There are a lot of posts about the more 'recent' Groove Tubes microphones, but is there anywhere I can get good information going back to day 1 through to present day? I have now or have owned (in assumed chronological order):

Model 5SC
Model 1B-FET
GT 66 tube
AM 62 tube (early? Alesis era)
a few of the AM condensers (LDC & SDC)
a few of the Sterlings (again LDC & SDC)

I'm more interested in any info on the older models- but searching google for "groove tubes model 5sc" you get results in Finnish on page 1, Russian and Japanese on page 2... info is rare indeed! Even the schematics page on Aspen's site doesn't quite have enough.

There are a few posts here, but only 2 even mention the 5SC and those have no information at all. So does anyone know where to find solid info?

What do you want to know about the 5sc? I own two, have the original brochure somewhere. I'm quite familiar with them. I even had a discussion with Aspen Pittman about them and the gt44 when they were being finalized. I got lucky, he randomly picked up the phone and he chatted for like an hour.

Thank you for replying! I'm mostly looking for a generic / catch-all for information about the entire lineage. There are many that love, many that hate- but not a lot of solid info on why. Hoping for a breakdown something like 'the originals are great, 2nd generation used a different transformer, Alesis used a different capsule that can be replaced with (X), Sterling need help by replacing cap (X) transformer and capsule, etc'. Some people just plain don't like the resonator disk capsule, but are there versions more desirable? Are there catch-all mods that work with most of these mics? I currently have an AM51, MD1B FET, GT66 and MD5SC. Might keep GT66 but others are probably going on CL (too many microphones)

Before the mic's I think there was a guitar rack thing, for mic's
It started with the MD1 and a DI that went with it.
Revised to MD1a.
The brick cam out and a half rack compressor came out
Then MD2/MD2a
MD3 MD3a
Glory compressor and Vipre

Then cooperation with Alesis. They issued MD5, MD6, Velo, Velo 8T.

Then Alesis purchased and all of the rest came out using a new production line. The quality fell. The old production line became sterling mic's.

I purchased an MD1a about 1998. The MD3 was not out yet at the time.

The 66 kills on mono room mic, far back. 5sc has impressed everyone I used it on vocals for 24 years straight, maybe twice it wasn't ok. Works on everything, acoustic instruments, overheads, great on guitar amps especially near the edge. It's drawback is some noise. The transformer is crazy cool, Aspen really bragged about his guy that designed it. It's in the 44 , probably md1b, and 66 too I believe. I love 44s. I really don't understand any hate for the mics, list on my 5sc box was $899. The alesis am mic line started late 90's I think, before their bankruptcy I'm near sure. They were well regarded, I've no experience personally, was pricey. There earliest tube mics were well regarded. Sterling labeled versions of 66, and 44 are exactly identical to groove tubes labeled versions. It went downhill after those were discontinued imo. Too much cheap mic competition. The vipre and glory comp are well regarded. Full differential path on the vipre, pretty unique. Scott Dorsey didn't think groove tubes mics needed upgraded electronics in his mk012 Octava mod. I've looked in the 5sc to check, nothing popped out at me. Really thin cloth over the grill will tame any excessive top end, lol. Easy mod there, effective. The 12k does kinda annoy me sometimes on the 66, along with proximity effect. Cloth or sock cover as well. I don't know how to remove the resonator on those, it's definitely not as smooth as the 5sc capsule. Never tried the md1b(pricier than 5sc I think), but I bet it's cool. I'd probably keep it, and 5sc. To me, I don't care what others think about a mic. What's important is if you like the sound. They may not have the pres you use. They definitely load different. Trident 80b loads a 5sc and 44 excellent (doesn't like my sm7b tho). Presonus mp20 and langevin dvc do well too. Lemme know if that's helpful, and if there's anything else I could help with. Take care.

I work with a baritone jazz singer that loves the 66, and I use it a lot on guitar cabinets. There is a lot of buzz for and against these mics, and I think it has a lot to do with different "releases" and the constant head office changes. Many of the Groove tube / Alesis / Sterling mics seem to be roughly the same design, but with different caps, transformers, etc. The AM62 tube I had was Alesis, but marked Groove Tubes, I bought it used in the late 90's. Guessing it might have been last GT / first Alesis(???) My hope is to find a timeline of changes between the standard designs and if there are ways to upgrade variations made to cut costs. I have seen various resonator disc mods, but think I'll keep it for the unique sound. On the other hand I have an AM51 LDC FET which really does nothing for me, and is obviously a newer "release"

I still have a pair of Groove Tubes 5sm that I bought brand new from Aspen Pittman in the 1990s. These were the multi-pattern version of the 5sc.

