There are more than one kind of mic that one can use for quality recordings , including the standard Telefunken m80. However, most of the models offered are not efficient enough to reproduce sound sources with fidelity. This is true even when using the best digital sound processors or DSPs.
Transparency of sound reproduction is particularly important for studio recordings. Condenser microphones are the best and most popular in this regard given their technologies. The standard Telefunken m80 nevertheless intends to compete with them in this area.
History of the Telefunken brand
The beginning of the 20th century in Germany was marked by the work of two research groups in wireless communication . The first of these is that of the company AEG , which is led by Adolf Slaby and Georg Graf von Arco.
This was mainly responsible for developing systems for the Imperial Navy. The other group was led by Karl Ferdinand Braun at Siemens and developed systems for the German army.
Both AEG and Siemens faced direct competition from the British company Marconi. This did not prevent them from having conflicts among themselves, and especially in a patent dispute. It was also this dispute that led Emperor William II to convince the two companies to collaborate.
A joint venture called Gesellschaft für drahtlose Telegraphie System Telefunken was then created on May 27, 1903. All the patents and techniques at the source of the disputes were invested in this new structure. The latter then changed its name to " Telefunken , The Company for Wireless Telegraphy " on April 17, 1923, with Georg von Arco as technical director.
The Telefunken company quickly became a major brand in radio and electronic technologies, both for civilians and the military. The Tuner technology developed by Telefunken was notably used on military radios from the First World War.
Telefunken began manufacturing transmitters and radio devices from 1923. The company made history in 1928 with the creation of the V-41 amplifier for the German radio network. It was then the first two-stage hi-fi amplifier.
Telefunken's designs were perfected over time culminating in the development of the V-72 amplifier . The latter quickly became very popular with radio stations and recording facilities. The V-72S is also the only amplifier present in the REDD.37 console . The latter was used by Abbey Road Studios for the Beatles albums.
Siemens sold its shares in Telefunken to AEG in 1941 in an agreement called the " Telefunken Settlement ". AEG then becomes the sole owner of Telefunken and continues to manage it as a subsidiary. Telefunken was first managed under the name " Telefunken GmbH " from 1955 before being renamed " Telefunken AG " from 1963.
Telefunken began supplying vacuum tubes radio-relay systems during World War II. It also created radiometry facilities during this time, which were renamed “ radars ” by the US Navy.
Telefunken's production sites were transferred or relocated to western Germany during the war. It then became a smaller subsidiary of AEG with three business segments. It is a reorientation and a technique of data processing, radio and television.
It is also to Telefunken that we owe the invention of the FM radio system . She achieved this feat through her subsidiary called Teldec which she manages with the company Decca Records. The latter was the leading large house in Germany until Teldec was sold to WEA in 1988.
Telefunken and AEG merged in 1967 to create AEG-Telefunken . It was under this new brand that Walter Bruch first created the PAL color television system in the early 1960s. The latter is used everywhere in the West with the exception of France, but also in Brazil, Argentina, and Africa. of the South, in India and Australia.
Telefunken has been dedicated to designing the best microphones for artists and studios around the world. The audio industry has been marked in this respect by the design of microphones such as the ELA M 251 and the Telefunken U47 . He also showcased his talents by creating preamps like the V72 and V76 , which are still prized today for their unrivaled sound.
Toni Fishman decided to buy the rights to the Telefunken Elektroakustik in 2000. The company was then introduced to the North American market with headquarters in South Windsor, Connecticut. It is under this new brand that new collections of iconic microphones are created, including the M80 Standard model.
Overview of the Telefunken m80 standard microphone
The M80 microphone recorder works on the basis of a dynamic instrument transducer with a supercardioid polar pattern . The latter is a variant of the cardioid polar pattern whose operation is closer to a bidirectional microphone than to an omnidirectional microphone .
An omnidirectional mic is designed to pick up sound from all directions . The lavalier microphone is a good example of an omnidirectional microphone. HF microphones with a supercardioid polar pattern tend to attenuate sounds captured from the sides . The concept here is very similar to that of a gooseneck microphone like the Shure Beta 58A microphone or the DPA 4018.
Build quality of the standard Telefunken m80 microphone
The Telefunken m80 standard is a dynamic moving coil microphone with a most robust design. The tapered handpiece that the basket screws onto is designed with durable brass. The handle does not have a round cut, but appears flattened in some places. The M80 dynamic microphone is therefore unlikely to slide easily from its support if it is not held by a cable.
The head of this microphone is chrome-plated on the outside and covered with foam on the inside . The flattened shape looks quite unusual here and seems more present on a condenser microphone. It must be said that Telefunken wants to achieve the sound quality of a condenser microphone with the M80.
The design of the standard Telefunken m80 capsule appears very similar to that of a condenser microphone (which differs from dynamic microphones in terms of its technical characteristics). This can be seen in its thin magnetic membrane and custom-designed transformer.
The Telefunken M80 has a length of 184 mm and a diameter of 48 mm , which places it in the average in terms of dimensions. It nevertheless seems quite heavy with its weight of 387 grams . This is probably due to the transmitter it is equipped with.
It can therefore be quite exhausting to use it after 90 to 120 minutes without any support. This substantial weight is nevertheless counterbalanced by a pleasant grip provided by the balance of the axis between the body and the head. The gray, rubberized paint of the M80 also ensures good slip resistance.
The standard Telefunken m80 also comes with a stand to solve the inconvenience caused by its weight. However, it is not very easy to install the microphone in this adapter. The top slot is too small, requiring you to thread the cable through first.
However, it is not recommended to place your fingers above your head. This will in fact increase the sensitivity of the standard Telefunken m80 to feedback, which is common to this type of microphone. Handling noise is also very reduced given the massive design of the handle.
