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Curio's - What Valve, in what Microphone ?

 

Why a particular valve was used ?

The valve chosen, must have the required electrical characteristics e.g. Low Noise, together with suitable physical characteristics e.g Small Size. This immediately narrows the choice down considerably.

Ideally, the final decision as to what valve is used, should be that of the designer and not the accountant. For many manufacturers, it is often the cost, rather than the quality !

Fortunately, quality sometimes wins over cost e.g. valves, such as the Telefunken AC701, were especially designed and manufactured for use in microphones.

 

Left to Right - VF14, 7586 (Nuvistor), AC701k, 6111 and 6072A

 

Note - A few modern valve microphone designs, post 1990's, use "Very Good" valves. However, these valves are often vary rare and almost impossible to find, thus making servicing a complete nightmare. Why not have used a more readily available valve of similar quality

The VF14m valve (low noise examples of the VF14) was anything from special, it's just that there were lots of these RF Pentodes around at the time the U47 was designed. Available, just about, from the late 1940's to the early 2000's, that not bad .....

So, if you are going to design something, then make sure that it can be kept "Easily Serviceable" for a few decades at least !!!

 

Microphone Type

"Original" Valve

"Similar" Valve / Notes

AKG C12

12AY7

6072A

AKG C12A

7586

 

AKG C12B

7586

 

AKG C12VR

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

AKG C24

6072 "BBC"

12AY7 or 6072A / Modification

AKG C28A

12AY7

6072A

AKG C28B

6072 "BBC"

12AY7 or 6072A

AKG C28C

7586

 

AKG C60

AC701k

 

AKG C61

7586

 

AKG "Solidtube"

ECC83

12AX7

AKG "The Tube"

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Alesis / GT AM40

6025

 

Alesis / GT AM61

5840M

 

Alesis / GT AM62

5840M

 

Altec 21b

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Audio-technica AT4060

6922

ECC88 or E88CC

CVSR C41

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Fi-cord FC-1200

7586

 

Fi-cord FC-1200a

7586

 

Groove Tubes MD-1

12AT7

ECC81

Groove Tubes MD-2

12AT7

ECC81

Hammond M100

7586

 

Hiller M59

MSC2

AC701k / wiring changes required

Hiller M60

MSC2

AC701k / wiring changes required

Lomo 19A1

6J1n-EB

EF95 or 6AK7

Lomo 19A9

6J1n

EF95 or 6AK7

Lomo 19A10

6C6b x 2

 

Lomo 19A13

6C6b

 

Lomo 19A18

6C6b

 

Lomo 19A19 (Early Models)

6C31b-P

 

Lomo 19A19 (Later Models)

6C51H-B

 

MKD (Neumann Gefell) MV101

EC760

 

Neumann CMV3 (Early Models)

RE084k

 A408

Neumann CMV3 (Later Models)

RV2P800

 

Neumann CMV3 (Final Models)

MSC2

 AC701k / wiring changes required

Neumann KM50 series

AC701k

 

Neumann KM60 series

AC701k

 

Neumann KM250 series

AC701k

 

Neumann M49 (Early Models)

MSC2

AC701k / wiring changes required

Neumann M49 (Later Models)

AC701k

 

Neumann M50 (Early Models)

MSC2

AC701k / wiring changes required

Neumann M50 (Later Models)

AC701k

 

Neumann M147

6111WA

 

Neumann M149

6111WA

 

Neumann M249 (All Models)

AC701k

 

Neumann M250 (All Models)

AC701k

 

Neumann M269

AC701k

 

Neumann MV101

EC760

 

Neumann SM2

AC701k x 2

 

Neumann SM23

AC701k x 2

 

Neumann SM69

AC701k x 2

 

Neumann U47 (Early Models)

VF14m

RV-14m

Neumann U47 (Final Models)

13CW4

Modification

Neumann U48 (Early Models)

VF14m

RV-14m

Neumann U48 (Final Models)

13CW4

Modification

Neumann U64

7586

 

Neumann U67

EF86

EF806s / Quieter

Neumann Gefell CMV5

EF12k

 

Neumann Gefell CMV551

EC92

6AB4 / Modification

Neumann Gefell CMV563

EC92

6AB4 / Modification

Neumann Gefell M14

RV12P2000

 

Neumann Gefell M582

EC92

6AB4

Neumann Gefell MV101

EC760

 

Neumann Gefell MV630

EC760

 

Neumann Gefell UM57

EC92

6AB4 / Modification

Neumann Gefell ZUM64

EC760 x 2

 

NRU OV362

ECC70

6021

Philips EL6050

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Philips LBB9060

7586

 

Reissmann

EF12k

 

Schoeps CM51

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Schoeps CM60

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Schoeps CM61

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Schoeps M221 (All Models)

AC701k

 

Siemens SM204

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Sony C37a

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Sony C800

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Sony C800G

6AU6

6136 or EF94

Soundelux E47

EF732

5840

Soundelux E47C

EF814k

 

Soundelux E49

EF732

5840

Soundelux E250

EF732

5840

Soundelux E251c

5670

 

Soundelux Elux 251 (Early Models)

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Soundelux Elux 251 (Later Models)

5670

 

Soundelux U99 (Early Models)

EF86

EF806s / Quieter

Soundelux U99 (Later Models)

EF732

5840

Soundelux U99b

PF86

 

Soundelux U99s

EF732

5840

STC 4108 or LYA28

AC701k

 

Teladi K100

ECC82

12AU7 or 6067

Teladi K120

ECC82

12AU7 or 6067

Teladi K125

ECC82

12AU7 or 6067

Teladi K130

ECC82

12AU7 or 6067

Teladi K135

ECC82

12AU7 or 6067

Telefunken ela M250

AC701k

 

Telefunken ela M250E

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Telefunken ela M251

AC701k

 

Telefunken ela M251E

6072

12AY7 or 6072A

Telefunken ela M260

AC701k

 

Telefunken ela M261

AC701k

 

 

 

 

Please note that the above list, is being continuously up-dated.


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