Fairchild F-22 (announced 1965)
Little is documented about the Fairchild F-22, and most of what survives is promotional rather than critical. The F-22 was a condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern, new in early 1965. Audio (March 1965, p.12) carried the announcement in its industry column, and the same announcement appeared in the following months' issues. No full contemporary test report seems to exist.
The most detailed description of the F-22 comes from a later microphone retrospective, which documented an example from a private collection. It gives the F-22 as a cardioid condenser with these specs:
- Rated source impedance: 200 ohms
- Output level: −45 dBm referenced to 10 dynes/cm²
- Distortion: less than 0.5% at 120 dB SPL
- Self noise: 20 dB or less
The same source notes that the F-22 was actually OEM'd by Synchron - the Synchron version was known as the AU7A - and that the microphone was claimed to be the first to use an FET in its circuitry. Production years, original price, and design history are unrecorded. If you have paperwork or firsthand knowledge of the F-22, the archive would be glad to hear from you.
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