Robertt8
Well-known member
It looks like they don't make the U47 any more. Is the U87 an newer updated version?
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Not really. They're both made by Neumann, that's where any simularity ends.
Robertt8
Well-known member
gotchya! thanks.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
This is on of a couple of companies that are remaking clones of the old 47's. These aren't "clones" but they're pretty good mics non the less. I have my eye on this one and may be picking one up soon.
http://www.lawsonmicrophones.com/l47mp.html
http://www.lawsonmicrophones.com/l47mp.html
tjohnston
New member
wow only 2 grand Ill thing ill get two
A
ambi
New member
So you're still bitter then C7sus? You know, from the war... Shit, don't mention the war!
J
jet-rocker
New member
If you can afford 'made in the USA', that's the way to go. Plug your $$$ into our own economy.
-Jtt
-Jtt
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
This comment makes no sense in this conversation.ambi said:
A
ambi
New member
well, that's a given.
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
If it's a given, why did you say it?
Buck62
噛んでくれ
Robertt8 said:
40
M
Mr Funk
New member
All jokes aside (sorry for being a kill-joy), does the U47 FET produce a sound similar to the vintage U47 tube? I did not know it existed until very recently.
L
Larry Villella
New member
U-47 Valve vs. U-47 FET
The 47 FET is not even close to the 47 tube. Ocean Way uses the 47 FET on Kick. Possibly the best applicaition for this mic . But the Capsule Fatigues and they pony up about $1000 to put a new capsule in every year or two (or so I am told).
The 47 Valve is the Male Vocal Mic Extraordinaire! And what it does for Saxophone is nothing short of amazing. Nat King Cole's Mic. Early Frank Sinatra. A lot of Coltrane and Sonny Rollins Sax.
Our TT model was built to try to emulate the 47 Valve sound.
If you put the polar pattern between Cardioid and Figure 8 you can really hear the similarities. It's close, but there's nothing like a Mint 47 (and these are very hard to find!) I'm lucky enough to own one, but I bought it long before the Wall Street Journal had an article about the "collectability" of vintage mics. Elam 251's went up $5000 in a single day because of a naive journalist!!!
For every great old 67 and 47, there are a dozen "rebuilt" ones.
Kind of like re-built Steinways. If you put Yamaha hammers in them and a new sound-board that is thick as a 2x4, you really don't have a Steinway anymore. (You end up with a Yamadorfer).
We did a shoot-out at Westlake Audio with some of our mics and the U-47 that Michael Jackson used on Thriller. The response curve looked like Mount Everest! Really Jagged and with a 12dB peak in the midrange! It was Nothing at all like my stock 47.
Vintage buyers beware! The pitfalls of buying a Vintage Mic abound!
If you don't have a mic expert examine and audition the mic, it's really better to buy a Lawson in my view! (There are a few others that would also be acceptable substitutes). Hope this helps!
Cheers!
Larry Villella, The Reluctant CEO, ADK Microphones
The 47 FET is not even close to the 47 tube. Ocean Way uses the 47 FET on Kick. Possibly the best applicaition for this mic . But the Capsule Fatigues and they pony up about $1000 to put a new capsule in every year or two (or so I am told).
The 47 Valve is the Male Vocal Mic Extraordinaire! And what it does for Saxophone is nothing short of amazing. Nat King Cole's Mic. Early Frank Sinatra. A lot of Coltrane and Sonny Rollins Sax.
Our TT model was built to try to emulate the 47 Valve sound.
If you put the polar pattern between Cardioid and Figure 8 you can really hear the similarities. It's close, but there's nothing like a Mint 47 (and these are very hard to find!) I'm lucky enough to own one, but I bought it long before the Wall Street Journal had an article about the "collectability" of vintage mics. Elam 251's went up $5000 in a single day because of a naive journalist!!!
For every great old 67 and 47, there are a dozen "rebuilt" ones.
Kind of like re-built Steinways. If you put Yamaha hammers in them and a new sound-board that is thick as a 2x4, you really don't have a Steinway anymore. (You end up with a Yamadorfer).
We did a shoot-out at Westlake Audio with some of our mics and the U-47 that Michael Jackson used on Thriller. The response curve looked like Mount Everest! Really Jagged and with a 12dB peak in the midrange! It was Nothing at all like my stock 47.
Vintage buyers beware! The pitfalls of buying a Vintage Mic abound!
