Prior to WWII, the German audio industry was infused with the best and most modern American and Western European radio and amplifier technology. This intense development effort eventually morphed into novel and breakthrough professional audio products developed by the German engineers for the German and European broadcast industry-at-large prior to the outbreak of WWII. After the near total destruction that occurred during WWII the industry had to be completely rebuilt.

One great shining accomplishments of this engineering era was the Maihak (Telefunken) V41,V41a and V41b. These were single channel full DIN (20”) rack units made with no expense spared to the be finest professional recording and broadcast microphone preamps ever made. Their weakness was their expense and the lack of a small modular form factor. At the time of its release, the V41 series was a landmark achievement.

After WWII as the V41b series was being mass produced, German engineers went to work solving the form factor, non-modularity and cost problems plaguing the marketability of the highly respected V41 series. The engineers solved this by reinventing the exceptional legacy and technology of the V41 series into the now famous and widely known Danner Modular racking system form factor using V7x series of modular professional preamps, line amps and companion pieces that comprised the famous Telefunken and Maihak console systems of that era. You know the Telefunken derivatives as V73, V76, etc. The V7x series.

As for the sound and sonic personality of the V41 series, imagine a ballsy RCA BA-1A with the mid-range elegance and glow of the Telefunken V7x series. The way the V41 circuit exploits the EF-12 is unprecedented.

This is your chance to own a magical piece of audio history. While not a piece for every voice or every signal, it’s magical beyond words when the fit is there.

This is a fabulous tool for re-amping and parallel processing.

To call it “vintage tone” would be as trite as it would be incorrect. The vibe remains remarkably modern, visceral and vital more than 70 years after it’s creation and production. An absolutely world class sounding pre-amplifier.

We cannot date these units other than by using the published retirement date of the V41b, which followed the release of the V41 and V41a, some of which were pre-WWII. It is published that the original V1 began development in 1928. It is believed the V41b ceased production in 1949.

We are also listing a V1145 Telefunken remote location microphone preamp (EF12) believed to be pre WWII which also arose from the V1 development.

In all, we are selling our V41, V41a, V1145