Over the past decade or two I have repaired thousands of microphones. I have also accumulated a large number of mics that cannot be repaired for one reason or another. Maybe they are empty shells missing a few vital but unobtainable parts, or perhaps they looked great but never sounded good. Many dynamic mics were never designed to be repaired, or they may require special tooling to mend something that would be mediocre at best; old crystal mics don’t age well; carbon mics may not work with modern equipment. What can we do with these old parts?
My perspective on this is as follows. Firstly, if something is genuinely rare, sonically unique, groundbreaking, or has historical value through association with a notable artist, then it should be preserved and respected, even if it can’t be repaired. But for the majority of devices that do not fall into that category, then re-using or recycling the parts is surely better than sending it for land-fill or sitting on the shelf as an ornament. After all, a microphone that doesn’t record sound isn’t really a microphone.
With this in mind, I am pleased to launch ‘Re-made by Xaudia‘, as a way to re-use and recycle vintage, used and new parts to make useful, good looking microphones at sensible prices.
These might include a new capsule or motor in a vintage body, or perhaps an old ribbon motor augmented with new parts and grills.
‘Re-made’ is essentially a recycling project, finding new homes for old things. All re-made microphones will come with a full description and appropriate warranty, so the new owner can have confidence in what they are getting and how it can best be used.
Coming Soon…
Xaudia XM13 Ribbon microphone
These are fully upgraded mics based on an imported body that is used in some rather expensive American boutique microphones...
Xaudia XM12 Ribbon microphone
These are fully upgraded mics that are clearly a copy of a rather famous American ribbon microphone. I have rebuilt...
Reslo / Xaudia SDC Small diaphragm condenser
Did you know that Reslo made condenser microphones? They did so briefly in the late 1970s, as part of the...
Xaudia ADM Active dynamic microphone
The ADM is my take on the ‘Speaker as microphone’ concept. You may have come across this idea elsewhere, in...
Calrec Condenser microphone
Rebuilt Called microphones. Coming soon.
Xaudia XM10 Ribbon microphone
I occasionally get asked about the discontinued XM10 model, usually when one comes up on the second hand market, and...