|
The Geloso 416 Double Ribbon, made between 1951 and 1956, is probably the best Geloso microphone ever made. It is definitely the only ribbon type the firm produced (their more well-known models are piezo and dynamic models).
The 416s are pretty rare but from time to time they surface and many users and collectors would love to own one. Some vintage studios have them on their inventory list, but they were never designed for studio use; they were intended for P.A. systems. Still they have the warm ribbon sound that makes them usefull for recording electric guitars, drums and vocals. Like most ribbon mics it has a figure of eight recording pattern; sensitive at both front and back and dead at the sides. The output signal is not as low as that of many of its contamporaries which often had 50 Ohm transformers; this one is 250 Ohms.
The two ribbons are connected in series, to obtain a stronger output signal. Later, other companies (Beyerdynamic and Oktava) used double ribbon designs as well. The Geloso design uses a big cilindrical magnet that is visible through the grill, the ribbons are mounted to the left and right of it.
At the introduction in 1951, Geloso presented a 416/80 table version on a small 210 mm stand and a 415/90; the same model on a 1150 mm floor stand. Later this was renamed the 416/90.
Because of Italy's economic boost in the second half of the Fifties and the low value of the Lira, many of these mikes were exported to other European countries and the U.S.
This is one of the types that feature in my book Witnesses of Words, which was recently released. More information about that can be found at www.witnessesofwords.com
|
|
Video's
Contact
