Vintage RCA Baby 44 mic

Brass Attack · 1st December 2004, 01:53 PM

Hello:

I am new to this forum (actually, to forums in general!).

I recently acquired a vintage RCA Baby 44 mic and was wondering if anybody had any information on this mic. Is it at all similar to the famed 44's and 77's?

I read somewhere that it was a "student" or "amatuer" version of the 44. I thought about using it on horns since ribbons can sound really nice on brass, etc . . . but have read some conflicting reviews on this particular model . . . I suppose I really need to plug it in and use my ears and try it for myself, but . . .

I have not even plugged it in yet and wondered if they sound as good as the venerable 44s and 77s.

Thanks!

Tom

Telecastr · 1st December 2004, 05:55 PM

personally i would say who cares if it sounds "as good" as a 44 or 77. plug that sucker in and take a listen. that's what's most important. welcome to gearslutz.

Brass Attack · 1st December 2004, 06:09 PM

Thanks Telecastr. . . yes, good advice . . . you are correct . . .the proof is in the pudding and I will have to try it out myself in order to determine how it sounds . . . . maybe I'll get some horn players to come on over to play!

Thanks for the reply!

Tom

Dave Martin · 1st December 2004, 08:56 PM

Can you post a picture? It sounds kinda like what you have is a n RCA74B (to my knowledge, RCA nver made a mic called a 'baby 44'). If that's what it is, though, I use mine on electric guitar amps, upright bass, trumpet, trombone - all the places that a ribbon is nice...

Brass Attack · 1st December 2004, 09:40 PM

Yes Dave, you're right, it is an RCA 74B . . . I guess many people refer to it as a Baby 44.

I was just curious about the history of the mic and if there was a big difference between it and its bigger siblings.

I will have to try it out in order to determine how it sounds . . . I am sure it sounds good.

It sounds like you have had good results with yours since you use it frequently.

Thanks,

Tom

Fletcher · 1st December 2004, 11:38 PM

Yeah... the JV-74 [Junior Velocity] sounds fine... if you put it in front of a good sounding source that will be well served by a JV-74.

Brass Attack · 2nd December 2004, 07:10 AM

Thanks Fletcher . . . I appreciate your time and consideration.

Regards,

Tom

Berolzheimer · 2nd December 2004, 08:30 AM

The man with the lowdown on ribbon mic history is Wes Dooley at AEA.

www.wesdooley.com

Brass Attack · 2nd December 2004, 12:50 PM

Thanks . . . yes, this mic was recently re-ribboned by him. . .
I just tried it on an upright bass while recording a friend's bluegrass band . . . aimed it at the f-hole and it sounded really good!

Can't wait to try it on some horns . . . especially trumpet and trombone.

Thanks for the tip.

Regards,

Tom

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1st December 2004, 01:53 PM	#1
Brass Attack Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 10	Vintage RCA Baby 44 mic Hello: I am new to this forum (actually, to forums in general!). I recently acquired a vintage RCA Baby 44 mic and was wondering if anybody had any information on this mic. Is it at all similar to the famed 44's and 77's? I read somewhere that it was a "student" or "amatuer" version of the 44. I thought about using it on horns since ribbons can sound really nice on brass, etc . . . but have read some conflicting reviews on this particular model . . . I suppose I really need to plug it in and use my ears and try it for myself, but . . . I have not even plugged it in yet and wondered if they sound as good as the venerable 44s and 77s. Thanks! Tom

1st December 2004, 08:56 PM	#4
Dave Martin Moderator emeritus Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 3,170	Can you post a picture? It sounds kinda like what you have is a n RCA74B (to my knowledge, RCA nver made a mic called a 'baby 44'). If that's what it is, though, I use mine on electric guitar amps, upright bass, trumpet, trombone - all the places that a ribbon is nice... __________________ Dave Martin Java Jive Studio www.javajivestudio.com Cuppa Joe Records www.cuppajoerecords.com Nashville, TN

1st December 2004, 11:38 PM	#6
Fletcher 3 + infractions, membership under review with GS admin Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Foxboro, MA USA Posts: 5,783	Yeah... the JV-74 [Junior Velocity] sounds fine... if you put it in front of a good sounding source that will be well served by a JV-74. __________________ [COLOR="White"][/COLOR] [SIZE="2"][b]Fletcher[/b][/SIZE] If you have a question please email me at [email]Fletcher@mercenary.com[/email] instead of using the PM system... I very rarely check that system and it could take a while to get a response. I can also be found at either address below: [size=2][url=http://recforums.prosoundweb.com][b]R/E/P[/b][/url][/size] the [b]R[/b]ecording [b]E[/b]ngineer and [b]P[/b]roducer forums [url=http://www.mercenary.com][b]Mercenary Audio[/b][/url] [size=1][b]mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33[/b] We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid [b][url=http://www.ericambel.com/index.htm]Roscoe[/url] Ambel once said[/b]: Pro-Tools is to audio what fluorescent is to light[/size]

2nd December 2004, 08:30 AM	#8
Berolzheimer Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: El Lay Posts: 1,979	The man with the lowdown on ribbon mic history is Wes Dooley at AEA. www.wesdooley.com __________________ Purveyor of fine sounds since 1961. My very incomplete IMDB list: My very incomplete IMDB list I'm all ears.

1st December 2004, 05:55 PM	#2
Telecastr Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 606	personally i would say who cares if it sounds "as good" as a 44 or 77. plug that sucker in and take a listen. that's what's most important. welcome to gearslutz.

1st December 2004, 06:09 PM	#3
Brass Attack Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 10	Thanks Telecastr. . . yes, good advice . . . you are correct . . .the proof is in the pudding and I will have to try it out myself in order to determine how it sounds . . . . maybe I'll get some horn players to come on over to play! Thanks for the reply! Tom

1st December 2004, 09:40 PM	#5
Brass Attack Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 10	Yes Dave, you're right, it is an RCA 74B . . . I guess many people refer to it as a Baby 44. I was just curious about the history of the mic and if there was a big difference between it and its bigger siblings. I will have to try it out in order to determine how it sounds . . . I am sure it sounds good. It sounds like you have had good results with yours since you use it frequently. Thanks, Tom

2nd December 2004, 07:10 AM	#7
Brass Attack Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 10	Thanks Fletcher . . . I appreciate your time and consideration. Regards, Tom

2nd December 2004, 12:50 PM	#9
Brass Attack Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 10	Thanks . . . yes, this mic was recently re-ribboned by him. . . I just tried it on an upright bass while recording a friend's bluegrass band . . . aimed it at the f-hole and it sounded really good! Can't wait to try it on some horns . . . especially trumpet and trombone. Thanks for the tip. Regards, Tom

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