To Flea or not to Flea?

[Plush]

The saddest part of some posts here is how the poster assumes the worst in his fellow man.

Not in every land is cynical the everyday watchword.
Some places have dedicated people who actually do what they say.

Isn't it incredible?

I suggest turning away from poisonous thinking.

If we are not mentally ill, WE control how we think and those around us greatly influence our thinking.

[fragilo]

The trick is to let go of impossible concepts like "control" and stop thinking all the time. Thinking is your mind taking control of your existence, when ideally your existence would just be, in sync with itself.

Open perception and the momentary experience of consciousness will lead to the least amount of anxiety and highest level of fulfillment, so don't turn thoughts over in your heads boys, don't talk yourself into a decision, that is where you divide yourself, and that is mentally ill!

All that hippie shit aside, Ive heard Bocks, Wunders, real old Neumanns, AKGs, Pearlmans, Pelusos, the list goes on. I've yet to hear something that magically sounds way beyond the other good stuff. Its just the last 2 yards in a mile long race. But **** it, if the Fleas dont at least sound better than most, of course Ill be pissed, but I had no problem buying them unheard and taking my chances so I won't complain, Ill just give up and go back to worrying about finding better singers, and using my u87 ; )

[RKrizman]

Well, there's really nothing new to report. Maybe the thread will pick up again when Fragilio gets his Fleas.

-R

[Mind-Over-Midi]

Just recorded some guitar cabs with the Flea 47, a boogie and a twin. Sounds amazing! I don't care who believes me or who doesn't, I love this mic and I plan to buy more. I can tell you that so far every one who’s heard this mic loves it too. I've tried the Flea 12 and it's wonderful as well. I'm willing to vouch for Ivan he's been nothing but great. He was willing to (and did) arrange for me to hear the mic before I purchased. Funny, all I had to do was ask. Based on my dealings with him I can tell you that Flea are honest people. I don't work for them. Just a happy customer.

[DONNX]

Originally Posted by Mind-Over-Midi

Just recorded some guitar cabs with the Flea 47, a boogie and a twin. Sounds amazing! I don't care who believes me or who doesn't, I love this mic and I plan to buy more

Thats all that matters. You like it.

[mrhudson]

Has anyone used/tried the U48 version, cardoid comparison? The main objective for me with this mic (47 or 48) would be for vocals, but part of me wants to experiment with using the figure-8 setting for MS recording my grand at home for after the fact stereo width control. I've read about slight technical differences between U47/U48 - would I be sacrificing anything on cardoid performance in getting the U48 instead to try out on piano? (How well might it work on piano anyway, could pair with a schoeps cmc64 that I have.....)

[RKrizman]

Send an email to Ivan at Flea and he will tell you if there is any difference. I suspect not. If you will find fig8 more valuable than omni, I'm pretty sure that consideration will outweigh any small technical differences in cardioid mode.

I auditioned a new Telefunken 48 and they told me there was essentially no difference between that and the 47 in cardioid. I'm sure Flea would follow the same practice.

-R

[RKrizman]

Earlier in the thread there was some discussion of whether the Flea 47 works for female vocalists. Here's a link to a song demo that Deborah Holland (Animal Logic, the Refugees) sang for me using the 47. We preferred it to the Flea 49 because of its presence and "grab". There's some compression and verb, and just a slight notch around 2k. This is as warm as I've ever heard her and more appealing, to my ears, than the work I've done with her using a 67. Her natural voice can come off as thin and shrill if you're not careful.


******//www.yousendit.com/download/WT...NkdwTVh2Wmc9PQ

This will only be up for 7 days.


-R

If you want to check out more Deb:

Deborah Holland, Singer-Songwriter-Composer

[didier.brest]

Waow! So nice!

[RKrizman]

Thanks Didier.

-R

[ssaudio]

Yup, I have to say, that sounds absolutely superb - good work fella thumbsup

The Flea stays firmly on my 'must check out list'.

[Digibear]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Earlier in the thread there was some discussion of whether the Flea 47 works for female vocalists. Here's a link to a song demo that Deborah Holland (Animal Logic, the Refugees) sang for me using the 47. We preferred it to the Flea 49 because of its presence and "grab". There's some compression and verb, and just a slight notch around 2k. This is as warm as I've ever heard her and more appealing, to my ears, than the work I've done with her using a 67. Her natural voice can come off as thin and shrill if you're not careful.


******//www.yousendit.com/download/WT...NkdwTVh2Wmc9PQ

This will only be up for 7 days.


-R

If you want to check out more Deb:

Deborah Holland, Singer-Songwriter-Composer

Quite excellent. What pre did you pair with the U48?

[jim2b]

Hi Rick,

Absolutely gorgeous!! Is that you singing backup?

Jim

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Digibear

Quite excellent. What pre did you pair with the U48?

Thanks. It's a Flea 47 into a BAE 1073 into a Cranesong STC-8.

