New U47

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by Naren

Improv, that is hilarious.

I had to go and look at the website after that. I don't think I want a mic made of wood to be honest. And what a lot of inconclusive hype! Is it a U47 or is it the Next Big Thing? WHo can tell?

More indecision:
For instance, the motto we have chosen for ourselves is "Ears First!" Or perhaps better yet we should say "Music First!"

And then we have the unintended, but perhaps appropriate, suggested acronym:

This microphone will be a product of the Highest Art of Microphone design.

HAM design? Yeah, I guess so.

All kidding aside, I'm sure the mic is quite decent. But, then again, does it actually exist?

-Naren

I have never seen one but Martin posts in the Mic forum (K.H.) at PSW, ask him......

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by Naren

All kidding aside, I'm sure the mic is quite decent. But, then again, does it actually exist?

-Naren

sure it does. there's a handful of them around. bruce has one, martin has a few of them in his personal studio, bjork's got one...

[thenoiseflower]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

sure it does. there's a handful of them around. bruce has one, martin has a few of them in his personal studio, bjork's got one...

so its possible some newer bjork stuff was through this mic? hmmm

[Martin Kantola]

Originally Posted by thenoiseflower

so its possible some newer bjork stuff was through this mic? hmmm

This is what Bjork's sound engineer Valgeir told me: "the mic was used a lot on the selmasongs and vespertine albums". Also, there's a track called "Amphibian" where the vocals are very up front. (it's on the 'Being John Malkovich' soundtrack)

At the moment, Bjork is working on a new album all around the globe and her NU-47 travels with her. :-)

Martin

[Naren]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

sure it does. there's a handful of them around. bruce has one, martin has a few of them in his personal studio, bjork's got one...

Ok... it's just that the website gives the impression that the mic is still under development. And then somebody mentioned a cardioid version only, so...

Anyhoo... the main reason I'm returning to this thread after so many days is because I noticed that Martin Kantola put in an appearance. I feel a little embarrassed about making fun of his New U47 website. I mean who cares about a website anyway with a high end mic like that? I'm sure he's not reading this thread anymore, but, regardless, I'd like to apologize.

I'd still like to know what the web page was about however. Is this a U47 reissue or is it something new and special?

-Naren

[Martin Kantola]

Hey Naren,

no need to apologize, I can take it :-) And so can Bruce Swedien... BTW, did you notice he's popped up on Gearslutz recently?

Anyway, I'm sorry for being so lazy with updating the website, it clearly needs much more info to make any real sense.

I'll give you the short version of the story here... The NU-47 project started many years ago when I managed to buy a 1953 U-47 and restore it to perfect condition. Needless to say, that old mike is really something. Every time I put on a pair of headphones and hear my own voice through it I feel like...well... a god or something. And I'm not even a good singer...

So what more can a guy with a gorgeous U-47 want? Another one of course! It bugged me a lot that these microphones were not made and hardly available anymore. We send people to the moon but can't build a good vocal microphone, even if we once could?

What followed was about 15 years of research and experiments in the field of microphone design. Based on this, I started a project to build a microphone. The intention was never to duplicate the old 47 in detail, rather to pick up where microphone engineering had gotten in the early 50's and take it from there. Personally, I feel that microphones have evolved a lot since then, but not necessarily in how they sound... Most improvements are in other areas.

Hope this answers your question.

Martin

[Jeroko]

But there are a host of other U47 clones because that is the ideal, the brass ring so to speak. What is it that needs to be better and how does this improve on it. The other U47ish mics are trying to be U47s but it seems the idea is this one is not. Then why give it a name that invokes that mic? What is it trying to be or rather what is it in relation to a U47.

I quess what I want to know is what about a pristine U47 needs improvement. To me, if it is different, then it has the wrong name. U47 does not seem to be generic for large condensor though some might see it that way. I just don't get the reference if it is not a clone.

[Martin Kantola]

Hi Jeroko,

excellent questions! As for the name, it did start out as a private project to re-create the U47 (please see my earlier post), but didn't stop there. When the whole thing got a lot more serious I was kind of stuck with the name. :-) Anyway, as you seem to agree, the U47 is a very special microphone, and there are many aspects of the original design and concept that are simply superb. My wish and goal has always been that the NU-47 shares some of these qualities.

You are absolutely right that a pristine U47 needs no improvement! If you have one of these, you sure don't need a replacement.

The only problem is that there are not enough pristine 47's around anymore, and because of dying PVC-capsules and rare NOS VF14-tubes they are becoming fewer all the time. In the late 50's most U-47's were very reliable and probably all sounded great, but this is not the case anymore unfortunately.

