Neumann M147 Tube

[MrVelvet]

Had one for a while and thought it was great - solo'd.

Just didn't work in the mix (at least for male vocals and electric guitar, which I tried it on).

Liked the velvety character it has, but it has no highs at all.

Prepare to EQ it heavily on certain things - other than that, I think it's a fine mic. Great bottom, sounds BIG. Not many people seem to like it here, but if it works for you - go for it

[Dot]

Neumann makes some good mics and they make some not so good mics. The M147 is not one of their better mics.

[Revelation]

Originally Posted by LaChunkyStudio

Just acquired one of these mics for my studio.
Used it on a session - lovely on vocals, ac guitar and percussion.

I found though, that I had to cut vocals at 1.5k to avoid some harsh upper mids. What do the panel think?

Congrats on the mic. Yeah some people don't think it is that great, but every time I heard it it was amazing. (How it compares to other high end tube mic's is another issue.) Put it this way, it's much richer sounding than a Rode K2 (still very good for a tube mic under $1,000) or Charter Oak, or Audio Technica 4060. The 147 maintains that Neumann rich mid lower end. Here read this review http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec0...es/neumann.htm

[kudzu]

Had my 147 in its v. nice case for over two years ... couldn't get any mic in my locker to wk with a singer one day ... 147 was last try ... it nailed it !!!! I now find my self reaching for it ... chain was 147/chandlerLTD-1/Distresser/Rosetta 200 ....

[Fletcher]

They work rather nicely on many kik drums and bass amps [especially B-15's]... other than that it's not something I have found to be all that useful, and there are a whole lot of other mics I like better on kik drums and bass amps.

Best of luck with your purchase... if you were looking for an "atta boy" pat on the back I'm afraid I can not supply one.

Peace.

[Steve G]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

They work rather nicely on many kik drums and bass amps [especially B-15's]... other than that it's not something I have found to be all that useful, and there are a whole lot of other mics I like better on kik drums and bass amps.

Best of luck with your purchase... if you were looking for an "atta boy" pat on the back I'm afraid I can not supply one.

Peace.

I agree. A B-15 is the only use I've found for a 147.

Steve

[Dr Benway]

I'm another 'Not so happy' owner of the M 147.. I'm not pissed that I own it.. Just for the $$$$ I really could have done better.. I'm sure it'll sound great on SOME vocalist SOME day.. HMMmmm.. Some day... !

[ejsongs]

what are your thoughts on the m149????

i've heard it used with an avalon 737 and thought that it was great...is it very similar in sound to the 147? I'm tyring to get my mic collection together with some high end micsfor vox...so far i've got:

blue bottle (b6 & b7) caps
blue dragonfly deluxe
rode k2
rode ntv
rode ntk

my nest two purchases will hopefully be:

sony c800g
mi49

any thoughts?

thanks in advance!

ej

[rwhitney]

I bought an M149 after trying the 147 because I thought it much better, and I use the various patterns, too, which the 147 lacks.

[Revelation]

Originally Posted by Dr Benway

I'm another 'Not so happy' owner of the M 147.. I'm not pissed that I own it.. Just for the $$$$ I really could have done better.. I'm sure it'll sound great on SOME vocalist SOME day.. HMMmmm.. Some day... !

Ok what is a better tube mic that is under $2,000 that has a nice rich but smooth sound? I have not found anything out there.

[StoneinaPond]

Originally Posted by Revelation

Ok what is a better tube mic that is under $2,000 that has a nice rich but smooth sound? I have not found anything out there.

Pearlman.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Revelation

Ok what is a better tube mic that is under $2,000 that has a nice rich but smooth sound? I have not found anything out there.

Marketing toob!!!

The capsule in that mic is coupled with a FET and the toob is of marginal use within the circuit. The mic has wonderful output horsepower but in all honesty is really a reissue of the 47 FET... in a conversation with someone I will not name from Neumann Berlin they reached the price point for that mic by looking at what "vintage" 47 FETs were selling for... it's one of their better profit center units... or so I've been told, ain't never seen their books.

[squeegybug]

Originally Posted by ejsongs

what are your thoughts on the m149????

i've heard it used with an avalon 737 and thought that it was great...is it very similar in sound to the 147?

I chose M 149 to keep after working with many other highly regarded mics from Sony, Soundelux, Audio-Technica, Gefell, Brauner, among others. For the mostly vocal sources I wanted it for, M 149 has been an excellent match.

One particular pattern setting (between cardioid and supercardioid) on the 149 will approximate the 147 pattern. But the M 149 has far more sounds available. For my needs I find the subcardioid pattern (between cardioid and omni) to usually be the best choice. And often with the 60 or 80 Hz filter.

