Extinct Audio BerZerker

Manufacturer's Technical Specifications:

• Output impedance = 300 ohms at 1KHz
• Directional Pattern: Figure-8.
• Frequency range*: <30 Hz – 15 kHz @ ±3dB. (excludes proximity effect)
• Sensitivity: -50 dBv/Pa
• Self noise (thermal): -131 dBV at 20ºC (20 kHz bandwidth)
• Signal to noise (1kHz at 1 Pa): 81 dB.
• Proximity effect: Strong
• Electronics: Passive. No power required
• Output configuration: Transformer balanced
• Output Connector: XLR3, Pin 2= +ve, Pin 3 = -ve, Pin 1 = Ground
• Weight: 1200g approx (microphone only). 2000g with box.

Stewart and Adam from Extinct Audio told us the following:

The original Berserker was built as a limited edition vocal microphone with distinctive vintage style grills and yoke that were cast in brass, using an old BSR microphone body as a template. In all, Extinct Audio made five small batches of these brass bodied microphones between October 2021 and September 2024, with a total of just 29 microphones. The bodies were cast at a local foundry using a traditional lost wax method. After five batches, we could see that the silicone moulds were starting to wear out, which would affect the quality of the castings. So we stopped making these and commissioned some injection moulding equipment. Subsequent mics were made in Zinc which has a similar density to brass, and would be much more consistent which makes them easier to assemble. We called the later models BerZerkers, with a Z, to indicate the change in process. At the same time we revised the internal design including the magnetic structure and screening. The new BerZerker has one of the highest outputs and lowest noise floor for a passive ribbon microphone."