I’ve been browsing
a vintage microphone site and it got me thinking: what kind of
characteristics are actually offered by vintage mics? Can the same sound
be achieved with modern mics and EQ? Isn’t most of the ‘vintage sound’
due to tape and valves rather than mics?
The
sought-after sound of the classic vintage mics is partly down to the
fact that microphones used in professional studios many years ago would
have been of particularly high quality to start with — and quality tends
to age well.
Via SOS web site
SOS
Technical Editor Hugh Robjohns replies:
A good vintage capacitor mic
sounds much the same as a good modern equivalent, and the same goes for
ribbons and moving coils. Having said that, there has been a tendency
over the last decade or two to make modern mics sound brighter, partly
because the technology has improved to allow that, and partly because of
aural fashion.
Also, professional mics that are
now considered vintage were usually pretty expensive in their day —
studios and broadcasters bought very high‑quality products — and that
high‑end quality generally persists despite the age of the microphones.
Most
of the vintage mics you’ll find on those kinds of sites, though, are
either valve capacitor mics or ribbons, and they both have inherent
characteristics of their own that a lot of people revere. Ribbons have
a delightfully smooth and natural top end, while high‑quality valve
capacitor mics often have mid‑range clarity and low‑end warmth. These
qualities can still be found in some modern equivalents if you
choose carefully.
Some of the vintage character
is certainly attributable to recording on tape, replaying from vinyl,
and the use of valves and transformers. But some is also down to the
construction of the microphone capsules and the materials used, not all
of which are still available in commercial products today.
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