MRTP ML-11M Ribbon Microphone — Serviced, 1958, USSR

Extremely rare MRTP ML-11M Soviet ribbon microphone made in 1958 in Leningrad, USSR. The microphone bears the marking of "МРТП" (Soviet Ministry of the Radio Engineering Industry), but at that time, this designation was used to conceal production by VNIIRPA (1923 - 1973) as well as NIKFI and CKBK was the brain of microphone design in USSR that did development the best russian microphones ever for LOMO and Oktava factories. Literally VNIIRPA (in russian ВНииРПА) means "All-Union scientific research Institute of radio-broadcasting reception and acoustics named after A. S. Popov" or just "Popov Institute". As said above, VNIIRPA developed the best ever soviet microphones as well as other gear; for example, MK-12, MK-13, MK-13M, MK-14 and other tube microphones, K4-6 Pultec Type Equalizer (often you can see it for sale with title "LOMO EQ (Russian Pultec killer)", K4K Discrete Equalizers; AKM-2 / AKB-2 / AKB-3 studio monitors and other gear.

Work in the field of theory and technology of microphones was started in VNIIRA (at the time of CRL, Central radio laboratory) in the late twenties of the last century in the Department of electro-acoustics, who at that time was headed by S. Y. Sokolov, in fact, a founder of the national school of electro-acoustics, hydroacoustics and technical ultrasound. In the early thirties in VNIIRPA ere designed the first soviet capacitors (KM-2 and KM-3) and the first ribbon microphones (ML-1, ML-2, ML-6), in the mid – thirties-several models of non-directional dynamic coil microphones. During the same period, the foundations of the theory and calculation of various types of electro-acoustic equipment, including microphones, are created.

In the difficult post-war period, research in the field of microphones and the development of condenser, dynamic, ribbon and reel microphones for recording, sound reinforcement, acoustic measurements is continuing. In 1947 the laboratory of microphones was organized. From this period for nearly forty years the permanent head of this Department was E. K. Gorbunov, a talented organizer and experienced (at that time!) developer. During this period of time in the VNIIRPA were developed about 120 microphone models, 97 of which are put into production at VNIIRA professional plant (Leningrad, near the LOMO factory) and "Oktava" factory (Tula, Moscow region).

Please know. Here is for sale the real authentic genuine ML-11M made by VNIIRPA and not by OKTAVA. VNIIRPA ML-11M is Exceptional rare and sounds in several times better than usual OKTAVA ML-11M.

Very often people say that ML-11M is the U.S.S.R. version of the RCA 77D. Amazing sounding microphone in all regards. There were fewer than 100 of these manufactured, and were allowed to be used only for the highest official Soviet government functions and propaganda programming and recording.

The microphone has been fully restored, cleaned and optimized. The ribbon motors have been extensively cleaned, and the original faulty ribbon have been carefully replaced. The original Din5 connector replaced with a new Amphenol XLR. Comes with full set of original extras - box, table stand and manual.