Coles 4038

File:BBC microphones (The Beatles Story).jpg]]

The Coles 4038 is a ribbon microphone produced by Coles Electroacoustics. The microphone was designed and patented by the BBC in the 1950s{{harvtxt|Schultz|2000|p=72}} and was originally known as the STC 4038.{{harvtxt|White|2010}} The sound of the microphone has been described as "British" with a "BBC politeness",{{harvtxt|Cotton|2007}} and its appearance has been likened to that of a waffle iron.{{harvtxt|Fuston|2008}} It is used in both sound recording and radio broadcasting.{{harvtxt|Leonard|2001|p=43}}

History

The microphone was designed by the BBC in 1953 and the prototype was assigned the model number BBC PGS/1.{{harvtxt|Shaw|2008}} It was designed as a result of the BBC's request for a strong and affordable microphone that was smaller than previous models{{harvtxt|Streicher|Dooley|1997|p=2}} (such as the Type A). The 4038 was an improvement on the Type A's frequency response, and was described as "less obtrusive".{{harvtxt|Institution of Electrical Engineers|1961|p=286}}

The microphone was produced by Standard Telephones and Cables{{harvtxt|Standard Telephones and Cables|1961|p=2}} before their manufacturing was transferred to Coles in the mid-1970s.{{harvtxt|Coutant|2009}} Since its design in the 1950s, the technical specifications of the 4038 have remained unchanged.{{harvtxt|Electronic musician|2005|p=54}}

Use

= Recording =

In recording environments, the 4038 is often used as drum overheads and on brass instruments.{{harvtxt|Owsinski|2004|p=40}} The microphone became a favourite of British recording engineers in the 1950s and 60s, but did not receive widespread use in the United States. The microphone was described as recording sounds "bigger than

life" – such as drums or amplified guitars – some Beatles and Led Zeppelin recordings featured 4038s as overhead microphones on the drum kit.{{harvtxt|Streicher|Dooley|1997|p=3}}{{harvtxt|Shechmeister|2011}}

In a 1994 interview, Steve Albini said that "if [he] owned one mic, this would be it". Albini has also commented that "really nothing beats them as an overhead on a drum kit".

= Broadcast =

At one point, Bush House, the former home of the BBC World Service, used the 4038 almost exclusively.{{harvtxt|Hi-Fi News|1997|p=57}}

Technical

The 4038's frequency response is flat, with a range of approximately 30–15,000 Hz.{{harvtxt|Coles|2002a}} The attenuation of high frequencies reduces sibilance on vocals, but also reduces detail.

The microphone uses a bi-directional polar pattern.{{harvtxt|Coles|2002b}}

The microphone is connected using a Western Electric jack connector designated 4069, which adapts the microphone's three-pin output to a standard XLR connector.{{harvtxt|Standard Telephones and Cables|1961|p=4}}

;Sensitivity (at 1,000 Hz Open Circuit Voltage): -65dB re: 1 Volt/Pa{{harvtxt|Dooley|2006}}

;Impedance: 300 ohms

;Produced: 1950s–present

Footnotes

Sources

{{citation|author=Coles|title=4038 Studio Ribbon Microphone|year=2002a|publisher=Coles Electroacoustics Ltd.|place=Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire|url=http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com/micstudio.shtml|access-date=5 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708175321/http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com/micstudio.shtml|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead}}
{{citation|author=Coles|title=4038 Studio Ribbon Microphone Technical Specification|year=2002b|publisher=Coles Electroacoustics Ltd.|place=Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire|url=http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com/micstudio_technical.shtml|access-date=5 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304173803/http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com/micstudio_technical.shtml|archive-date=4 March 2011|url-status=dead}}
{{citation|last=Coutant|first=Stan|title=STC Brochures|year=2009|publisher=Coutant.org|place=Drums, PA|url=http://www.coutant.org/stc/index.html|access-date=5 May 2011}}
{{citation|last=Cotton|first=Jon|title=Ribbon Mics On Test|year=2007|publisher=Sound on Sound|place=Cambridge, Cambridgeshire|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec07/articles/ribbonmicspt2.htm|access-date=5 May 2011}}
{{citation|last=Dooley|first=Wes|title=Coles 4038 Studio Ribbon Microphone|year=2006|publisher=Audio Engineering Associates|place=Pasadena, CA|url=http://www.wesdooley.com/pdf/Coles_4038_Data_Sheet_web.pdf|access-date=8 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928190552/http://www.wesdooley.com/pdf/Coles_4038_Data_Sheet_web.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2011|url-status=dead}}
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{{citation|author=Hi-Fi News|title=Issues 1-6|volume=42|year=1997|publisher=Link House Publications|place=Poole, Dorset|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjM9AQAAIAAJ|access-date=8 May 2011}}
{{citation|author=Institution of Electrical Engineers|title=The Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers Part 2|volume=108|year=1961|publisher=The Institution|place=London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RStWAAAAMAAJ|access-date=8 May 2011}}
{{citation|last=Leonard|first=John A|title=Theatre Sound|year=2001|publisher=Routledge|place=Abingdon, Oxfordshire|isbn=0-87830-116-X}}
{{citation|last=Owsinski|first=Bobby|title=The Recording Engineer's Handbook|year=2004|publisher=Hal Leonard|place=Milwaukee, WI|isbn=1-932929-00-2}}
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|year=2008|publisher=Harbeth Loudspeakers|place=Haywards Heath, West Sussex|url=http://www.harbeth.co.uk/uk/index.php?section=aboutus&page=harbethhistory&pageno=1|access-date=5 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007061815/http://www.harbeth.co.uk/uk/index.php?section=aboutus&page=harbethhistory&pageno=1 |archive-date=7 October 2010}}

{{citation|last=Shechmeister|first=Matthew|title=Relics Reborn: Ribbon Microphones Rally for Vintage-Audio Geeks|publisher=Wired Magazine|place=San Francisco, California|url=https://www.wired.com/rawfile/2011/01/gallery-ribbon-mics-part-1/?pid=568|access-date=8 May 2011|date=11 January 2011}}
{{citation|author=Standard Telephones and Cables|title=4038 Ribbon Microphone|year=1961|publisher=STC|place=London|url=http://www.coutant.org/stc/4038/4038.pdf|access-date=5 May 2011}}
{{citation|last1=Streicher|first1=Ron|last2=Dooley|first2=Wes|title=Coles 4038 Studio Ribbon Microphone User's Guide|year=1997|publisher=Audio Engineering Associates|place=Pasadena, CA|url=http://www.wesdooley.com/pdf/4038C.pdf|access-date=5 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928190541/http://www.wesdooley.com/pdf/4038C.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2011|url-status=dead}}
{{citation|last=White|first=Paul|title=NI Abbey Road 60s Drums Sample Library|year=2010|publisher=Sound on Sound|place=Cambridge, Cambridgeshire|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec07/articles/ribbonmicspt2.htm|access-date=8 May 2011}}