Neumann U47 Nr. 173. Very rare mic used by the Beatles & Kraftwerk
A short history of the Nr. 173.
As you well know, U47 was the world's first switchable pattern condenser microphone. It has been used on countless hit recordings, and is arguably the most popular Neumann microphone ever built. U47 is a true legend in the recording world.
This particular microphone was made in 1947 by the Neumann company in the Western sector of Berlin. It utilizes the M 7 capsule, and VF14 tube. Please note the big metal label with serial number - such labels were used by Nuemann only with the first version of the U 47. According to legend, this particular microphone was used by the Beatles during their first visit to Hamburg in 1960. Later the mic was sold to the Kling Klang studio of the Kraftwerk fame. In the early 2000s it surfaced in Moscow, Russia in a non-working condition, and was later restored by the well-known AEG Audio Engineering Group Mic Lab specializing in rare and vintage mics. The mic is in perfect working condition now.
Comes complete with the NG Power Supply (Nr. 1856), cases and cables. Placed in a protective braid.
Originally released in 1947, the Neumann U 47 (also badged as a Telefunken product in the 1950s) was a revolutionary tube microphone design which significantly increased fidelity over earlier "bottle" microphones and offered switchable polar patterns without the need to change capsules. What solidified its place in recorded history was not just its technical advancements, however. An original U 47 produces a larger-than-life tone which will raise the neck hairs of the professional engineer and casual listener alike.
