Odd mic connector?

Hi all,

I saw an Altec 639B 'Birdcage' mic today - they're very cool mics, both a ribbon and dynamic element in one housing. It has a connector I didn't recognize - three larger pins than an XLR in a very shallow triangle, almost a straight line. The pins are labelled 1 G 2 from left to right. Anybody know what this connector is called?

Thanks,

Edit: I think it might be called a 422A. Who makes that?

Oh yes, they have one out at the very nice private studio I posted pics of. I took it apart last time I was out there. It has a pattern switch to combine the switches... all 3 patterns from a dynamic mic... nice!

Don;t remember the connector though: I didn't have to deal with that, they had an intermittent pattern switch on theirs. :sad:

Keith

Thanks, Keith.

Apparently the different patterns come from the combinations of the ribbon element and the dynamic element. Clever idea.

:thumb: :thumb: :sam:

Hi Seth,

Yes they're great mics! I recently restored one- someone had started "cleaning" the lovely old paint off the birdcage with...wait for it...steel wool!

:shock:

...can you imagine anything worse? The ribbon magnet was just covered in wire bits. Many hours with the old damp watercolour paintbrush brought it back to life. The one I fixed didn't have the connector, it had a tail that exited from the stand connector.

It sounds awesome though- the bottom end is beautiful :thumb:

I presume the connector is the same as the "A" model on this page:

http://www.radioblvd.com/BCMICS.htm

datasheet

specs

And this might be worth a read for $5:

http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=11231

This datasheet says that it's a "Type 442A" connector:

lansingheriatge datasheet

Somewhere I've got a link to a US site that has (pretty expensive) replacement leads for most of the classic mic connectors. I'll see if I can find it in my (3 metre long!) Favourites list...

Mark

Have you checked that it is not an STC / BBC connector?

Thanks Mark, that's great info.

Was the silk windscreen intact inside the cage? I don't think I'd want to replace that.

Rodabod,

I took a quick look and the STC/BBC connector appears to be a Western Electric 4069 I think, while the birdcage has a 422A, as Mark says.

Thanks again,