-R

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by jim2b

Hi Rick,

Absolutely gorgeous!! Is that you singing backup?

Jim

Hey Jim, nice to see you here. Thanks a bunch and yes that's me pretending to be the Eagles in the background.

-R

[ArnauTS]

Tried a friends Flea u47 in the studio and sounds great, i don't care if it's sounds like a original u47 or not, i just know that it's a great sounding mic and i hope that i can buy one someday.

[DarkSky Media]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

Earlier in the thread there was some discussion of whether the Flea 47 works for female vocalists. Here's a link to a song demo that Deborah Holland (Animal Logic, the Refugees) sang for me using the 47...

Nicely done, Rick! thumbsup

[wildpark]

Well after all that raving because of Mad economics !

i give you my findouts ! and i do not interessted on all marketing ressellers and resale Scared Owners answers

which might posted after this here !!!

and yes my English sucks ! but how cares when Flea puts the value of your just bought so called Qualety Product blabla .... bla.....b.l.a

DOWN !

..... its like that i where starting with 3800 Euro !!! Special Offer Price from a Friendly (well hes not i charge of Flea Just a musican trying too survive ) Proaudio Guy
endet after 1 Year at 2600 euro after one year listing in Classifieds.



I heard of some selling them for 2400 euro just too get soon out of Flea Hole Marketing system.

conclusion and more:

Flea mics are now in the lower middle Sale field and falling,
feeding vintage enthusiats with a low budged in the meantime of waiting for a big job for payoff the realdeal(after listening too original).

I where owner of a Flea 47 ef12 for around 1 year,
at the beginning i have had the feel of a valuable
Product then,after a mic shootout at the Netherlands
with a all orginal Longtube 47 vf14 tube(in Like new Condition)
I find out that a Flea 47 ef12 is good for someone how can pay around 2000 euro for a 47ish looking Microfone.

The original U47 vf14 Where givving all in the room differend impressions

so funny read some of the answerings at no direction all comming from differend persons no names !

some where calling that :

Holly maria soooo Meaty but damn 10k euro
no thank sir..... man do you hear that.....Well but the U87 we have is a good mic..... Yes its good the customer pays it and several hits where made with it !!.... damn soooo nice ! do you hear that.... yes but its 10k euro.....yes its 10k but do you hear my voice so shiny meaty sooo un.... thats real man like you stay here in person and sing in my ear ... well i dont want unreal ..... but its sooooo nice....
yes its nice....the Flea is a nice Mic...yes the Flea is Valuable....but damn soooo meaty this Original 47 sometime i need one...its like a effekt i like it
and give a **** of what they telling about xxxx.......well its not my taste but there is any special on it but 10k damn .....

after all listening
we where all Lucky with the knowledge
that this original 47 is really nice but no one can pay the vf14 1500 too 2000 euro tube after 3-600 hrs without becoming more noisy artifacts

and for the 10k mic at all

Mad Economics says Hellooooo.







for me its still the only mic
i will buy just too collect it for now
and yes it pays off
for the extra 8k euro

for all the others safe cash dont buy a Flea 47
instead of a
Andreas Grosser u47 6000 euro all German Qualety
Like a Wagner 47.

in the meantime your fine with a Original neumann U87 non i Version !

Cheers

[RKrizman]

So you let a 10k Euro mic make you feel bad about a mic that costs a third of that, which you were happy with up to that point?

Not sure I get your point except that you seem to be going out of your way to slam Flea for I know not what reason.

"Flea Hole"??! That's just your poor English? Or poor manners?

-R

[Teddy Ray]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

So you let a 10k Euro mic make you feel bad about a mic that costs a third of that, which you were happy with up to that point?

Not sure I get your point except that you seem to be going out of your way to slam Flea for I know not what reason.

"Flea Hole"??! That's just your poor English? Or poor manners?

-R

Both poor English and bad Manners. seriously. look at his history.

One day when my ship comes in I will have a couple flea mics. and I don't give a flying goddamn whether or not it looks, sounds or acts like a neumann or whether or not Andreas Grosser or Dr Sax or Fire Marshall Bill approves! everything ive heard is wonderful. thumbsup Thanks for the links, Rick!

[nas]

FLEA make superb mics. I hope to be picking up the 47 & possibly the 49 in these next couple of months for a new project. I've emailed Ivan a few times with some questions and he has been very helpful and a class act. Nothing but positive experiences with FLEA so far, and definitely a company I would like to do business with.

[wildpark]

superb mics !
so your never have held one in your hand or where ever opening one too have a look on the soldering .... !?

No you havent,and i give nothing on a Friendly sellers man even if its the engineer of the produkt if its not topnotch !

and guy iam Now A collector,no esoteric studio blabla here !
i where having
last years nice and mad on gearsluts following all religionous ways too selling gear too us gearsluts here !.

well i dont say that they are totally Trash
but after owning one !!!
i knowing of all prosncons.
if Flea where selling for 2k euro thats the pricerange its ok for what they delivering.