There have been noise issues due to dirty switches but burnishing them by switching back and forth a few hundred times does the trick.

One of mine has a broken clip but the shock mount is good while the other has no shock mount. In any case, this Boseen shock mount has the right 22mm collar that fits and, if you have the collar that originally came with the mic, that works even better with this mount as it gives you a little more room for the cable plug. I’ve posted pictures of both in my review.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rch_asin_title

I recently found this inexpensive mic mount (not shock mount) that fits well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00119QDPA

They came out with a couple SDCs in the mid-2000s

Fet:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/groovetubes/GT-33

Tube:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/groovetubes/GT-44

I actually loved the sound of the 44 on snare. Handled transients really well. It just fell out of favor as I wasn't thrilled with the sensitivity of a condenser on snare due to rejection and what not. Great as overheads. Really couldn't find any other use for them though.

The 33 was just a little "hard" sounding. And it wasn't bringing anything to the table my Oktava MK012s weren't already covering slightly better.

They were loaded with premium components, and their design left plenty of air surrounding the capsules so theie frequency response wasn't as peaky in the high end as a lot of other sdcs. But you were pretty much limited to the stock capsules they made at the time, which I wasn't thrilled with. Oktava capsules were just better. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure microphone-parts and 3uaudio make some that are compatible. Too bad we didn't have those back then, or I definitely would have kept them around. If I ever see any pop up on Reverb or ebay I'll jump on it for the right price.

Hi everyone,
I’m proudly the owner of a md5sc, I had a chance to buy it for a very low price, indeed the microphone doesn’t really work. If any you guys could provide me picture of the pcb and composant it would be awesome . It looks like someone made a lot of modifications inside it. So it’s hard to tell what was inside before.
Thanks for your help.

Here's back and front closeups that should be big enough to zoom in on. Not popping the basket off- 1 it's a bit difficult, 2 it's the resonator disc, so if you have a resonator diaphragm, it's stock

Great timeline, can you add years of these product lifespans in general? Looks like Paul White did a article on MD1 / MD2 in 1993.
Just curious.
I wonder how many are available or were made?

Found out on the tedfletcher joemeeks there was such a small quantity of them made, 50 bricks , 10 with VC1 label, or 20 VC1Q etc..250 VC1cs....a small handful, imo....I guess I assume in the smart phone world everything is made in the 500,000 qty bulk factorys...so these unique pieces of 20 or 50 is cool to imagine.

Groove Tubes....
add:Aspen Pittman posted some on this site. he mentioned 100 + orders of Vipre.
At $3000 each thats some serious cash floating but still a low quantity made piece compared to Fender Squiers making thousands a day.... A confusing and interesting story of GT, then Alesis then back , and Fender buying the tube division but not wanting the hiend audio div....
tube mics, tube preamps... probably a fortune to build with all that quality hand picked stuff.

Hi, sorry to resurrect this thread, but I wanted to ask about the 6TM microphone. It seems to be an intermediate mic, with a similar connector and grille to the earlier MD microphones, but what looks like an Alesis body. Anyone know anything about it?

Late to the party 2024. But I 've purchased my Md3a on 1997. Still have it. Still my favorite my mic

This is why I wish there were an encyclopedia, or solid history. I thought the 6TM was the tube version that came out with my 5SC.

My guess is T=tube, S=solid state, M=multi pattern, C=cardioid.

My 5SC seems to be before Alesis, so curious what your tube looks like. I have had the Alesis/GT mics and the body shape is different, and the cable was more cannon/barrel style.

No real information for you, but my guess is you have a 2nd generation Groove tube more than a (4th-5th???) generation Alesis.

Hi, it looks like this.



From what I have read in forums it is an Alesis body and chinese K67-style capsule with a Cinemag transformer, Groove Tubes grille and tube circuit. It had pretty good reviews from forum users and seems to be a pretty interesting microphone.

But I would love to have more authoritative info as well, it's a bit frustrating...

(...adding to the frustration...)

I am not an expert by any means, but I think some of your information is maybe partially false? Looking at the picture I think it is before Alesis: body and grill look like my Groove Tubes from Sylmar CA. A post-er above says he bought a pair of 5SM from Aspen Pittman himself... these are all apparently from the same 'run' (?)