There are some other issues I've addressed in the new design.

The sound of the NU-47 does not change with the line voltage. In the latest version you can have a figure-of-8 pattern without compromising the cardioid-only performance. As for the sound, everybody should hear and judge for themselves. I wanted to make the NU-47 good enough a microphone to allow my dear old U-47 to retire when it's time. Bruce Swedien says he actually prefers the NU-47, and that sure makes me feel I've achieved my original goal!


Martin

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by Martin Kantola

Hi Jeroko,

excellent questions! As for the name, it did start out as a private project to re-create the U47 (please see my earlier post), but didn't stop there. When the whole thing got a lot more serious I was kind of stuck with the name. :-) Anyway, as you seem to agree, the U47 is a very special microphone, and there are many aspects of the original design and concept that are simply superb. My wish and goal has always been that the NU-47 shares some of these qualities.

You are absolutely right that a pristine U47 needs no improvement! If you have one of these, you sure don't need a replacement.

The only problem is that there are not enough pristine 47's around anymore, and because of dying PVC-capsules and rare NOS VF14-tubes they are becoming fewer all the time. In the late 50's most U-47's were very reliable and probably all sounded great, but this is not the case anymore unfortunately.

There are some other issues I've addressed in the new design.

The sound of the NU-47 does not change with the line voltage. In the latest version you can have a figure-of-8 pattern without compromising the cardioid-only performance. As for the sound, everybody should hear and judge for themselves. I wanted to make the NU-47 good enough a microphone to allow my dear old U-47 to retire when it's time. Bruce Swedien says he actually prefers the NU-47, and that sure makes me feel I've achieved my original goal!


Martin

Martin,thanks for your time posting here..

question: ..are you gonna make anymore?

[JOHN]

Originally Posted by Martin Kantola

Hey Naren,

no need to apologize, I can take it :-) And so can Bruce Swedien... BTW, did you notice he's popped up on Gearslutz recently?

Anyway, I'm sorry for being so lazy with updating the website, it clearly needs much more info to make any real sense.

I'll give you the short version of the story here... The NU-47 project started many years ago when I managed to buy a 1953 U-47 and restore it to perfect condition. Needless to say, that old mike is really something. Every time I put on a pair of headphones and hear my own voice through it I feel like...well... a god or something. And I'm not even a good singer...

So what more can a guy with a gorgeous U-47 want? Another one of course! It bugged me a lot that these microphones were not made and hardly available anymore. We send people to the moon but can't build a good vocal microphone, even if we once could?

What followed was about 15 years of research and experiments in the field of microphone design. Based on this, I started a project to build a microphone. The intention was never to duplicate the old 47 in detail, rather to pick up where microphone engineering had gotten in the early 50's and take it from there. Personally, I feel that microphones have evolved a lot since then, but not necessarily in how they sound... Most improvements are in other areas.

Hope this answers your question.

Martin

HI Martin Kantola
Can we have some coments and feedback from users of the NU-47posted here please ,or on your web site. I feel drawn in by your pitch but empty from user's feedback.Please can we know from people who have used this mike what it sounds like and maybe some samples of a U47 and the NU-47 A&B test posted here or on your site. This would take away one fustration. Could we also see some photos of the inside of the Mic and a photo of the power supply please.

Cheers

[De chromium cob]

Originally Posted by JOHN

HI Martin Kantola
Can we have some coments and feedback from users of the NU-47posted here please ,or on your web site. I feel drawn in by your pitch but empty from user's feedback.Please can we know from people who have used this mike what it sounds like and maybe some samples of a U47 and the NU-47 A&B test posted here or on your site. This would take away one fustration. Could we also see some photos of the inside of the Mic and a photo of the power supply please.

Cheers

From what I've read I get the impression there's only three... One owned by Martin, one owned by Bruce Swedien, and one owned by Bjork. I too would be interested to know if more will be made and what the price/availability is/will be. Is it a custom capsule? What tube does it use?

[gainreduction]

Ok, here comes a short review.

First, Martin is a terrific guy and designs absolutely top-notch gear.

I've used 3 different NU-47's, the first beeing Martins first prototype at his own studio (about 10 yers ago) and later two friends of mine, one singer and one producer, got their own aswell.

If there are some design differences between these 3 I don't know. Looks are most certainly different, the prototype was built in a plastic tube. Looked cool though, it had the blue glowing tube.

I've used the NU47 a lot of times since I work a lot with my singer friend who owns one.