Anyway some watching for musik
as art (dreaming from woman house and nice cars)
others for money alone.
For me it where ever about the truth and still too be wealthy !.
i know
that this fact is for alot of so called pros here
hard too belive.
there are old or modern classics and some how will be ever a copy.

Originally Posted by nas

FLEA make superb mics. I hope to be picking up the 47 & possibly the 49 in these next couple of months for a new project. I've emailed Ivan a few times with some questions and he has been very helpful and a class act. Nothing but positive experiences with FLEA so far, and definitely a company I would like to do business with.

[Plush]

WOW--I thought it was about listening to the mics.

I'm using them because the sound they pick up is incredible.

Collectors can bite me. They are the ones who have bid U47 prices up to more than $13,000 right now. That is an artificial price that just shows that sellers will gorightuptotheedge of what the market will bear.

[mrhudson]

I'm going to have some fun this weekend comparing a FLEA47 and CM7-GTM7 from VintageKing. Will report back! Very curious to compare.....

[nas]

Originally Posted by wildpark

superb mics !
so your never have held one in your hand or where ever opening one too have a look on the soldering .... !?

No you havent,and i give nothing on a Friendly sellers man even if its the engineer of the produkt if its not topnotch !

and guy iam Now A collector,no esoteric studio blabla here !
i where having
last years nice and mad on gearsluts following all religionous ways too selling gear too us gearsluts here !.

well i dont say that they are totally Trash
but after owning one !!!
i knowing of all prosncons.
if Flea where selling for 2k euro thats the pricerange its ok for what they delivering.

Anyway some watching for musik
as art (dreaming from woman house and nice cars)
others for money alone.
For me it where ever about the truth and still too be wealthy !.
i know
that this fact is for alot of so called pros here
hard too belive.
there are old or modern classics and some how will be ever a copy.

suit yourself bro it's just a microphone not a cure for AIDS ... no need to get so emotional.

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by Teddy Ray

Both poor English and bad Manners. seriously. look at his history.

I've found that there are tools in Gearslutz to make your browsing environment more pleasant and productive. I don't think I'll be missing any keen insights or comraderie from this gentleman.

Hey, this thread just got shorter!

-R

[fragilo]

Oh Snap! the FedEx arrival notification for my F47 and 49 just came today! Tomorrow should be slutty!

In the meantime, having some serious vocals to cut for some international artists, I've rented out some OG Neumanns...and between the grounding issues, dried up cackling caps, stripped threading and just the nervousness of having a 12k mic out on loan and being responsible for it, around a bunch of crazy party animal rockstars, well....I am still using my trusty 70s 87 and its all cool...

So I just don't see how Im gonna lose in the deal. Im not a collector, Im a producer and engineer, I just need good sounding shit, and no hassles. Its funny because I was hoping to do a comparison shootout between the Fleas and the local OG Neumanns, but the old timers round here don't even work! So there you go, its shootouts against an 87 and a modded 460...

[synthoid]

Originally Posted by fragilo

... I was hoping to do a comparison shootout between the Fleas and the local OG Neumanns, but the old timers round here don't even work! So there you go, its shootouts against an 87 and a modded 460...

this is happening more and more and it's just gonna get worse as those old mics start to be really worn out rather than merely old. over here (Beijing) I've only been able to find one U47 and ... it's broken. *sigh*

The interesting thing about all this is that the point of reference for U47 replicas is getting lost over time. Already the originals are all over the map in terms of the particulars of their sound. Another while and it will be hard to get ahold of them at all, and when you do you won't know whether you're really got a "characteristic" one unless it's one of the handful that are in good studios and have kept them in service over a long period.

As much as I like gear, I find the whole 'atmosphere' surrounding the U47 replicas to be kind of off-putting. My conclusion is (sadly) that the prices are so high that it invites a lot of microscopic scrutiny by buyers and sniping between the vendors who are all chasing a fairly, umm, how to say, particular group of customers.

-synthoid

[Teddy Ray]

Originally Posted by synthoid

Another while and it will be hard to get ahold of them at all

God, I hope so. then maybe these stupid "what sounds like a neumann u47 "threads can die and go to hell where they belong. Who cares what sounds like a u47? If folks would put all the time and effort mastering their craft that they put into chasing down these relics(or trying to get a perfect copy), the audio world would be a lot better off.

hell, I think these "vintage" relics should be held and given out as rewards for accomplishment.. according to experience/years recording/awards recieved. Earn the damn things.



Equipment Idolatry, gotta love it.

[fragilo]

My only question was "To Flea or Not to Flea"

I could care less about the real thing or any other clone.

Its nice to have a place where you get some opinions before buying stuff, just like a car forum.

Everyday is a new one and you never stop learning and honing your craft if you keep your mind open. The reward for me is a broad audience and bringin' home the bacon!