Can't see the connector, but I think you said your cable is more like an old computer to printer cable rather than a standard looking mic cable with 6 pins. I think that was all Groove Tubes- doubt Alesis did anything weird with their cables. Also think that if it was Alesis, it would have it's name somewhere on it. Can't imagine Alesis being part of something without dominant branding.

I don't think the capsule is a "Chinese 67 copy" as I can see the resonator disc in your picture. from a blurb: "center-terminated true condenser capsule with Aspen Pittman’s disk resonator system"

Unfortunately I also am not sure about the Cinemag transformer, unless it was upgraded, from the same blurb: "a custom-wound nickel-core output transformer"

My guess is you do have a genuine, Aspen Pittman, Groove Tubes microphone.

Unfortunately I do not have this type of mic yet (it's a picture from the product page on Gearspace). I was only re-telling what I read online about it in other forums. So it was very much second-hand information and therefore liable to be corrected!

The blurb you quote is extremely intriguing. There is a possibility that these were indeed unique capsules.

I will dig further for more info...

I can help with this a bit. I have owned nearly all these at some point.

MD = Model

Around 1992 or so - MD1 (this was a favorite of some big names on guitars, including Van Halen, IIRC).
There was a Tube Preamp and DI with and without a VU (seems random, as I've seen them with and without the VU) that came out around the same time. Both units connected to a PS2 power supply. It seems like there was one other unit around this time the same footprint as the preamp, but I've forgotten what it was. Seems like it was a compressor. (BTW, if anyone wants an MD1 and the preamp project, PM me. Mine have been in my closet waiting for me to fix them for 25 years).

MD2 and MD3 came out shortly after - I believe mid 90s. An MD1a as well. The MD3 had the now classic GT large hole headbasket grill.

Several others had that same classic grill, including the MD6 (as shown above), and appeared in the mid-late 90s.

In 1998 Alesis purchased GT and released the following:

AM51 - FET LDC
AM52 - FET Multipattern LDC
AM61 - Tube LDC
AM62 - Tube Multipattern LDC (these 60 series are awesome, but the stock GT tube actually goes hissy/rattly, so most need that replaced)
AM30 - FET Pencil MDC (not SDC)
AM40 - Tube Pencil MDC

Around 2003ish, M-Audio purchased assets from GT and redistributed some mics, as well as tweaked some older models.

MD1b - Tube LDC - similar look to the MD1, but smaller. Beefy sounding, though.
MD1b FET - FET LDC
GT33 - FET MDC (this is basically the AM30)
GT44 - Tube MDC (this is basically the AM40)
GT55 - FET LDC (similar to the AM51, but different body design)
GT57 - FET Multipattern LDC (similar to the AM52)
GT66 - Tube LDC (based on the AM61, but different body design)
GT67 - Tube Multipattern LDC (based on the AM62, but brighter)

That lasted a couple years, I believe, then it was back to their own distribution, etc.

A bit later Guitar Center purchased assets from M-Audio, which seemed to also include some of the Groove Tubes designs during the M-Audio era, and a factory, IIRC.

These were released under the Sterling Audio brand. I do not have experience with them, so I can't confirm whether the quality suffered, but here are their offerings:

ST33 (based on the GT33)
ST44 (based on the GT44)
ST55 (based on the GT55)
ST66 (based on the GT66)
There may be a couple more I can't think of right now.

Groove Tubes also made mics during this time, including the GT Convertible, as well as the Velo 8 ribbon microphone.
The GT40 and GT30 were also introduced. They're based on the AM40 and AM30, but have capsule options.

In 2008 Fender purchased GT.

Most the previous GT mics were still produced.
The GT57 (and possibly 55) got the classic grill.

From here, the mics began to gradually drop off.

Thank you! a great timeline and excellent information. All I'm really looking for now is changes to caps, transformers, capsules etc. My guess is after every change over, cost cutting decisions were made- switching out cheaper caps or transformers to the point that when Sterling was making them it was 'bottom of the barrel' for parts.

If we know say, when Alesis took over they switched transformer for a generic- could we switch transformer and have a better result? Which caps in which positions could be better, etc.

When Alesis took over they started fresh, more or less. I can't quite remember when the ViPRE was released, nor the SuPRE or compressor. There were also quite a few misc products like GT Amp eliminators, bass guitar preamp, custom mic auditioning units, etc. I remember my order of a SuPRE never ended up getting filled, but I can't recall specifics.

The thing is, there were constant changes. For example, there were various substitutions and/or undocumented changes and/or improvements. Any of the old gear (90s) has a medium to low chance of matching the schematics. Once Alesis took over it was more of a mass market than boutique, so more consistency existed.