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Vintage dialogue mics
Just for fun and cause I’m fond of gear history..
I was wondering – what where the go-to dialogue mics of the seventies and eighties? I know
the 416 was quite a star for outdoor and indoor work for a long time. Prior to the galaxy of choices available now, what was likely to be found on sets?Thanks,
Col -
3 Replies
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Hello Colin and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.
Yes the 416 for outdoors and indoors on sets (not regular spaces).
In 1963, EV received an Academy Award for their 642 Cardiline shotgun microphone, the first ever given for an audio product.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford’s Blog -
Used to see the AKG C451 in studios a lot. Coles 4038 for radio/comm recording. Those are excellent mics that still get used but aren’t quite as ubiquitous as they used to be.
I’ve got a BBC information sheet from 1982 which lists these (although the sheet would cover all uses of microphones so you wouldn’t necessarily find all of these “on set”):
AKG C414 EB
AKG C422
AKG C451
AKG D109
AKG D202
AKG D222
AKG D224
BEYER M160
BEYER M201
CALREC 1000 & 2000
ELECTROVOICE 635A
NEUMANN SM69
NEUMANN U87
SENNHEISER MKH 416
SENNHEISER MKH 805
SENNHEISER MKH 815
SENNHEISER MKH 816P
SHURE SM58
SHURE SM81
SONY ECM 50
SONY ECM 50P
STC 4038
STC 4104
and then as a separate list, older microphones that were still in use in the ’80s:
AKG C12
AKG C12A
AKG C24
AKG C28
AKG D25
STC 4037 -
Shotguns:
Prior to the sennhieser 416 there was a 415 model, which was very similar but used T-power not phantom power.
The AKG C451 has been made in a number of different models since the late 1960’s( C451E, C451C, C451 EB etc) and also a C452EB. These used interchangeabe capsules of various polar patterns, including a short shotgun (CK-8) and long shotgun ( CK-9)
Dynamics:
For voice over the Electrovoice RE20 and the Shure sm7 have been round for a fair while
Small diaphram condensors:
As well as the shotgun capsules the C451 also had CK-1 and CK-5 cadiod capsules and CK-22 omni capsules available. The Shure sm81 has been round since the late 70’s. Not usually a first choice for solo vocals, but both have been used that way. MOre commonly used on musical instruments.
Large Diaphram condensors:
The Neumann u87 ( and previous to that the U67) and AKG C12 and C414 are well known condensors from that period used for studio voice recording. Still are today.Heaps of other mics could also be mentioned, but that’s some anyway.
Rocksure Soundz
https://rocksuresoundz.com
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