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the microphone company
KM 54 – Miniature Microphone
The KM 53 omnidirectional microphone was the first in Neu-
mann’s family of miniature microphones. A much desired sib-
ling for this family was a microphone with cardioid pickup char-
acteristic. For this it was necessary to develop an entirely new
capsule, as the familiar existing cardioid models were far too
large for a miniature microphone.
The illustration shows the capsule’s painstaking construction.
In the diagram of the complete capsule (above left), one half
of the membrane has been removed to expose the back plate
electrode. The diagrams in the bottom row show (from left
to right) the back plate electrode with the contact spring in-
side (rear view), the delay plate, the distance ring and the
capsule holder with the rear sound inlets. Above right we see
the cover with a fine wire mesh in the middle.
The arrangement of the delay plate between the rear sound
inlets and the back plate electrode forms an acoustic laby-
rinth. Inside the capsule, sound from behind the microphone
is delayed just enough to reach the back side of the mem-
brane at the same instant
that the sound travelling
around the side strikes the
front. Ideally, the resulting
forces cancel at the mem-
brane and do not produce
any output. In this way, a
cardioid directional charac-
teristic is achieved.
The membrane of the
KM 54 was made from
pure nickel formed on top
of a layer of copper foil,
using a galvanization meth-
od developed by Neumann.
The copper is then dis-
solved leaving a layer of
nickel measuring only 0.7 µ
in thickness, which is then
attached to one of the rings
surrounding the back plate
electrode. It would take
1,428 of these membranes
layered one on top of the
other to reach a thickness
of 1 mm. The results of this
meticulous capsule con-
struction were exemplary
frequency and polar char-
acteristics.
After the introduction of
the KM 54 in 1954, it very
quickly acquired an excel-
lent reputation as a voice
microphone for radio and
television. It was used in
many chambers of parlia-
ment and served at the lec-
tern of the United Nations
General Assembly in New
York. It was equally suc-
cessful as a supporting mi-
crophone for musical re-
cordings.
The KM 54 was produced
from 1954 to 1969. Thou-
sands of highly revered 54s
are still in service today.