Steve

[drBill]

I'm not terribly fond of the 147 either. Not a bad mic, but not really a great one either. I like the 149 much better.

[themaidsroom]

new neumann tube mics sound horrible to me

i had a 147 and i had to sell it....

the only neumann mic i like currently made is the kms105 live mic
and the 87





be well


- jack

[Revelation]

Originally Posted by drBill

I'm not terribly fond of the 147 either. Not a bad mic, but not really a great one either. I like the 149 much better.

The 149 is better but the price is much higher. I am not trying to defend the 147 as much but again I have not heard a better tube mic under 2 grand. Many of us don't have the money to spend 3-5K on a mic. If I get to the point where I can buy a tube mic up to the $2,000 price point, the 147 will be in my locker. The Pearlman I not familar with, but it looks nice. If you want to say well this is a high end forum, well in that case the Blue Bottle is the ultimate tube mic with it's swithable capsules for different sounds making it more flexibile than any other mic.

LaChunkyStudio if your happy with the mic, that is the most important thing, not what those on the forms think. You may want to experiment with different mic pre's to see what effect it has on the pre. Personally I would try a solid state pre that is clean which would allow the mic's personality to come out without adding more to it.

[Fletcher]

My earlier point was that the M-147 isn't a tube mic, it's a "toob mic". If you're looking for a great mic to add to your locker for under $2,000 there is no shortage of them. If it needs to have a "glowy" thing inside there is still no shortage of them... if it needs to be a good/great mic with a glowy thing inside for <$2k then you have a problem but if you don't require the glowy thing then there is no shortage of viable options.

Peace.

[Revelation]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

My earlier point was that the M-147 isn't a tube mic, it's a "toob mic". If you're looking for a great mic to add to your locker for under $2,000 there is no shortage of them. If it needs to have a "glowy" thing inside there is still no shortage of them... if it needs to be a good/great mic with a glowy thing inside for <$2k then you have a problem but if you don't require the glowy thing then there is no shortage of viable options.

Peace.

I agree with you Fletch it is t toob mic. That is what the review of the SOS stated. But let me ask you, what mic do you sell under 2 grand that is tube and has a better sound? I will buy it when I can.
http://mercenaryaudio.com/migem9catuco1.html Hmm this one looks good.

The thing that annoys me about these forums is the guy ask a question about certain freq's that he had to boost on a mic, and everyone comes back and instead of answering his question you come back with hey that mic sucks, it's not that great, you should buy this instead. How helpful is that?

[AmekGuy]

Originally Posted by Revelation

The 149 is better but the price is much higher. I am not trying to defend the 147 as much but again I have not heard a better tube mic under 2 grand. Many of us don't have the money to spend 3-5K on a mic. If I get to the point where I can buy a tube mic up to the $2,000 price point, the 147 will be in my locker.

Although the M149 doesn't sound like the M49s and 249s I have used, it's still a great sounding mic, albeit somewhat overpriced. IMO, any RE who can't get stellar results with an M149 on a variety of sources has no business in a recording facility, and would be better served on the Karaoke circuit.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Revelation

But let me ask you, what mic do you sell under 2 grand that is tube and has a better sound?

First, I don't sell anything. I am a partner in a shop that sells stuff but I am not an actual sales guy. Second, I believe I already answered the question

Originally Posted by Fletcher

If it needs to have a "glowy" thing inside there is still no shortage of them... if it needs to be a good/great mic with a glowy thing inside for <$2k then you have a problem but if you don't require the glowy thing then there is no shortage of viable options.

Personally, as lg. diaphragm condenser mics go in the under $2k weight class are concerned I think the UMT-70S from MT Gefell is one of the best bargains under the sun... but it doesn't have a glowy thing inside... it just sounds good... I also think the Crowley and Tripp "Soundstage"; "Studio Vocalist"; and "Proscenium" mics are excellent values... the "Studio Vocalist" sounding more like a condenser mic than a ribbon mic and far deeper and richer [at least to my ear, YMMV] than 90+% of the current lg. diaphragm condenser mics [in the under $4k weight class] that do have glowy things in them [and 100% of the microphones under $2k that do have glowy things in them],

------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by Revelation

The thing that annoys me about these forums is the guy ask a question about certain freq's that he had to boost on a mic, and everyone comes back and instead of answering his question you come back with hey that mic sucks, it's not that great, you should buy this instead. How helpful is that?

Originally Posted by LaChunkyStudio

Just acquired one of these mics for my studio.
Used it on a session - lovely on vocals, ac guitar and percussion.

I found though, that I had to cut vocals at 1.5k to avoid some harsh upper mids. What do the panel think?

I don't think we've been "unhelpful"... the brother asked "what do the panel think" and I believe the panel is speaking... BTW, he has had to cut that frequency on the mic, not boost.

