilkinson and his team at Decca Records and its recording studios, to provide a strong stereo image.
Jermone Gregory Finn, sometimes credited as "Huckle" Jerry Finn, was an American record producer and mix engineer. He worked with numerous punk rock and pop-punk artists such as Blink-182, AFI, Sum 41, Alkaline Trio, Green Day, Morrissey, MxPx, and Rancid. Finn was known for the warm guitar tone present on albums he produced as well as the "punchy" sound of his mixes. He was instrumental in developing the polished sound of pop-punk in its second wave of popularity between the mid-1990s and early 2000s.
Georg Neumann GmbH is a manufacturer of professional recording microphones. It was founded in by Georg Neumann in 1928 and is based in Berlin, Germany. Their best-known products are condenser microphones for broadcast, live and music production purposes. For several decades Neumann was also a leading manufacturer of cutting lathes for phonograph disks, and even ventured into the field of mixing desks. Currently it is also a manufacturer of preamplifiers, studio monitors and headphones. Since 2020, Ralf Oehl has been CEO of Georg Neumann GmbH.
The RCA Type 77-DX microphone is a poly-directional ribbon microphone, or pressure-gradient microphone, introduced by the RCA Corporation in 1954. It was preceded by the Type 77-D introduced in 1948. Its popularity and classic design has resulted in the 77-DX becoming an iconic microphone, used by broadcasters and media personalities such as Edward R. Murrow, David Letterman and Larry King.
Reslosound - also known as Reslo were British manufacturers of electrical musical equipment. In particular they were very well known for the RB Ribbon microphone. This is sometimes referred to as the "Beatles Mic" as they were used a great deal in the Cavern in Liverpool England as well as many other live music venues, recording studios and broadcasters in the 1960s. Notably the BBC used them and they could be seen in many programmes including their flagship sports programme Grandstand. Ribbon microphones in general are making a big comeback over the last few years and many producers and musicians are using the Reslosound microphones again after finding their sound provides a warm classic tone.
An audio engineer helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, and reinforcement of sound. Audio engineers work on the "technical aspect of recording—the placing of microphones, pre-amp knobs, the setting of levels. The physical recording of any project is done by an engineer... the nuts and bolts."
The BBC-Marconi Type A is a ribbon microphone that was produced by the BBC and Marconi between 1934 and 1959. The microphone has been described as "iconic" and a symbol of the BBC.
The lip-ribbon microphone is a type of ribbon microphone designed specially for use by live news reporters or sports commentators. Organisations such as the BBC, CBS and ABC use lip-ribbon microphones to cover events including motor racing, wrestling, processions and demonstrations.
Spill is the occurrence in sound recording and live sound mixing whereby sound is picked up by a microphone from a source other than that which is intended. Spill is usually seen as a problem, and various steps are taken to avoid it or reduce it. In some styles of music, such as orchestral music, jazz, and blues, it is more likely to be accepted or even seen as desirable.
Overhead microphones are those used in sound recording and live sound reproduction to pick up ambient sounds, transients and the overall blend of instruments. They are used in drum recording to achieve a stereo image of the full drum kit, as well as orchestral recording to create a balanced stereo recording of full orchestras.
Cliff Henricksen is a musician, inventor and audio technologist. He is self-taught as a musician with a graduate degree in mechanical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Throughout his career Cliff has found innovative ways to apply engineering basics to electro acoustics and to audio technology as it applies to music and in particular to live music performance. He has invented and engineered a wide variety of technologies and products well known in the world of professional audio. Today he balances work in audio and work as a performing musician.
Smoke Sessions Records is an independent record label based in New York City.
The Electro-Voice RE20 is an American professional cardioid dynamic microphone, commonly used in broadcasting applications since 1968. Designed by Electro-Voice using the company's patented Variable-D technology and a large-diaphragm element, it has been described as an industry standard "iconic" microphone for its natural sound and its wide usage in radio, television and recording studios. In 2015, the RE20 was inducted into the TEC Awards Technology Hall of Fame.
The Beyerdynamic M 160, sometimes referred to as Beyer M160, is a German hypercardioid ribbon microphone used for speech in broadcasting and for music in live concerts and the recording studio. Introduced in 1957 by Beyerdynamic, the M 160 is based on a rugged dual-ribbon transducer element with rare earth neodymium magnets to reduce the size. The two 15-millimeter (0.59 in) ribbons combine to yield a highly directional pickup pattern. The ribbon assembly is turned 90 degrees away from the usual configuration to make the M 160 an end-address model; the similar M 130 model is a side-address microphone with a figure-8 pickup pattern.