Mythic tube microphone from the legendary manufacturer Neumann.

If you know you know.

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With digital recording and ultra-clean processing, many engineers find themselves looking for tube microphones to reinstate a more “analogue” sound character. The Neumann M 147 is a tube microphone specially designed for 21st century recording chains. Its acoustic design is inspired by the legendary U 47, which revolutionized studio recording in the 1950s with its superior sound quality and is still used daily in top studios around the world. The head amplifier of the M 147 combines classic tube circuitry with an advanced solid state output stage for vintage sound with a modern punch.

The headgrille of the M 147 is more than a visual statement: It is a slightly more compact version of the iconic U 47 capsule head, partly responsible for its legendary sound. Even more importantly, it shares the same sound transducer, the classic K 47 large diaphragm condenser capsule, known for its exceptional combination of warmth and presence. The capsule signal is amplified by a classic tube circuit using a specially selected subminiature triode. While vintage microphones relied on large and expensive audio transformers for the final impedance conversion, the M 147 uses a state-of-the-art transformerless solid state output stage, which allows for long cable runs up to 300 m without transmission losses and ensures a very direct sound with unrestricted bass response.

The M 147’s unique sound character with unsurpassed presence and a distinctive midrange focus is ideally suited for vocals, both male and female, as well as speech applications such as voice-over and film dubbing. The M 147 is also an excellent spot mic for any solo instruments. Unlike many other tube microphones, the M 147 can be used for quiet sources, due to its exceptionally low self-noise of only 12 dB-A. Although its max SPL figure of 114 dB appears low, the M 147 works well with louder sources, too, as distortion rises very slowly to 5% THD for 134 dB SPL. This behavior is intentional: The M 147 creates a sense of elevated loudness by means soft saturation – just like in the days of analog recording.