Telefunken Elektroakustik C12 Tube Condenser Microphone

With its smooth, airy character and nine remotely-selectable polar responses, the Telefunken Elektroakustik C12 is the microphone of choice for drum overheads, acoustic guitar and vocals for studios and engineers worldwide. Originally developed by AKG Acoustics in Austria and launched in 1953, the C12 excels at capturing all types of instruments and voices with its classic high-fidelity sound, and to this day is coveted by many recording professionals as the finest sounding and most versatile large-diaphragm tube microphone of its era.

UNIQUE CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY

The C12’s design is unique, enabling the user to variably select the polar response of the capsule remotely from the power supply rather than via onboard switches. Nine different responses are available, from cardioid to omnidirectional to figure-8, as well as six intermediate pick-up patterns between those settings, making the C12 one of the most versatile large-diaphragm tube microphone of its time.

A MODERN RECREATION

TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik has painstakingly reverse-engineered every component part of the C12 to accurately reproduce this classic microphone for the modern era. The company’s experienced technicians worked for years to precisely reproduce the CK12 capsule, the heart of every C12, meticulously machining the backplates to the original spec and tuning and gluing the diaphragms by hand. The amplifier circuit has been precisely recreated using a German-made Haufe T14 output transformer, built to match the original, that is driven by a microphone grade 6072a vacuum tube. This reproduction is so historically accurate that the headgrilles, connectors, capsule mounts, plastic decks and other components are all compatible with vintage AKG C12s in need of service.

BETTER BY DESIGN

TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik’s hand-built historic reissue offers improvements to the original design that ensures the C12 offers consistent performance well into the future. Cathode self-biasing operation implemented in the circuit design offers a quieter and more consistent performance over the tube’s lifetime. Plus, with this improved design, the power supply needs to be calibrated less frequently than the original C12’s fixed-bias configuration. This incomparable recreation will be the jewel in your mic locker for years to come.

AIRY, CLEAR AND BALANCED

All the sonic characteristics of the legendary C12 are present in this handmade recreation. The silky-smooth high frequencies produce plenty of air. Mid-range frequencies are captured with a natural presence, with definition and articulation. And the tight, focused low frequencies are in perfect balance with mid and upper frequency ranges.

TELEFUNKEN ELEKTROAKUSTIK C12 FEATURES:

• Tube condenser microphone with legendary sweet and airy tone
• Phenomenal high frequency clarity and definition
• 9 remote-selectable polar patterns including Cardioid, Omni, and Figure 8
• US-made historically accurate CK12 edge-terminated capsule
• TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik 6072A vacuum tube
• Point-to-point wired in the USA true to the original design