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Meticulous recreation of the legendary Telefunken ELA M 251 tube large diaphragm condenser microphone.
At a glance
- Acoustic operating principle: pressure gradient transducer
- Capsule: K251D
- Tube Type: EH6072A
- Polar pattern: Cardioid & Figure 8 & Omni
- Frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz
- Sensitivity: -34.5dBV
- Output impedance: 200O
- Maximum SPL: 136dB
- Total harmonic distortion: less than 0.3%
- Noise floor: -83dBV, A-weighted
- Power requirements: Dedicated power supply
- Connection method: Special aviation plug
- Diameter: 52 mm
- Length: 220 mm
- Weight: 0.58 kg
- Warranty period: 3 years
The Golden Age Premier GA ELA M 251E replicates one of the most legendary vintage tube microphones with a warm, lovely, sensitive overall sound and an incredible top-end performance.
The Golden Age Premier GA ELA M 251E is the culmination of years of study and testing to develop an instrument indistinguishable from a first-generation ELA M251E in excellent condition, with a warm, lovely, sensitive overall tone and an incredible top-end performance.
This large diaphragm condenser microphone has a custom-made K251 capsule that performs remarkably similarly to the CK12 capsule used in the first manufacturing year of the classic Telefunken ELA M 251E and has the same frequency response curves and sensitivity as the last one. The tolerance between capsules is +/-0.5 dB. Within a capsule, the tolerance between the front and rear is +/-0.2 dB.
A K251-style capsule was constructed, tested, and compared to the performance of the vintage unit before being adjusted and tuned over many listening sessions until the perceived sonic signature was comparable to that of an early vintage ELA M microphone.
The Golden Age Project team recreated the polar pattern switch mechanism, executed with a complicated mechanical construction that can only be done by hand. This technique required the creation of many sets of sophisticated and difficult-to-manufacture plastic moulds, all to recover the original non-destructive polar pattern switch mechanism with the proper working feel.
They also recreated and moulded the insulating plastic substrate for internal point-to-point soldering. As a result of these efforts, the amplifier circuit may operate with almost no external loss, allowing it to function at its theoretical peak level. This results in a superb, full-bodied, and exceptionally musical sound and a polished and well-controlled finesse from the lowest bass to the highest end of the frequency spectrum.
The 1:1 reconstruction of the original microphone may be utilised on the original ELAM251E, including power supply specs, cable wiring standards, and so on.
Golden Age Project was able to replicate a sound performance that came incredibly near to multiple vintage originals by employing the greatest component choices. These internal connection points are silver-plated with Teflon silver-plated cable to provide maximum signal integrity.