ADK Z-12

ADK Custom Shop “Ruby Lips” Z-Mod-12

The Z-Mod-12 is the Most “Mid-Boosted” of all ADK Z-Mod-Series Custom Valve Mics with an almost Effervescent High-End. The Z-12 and Z-251 are possibly the most historically accurate of the six mics. Z-12 has more 5kHz boost, the Z-251 has more air (15kHz boost).

American-Built ADK Z-Mod Custom Mics – ADK’s top-of-the-line Custom Microphone.

The ADK Z-Mod Tube Microphones are Class A (Discrete) 9 Polar-Pattern Tube (Valve) Condenser Microphones hand-built as “One-Offs” using a custom Belgium-Designed PC Board built with Hi-Fi methods and materials, using a “No-Corners-Cut” approach. Features Hand-Selected Valve, Top-of-the-Line Components (like a British Sowter Transformer) with ADK Designed Capsules from the Custom Shop “Capsule-Bank”.

Based on Ray Charles Favorite ADK’s Area 51 TT chassis, this is a totally Customized Product can be custom-built “One-Off” for each client based on one’s preference for Historical, Vintage Curves -Microphone Response Characteristics. So, if you want a specific color for your capsule choice, then we can do that!  

• How we Selected Optimal Transformers for each of the Z-Mods: It took our design-team five years to put the “DNA” of each Classic Valve Mic into the capsule tonality. We took an additional two years beta-testing Transformer Combinations for each of the five Capsules. We enlisted the help of the most respected ‘bat-ears’ in the recording industry, including the late, great Mike Shipley, Chuck Ainlay, and Ronny Brookshire, etc.
We ended up selecting an American, a Swedish, an English and a German Transformer builder.

• Jensen USA Transformer: The Jensen adds a bit of a “smiley face” character to the response of the microphone. Translated, that means a lifted top and bottom. It’s like having a built in sweetening curve on top of the capsule’s response. Our Golden-Ear Engineers all preferred the Jensen in the Z-Mod-251.

• Lundahl Transformer: Lundahl transformers are known for their flat-frequency-response. So, nothing is hyped here. Our Beta-Testers again were all agreed the Z67 and Z-49 were best when paired with the Lundahl. The Lundahl keeps the top smooth and the perception of the mid-range is that it is increased. The lows stay well behaved – not bloomy. But certainly not a boring choice of transformer! Lundahl is a truly hi-fi tranny.

• Sowter Transformer: There is just something “magical” that happens with the Sowter and our testers all preferred the Sowter Transformer in Z-Mod-12 or in the Z-Mod-47. The mid-range comes alive in a special fashion!

• Lehle Transformer: The Lehle is a Custom Transformer with what is considered the most Audiophile Characteristics of all our Transformer Options. The Lehle when combined with the ADK-251 Capsule that adds even more sheen, creating a modern sound that closely emulates the rising top-end of a more modern “800” Series Mic.