The standard Telefunken m80 box contains the microphone itself, a leatherette case, a microphone clip and instructions. It is nevertheless quite a shame that this stereo microphone did not come with a reduction thread from 5/8 inch to 3/8 inch.
You shouldn't also expect to find a Switch input for HDMI, a mini-jack for Headphones or a micro-USB port on the M80. It must be said that these connection options are especially useful in a gaming or podcast environment. A USB microphone like those from Blue Yeti would make more sense in this context. The Yeti Pro Studio can be connected by Bluetooth.
The Telefunken m80 is also a very versatile piece of equipment . It is in fact available with a head for vocals and an SH head with an integrated clamp for instrument recording . The SH head actually makes good studio equipment for monitoring an acoustic guitar or piano notes. The M80 is also very effective at capturing the sound of a dynamic instrument like a Gibson guitar to the mixing desk.
Technical characteristics of the Telefunken m80 standard microphone
The standard Telefunken m80 studio microphone operates on an impedance of 325 ohms . This corresponds to a maximum sound pressure of 135 dB (SPL) for 1% THD . Frequency response ranges from 50 Hz for low frequencies to 18 kHz for high frequencies. It is surprising that the maximum sound pressure value was indicated for this microphone. Moving coil or ribbon microphones ( like the SE Electronics DynaCaster for example) tend to have reduced sensitivity.
The proximity effect is very reduced, so that the mix is less prone to saturation . The transmittance is in a fairly typical range with 1.54 mV/Pa . The limit value for the upper part of the frequency response is indicated at 18 kHz . The boost in the 5-10 kHz is very noticeable, as is the narrow drop in bandwidth around 90 Hz .
Zoom on the sound quality of the standard Telefunken m80 microphone
The Telefunken m80 impresses with its transparency in the reproduction of a sound source. Consonants are transmitted quickly, without components that rub or spread. The sound is also devoid of resonance , which gives a very natural appearance to the picture .
Vocalists with very high pronunciation must nevertheless be on their guard when picking up vocals. Syllables pronounced or sung very incisively can be too biting in sound recording. The listener will then cringe while listening to the mix. The m80 thus seems more oriented towards the American public where the letters S and T have a broad and darker pronunciation.
The voice coil is glued to the polar diaphragm . The resulting large moving mass causes the air band to be busier than that of condenser mics . The air band mentioned here is the one that corresponds to the transmission range of 15 kHz and above. This shouldn't cause any serious problems, however, especially when the mic is used on stage.
The electromagnetic field of the standard Telefunken m80 a priori begins to undergo slight compression at very high levels. However, this does not constitute a problem in itself. It is more relevant to look at how the standard Telefunken m80 reacts at short distances.
The standard Telefunken m80 is notably not as pronounced on the bass as a Neumann BCM 705 or a Shure SM58 dynamic mic . It can thus preserve the essential characteristics of the sound when the lips are close to the basket and the intelligibility of speech suffers. In a direct comparison to Shure's SM58, the Telefunken m80 is less dense and less busy, while still being more full-bodied. However, there are no major differences in pop sensitivity.
The Polar pattern provides a fairly large capsule sweet spot for those who tend to sing crookedly. The feedback resistance does not seem very great or even too low in the audio test. It always remains fairly constant over the entire frequency range and can thus be well evaluated.
The very open sound of the standard Telefunken m80 really gives the impression that it is a condenser microphone . This wide opening of the sound is reinforced by precise articulation of treble and bass. The standard Telefunken m80 micro recorder nevertheless differs from condenser microphones in that it operates on the basis of an external power supply . This takes the form of phantom power to be obtained with the microphone connected to a microphone preamp .
The M80 also seems insensitive in the midrange if we look at the proximity effect. However, this is an effect that often occurs when equipped with a condenser microphone. Telefunken's standard M80 tends to have a more open frequency response upwards while being more sensitive to feedback.
Comparison of Telefunken m80 with a condenser microphone
The standard Telefunken m80 microphone thus proves to be very efficient in comparison with another dynamic microphone. However, it is worth questioning its effectiveness compared to a real condenser microphone like the Audio Technica ATM710, the Audio-Technica AT2035, the Rode NT1 , or even the AKG p220.
Taking on the Audio Technica ATM710 microphone, it does not require much gain to operate, so one can save up to 15 dB on the amplifier. The M80 doesn't have much to lose here in normal use. The ATM710 nevertheless takes the advantage on this point in the event of very low level signals.
The dynamic M80 nevertheless presents itself as a major rival for condenser microphones, and especially in the treble and direct response. The M80 also tends to match the ATM710 in proximity effect , which generates more depth in the lower mids. This gives an impression of power for the voice , like on classic amps or a home studio speaker.
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Our opinion on the Telefunken m80 standard microphone
Telefunken has long demonstrated its capabilities in developing the most innovative equipment in the electronics industry. It is nonetheless impressive to see this know-how at work in the design of the standard Telefunken m80.
The standard Telefunken m80 is particularly impressive in its ability to take on the qualities of a condenser microphone without losing the soul of a dynamic microphone. The sound reproduction is most remarkable, especially in the treble, without relegating the bass to the background.
The standard Telefunken m80 dynamic microphone is therefore a first choice model for stage and recording studios. Its limited connectivity options, however, do not make it an adequate choice for gaming or a podcast. It is wiser to leave this type of activity to the care of a USB microphone, although M80 is better in sound quality.
The overall quality of the standard Telefunken m80 also tends to be reflected in its rather high price. This is a common feature of Telefunken microphones. It is nevertheless possible to obtain Telefunken m80 at a more reasonable price by consulting the brand's special offers.
Telefunken m80 Standard Microphone Demo
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Telefunken m80 standard
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