Telefunken ELA M 260 Cardioid Stereo Set Small-Diaphragm Cardioid Tube Condenser Microphones (Matched Pair)

Engineered for accurate stereo reproduction of acoustic instruments and vocal ensembles with pristine detail and warmth, the Telefunken ELA M 260 Cardioid Stereo Set is a matched pair of small-diaphragm cardioid tube condenser microphones inspired by the classic ELA M 260. While Telefunken may not have produced a historic replica of the original ELA M 260 (as in the Diamond series), this version will achieve an equal level of performance and sound made famous by the original.

The included TK60 cardioid capsule provides a flat response from 150 Hz to 7 kHz and a presence peak at 8 kHz. Thanks to separately available omnidirectional and hypercardioid capsules, the ELA M 260 offers powerful versatility for pleasing capture of an array of sources in a variety of environments. The mic s circuit design is centered around an NOS 5840W vacuum tube and a custom transformer, giving it vintage-style sonics along with the low noise, high SPL handling, and wide frequency response expected for high-resolution applications. It includes a dedicated dual power supply, two shockmounts, two tube mic cables, two foam windscreens, and locking flight case.

ELA M 260

The small-diaphragm ELA M 260 is 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 special while also bearing the qualities of the vintage microphones that it was based upon.

Cardioid Capsule

The TK60 is a small-diaphragm cardioid capsule featuring a 6-micron gold-sputtered membrane measuring 0.6" in diameter. It 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 ± 1 dB 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.

Supports Interchangeable Capsules

Additional TK61 omnidirectional and TK62 hypercardioid capsules are available separately, empowering the user with the flexibility to record their source material in any way they wish.

System Configuration

ELA M 260 stereo sets include a locking flight case, two M 860 dual-shielded 25 tube microphone cables, two M 761 elastic shockmounts, two foam windscreens, and an American-made dual-channel M 960S power supply unit. This power supply is fully regulated and will power one or both microphones simultaneously, and features a slow-ramping heater voltage to ensure vacuum tube longevity.