How to Choose and Buy a Microphone from Canadian Astatic
Canadian Astatic sells microphones in three broad categories — vocal, communication, and CB — alongside its much larger replacement stylus and cartridge business for vintage record players. If you need a microphone for singing, public address, or two-way radio use, start by matching the category to your job, then check the site's Price List page before ordering. If you actually need a needle or cartridge for an old turntable, you are in the wrong part of the catalog and should use the stylus and cartridge sections instead.
The three microphone categories and who each one is for
Canadian Astatic describes its microphone selection as covering vocal, communication, and CB microphones. Those labels map to fairly different jobs:
| Category | Typical use | What to confirm before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Vocal | Singing, announcements, general audio pickup | Connector type, cable or stand needs, whether the element suits your voice or instrument |
| Communication | Two-way radio, dispatch, intercom-style use | Compatibility with your radio or base unit, connector and wiring |
| CB | Citizen Band radio | Match to your CB radio's mic connector and pinout |
The category name alone does not guarantee a match. A "communication" microphone can use different connectors and wiring depending on the radio it was built for, so the connector is usually the deciding factor.
Match the microphone to the job, not the label
Work backward from where the microphone will plug in:
- Identify the equipment. Is it a PA system, a CB radio, a two-way radio, or a recording setup? The equipment manual or the existing microphone's connector tells you what will fit.
- Identify the connector. Communication and CB microphones commonly use specific multi-pin plugs. A microphone with the wrong plug may not work even if the category matches.
- Choose the category. Vocal for singing and speech pickup; communication for radio and dispatch; CB for Citizen Band radios.
- Check the Price List. Canadian Astatic publishes a Price List page. Use it to confirm current pricing before you order, since the site does not display prices directly in the product listings.
If you are replacing a microphone that already worked with your equipment, the safest approach is to match the connector and wiring of the old unit rather than guessing from the category name.
Don't confuse microphones with stylus and cartridge shopping
Canadian Astatic is best known as a supplier of replacement stylus and replacement cartridges for record players, and most of its catalog is organized around that business. The site's category and brand lists are dominated by ceramic and magnetic stylus entries — dozens of brands such as B.S.R., Garrard, Dual, Shure-era names, Pioneer, Sony, and Zenith — plus ceramic and magnetic cartridges.
That matters for two reasons:
- If you need a needle or cartridge, use the Ceramic Stylus, Magnetic Stylus, Ceramic Cartridges, or Magnetic Cartridges sections, and match by turntable brand and model. The microphone pages won't help you there.
- If you need a microphone, don't get pulled into the stylus brand lists. They are a separate product line with separate compatibility rules.
The same supplier serves both vintage audio restorers and microphone buyers, but the buying process is different for each.
Practical buying checklist
Before ordering a microphone from Canadian Astatic:
- Confirm the category you need: vocal, communication, or CB.
- Confirm the connector and wiring your equipment requires.
- Check the Price List page for current pricing.
- If you are unsure, compare against the microphone you are replacing rather than relying on the category label alone.
For vintage record player parts, switch to the stylus and cartridge sections and match by brand and model instead.