Schoeps M221
A small pencil-tube condenser that earned its keep in the world's best studios, and asks a lot of anyone who owns one today.
Overview
The M221 is a small pencil-type condenser microphone. The people who have run one say the performance justifies the fuss. The technicians who service them call it a delicate thing.
The design is built around a single metal diaphragm, and the system was offered with a multiple-pattern capsule. Schoeps put the M221 forward as the only condenser microphone of its kind featuring a low-inertial diaphragm with three acoustically selected patterns, with a range of interchangeable condenser capsules available across the series. Distortion was held below 0.3 per cent at levels up to 115 dB above 0.0002 microbar. A special attenuator could be installed between capsule and preamp to keep the electronics from overloading on loud sources.
There is a catch for anyone shopping for one. Schoeps used a nickel diaphragm for many of their capsules, as some of the early Neumann microphones did, and the same corrosion problems can occur Studio Sound (August 2001, p.66). The electronics mounting is somewhat delicate, and the suspension method holding the valve socket assembly is very prone to damage. That makes the microphone electronics microphonic, so mechanical handling noise goes straight into the signal. The preamp-impedance convertor input connector tab can lose its tension, or in the worst case break off and be replaced with a material that has no spring to it. That causes noise problems and puts extra physical stress on the electronics framework. None of this is fatal, but none of it is cheap or quick either.
The M221 also turns up badged as a Telefunken. Telefunken was a distributor's logo rather than a legitimate manufacturer. In the early days of microphone production, makers like AKG had no means of distribution, especially for export, and relied on selling under larger company names such as Philips, Siemens and Telefunken. The Telefunken logo appears on Schoeps M221 types, and the electronics and construction are identical to the OEM-badged units. Collectors note that Telefunken-badged examples fetch a higher price than their OEM counterparts, which is a lot of money for a logo.
Changing polar patterns on the acoustically altered Schoeps models calls for care. The pattern change is done mechanically-acoustically, and it can produce a very large, low-frequency pulse. Other microphone types also thump when you switch patterns, but the acoustically altered Schoeps models reportedly have considerably more destructive power behind them. Mute the channel first.
Demand has never really gone away.
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