Whether you were speaking — or singing — from the radio studio or the banquet table; whether you wanted to capture sound from the floor, footlights, wall or ceiling; whether you needed a hand- or lapel-held unit — IBM had a specific microphone model for you.
There were two basic microphone types available from IBM in the 1930s: velocity and dynamic. Velocity microphones were highly directional and ideal for situations in which the possibility of sound feedback was present; dynamic mikes were used with associated IBM high gain amplifiers and sound reproducers for high quality reproduction of voice and musical frequencies.
Among the velocity microphones offered by IBM during the years that the Big Band sound filled the air waves were the 5760-3 desk, 5760-7 footlight, 5760-4 banquet and 5760-5 studio floor types. Dynamic microphones marketed at the same time included the 5765-3 desk, 5765-7 footlight, 5765-4 banquet and 5765-5 studio floor types. When lightness and portability were key factors, IBM also offered a 5760-1 lapel type and 5760-2 hand-type microphones. All of the microphones, regardless of type, were finished in statuary bronze.
Look for upcoming volumes of this feature for profiles of some of the other little-known IBM products from the 1930s and 1940s.