Telefunken ELA M 260 Small Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone

Small-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone with 3 Interchangeable Capsules for Cardioid, Omnidirectional, and Hypercardioid Polar Patterns

The Telefunken ELA M 260 is a small diaphragm condenser mic and arguably one of the industry's finest acoustic and classical recording tube microphones, offering plenty of tone with excellent detail and clarity. While not a historically accurate reproduction of the original ELA M 260 like the Diamond Series microphones, TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik’s version of the ELA M 260 is still built with the same attention to detail and level of quality that would be expected from a TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik microphone.

Sonic Characteristic

In use, the ELA M 260 has plenty of tone with excellent detail and clarity. It captures sources with a natural presence, making it a fantastic tool for recording acoustic instruments of all types. Violin, cello, upright bass, drum overheads, percussion, woodwinds, saxophones, strings, and especially acoustic guitar all shine through the ELA M 260. Also, despite its size, it has also served well on vocal applications. Its unique tonal character is very well suited for a myriad of applications, both traditional and not.

Circuit Design

The ELA M 260 system features a new circuit design based around a New Old Stock (NOS) EF732 / 5840W vacuum tube and a custom output transformer that is wound to exacting specification in the United States. The combination of these features yields a small diaphragm microphone that is unique while also bearing the qualities of the vintage microphones that it was based upon.

TK60 Cardioid Capsule

The TELEFUNKEN TK60 is a small diaphragm cardioid capsule used with the ELA M 260 tube microphone and the M60 FET microphone. Featuring a 6-micron gold-sputtered membrane measuring 15mm in diameter, the TK60 has a surprisingly full low end for a small diaphragm capsule, and offers a quick and accurate transient response. These small diaphragm capsules are tested to a strict ±1dB sensitivity tolerance. The frequency response is flat from 150 Hz to 7 kHz, with a smooth, airy presence peak at 8 kHz making it ideal for drum overheads, acoustic guitar, and other acoustic instruments.

TK61 Omni Capsule

The TELEFUNKEN TK61 is a small diaphragm omnidirectional capsule used with the ELA M 260 tube microphone and the M60 FET microphone. Featuring a 6-micron gold-sputtered membrane measuring 15mm in diameter, the TK61 offers a large, open sound perfect for capturing the subtle nuances and space of your recording environment. The frequency response is flat from 20 Hz to 5 kHz, with a smooth, airy presence peak at 8 kHz. These small diaphragm capsules are tested to a strict ±1dB sensitivity tolerance. When used with the diffuse field spheres in the ELA M 260 Tri-Mono system, the TK61 omnidirectional capsule captures the ambience and vibe of your room to breathe life into any recording.

TK62 Hypercardioid Capsule

The TELEFUNKEN TK62 is a small diaphragm hypercardioid capsule used with the ELA M 260 tube microphone and the M60 FET microphone. Featuring a 6-micron gold-sputtered membrane measuring 15mm in diameter, the TK62 provides a wide cardioid pattern flat in response from 150 Hz to 3 kHz, with a dip at 6 kHz and a smooth, airy presence peak at 8 kHz. These small diaphragm capsules are tested to a strict ±1dB sensitivity tolerance. This tightened polar pattern is great for use on cymbals, percussion, and as a stereo pair for live performance recording.

ELA M 260 Includes:

• ELA M 260 Tube Microphone
• TK60 cardioid capsule
• TK61 omni capsule
• TK62 hyper-cardioid capsule
• M 960 power supply
• M 801 25’ dual-shielded TX-7 tube microphone cable
• M761 elastic shock mount
• Wooden microphone box.