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The American D 22 is an omni directional dynamic microphone, from the Fifties, with a remarkable look.
The company, from Pasadena California, branded the modern design 'FULL VISION', for both artist and audience. It was aimed at use for interviews on TV, and speech for live sound, and could be quickly detached from its holder, to be used as a hand microphone. The colour was either silver or gold. The body was made of 'Duraliminum', the diaphragm was micro-metal alloy, treated against corrosion. It was fitted with a standard XLR connector, which was not yet common in those years.
The similar looking D 33 had much better specifications (40 Hz - 15 kHz vs 100 Hz - 8 kHz for the D 22) and was meant for studio recordings. Both models were equipped with a sliding switch, under the name-plate at the black bottom to change the impedance.
Another great model by the American company was the D 44, a dynamic omni, specially targeted at recording sound for movies, it had a rubber suspension, enabling it to be mounted on a 'fish-pole' (a studio boom-pole to angle the mic in position). Design and specs were similar to those of the D 33.
American also produced a very stylish variety of the WE 639 microphone, containing a ribbon and a dynamic element to create a directive pick-up pattern; the American DR 330 (and the DR 331 and DR 332, both of less quality). These models are also very collectable.
The company was bought by the Elgin Watch Co, in the Fifties, and finally taken over by Electro Voice. After a few years EV ended production of these microphones and American went out of business in the early Sixties.
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