The Telefunken U47 M7 Capsule VF14 Tube Condenser

Telefunken U-47, Valve
Cardiod Condenser
M-7 Capsule,
VF14 Tube

 

"Holy Omnipotence!!!! My God man, what a sound!!! Great Work!!!! What a BAD MAMA JAMA of a MICROPHONE!!! There is no other microphone on this planet that has this kind of low mid authority!!!" -Adam Brass Mercenary Audio

Now I could have purchased a vintage U-47 along with it's ageing components, questionable tube and perhaps smoke covered capsule, and you just can't go to the '1949 store and pick up a new one. After much investigation and research, I decided to go with the Telefunken USA "re-issue" as the closest possible to a new U-47. This one has an excellent vintage NOS VF-14 tube, the holy grail of tubes and a re-skinned Neumann M7 Capsule. I think that you will find the "U-47 magic" in the audio samples on this page. When part of an all tube chain, ( U-47, DW Fearn VT-1, Teletronix LA-2A )this is as close as you can get to a time machine... Hello '1947 meet the Telefunken U47 m7 vf14 Serial Number 30. - Thom

A Brief History of the U-47 (from the George Neumann Archives)

The U 47, which appeared in the year 1949, introduced the pioneering technology of switchable polar patterns, and was characterized by a unique sound. While multipattern technology has now become a standard feature in many microphones, the sound of this mic remains legendary and is still highly prized today.

In the past, superstars such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Miles Davis and David Bowie used the U 47 repeatedly during the course of their careers. This mic remains a top favorite even today, and is used in numerous contemporary productions.

The U47 was the first multipattern condenser, the U47 ushered in the era of the modern studio mic, and even more than 50 years after its birth, it remains one of the world’s most sought-after and desirable studio tools.

The U47 featured a high- performance (and now nearly impossible to find)
VF14 tube and the dual -diaphragm M7 capsule— essentially back-to-back
cardioid capsules that combine to create an omni pattern, or can be
used singly for a cardioid pickup.

Due to distribution issues with Telefunken and post- war production snags, the
U47 officially debuted in 1949. The Telefunken U47s— which other than the logo,
were 100% identical to the models bearing the Neumann name—were sold to European broadcasters and to the U.S. market, where they soon replaced RCA ribbons as the studio mic of choice.

The U 47 is a popular vocal mic. There were many U 47s and U 48s used for the Beatles recordings. On the Beatle's Rubber Soul album, virtually every track — from vocals, drums, guitars and the tambourine — were recorded with a U 47. George Martin wrote that it is his favorite microphone. Frank Sinatra refused to record without his “Telly,” as the mic was nicknamed. Mercury Records promoted the U 47 as its Living Presence microphone, putting the mic's image on its record covers. Sound engineer Bill Porter used it exclusively on recordings by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and most of Roy Orbison's hits.

In 1953, a U 47 sold for about $390.


Tube Condenser Microphone (NOS Tube)
Max. SPL 150 dB

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"That vintage sound..."