Name: Golden Age Project GA-8000 Large-Diaphragm Multipattern Tube Condenser Microphone
SKU: 950564

Product Details ＋

Inspired by a prestigious microphone widely favored for rap and pop vocals, the Golden Age Project GA-8000 large-diaphragm tube condenser mic features premium components and two selectable polar patterns to produce a crisp sound and high signal-to-noise performance for demanding studio recordings. It is equipped with a high-voltage NOS 6AU6 vacuum tube from France, a top-shelf Rogers ceramic gold-plated circuit board, audiophile resistors from Japan, and oxygen-free copper connecting wires—all elements of the GA-8000 were carefully selected for optimal sonics.

Knowing that the high-voltage tube yields more heat than typical tube mic configurations, Golden Age outfitted the GA-8000 with an active cooling system that not only effectively dissipates the heat, but also strikes an imposing profile in the studio. The power supply was built around solid-state rectifiers and an FET-based stabilization circuit, allowing the tone the designers preferred and lower maintenance than tube-based power supplies. The included Rycote shockmount offers easy attachment to a mic stand while inhibiting vibrations from being transferred to the mic.

PCB Board

A Rogers ceramic gold-plated circuit board is used in the GA-8000. Usually found in high-end aerospace communication products, the cost of this type of circuit board is about 20 times higher than an ordinary PCB board. It has superior insulation parameters and offers increased stability. The coupling and bypass capacitors are of high quality, resulting in a deep and exact low-frequency performance and delicate high-frequency reproduction.

Capsule

A manufacturer with more than 20 years of microphone capsule production experience produces the capsule to have a modern sound character. The capsule used in the GA-8000 can handle a high sound pressure level of up to 140 dB in omni mode or up to 137 dB in cardioid mode.

Tube

To ensure long tube life, the GA-8000 utilizes an NOS CIFTE 6AU6 tube from France. The tube in this circuit has an anode voltage of 90V and will generate more heat than tubes in many other tube microphones that typically use voltages from 35 to 50V. The higher voltage used in the GA-8000 increases the heat dissipation, so the semiconductor active cooling system is an important element in the design.

Power Supply

The GA-8000 uses a power supply with solid-state rectifiers and an FET-based stabilization circuit for the high-voltage rail. After numerous listening tests comparing a tube rectifying circuit with a solid-state one, Golden Age opted for the solid-state variant due to tonal preferences. The additional advantage is that there is no need to worry about replacing tubes in the power supply.

Capacitors, Resistors, and Solder

The metal resistors and electrolytic capacitor from Japan are of special audiophile types. The coupling capacitors are Siemens EPCOS from Germany. The connecting wires inside the GA-8000 are oxygen-free copper wires from Japan. The solder is FELDER silver/copper-containing solder from Germany.

Cooling System

The temperature of the tube in the GA-8000 is the effectively kept down when the GA-8000 is in its working state. The heat that the tube generates is transferred to the reverse side of the semiconductor and transferred to the effective outer aluminum alloy heat sink at the rear of the microphone. This heat sink will then dissipate the heat from semiconductor cooling chip to the air surrounding the GA-8000.