THE VISIONARIES

Syncron Microphones was a pioneering American audio manufacturer known for creating some of the first commercial solid-state condenser microphones.

History and Location

• The Syncron Corporation operated in Wallingford, Connecticut during the mid-1960s (circa 1964 to 1966).
• The company served as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for other audio brands, most notably Fairchild.
• The manufacturing facility eventually folded, and the building in Wallingford was later converted into Trod Nossel, one of America's long-running recording studios.

Key Innovations and Models

• AU-7a: Released around 1964–1965 for $169.50, this was credited as the first commercial capacitor microphone to successfully use a Field Effect Transistor (FET).
• Battery Power: Unlike heavy tube competitors from Neumann that required separate external power supplies and heavy cabling, Syncron mics ran on internal batteries.
• Fairchild F-22: Syncron manufactured an identical version of the AU-7a branded and sold under the Fairchild name, though some Fairchild variants featured dual-sided capsules compared to Syncron's single-sided diaphragm.
• S-10: A later successor model to the AU-7a produced before the company closed its doors.