Soviet American Audio Systems traces its origins to Mike Bridavsky's enduring passion for using rare and obscure vintage microphones and studio equipment to record music.

The roots of Mike's particular fascination with Soviet audio technology stem from his family's immigration from the USSR to the USA, where he became the first US-born member of his family. As a teenager, he started recording music in his basement and never stopped. Mike moved to Bloomington, IN in 1998 to earn a BA in music and film production and an AS in audio engineering from Indiana University. In 2003 he established Russian Recording where he has since produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered over 1,500 records.

Mike bought his first vintage microphone - an Oktava ML19 - 25 years ago, sparking his quarter-century mission to unearth every microphone, console, and piece of recording gear ever crafted in the Soviet Union and beyond. Through this endeavor, he uncovered a glaring lack of information about these rare mics and consoles, coupled with the realization that most of these audio relics were not functioning correctly. This set about the difficult process of unraveling the history, purpose, and technical nuances of these unique audio artifacts.

With over two decades of experience in using, researching, and restoring hundreds of rare microphones, Mike founded Soviet American Audio Systems to provide a reliable resource of information and offer functional examples of these microphones to fellow engineers who share an interest in rare and obscure recording equipment.

SAAS is also actively engaged in the process of re-issuing of some of the most coveted Soviet tube microphones under the moniker of LOMO Microphone Systems. Additionally, the company is working on designing and manufacturing a line of discrete outboard equipment and operational amplifiers under the name of Soviet American Electronics, drawing inspiration from Russian Recording's one-of-a-kind Sphere Eclipse Type III recording console, designed and built from the ground up with tech-wizard Mike Stucker from 2018 through 2023.

SAAS specializes in vintage recording studio equipment manufactured by LOMO, Oktava, KINAP, IRPA, Sony, Aiwa, Toshiba, Sphere Electronics, and more. Be sure to visit our Museum and Archive to learn about some of the coolest studio equipment you've never heard of.

For inquiries, questions, or if you possess a rare or obscure microphone that could contribute to our archive, or if you are interested in having SAAS list a piece of equipment for sale, please reach out to us at the contact button below.

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