The first broadcast intimacy, still not superseded.
The Beyerdynamic DT 48 is the world’s first dynamic headphone, launched in 1939. Its closed, tight-fitting design isolates sound but causes fatigue. Its midrange is superb and revealing—built to monitor voice, sound objects, and mood in reporting, radio, film, and medical audiometry. It is not intended for mastering.
The RCA Type 44 is a bi-directional ribbon microphone introduced in 1931. Its thin corrugated metal ribbon generates voltage when vibrating in a magnetic field. It hears only front and back. It breaks under wind, phantom power, and loud transients. It flatters voice and acoustic instruments with smooth mids and gentle highs. It belongs in a vintage studio chain—not on a podcast desk or a stage.
The Shure 55SH is a 1939 cardioid dynamic microphone built for public address. It delivers vocal clarity under load, resists feedback, and shrugs off physical stress. It does not offer studio-grade fidelity or flexibility. It belongs on podiums—not in overdub booths.
The Uni-Vibe is a 1968 Shin-ei footpedal phaser designed by Fumio Mieda. It creates chorus and vibrato simulations using an optical circuit: an incandescent bulb shining on LDRs inside a reflective shield drives staggered phasing filters—without op-amps. Its effect is a throbbing, hypnotic pulse rooted in atmospheric radio modulation, not Leslie emulation. It was modified to improve fuse access and add a speed foot pedal. Players value its lo-fi sweep but contend with bulb burnout, speed instability, and lack of precision.
The LS3/5A is a compact BBC-designed studio monitor built for broadcast consistency, not domestic indulgence. Its revisions track component supply — not artistic evolution. It excels in transparency but fails at bass, volume, and modern amplifier compatibility.
The Electro-Voice RE20 is a professional cardioid dynamic microphone introduced in 1968 for broadcasting applications. It employs Variable-D technology—a single transducer element with internal porting—to eliminate proximity effect and maintain stable frequency response regardless of source distance. It features a switch to attenuate frequencies below 400 Hz, a humbucking coil for EMI rejection, and a deeply mounted element to handle high SPLs. It delivers excellent fidelity despite its large size and weight. It continues to be used in recording studios and on the concert stage.
The EMS Synthi 100 is a large analogue/digital hybrid synthesizer commissioned by Radio Belgrade, designed by David Cockerell and documented in 1971. It developed from a concept of three VCS3 systems but contains analogue modules equivalent to six VCS3s. It features 12 voltage-controlled oscillators and eight voltage-controlled filters. Two monophonic keyboards produce four control voltages and two triggers. Its digital sequencer has three duophonic layers and 256 duophonic note events. Two 60×60 matrices connect modules via patch pins. Keyboard spread adjusts for equal temperament or microtonal tunings up to 61 divisions per semitone.