AUSTIN Ribbon Microphone Kits are the standard for Do-It-Yourself Microphone Kits.
With an Austin Ribbon Microphone Kit, you get all the parts to build a world-class USA ribbon microphone in one package. Follow simple, step-by-step, fully-illustrated instructions & video tutorials to assemble the wire-mesh grille and ribbon motor into the powder-coated Brass chassis, and solder the connector & transformer to build yourself a professional Ribbon Microphone.
Specialty tools and templates are included in each kit, but you'll need some basic tools like a screwdriver, razor blade and a soldering iron.
An Austin Microphone is a practical gift for a guitarist, drummer or singer, and also for an engineer or a student who needs a college lab project. My kits are already used in college courses at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, Art Institute (Ai) campuses, Community College labs, and audio engineering trade schools!
The kit is not for everyone: Building a sensitive microphone requires your patience to make mistakes while learning, (extra materials included!) Previous DIY experience always helps, and it can be assembled on a kitchen table in 6-8 hours. It is designed for adult DIY'ers and College labs... but even high-school students have built my kits as class projects and science fair entries.
(NOTE: If you are an educator or a student, please see my Educational Discounts link on the homepage.)
Choose from 3 different models:
These are USA kits.
Austin Ribbon Microphone Kits are not imported repackaged Chinese junk. My custom parts are hand-made in San Diego, CA by local vendors and machine shops.
I use UL/CSA wiring, custom-wound transformers, a Switchcraft connector, a beefy powder-coated Brass chassis, and a proprietary monolithic ribbon motor truss of my own design. Direct, personal customer support is always just an email away, and is usually answered within a couple hours.
Check out my MXL 990 Conversion Kit. Convert your brittle MXL990 into a smooth Ribbon Microphone! Click Here: MXL-990 Modification kit.
I now do custom powder coat colors & textures starting at $35... But you need to contact me first. Visit my FAQ and Contact me for details.
The AUSTIN Mic Pre (AMP) Kit is my Do-It-Yourself preamplifier kit designed especially for Austin Ribbon Microphones. No fancy lights, meters, or phantom power... This is a dedicated, world-class ribbon microphone preamplifier that YOU build.
The Austin Mic Pre (AMP) is a complete DIY kit with a fully-illustrated step-by step instruction tutorial - just like my Austin Ribbon Microphones - and includes everything down to the hex key for the knob and a static wrist strap for handling the semiconductors. It's a kit designed to help you improve your soldering skills and breadboarding skills. Some previous soldering experience always helps, and you need a soldering iron, solder, wire strippers, and a few basic hand tools like a screwdriver and pliers.
Designed with state-of-the-art circuitry, and premium audio components, the Austin Mic Pre (AMP) delivers excellent performance over the entire audio spectrum... and beyond. Its 11 gain stages range from 10dB to 72dB in 6dB steps, and deliver a whisper-quiet -135dBvA EIN, with just .0067% THD+N at +19dBV out. It can be assembled in 4-5 hours.
These are are USA kits, made in San Diego, CA.
The Austin Mic Pre (AMP) is not an imported kit, repackaged and marked-up. Each kit is hand-picked audiophile components, bagged by me in my workshop with locally machined and laser-engraved panels that don't rub-off.
The Austin Mic Pre (AMP) Features Mogami® internal wiring, Neutrik® connectors, a beefy 1-Amp power supply, and a heavy duty tinned-through-hole circuit board, not cheap single-sided perf-board.
Assembled with an intuitive alpha numeric layout (Example, 100Ω resistor between A3 and A8) and photographed and illustrated at every step (more than 60 photos & illustrations total!) the Austin Mic Pre (AMP) is an easy weekend project for intermediate, electronic project DIY'ers.
Austin Mic Pre (AMP) Spec Sheet
NOTE to International users: The Austin Mic Pre (AMP) power supply is designed for USA 120VAC 60Hz wall voltage. If your wall voltage is not 120VAC, 60Hz, you will need a voltage converter or an import power supply that delivers the correct voltage and current to the unit. Please contact me for options.
DIY a True Blumlein™ Stereo Ribbon Microphone.
My True Blumlein™ Kit is a center-point, fixed-angle, coincident ribbon microphone which features a Blumlein Stereo Polar Pattern - The most accurate stereo pattern available!
It is a complete kit, including video tutorials and plans illustrated with 50+ images. The plans for a unique DIY elastic-supported spider shockmount are included.
The equivalent of building two Austin Ribbon Microphones, the True Blumlein™ Kit takes about 6 hours to complete, and it even includes a hand-operated, geared ribbon corrugation machine!
Click here for 7 things you need to know about the Austin True Blumlein™ Kit.