Microphones

Microphones convert sound into electrical signals and form the starting point of every recording, broadcast, and live sound signal chain. From large diaphragm studio models and small diaphragm condensers to dynamic and ribbon designs, microphones are defined by their transducer type, polar pattern, sensitivity, and intended application, all of which directly influence how sound sources are captured in different acoustic environments.

Please bear with us as we continue to build out this new section, focusing primarily on microphones designed for studio recording, while also including a small number of stage classics that have earned a permanent place in the studio, such as the Shure SM57 and SM58.

Decades
Made In Germany
Released in 1949 /
The Neumann U47 is a valve condenser studio microphone introduced in 1949 that laid the foundation for the modern studio microphone and established what became known as the Neumann sound.
Made In Germany
Released in 1951 /
The Neumann M 49 V Set is the current production reissue of one of the company’s most significant valve studio microphones, returning the M 49 to Neumann’s catalogue in a form built to original specifications while incorporating selected practical refinements for modern studio use.
Made In Austria
Released in 1953 /
The AKG C12 is a multi pattern valve condenser studio microphone with a lineage dating back to the 1950s, widely recognised as one of the most significant large diaphragm microphones ever produced. The modern AKG C12 VR represents the contemporary continuation of this design.
Made In Germany
Released in 1957 /
The beyerdynamic M 160 is a dynamic double-ribbon microphone with a hypercardioid polar pattern, handcrafted in Germany and designed for studio and stage applications requiring precise directional control and detailed transient response.
Made In Austria
Released in 1958 /
The AKG D12 is a large diaphragm dynamic microphone introduced during the early era of professional sound reinforcement and recording, becoming one of AKG’s most widely recognised broadcast and instrument microphones.
Released in 1960 /
The Sennheiser MD 421 is a large diaphragm dynamic microphone designed for professional recording and broadcast use, recognised for its versatility across a wide range of sound sources.
Made In Germany
Released in 1960 /
The Neumann U67 is a large diaphragm tube condenser microphone reissued to original specifications, continuing a design first introduced in 1960 and built using archived Neumann documentation.
Made In Germany
Released in 1963 /
The beyerdynamic M 88 is a dynamic moving-coil microphone with a hypercardioid polar pattern, continuously handmade in Germany since 1963 and designed for demanding studio and live applications.
Made In U.S.A.
Released in 1965 /
The Shure SM57 is a cardioid dynamic microphone developed for instrument and sound source capture, and has become one of the most widely used microphones in professional recording studios since its introduction.
Made In U.S.A.
Released in 1966 /
The Shure SM58 is a dynamic cardioid vocal microphone that has become one of the most recognisable and widely used microphones in professional audio, valued for its durability, consistency, and focused vocal reproduction.
Made In Germany
Released in 1966 /
The Neumann KM 84 is a small-diaphragm condenser microphone introduced in 1966 and recognised as the first microphone designed for 48 volt phantom power operation.
Made In Germany
Released in 1967 /
The Neumann U87 is one of the most recognisable and widely used studio microphones in professional recording history, established as a reference standard for vocals, speech, and general studio recording since its introduction in the late 1960s.