It has endeed a lot in common with the U47 when it comes to how it sounds.

The depth, dynamic response, the "you are there"-factor, the sense of 3-dimensionality and a gorgeous overall smoothness.

To my ears it's a *little* bit brighter than the U47's I've heard but then again I have no idea if they've been up-to-spec. It might aswell sound just the way a U47 sounded brand new.

Although using this mic many times I've only recorded vocals and acoustic guitars with it. Always with excellent results.

FWIW It's definitely one of the best LDC mics I've ever used (I've used all the usual suspects) and if I had the $$ I'd buy one right away (damned gearslutism ).

To my understanding this is a "very limited edition" mic due to availability of parts.

Hope this helps at least some... I'm quite bad at describing how a piece of gear sounds.

[Berolzheimer]

Originally Posted by gainreduction

....

... I'm quite bad at describing how a piece of gear sounds.

I disagree!

[Duardo]

The other U47ish mics are trying to be U47s but it seems the idea is this one is not.

Not all of them...I know that the Telefunken USA models try to copy them exactly, but the Soundelux ones don't...seems similar to this one, like a U47, but with a few modern changes that may or may not be seen as improvements...

And the question, if you're trying to do an exact copy of a U47 is which one are you copying?

-Duardo

[living sounds]

Telefunken USA? The ones that sold a china toob mic for over a grand?

Originally Posted by Duardo

Not all of them...I know that the Telefunken USA models try to copy them exactly, but the Soundelux ones don't...seems similar to this one, like a U47, but with a few modern changes that may or may not be seen as improvements...

And the question, if you're trying to do an exact copy of a U47 is which one are you copying?

-Duardo

[Martin Kantola]

Originally Posted by RoundBadge

Martin,thanks for your time posting here..

question: ..are you gonna make anymore?

My pleasure, and yes I am, been working a lot with the project lately. Still, there will never be any large scale manufacturing...

Martin

[Martin Kantola]

Originally Posted by JOHN

HI Martin Kantola
Can we have some coments and feedback from users of the NU-47posted here please ,or on your web site. I feel drawn in by your pitch but empty from user's feedback.Please can we know from people who have used this mike what it sounds like and maybe some samples of a U47 and the NU-47 A&B test posted here or on your site. This would take away one fustration. Could we also see some photos of the inside of the Mic and a photo of the power supply please.

Cheers

John, I like your idea of an A-B test! Give me some time to think about how it could be done. Also, keep your ears open for the forthcoming J-Lo and Björk albums.

As for more pictures that's definitely on my list, but I'm sure you understand there might be one or two secrets on the inside...

Martin

[toolstudio]

Originally Posted by living sounds

Telefunken USA? The ones that sold a china toob mic for over a grand?

No, the ones that sell some of the best sounding microphones ;-)


wolfgang

[JOHN]

Originally Posted by Martin Kantola

Hey Naren,

no need to apologize, I can take it :-) And so can Bruce Swedien... BTW, did you notice he's popped up on Gearslutz recently?

Anyway, I'm sorry for being so lazy with updating the website, it clearly needs much more info to make any real sense.

I'll give you the short version of the story here... The NU-47 project started many years ago when I managed to buy a 1953 U-47 and restore it to perfect condition. Needless to say, that old mike is really something. Every time I put on a pair of headphones and hear my own voice through it I feel like...well... a god or something. And I'm not even a good singer...

So what more can a guy with a gorgeous U-47 want? Another one of course! It bugged me a lot that these microphones were not made and hardly available anymore. We send people to the moon but can't build a good vocal microphone, even if we once could?

What followed was about 15 years of research and experiments in the field of microphone design. Based on this, I started a project to build a microphone. The intention was never to duplicate the old 47 in detail, rather to pick up where microphone engineering had gotten in the early 50's and take it from there. Personally, I feel that microphones have evolved a lot since then, but not necessarily in how they sound... Most improvements are in other areas.

Hope this answers your question.

Martin

Hi martin, is this just a joke! whats going on ? when can we see more photos of this mic?when will it be avalible for sale,your website has nothing but the same info can you update us please.

[burst]

Had one of these here at Burst HQ earlier this week. Pretty.

[elambo]

Originally Posted by burst

Had one of these here at Burst HQ earlier this week. Pretty.

Agreed. But how did it SOUND?

[burst]

Originally Posted by elambo

Agreed. But how did it SOUND?

The consensus seems to be "nice, very nice, but not $5000-very-nice since we have quite a few other LDCs."