List: $10,25.00
Description: The original Telefunken Ela-M 251, (a.k.a. "ELAM" 251 - the Ela-M
moniker was short for Telefunken's Elektroakustic Microphone line) is one of those "golden voice" microphones with a recording history and aura as big as the sound it can produce. With less than 3,000 manufactured, it is no wonder that the original Ela-M 251 has become a coveted and highly valuable microphone. A top-condition original Telefunken Ela-M 251, introduced over 50 years ago with a $300 price tag, can sell for around $20,000 in today's market.
According to Telefunken USA, the company's research and development team spent over one year "reverse engineering [the mic], networking with the people who use them and the people who repair them, and meticulously documenting each and every part down to the last screw... Every measurement is still in metric and each part retains its original German spec."
The biggest challenge Telefunken faced was recreating the infamous CK-12 capsule, considered to be one of the most complex condenser capsule designs in microphone history. The capsule was recreated in the exact form as specified in the original authorized blueprints of the CK-12. According to the manufacturer, the capsules are hand-built one at a time, using materials identical to the original.
For those who are interested, Telefunken USA's website includes an interesting still-image "documentary" detailing its Ela-M 251 manufacturing process, including sections on the company's use of original injection mold technology (state of the art in 1960) and winding power supply transformers.
The mic is identical to the original in appearance, right down to the Telefunken logo pressed in sterling silver using an original Telefunken badge die stamp. The microphone body measures approximately eight and one half inches long and two inches in diameter and features the familiar three-position sliding polar pattern selector.
The mic connects to the power supply unit via a Neutrik six-pin XLR-style connector (one of the few obvious differences from the original, which used a sometimes-problematic DIN connector). The power supply unit features an on-off toggle switch, big red pilot light, and a fuse holder (.08A/30V). The old hard-wired A/C power cord has been upgraded to a standard IEC socket and removable cord.
Specifications:
ELA-M 251AC Vacuum Tube Condenser Microphone Specifications:
| Frequency Response |
20Hz to 20KHz |
| Output Impedance |
200 Ohms |
| Field Pattern |
Cardioid, Figure 8 and Omni Directional |
| Tube |
GE JAN 6072a or AC701 |
| Weight |
34 oz |
| Power Supply |
110 volts switchable to 220 volts AC |
Download Manual
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