Description: Of major historical significance, this is the first ribbon microphone, and was created in 1931. It was a breakthrough technology in sound, and revolutionized the recording and broadcast industry, setting a new standard in frequency response. The clarity and realism were unmatched by any of the condenser microphones of its day.

The Photophone PB-31 had a very limited production. It is estimated that only fifty were made, being replaced by the 44-A just a few months later, in 1932. (Images of a 44-A can be seen below.) The succession of RCA ribbon and magnet velocity microphones was rooted in the elegant, machine-age design of the Photophone PB-31.

When New York’s Radio City Music Hall opened in 1932, it had been outfitted with a state-of-the-art sound system, including no less than forty Photophone PB-31 microphones. The mics were strategically installed in the footlights and proscenium.

For more than fifty years the mics were operational. In the 1980s, when a new sound system was installed, the old equipment was discarded.

The very few Photophone PB-31s that survive today originate from Radio City, as does this one. This microphone is one of six still known to exist.

For those unfamiliar with the sound characteristic of the Photophone PB-31, it could be best described as flat and dark, very similar to the sonics and gain level of the 44-A.

This mic has excellent high frequencies, and most people are startled to hear a seventy-year old microphone sound so modern.

The finish is matte-nickel. The rear P-plug terminates with a standard XLR connector. Measurements are 11 inches long and 4.75 inches wide. Weight is five pounds.

Specifications: -

Comments, Suggestions, Hints, or just simply love this mic? Share your thoughts!