Telefunken

Veteran recording engineer Gerhard Joost has worked with major artists like Stevie Wonder, Usher, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland – to name a few – and is currently at the helm of Studio Hill Austin, a new recording studio in Austin, Texas that aims to produce “a new sound for the post-pandemic age”. The studio is scheduled to have its grand opening soon and will welcome artists from all over the world to record in their sunlight-filled recording room. Continue reading →

With the Alchemy Microphone Series, Telefunken Elektroakustik has brought the high-quality standards of its classics to a new generation of mics. Yet, these microphones don't simply borrow from the brand's rich history. They blur the lines of legendary voices from past microphones to offer more unique tools for engineers to work with today. Telefunken Elektroakustik has just announced a new addition to the Alchemy Microphone Series with the release of the TF11 FET large diaphragm condenser microphone. There's a lot to be excited about with the TF11. This is the brand's first phantom powered large diaphragm condenser microphone, which offers up a sound similar to the beloved C12 that weighs in at a price tag of under $1000. Continue reading →

Wargirl is a six-person garage rock band co-founded by Matt Wignall in 2016. The band combines an eclectic range of influences including current events, world music grooves, dub-centered rhythms, and lyrics of substance. Wargirl makes music that matters, but also makes you want to get down — the soundtrack of our times. The band recently recorded their new record, Dancing Gold, at Matt’s garage-based Tackyland Studio in Long Beach, California. In addition to producing and recording Wargirl’s albums, Matt has also worked with indie-rock icons like Cold War Kids and Mando Diao. Continue reading →

The Telefunken ELA-M 251 is one of the most storied large diaphragm condenser microphones in recording history. It came about after the fruitful relationship between Neumann and Telefunken dissolved, and AKG stepped in to help manufacture a new microphone for Telefunken. We recently had a number of Telefunken ELA-M 251s come through the Vintage King Tech Shop for servicing. Two of the microphones are incredibly close to being numbered sequentially (917 and 919), and since these mics were made in blocks of ten, that's an incredibly rare sight. Continue reading →

Universal Audio is responsible for creating some of the most accurate emulations of classic pro audio gear, including the Fairchild 660/670 , LA-2A, and Neve 1073. Add another essential preamp to that list, as the TAB/Telefunken V76 has recently got its own UAD plug-in. The V76 has some history behind it, which is chronicled in great detail over on our new Pro Audio Hall of Fame page. It all starts with the foundational block of the V41 mic pre, which was the design basis for the V72. The V76 is essentially two V72s in series with 76 dB of gain. Continue reading →

The Telefunken ELA-M 250 and 251 are two beloved microphones from recording history that came about after the end of the partnership between Telefunken and Neumann. Once Telefunken stopped making the VF14 tube for the Neumann U47 and U48, they began working with AKG and utilized the Austrian brand's C12 microphone as the basis for the ELA-M 250 and 251. In addition to stocking the current version of the ELA-M 251T and ELA-M 251E, we are lucky enough to have a stunning example of a Telefunken ELA-M 251 currently residing at the Vintage King Tech Shop. This model comes from the original 1960s run of microphones and was most recently owned by Kevin Augunas of Fairfax Recordings. Continue reading →