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< All Neumann M 147 Tube reviews
MGR/AlexV MGR/AlexV

« Neumann M 147 »

Published on 03/16/10 at 16:00
The Neumann M 147 is a large diaphragm tube condenser microphone modeled after the classic 47 used on many of the Beatles ere recordings. I am a student, musician, writer, and pretty good line dancer residing in beautiful Nashville, TN. I've been a drummer and guitar player on and off for the past 10 years of my life and have began engineering and producing in the past 4. I currently play drums for the band Brookline and you can see me rockin' an Orange County Drum and Percussion or Mapex kit decked out with Zildjian K Hybrids.

Our studio purchased this mic about 3 years ago for right around $2,600 from Sweetwater. We bought it while building our mic catalog for a studio at a Record Arts college in Nashville, TN.

<a href="https://www.sweetwater.com">https://www.sweetwater.com</a>

This mic has a very apparent sound to it that is very bright, crisp, and rather loud because of its very high natural gain. It definitely has a vintage sound and the classic Neumann high-mid clarity. This mic also has an incredible low self-noise in general and especially for a tube driven mic.

Being that this mic does have a 'signature' sound - it is very apparent when used. Another reviewer said it must be paired with a very dark pre like Vintech 1272 or a classic Neve strip. Not necessarily a con, just something to aware of. This is rarely a set-up and go mic. Always needs a little tweaking and usually requires some EQ and trying out multiple pre's before find the right sounds. This mic really sounds different on everything.

This mic comes with great shock mount that eliminates handling noise completely. This mic features a satin nickel finish like mostly all classic Neumann models. It's encased in a solid aluminum capsule and includes a cable and a universal power supply.

Bottom Line? This mic is good at what it claims to do - replicate the classic U47 and punch out that vintage tube sound. It is not very versatile making it difficult to justify buying for a home or small studio on a budget. If your looking to expand your mic catalog and give your clients a wide variety of options - this mic is a great addition.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com