If you don't have a mic expert examine and audition the mic, it's really better to buy a Lawson in my view! (There are a few others that would also be acceptable substitutes). Hope this helps!
Cheers!
Larry Villella, The Reluctant CEO, ADK Microphones
D
DJL
Self Banned
Re: U-47 Valve vs. U-47 FET
Larry, thanks for the "Vintage buyers beware!" warning. Finding a "mic expert" may not always be easy?
Larry, thanks for the "Vintage buyers beware!" warning. Finding a "mic expert" may not always be easy?
Middleman
Professional Amateur
Larry, thanks for dropping in. Always nice to have a pros perspective.
I am not clear on what your saying regarding the tests at Westlake. A very fine studio by the way, I got to sit in on a mixing session a few weeks back. Love the SSL.
So was the Jackson mic a modified version that peaked in the mid-range? Just trying to understand the frequency response curve of your 47 vs the one used on thriller.
I am not clear on what your saying regarding the tests at Westlake. A very fine studio by the way, I got to sit in on a mixing session a few weeks back. Love the SSL.
So was the Jackson mic a modified version that peaked in the mid-range? Just trying to understand the frequency response curve of your 47 vs the one used on thriller.
L
Larry Villella
New member
U-47 - STOCK VS. RE-BUILT
Actually we haven't taken my 47 down there yet. But from an audibility standpoint, the tone on the "Thriller" mic was very hyped. The typical U47 response has a bit of a midrange boost (I am trying to recall, it seems to me about 4 or 5 dB) and it also has an interesting little 'scoop' - there's an "S"Curve as I recall!
Alan Sides Microphone Cabinet CD is quite informative on this.
And, of course, after 45 or 50 years, none of the 47 sound alike!
So the variations are profound - and yes: there mic seems to be modified. It didn't look like any 47 curve that I had ever seen.
And the comment - it's hard to find a good mic expert - is so true!
Claus is the man, in my view. David Baskind another brilliant soul.
Anyway, I intend - as soon as we plot my stock 47 - to publish some curves. That being said, there is more to a mic than the frequency response. A great many elements make up "tone".
More on the subject, from people a lot more knowledgeable than myself (an end-user first and formost) should be out there on the net. I am always trying to learn more about what makes these vintage mics so amazing. The Proof is in the Tone, but the underlying science (art / alchemy) often eludes one.
Why do two Steinways - same size / same year - sound different.
Same thing is true of two U-47. But hey: viva la difference!!!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com - the reluctant CEO
Actually we haven't taken my 47 down there yet. But from an audibility standpoint, the tone on the "Thriller" mic was very hyped. The typical U47 response has a bit of a midrange boost (I am trying to recall, it seems to me about 4 or 5 dB) and it also has an interesting little 'scoop' - there's an "S"Curve as I recall!
Alan Sides Microphone Cabinet CD is quite informative on this.
And, of course, after 45 or 50 years, none of the 47 sound alike!
So the variations are profound - and yes: there mic seems to be modified. It didn't look like any 47 curve that I had ever seen.
And the comment - it's hard to find a good mic expert - is so true!
Claus is the man, in my view. David Baskind another brilliant soul.
Anyway, I intend - as soon as we plot my stock 47 - to publish some curves. That being said, there is more to a mic than the frequency response. A great many elements make up "tone".
More on the subject, from people a lot more knowledgeable than myself (an end-user first and formost) should be out there on the net. I am always trying to learn more about what makes these vintage mics so amazing. The Proof is in the Tone, but the underlying science (art / alchemy) often eludes one.
Why do two Steinways - same size / same year - sound different.
Same thing is true of two U-47. But hey: viva la difference!!!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com - the reluctant CEO
H
Harvey Gerst
New member
Larry,
Unless I'm badly mistaken, Bruce Swedien used a Shure SM7 for Michael's vocals on "Thriller". At least that's been pretty thoroughly documented, and that's what Bruce said when I talked to him about the SM7 I bought from Fletcher with Bruce's name still on it.
Unless I'm badly mistaken, Bruce Swedien used a Shure SM7 for Michael's vocals on "Thriller". At least that's been pretty thoroughly documented, and that's what Bruce said when I talked to him about the SM7 I bought from Fletcher with Bruce's name still on it.