I said I found the M-147 useful [as is] on Kik Drum and Bass... then again I have a fairly extensive microphone collection and I'm a snot... but I didn't think I was being "unhelpful".

Peace.

[AB3]

You do not need to put yourself down. You are not a snot. People like you and Lynn and others who have so much experience, go out of your way to share it with others when you could easily have a beer somewhere and let us all have to accumulate all that experience the hard way. You were greatly missed on this board when you disappeared there for a while.

You are blunt and that is needed with this stuff. I am sure if you liked the M147 on something else, you would say so.

If anything, it seems like you have mellowed out a little but - just the right balance of in your face honesty without going over the edge. I guess you have become a personification of some great vintage gear that is both smooth enough but strong enough to get through the mix. . To be honest, I think there were some times when you went over the edge. But I loved it anyway. Made me proud to be in a country where people could so freely speak their minds.

The gefell mic you mentioned Fletcher - I once recorded a cello with it and it was outstanding!!!! I am sure it would be great on upright as well. It was great on vocals. (that gefell 70s - don't they make a tube version as well?) So another reason not to get the M147.

I also think AEA makes great mics for the $$. I believe Lynn has had a good experience with upright bass with one. If that is true, why get the M147?

And Squeegybug, you are a great guy and you like your M149. I find it hard to believe that is the best value for the $$$. But you are probably so talented that you know how to use it better than most.

Originally Posted by Fletcher

First, I
I said I found the M-147 useful [as is] on Kik Drum and Bass... then again I have a fairly extensive microphone collection and I'm a snot... but I didn't think I was being "unhelpful".

Peace.

[Johns]

Under 2,000$? Pearlman, Pleluso, UMT70 (or UM70), AT 4060, or try to find a used CAD VX2.

[popmann]

And Squeegybug, you are a great guy and you like your M149. I find it hard to believe that is the best value for the $$$.

Best value for the money? It's a nice mic. And I don't own one. It's on the Neumann side of neutral...well balanced...never recorded a single bad (sounding) track with one. I would venture to say that if they could manage to drop the street price to $2500, they would put certain people making $1200-3000 "small shop" mics out of biz.

Anyway...I've not used a 147. I've never heard that it sounded much like the 149.

[gevermil]

I used it on everything for a year and it was good in alot of applications and only really good in one or two spots . I just felt that if it could open up a little more or get deeper
we'd be cooking with gas . Great capsule but with out the --- Transformer / true tube circuit/good power supply ?
seems to be what everyone wants
I want to hear the horch still

[nickdabass]

How have you found the reliability of the M147? I use it mostly on acoustic bass, but have been having problems with intermittent low level buzzing noise, albeit not main hum type sound. Only the problem is becoming less intermittent.... and more permanent. Which leads me to the next question: Can anyone recommend a tech somewhere in the London area for service/repair? This mic has not had a hard life, I bought it from a pro audio dealer that went bankrupt, so was new or at least ex-demo condition, and it's not been used very often. I'm somewhat disappointed in its durability - it's only brought out of the cupboard 4-5 times a year, and the last two times it was unusable due to this background noise.

[kudzu]

Originally Posted by nickdabass

How have you found the reliability of the M147? I use it mostly on acoustic bass, but have been having problems with intermittent low level buzzing noise, albeit not main hum type sound. Only the problem is becoming less intermittent.... and more permanent. Which leads me to the next question: Can anyone recommend a tech somewhere in the London area for service/repair? This mic has not had a hard life, I bought it from a pro audio dealer that went bankrupt, so was new or at least ex-demo condition, and it's not been used very often. I'm somewhat disappointed in its durability - it's only brought out of the cupboard 4-5 times a year, and the last two times it was unusable due to this background noise.

Best guy 4 repairs ... http://www.saturn-sound.com/

[squeegybug]

Originally Posted by nickdabass

intermittent low level buzzing noise, albeit not main hum type sound. Only the problem is becoming less intermittent.... and more permanent.

Kind of sounds like an ocean? Most likely the 6111 miniature tube. No big deal to solder in a new one, pre-qualified tubes can be found for $15-40 or so. Unless you want "factory service", where they will likely replace the whole circuit board that contains the tube. For lots more $.

Steve

[Ianneve]

The LE WILSON Mic is killer. Really good. It's thicker sounding then my Lawson L251 and Solid and nice sounding. $1325.

[MrVelvet]

I remember listening to Lynn Fuston's Mic CD... The M147 on there was even darker than mine... Some people over at his forum noticed that, too...

So maybe they vary...

The M149 is good, but it's an entirely different animal... It's more of an all-around high end type of mic (but overpriced IMHO), and not a one-trick pony like the M147. This can be good, but the M149 is NOT nearly as vintage-sounding as the M147.

Hope this helps