Evolution of Microphones at the BBC up through 1972

Adafruit Blog highlights a BBC Archive video in which veteran broadcaster John Snagge—who first went on air for the BBC in nineteen twenty-seven—recalls the evolution of the network's microphone technology. The earliest models were enormous 'meat safes' wheeled around on mahogany legs. Later came Reisz microphones, housed in heavy marble cases, though these finicky devices sometimes required a physical kick to get their carbon crystals working. As broadcasting advanced, the BBC adopted moving coil microphones, which had to be shielded in protective huts during outdoor broadcasts to prevent background noise. It's a fascinating look at the engineering solutions that made early radio possible.

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