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Larry Villella
New member
THRILLER MICS
Harvey,
You may be right. My information is based on second-hand statements. I had always thought, however, that the SM-57 was used on Billie Jean. There was an article about them wanting a certain "gritty" quality to Michael's voice on that specific song. The article (I read it years ago, so forgive me if I don't get it all 100%) went on to say that they taped a paper-towel tube to the 57 mic for the back-up vocals. Sounded like a cool idea to me!
Again, the 47 was used as a reference mic. We got to use their first call U-67, C-12, and the U-47 that was alleged to be used by Michael (maybe I got the album wrong - or maybe they were trying to impress our test guy). One of the things that I have learned over the years is lots of stories are just that - stories!!!
Does anyone know Bruce? Maybe he can set us all straight!
That being said, the response curve looked like Mt. Everest and bore no resemblance to the curve that Alan Sides published in the Alan Sides Microhone Cabinet CD-ROM. That much I am sure of! The rest is speculation at this point (no wonder they don't allow hearsay in court!). I am happy if I can find out the truth!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com
Harvey,
You may be right. My information is based on second-hand statements. I had always thought, however, that the SM-57 was used on Billie Jean. There was an article about them wanting a certain "gritty" quality to Michael's voice on that specific song. The article (I read it years ago, so forgive me if I don't get it all 100%) went on to say that they taped a paper-towel tube to the 57 mic for the back-up vocals. Sounded like a cool idea to me!
Again, the 47 was used as a reference mic. We got to use their first call U-67, C-12, and the U-47 that was alleged to be used by Michael (maybe I got the album wrong - or maybe they were trying to impress our test guy). One of the things that I have learned over the years is lots of stories are just that - stories!!!
Does anyone know Bruce? Maybe he can set us all straight!
That being said, the response curve looked like Mt. Everest and bore no resemblance to the curve that Alan Sides published in the Alan Sides Microhone Cabinet CD-ROM. That much I am sure of! The rest is speculation at this point (no wonder they don't allow hearsay in court!). I am happy if I can find out the truth!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com
H
Harvey Gerst
New member
I don't know what Bruce used on Michael's "Billy Jean", but I'm 99% positive that every article he's been interviewed in has mentioned the SM-7 as the mic Bruce used for "Thriller", and he's added in later interviews that when Vincent Price came in to do the spoken part, the SM-7 was still up from Michael's vocals, so they used the SM-7 for Vincent Price's part as well.
Fletcher at Mercenary bought a bunch of Bruce's old mics and I bought the SM-7 from the batch of mics that Fletcher bought from Bruce. For a while, Fletcher and I both thought it might be the actual mic Bruce used to record "Thriller", but I think Bruce still has that SM-7.
Fletcher at Mercenary bought a bunch of Bruce's old mics and I bought the SM-7 from the batch of mics that Fletcher bought from Bruce. For a while, Fletcher and I both thought it might be the actual mic Bruce used to record "Thriller", but I think Bruce still has that SM-7.
L
Larry Villella
New member
THE MYSTERY MIC AT WESTLAKE
Harvey,
I love a good mystery. I will see if my buddy, who did the shoot-out at Westlake, can find out the story behind the "phantom 47"!
As I stated previously, I was going on second hand info!
Still, the mic in question had a unique curve, and apart from if it did or did not get used by Michael, it is a clear indication of how
Modified '47 can bear little or no resemblance to classic '47's.
I am certainly no Michael Jackson expert! Wasn't Thriller produced by Quincy Jones? A classic recording in any event.
I'd love to get a track chart for Thriller. And I'd love to see if I can find out what CD's might have been recorded on this highly one modified U-47. The Nat King Cole sound wouldn't have eminated from it, that's for sure! Again, I am grateful for any information!!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com
Harvey,
I love a good mystery. I will see if my buddy, who did the shoot-out at Westlake, can find out the story behind the "phantom 47"!
As I stated previously, I was going on second hand info!
Still, the mic in question had a unique curve, and apart from if it did or did not get used by Michael, it is a clear indication of how
Modified '47 can bear little or no resemblance to classic '47's.
I am certainly no Michael Jackson expert! Wasn't Thriller produced by Quincy Jones? A classic recording in any event.
I'd love to get a track chart for Thriller. And I'd love to see if I can find out what CD's might have been recorded on this highly one modified U-47. The Nat King Cole sound wouldn't have eminated from it, that's for sure! Again, I am grateful for any information!!
Cheers!
Larry@adkmic.com