Imagine sound so pure, so clear, it transports you. That’s the legacy of Schalltechnik Dr. Schoeps. This company, known as Schoeps Mikrofone, has been crafting professional studio condenser microphones since 1948.
Schoeps is a German manufacturer based right here in Karlsruhe. Dr.-Ing. Karl Schoeps founded it. It remains a privately owned company to this day. Initially, Schoeps focused on sound recording and reinforcement. This included cinema sound installations during the post-war film boom. They even constructed small quantities of tape recorders.
But Schoeps soon began building condenser microphones. The CM 50 was their first. Its capsule and body were fixed together. They used two RV 12 P 2000 vacuum tubes. The microphone stood about 13 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter. Can you picture that?
Schoeps gained a strong foothold in France. This was due to Karl Schoeps’ friendship with a French commercial representative. In the 1950s, more than half of Schoeps’ production was exported to France. Even today, they maintain a considerable market position there.
In 1973, Schoeps launched the Colette series. This modular system allowed the amplifier to be separated from the sound capsule. It consisted of four amplifiers and about 20 capsules. These provided different directional patterns and frequency responses. This was the first microphone to separate the capsule from the amplifier via accessories. Thin flexible cables or goosenecks allowed for less obtrusive setups.
The CMT 20 series arrived in 1964. These were the first phantom-powered condenser microphones on the studio market. Schoeps also produced the M 221 series. The M 221 B model was widely used. It was popular in studios and for live orchestral recordings. It used the Telefunken AC 701k vacuum tube. Introduced in 1954, many are still in use today.
Schoeps microphones are highly regarded. The classical sound recording and electronics industries of Europe love them. German media organizations use Schoeps products. These include Tagesschau and heute news programs. The German Bundestag, Bundesrat, and state parliaments also use them.
Since 2005, the Harald Schmidt Show has used Schoeps microphones. In 2012, Schoeps equipped the Berlin Philharmonie. They provided microphones for the live stream of the Digital Concert Hall. In 2014, the brand provided surround sound microphones for the Brazil World Cup.
Schoeps continues to innovate. They developed the ORTF Surround setup for a soccer tournament in 2008. The CMIT 5 was introduced in 2005. It established a new standard of quality. Schoeps was the first to introduce the MK 21 capsule.
The company’s headquarters remains in Durlach. This picturesque town is now part of Karlsruhe. It was founded as a city in 1196. The building’s foundation walls date back to 1662.
Ulrich Schoeps, son of the founder, joined the company in 1980. He became business director in 1986. In 2015, he retired from management. Schoeps microphones have become standard on the concert stage.
Today, approximately 50 employees work at Schoeps. They develop, produce, and distribute products internationally. Schoeps has about 40 distributors worldwide. The Colette system continues to expand. New microphone types and applications are being added. Schoeps can be found in film, sports, and conference markets. From its humble beginnings to its place on the world stage, Schalltechnik Dr. Schoeps exemplifies German engineering. They provide exceptional audio quality.