U47 vs. M49

[MSR74]

What are differences in their sound quality? Please describe...thanks.

[Chaellus]

in trying the U47 for about a year and the m49 for a bit id have to say theres no contest, to me that the U47 is alot better wheter it be the Fet or the tube model.. the M49 has a more neutral sound...and is one of the best to come out of the new neumann line but it cant beat the U47, U47 has more of a silky darker response that shines for vocals..compared to the M49...dont get me wrong....the M49 is great but not for its price tag....and well the U47 is expensive its well worth it

[Greg Curtis]

U47: Huge, spacious, with air.
M49: Big, lush, more analytical.

I've got a good comparo of a cello going through each (via Millennia HV3D), if anyone is interested.

GC

[kellyd]

in trying the U47 for about a year and the m49 for a bit id have to say theres no contest, to me that the U47 is alot better wheter it be the Fet or the tube model.. the M49 has a more neutral sound...and is one of the best to come out of the new neumann line but it cant beat the U47, U47 has more of a silky darker response that shines for vocals..compared to the M49...dont get me wrong....the M49 is great but not for its price tag....and well the U47 is expensive its well worth it

I think you have the M49 confused with the M149 which is the mic you are describing. No contest between a U47 and a M149.
More a point of taste when comparing U47s to M49s which are equally great.

[drumkideric]

I compared them as drum room mics once. I found the m49 to be more big and open, while the u47 more fat.

[jayfrigo]

M49 a little more present, U47 a little warmer in the bass. Both great; each can blow the other out of the water for a particular vocalist. I think if I had to pick only one, I'd probably go with the M49 the way I've been feeling the past couple years. Luckily I don't need to make that choice. And BTW, the newer M149 isn't even close. Don't confuse them.

[vernier]

They sound nothing alike.
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[DQA123]

very descriptive vernier - very helpful i'm sure.

[Empire Prod]

The M49 is my favorite mic ever made. It is lush and silky while remaining intimate. It is amazing on most female vocals. It is important to not confuse remakes with the originals. Here is a short list of a few of my favorite LDC mics that are (supposedly) being remade in some fashion and that don't hold a candle (IMHO) to the real deal. (I have placed them in order of general preference)

1. M49
2. M50
3. U47
4. C12

[Jamz]

Originally Posted by Empire Prod

The M49 is my favorite mic ever made. It is lush and silky while remaining intimate. It is amazing on most female vocals. It is important to not confuse remakes with the originals. Here is a short list of a few of my favorite LDC mics that are (supposedly) being remade in some fashion and that don't hold a candle (IMHO) to the real deal. (I have placed them in order of general preference)

1. M49
2. M50
3. U47
4. C12

Have you had the opportunity to compare the Wunder CM49 to an M49?

[MSR74]

I think you have the M49 confused with the M149 which is the mic you are describing.

I definitely meant the M49. Thanks.

[MSR74]

Sorry...wrong quote...

Disregard my last message. Thanks.

[MSR74]

And sorry to post 3 in a row, but the reason I'm asking is because I'm interested in the Chameleon Labs TS-2. In sound clips posted on their website, it sounds similar to an M49.

I'm also looking into the Peluso 2247le, Telefunken M16 Mk2, and very possibly the MM2000 (mag mic)

Thanks.

[seaneldon]

M16mkII doesn't quite have the silky/airy nature in high frequencies that you'd find in an M49. The AK47 is a closer comparison.

And the MM2000 doesn't sound like ANYTHING else. That mic's on it's own planet. In the good way thumbsup

[vernier]

very descriptive vernier - very helpful i'm sure.

Impossible to describe old Neumann.
'

[DQA123]

vernier, maybe you should have said that too in your original post. it still wouldn't have been helpful but it might have helped explain your lack of help in the first place.

i don't think it's impossible to describe these old mics (how can it be impossible to describe what your hearing) but i do think trying to describe the sound is kind of stupid. you gotta try to get well maintained versions of each mic in a room and have a listen for yourself. that's really the only way you can know. and if you're gonna spend this kind of money on a single mic, no gear dealer is gonna argue that.

i was surprised that i liked the M49 more than the U47 after always hearing about the U47 being the king of the Neumanns.

[TonyBelmont]

Some of the best vocals I've ever heard were recorded with an M49.... A good M49 is a phenomenal mic... Now, I don't know how this helps in relation to the Chameleon and Peluso mics you are looking at (none of them are M49-ish).

As far as I know, the only M49 style mic out there is the Wunder Audio CM49... None of these other mics are similar to an M49 in terms of design, etc. With that said, my favorite mic under $2000 is the Peluso 47 LE.

[Chaellus]

kellydI think you have the M49 confused with the M149 which is the mic you are describing. No contest between a U47 and a M149.
More a point of taste when comparing U47s to M49s which are equally great.




yes you are right thanks for alerting me to my typo i thought the poster was talking about the u47 vs the m149 not a m49

[Volodia]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

So
As far as I know, the only M49 style mic out there is the Wunder Audio CM49....

And the FLEA 49 . They actually share the same mechanical parts .

[kellyd]

No problem Chaellus. Compared to the M149 I would have to agree with you.

[vernier]

So far we have neutral, silky, huge, spacious, air, big, lush, analytical, open, fat, present, and warm.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by Volodia

And the FLEA 49 . They actually share the same mechanical parts .

Interestingly enough... Wunder is the USA distributor for those mics.

[DQA123]

vernier, don't you have a tube tape machine to fix or something?

just kidding, i agree with you. just not how you went about it.

[Greg Curtis]

raw .wav files (dithered from 24/48 to 16/44.1) of a 49 and 47 recording a cello at the same time. We didn't like the 49 and I had to quickly throw the 47 up, so I just left the 49 up and tracked it. (yes, the 47's tube is not completely warm).

They are as close together as possible, close mic'ing (3') the left F-hole. I used a 67 at 8' and 7' above for an overall sound, which worked well (not included here).

Bowed:

[Greg Curtis]

raw .wav files (dithered from 24/48 to 16/44.1) of a 49 and 47 recording a cello at the same time. We didn't like the 49 and I had to quickly throw the 47 up, so I just left the 49 up and tracked it. (yes, the 47's tube is not completely warm).

They are as close together as possible, close mic'ing (3') the left F-hole. I used a 67 at 8' and 7' above for an overall sound, which worked well (not included here).

plucked:

[Empty Planet]

Very cool.

Interesting differences. Both are really nice, but with the 47 it's almost as if you can hear the rosin, almost hear the wood of the instrument. The curve of the 47 seems to fit the instrument in a more interesting way, almost like a lens bringing different aspects into focus and letting others recede. Nice.

Thank you for that.



Cheers.

[Agno]

Having heard records tracked with both mics, I very much favor the M49, which is why I got my Soundelux E49... one of the best modern mics I've heard. It's not identical to what it's mimmic after, but very much captures the vibe of it. M49 would be a more versatile fit for a number of tasks. But as always YMMV.

[vernier]

The test, I'm hearing the 47 much louder. Not sure if I'm into this test.
'