Aiwa M18
Manufacturer:
AiwaModel:
M18Country of Manufacture:
JapanMicrophone Type:
Piezoelectric CrystalPolar Pattern:
OmnidirectionalProduction Start Year:
1950Rarity:
2
Audio Recordings:
Speech (male) recorded with an Aiwa M18 crystal microphone.
Multiple quality options available
Nylon string guitar recorded with the AIWA M18 crystal microphone, via a DI box
Multiple quality options available
Impulse Response File:
Impulse Response file of the Aiwa M18 crystal microphone.
Aiwa_M18_IR.wav
Frequency Response:
Microphone History:
Aiwa started producing microphones from the early 1950s. By 1956, the company was designated as a technical guidance factory by the NHK Broadcasting Technology Research Laboratories, reflecting the technical quality of its products.
The AIWA M18 is a high impedance piezo crystal microphone, styled to look somewhat like an RCA 77 ribbon microphone. The similarity is only visual and the M18 does not get close to the sound quality of the RCA. These were quite common and used primarily for the home recording market.
Our example has two crystal elements wired face-to-face with one pointing up and the other pointing down. This arrangement may have been designed to reduce hum and increase the output level.
The M18 was manufactured by Aiwa but was also sold as the Crown MC-70, Shield M-102, Calrad 100C and Philmore M18 (as seen on eBay!)
Technical Description:
Released: 1950
Price (then): ¥1,920 (Japanese Yen)
Sensitivity: -52bB
Frequency Response: 50-8,000Hz
Mounting Screw: W 5/16 18-thread
Dimensions (mm): 59Φ x 167
Weight (g): 290
Cord: 1.5m (no plug)
Notes: Two-unit design for treble and bass frequencies
"For recording, broadcasting and theatre use."
