So I'm lucky enough to have both a Telefunken U47 AE (re-issue with M7 and VF14) and an original Neumann U67 with re-skinned KK67 capsule in my studio....BUT...I can only justify keeping 1.
I'm going to do a few shoot outs and would like to know what you think. I'm mainly an acoustic singer/songwriter but have branched out into heavy metal and rock on occasion so it would need to be something to suite that style.
Firstly it's me playing a simple acoustic piece in front of both mics (see photo) going into a Neve 1073 DPA then Rosetta 200 and into Sonar 8.5. Completely dry, no effects etc.
On a laptop speaker (don't crucify me, pls the 47 seems to be more balanced, and beautiful. But it would be a long shot to choose without real life studio "mileage"..
the mic position, if you are right handed, might explain the major difference in the tonality of the clips. The U67 would be close to the sound hole. That amount of distance between the mics, will produce a hugely different tone. If you are going to have another crack, do two tests, the first, place the mics one above the other with the capsules almost touching. So one mic is upside down. This gets them at least in the same vertical plane. Then do a second test, where you just find the best spot, for each mic, then record that take. Both of those tests should tell you what you want to know. At least on that guitar.
Good call mate. I did think that the position of the mic would effect the sound but not that much.
I'll do those tests plus a vocal one today and post some samples up here...
I like the 67 a bit better on the vox and 47 on the guitar. The 67 really brings the mids out and gives it this clarity and I think would sit better in a mix. It's doing something to the mids there that is amazing... If it was just solo acoustic, I'd maybe go the 67, but with a vocal in there too, I'd use the 47. For almost anything other than solo acoustic I'd pick the 47. I feel the 47 is slightly more hyped highs and the 67 is slightly more hyped mids. I think the sound you get with the 47 is probably easier to capture with other mics vs what you can with the 67. So I'd say keep the 67 as I think the sound is a bit more unique and harder to come by but still very versatile.
Today we shot out a New Telefunken U47, vintage u67, Soundelux E47 and Bock 251. We own all of them and got the Telefunken with the option of returning it.
The least favorite BY FAR was the Telefunken U47. A HUGE let down.
The winner overall- the U67.
Unanimous. The U67. Yeah, that was on todays sources, but all three sounded sizeably better to our ears than the Telefunken... The top end on the telefunken sucked. (of course keeping in mind its a U47 response- still sucked).
My 2nd was the 251 - I love that mic. It definitely had the most clarity (as it should being a 251 design vs a U47 design), but the U67 had the magic today.
Now Ive used all the other mics for YEARS but the Telefunken and no joke, it was a HUGE let down. Literally the line of the day was, "It wasn't worth coming to the studio today for this"...
The mic worked fine. It wasn't broken. I have no idea how people are willing to pay the asking price for this thing...
I was excited, as we all were, to hear it... It was like kissing your sister...
Im sure people will say Im wrong, but I have no motive to bash the Telefunken other than our experience with it today. And we had over 60 years of engineering experience in the room...
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If you pay 5K for a Neve 1073 you are a fool...
The 67 is obviously a classic, and the 251 is an exciting tone. But for an unhyped 47 style sound the soundelux is an awesome mic and does not surprise me you prefer it to the tele. To bad more people don't have the opportunity to try one. Guess they will have to settle for a 501!!!!
Wow - very interesting that the U67 has both more low end, and is less bright than the U47 (much more energy 10kHz and above in the U47). The U47 has a real M7 and real VF14 in it?
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the 47 seems to be more balanced, and beautiful. But it would be a long shot to choose without real life studio "mileage"..
