The Melodium 42B is a must ! French brand microphone manufactured from 1948. For drum overheads, bass drum, amp guitar, brass, ambiences… a soft and warm, very smooth sound. Three positions, music, speaker and voice. Used with the original Altecs 438 C, or 1567A preamps, 50 ohm, ribbon impedance. The biggest ribbon microphone ever made! Equivalent to the US RCA 44 BX or the English Coles 4033.