Checkout using your account
This form is protected by reCAPTCHA - the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Checkout as a new customer
Creating an account has many benefits:
The Grandparent Of All Ribbon Microphones
The RCA 44-A is the grandparent of all ribbon microphones. First released in 1933, it quickly began to dominate the worlds of film scoring, studio recording, and radio broadcasts – and ruled the roost for the next two decades. Its angular shape is instantly recognized, and its smooth tone has made it the standard for all ribbon mics that followed it.
Of the four main microphone types; carbon, condenser, dynamic, and ribbon, the ribbon microphone (and the RCA 44 Series) is the only design that has largely remained unchanged since its creation. Only in the 2000s did ribbon microphones see significant advancements in their design and materials.
Unlike its main competitor, the condenser microphone, a ribbon mic does not need a power supply or batteries, allowing for more versatile placement in a studio environment. And the studio is where the 44-A lived – its large size and weight made it too ungainly for remote or location work, where a dynamic mic (also requiring no power supply) was more effective. The mic also proved its worth on the stage for PA use, where it allowed higher gain-before-feedback.
