ADK Custom Shop Microphones, Pre-Amps, Compressors

THE LATEST ADK MICROPHONES
- HAND-CRAFTED WITH PRIDE IN AMERICA

ADK has an abiding interest in pushing forward the science and technology in the pursuit of euphonic excellence. Our methodology is based on the Henry Steinway idea to marry the craft of woodworking with the theories of physicist Helmholtz -- Art and Science seamlessly integrating for a common goal!! ADK has morphed this idea into the concept of a continuous feed-back loop between Artists, Sound Engineers, and Design Engineers. Using this methodology, our Golden-Ears do all the Fine-Tuning!!! ADK Custom Shop has facilities in Belgium, America, and plans to add Canada and UK. Think of ADK-CS as Micro-Breweries. Small distillers of very flavorful analog refreshment!!

On the Signal Processing side, ADK Custom Shop offers a unique Modular Platform, both on the Pre-Amp and Compressor / Limiter sides of the signal chain. By swapping Real Analog Plug-Ins: Discrete Op-Amps and Transformers, You Customize the Performance of these magic black-boxes!!
Have British EQ on Monday, American EQ on Tuesday, and on Wednesday - go Swedish!!

On the Microphone Side, ADK-CS now offers One-Off Multi-pattern Valve Mics. Select from a "Capsule Bank" - High-End Capsules Designed in USA, Europe, or Australia. Build Your Own Valve Mic, or Own a Classic Pair of American-Built Class A FET Condensers: Hot Hamburg II-Au or Cool Vienna II-Au with Aussie-Designed Capsule, Hi-Fi Belgium-Designed PC Board with British Oxford Transformer. A PhD in Physics, A Mic Collector and a Design Genius and it still took three years to complete this project!
(Our Ears Thank You!)

ADK Custom Shop CS-1

Description: Class A (Discrete) 9 Polar-Pattern Tube (Valve) Condenser Microphone built as a "One-Off" using Customize Belgium-Design PC Board built with Hi-Fi Methods and Materials, using a "No-Corners-Cut" Approach. Features German Hand-Selected Valve, Top-of-the-Line Components (including a $3 Resistor) and your choice of Capsule from the Custom Shop "Capsule-Bank". Based on ADK's Area 51 TT Chassis, this is a totally Customized Product built "One-Off" for each client based on one's preference for Historical (Vintage) Microphone Response Characteristics.

ADK Custom Shop Vienna IIAU Edition

Description: NEW: ADK Hamburg II-AU and Vienna II-AU models are based on a unique FET circuit that saturates gradually (unlike most condenser microphones which tend to clip abruptly). Both Products now boast Australian-Designed Capsules, British Oxford Transformers, Hi-End Phillips Norelco Uber-FET. Manufactured with Hi-Fi Methods and Materials. It took three microphone experts including a PhD in Physics, a Design Genius in Belgium and a guy with a 40 year-old Mic Locker to create it! Add Two-Way Attenuation Pads (8 and 16 dB) to enable end-user to tailor the dynamic behavior of the Mic to the situation and obtain new textures, with rarely the need for outboard processors or even EQ.

ADK Custom Shop Hamburg IIAU Edition

ADK Custom Shop TC-AU

Description: Same as the TC with an upgraded capsule. Available with GK67 or GK12 capsule (same capsules used in Hamburg II-AU and Vienna II-AU models). Class A tube fixed cardioid 1-inch diaphragm condenser mic. Includes 6072A valve, external power supply, shock mount and our premium aluminum flight case.

Applications: LEAD Male and Female Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Reed Instruments (Sax), Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, and Contrabass), Drum Overheads, or anywhere you would use a Vintage Tube Microphone. "This Mic Smokes!!" George Petersen, Mix Magazine.

ADK Custom Shop TT-AU

Description: Same as the TT with an upgraded capsule. Available with GK67 or GK12 capsule (same capsules used in Hamburg II-AU and Vienna II-AU models). Class A tube switchable 9-polar pattern condenser mic with dual 1-inch diaphragms. Includes 6072A valve, external power supply, shock mount and our premium aluminum flight case.

Applications: Male and Female Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Reed Instruments (Sax), Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, and Contrabass), Drum Overheads, or anywhere you would use a Vintage Tube Microphone. Great for Broadcast Applications, too! Multi-Patterns offer you a Palette of tone-colors / tone-textures. Amazing! Ray Charles tracked his final 3 CD’s on the TT or CE. “The last Mic Mr. Charles ever fell in love with”. Terry Howard, quoted in Electronic Musician.

ADK Custom Shop AP-1 Mic Pre-Amp

Description: NEW: BREAKTHROUGH DISCRETE PLATFORM for Microphone Pre-Amplification. Open-Ended Architecture offers fundamental control of Tonal-Coloration and Tonal-Textures. User-Defined Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) / User-Defined Transformer (XFO). More than a Pre-Amp! AP-1 is a Single Channel "Platform": offering Ultra-Flexibility. Match the "color" of the Mic and the "color" of the source material WITHOUT USING EQ !!

Applications: ANY CRITICAL RECORDING OR LIVE SOUND SOURCE WHERE A TOP-OF-THE-LINE DISCRETE PRE-AMP IS REQUIRED.

ADK Custom Shop AP-2 Mic Pre-Amp

Description: NEW: BREAKTHROUGH DISCRETE PLATFORM for Microphone Pre-Amplification. Open-Ended Architecture offers fundamental control of Tonal-Coloration and Tonal-Textures. User-Defined Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) / User-Defined Transformer (XFO). More than a Pre-Amp! AP-2 is a Dual Channel "Platform": offering Ultra-Flexibility. Match the "Color" of the Mic and the "Color" of the Source-Material WITHOUT USING EQ!!

Applications: ANY CRITICAL RECORDING OR LIVE SOUND SOURCE WHERE A TOP-OF-THE-LINE DISCRETE PRE-AMP IS REQUIRED.

ADK Custom Shop CLA-1 Compressor / Limiter

Description: NEW: BREAKTHROUGH DISCRETE PLATFORM for Dynamic Control and Gain-Staging. Open-Ended Architecture offers fundamental control of Tonal-Coloration and Tonal-Textures. User-Defined Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) lets End-User choose Vintage or Modern Tone. CLA-1 is a Single Channel "Platform": offering Ultra-Flexibility. End-User can Choose from Class A/B and Class A Discrete Op-Amps - both Vintage and Modern!!

Applications: ANY CRITICAL RECORDING OR LIVE SOUND SOURCE WHERE A TOP-OF-THE-LINE DISCRETE COMPRESSOR/LIMITER IS REQUIRED.

ADK Custom Shop CLA-2 Compressor

Description: NEW: BREAKTHROUGH DISCRETE PLATFORM for Dynamic Control and Gain-Staging. Open-Ended Architecture offers fundamental control of Tonal-Coloration and Tonal-Textures. User-Defined Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) lets End-User choose Vintage or Modern Tone. CLA-2 is a Dual Channel "Platform": offering Ultra-Flexibility. End-User can Choose from Class A/B and Class A Discrete Op-Amps - both Vintage and Modern!!