Highly Desired & Rare. Until Now.
The WA-CX12 is a faithful representation of the most natural and balanced tube microphone of all time, praised for its organic tone and pleasant high frequencies.
The original AKG C12 was manufactured in Austria from 1953 to 1963 and is the definitive version of the 12-style microphone. The WA-CX12s sound profile and circuit design are inspired by the original production run of only 2,500 microphones, which are particularly sought after for their ability to capture the natural beauty of vocals, room sounds, and other distant microphone placement techniques. The list of famous recording artists who have never used a 12-style microphone is probably smaller than the list of those who have. Some of the most notable artists who created music with the original include:
The Beatles, Lupe Fiasco, Tom Petty, Michael Jackson, Alanis Morissette, and Taylor Swift, to name just a few. The WA-CX12 does not cut corners to achieve the coveted open, airy, and natural sound profile used again and again by some of the worlds most recognized engineers and artists.
Uncompromised Character
The WA-CX12 is a professional large-diaphragm tube microphone with top-tier components, elite build quality, hand-tested in Austin, Texas. The WA-CX12s circuit design is faithful to the original 1953-1963 production and serves as the foundation for the historically accurate sound profile. Like the original, the WA-CX12 tone is mostly flat until a slight dip at 2 kHz with gradual presence between 5-10 kHz. At the start of the chain, the CX12 has a terminal-ended CK12-style capsule, entirely brass, which remains faithful to the frequency response of original production 12-style microphones.
This capsule allows the WA-CX12 to have 9 polar patterns with the typical cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-8, plus 6 other intermediate patterns. Moving down from the capsule, the WA-CX12 uses a premium 12AY7 vacuum tube for added warmth. At the end of the circuit, the WA-CX12 uses a custom TAB-Funkenwerk (AMI) USA output transformer, which gives the WA-CX12 a very full, wide, and open sound, maximizing the capsule and additional circuit components. The WA-CX12 features top-grade capacitors throughout and a solder-mask-free circuit board for the lowest possible noise. As with all Warm Audio products, we focus heavily on quality components to ensure we release the best possible product.
Faithful to Legacy, Faithful to Sound
The WA-CX12 sound profile is known for capturing the true sound of a performance. Designed to provide clarity in the midrange and smooth any high-end harshness, the WA-CX12 delivers professional solo vocals, complex piano performances, and epic, natural room sounds.
Vocals
The WA-CX12s gentle presence rise at 5-10 kHz highlights and smooths the upper portion on many vocal performances.
Piano
One of the most popular studio uses for the original 12-style microphone is as a stereo pair on a grand piano. Due to the microphones relatively flat frequency response at 0dB until the presence rise at the top begins, the WA-CX12 adds just the right amount of pure high-end clarity to a piano performance.
Room Sounds
Whether its room reflections, cymbals, or guitar and bass cabinets—mixing in a distant-placed WA-CX12 can deliver a natural live sound to professional recordings. Premium Components—Elite Build Quality—Superior Sound.
WA-12-B-60V CK12-Style Capsule
The WA-12-B-60V CK12-style capsule precisely matches the frequency response of the original capsule found in vintage C12 microphones. This capsule captures incredible detail across the 30Hz-20kHz frequency range. With an exceptionally flat response until the presence rise at the top begins around 3k, the capsule inside the WA-CX12 will help you capture natural sounds with added smoothness in the highs before the pleasant 19 kHz tonal character.
USA-Made AMI Output Transformer
The history of TAB-Funkenwerk (AMI) transformers begins with the founding of the most sought-after German analog audio innovations. The WA-CX12s TAB (AMI) transformer is USA-manufactured with German large-core laminations and built to strict standards, as designed by Oliver Archut. The custom transformer delivers the full natural sound captured by the capsule, reproducing that famous Austrian tone.
Premium Tubes, Capacitors, and Boards
The WA-CX12 uses one premium 12AY7 vacuum tube that adds warmth and depth to the microphone signal. Like all Warm Audio products, we use high-quality capacitors throughout the circuit for ideal signal transfer. The PCB board in the WA-CX12 features no solder masks allowing the lowest possible noise level, preventing additional interference capacitance.
Authentic Appearance, Elite Build Quality, Premium Accessories
The WA-CX12 is wrapped in an exceptionally durable nickel-plated brass body. Each WA-CX12 comes with a custom tweed carrying case that houses the microphone, wooden microphone box, premium Gotham 7-pin cable, IEC cable, shock mount base, and external power supply. Every WA-CX12 is meticulously hand-tested at Warm HQ in Austin, TX by real musicians and engineers passionate about better sound.
