Guosheng Zhuang from 3U Audio just comes across as a great guy. I bought my Teal CM-1 for $130, which is already 20 dollars less than the asking price on Ebay. Well, he sent me a refund today of 5 bucks and said that I overpayed 5 dollars more than other customers and he wanted for me to have a fair price. LOL. As if he already didn't give a killer price to begin with. What a great guy...

Yes, I agree, he's a straight-up guy...he told me what's most important at this stage is to get mics into the hands of those who can put them to good use, thus verifying their value...he recommended that if any of the GS members were interested in trying any of the 3U products, that they reach out directly to him via the website email address, mention Gearslutz, and he will give them the best deal he is able to, thus circumventing the fees associated with eBay...

And the prices improve if you purchase more than one mic, due to the disproportionate expense of int'l shipping...a pair of CM-1 mics works out to even less per mic than the single mic cost with shipping...

I have a Teal CM1 and a Warbler MKII K47 on the way. Can't wait to shoot them out with my 797 Audio CR998 (K67-cap).

...did you grab that CR998 off of eBay a short time ago?...I saw one there, very unusual to see them...

He's totally a solid dude. I emailed him last week, he wrote me right back and was pleasant and helpful.

Hey guys,

First of all, thanks to Dennis for making this visible to all of us, and for the sound samples.

Secondly, I've been trying to reach Mr. Zhuang, and haven't been able - two e-mails later, no reply. Would it be possible for one of you who's in contact with him to ask him to look out for an e-mail from a Mihai Toma, from Romania, another Gearslutz member?

Thanks guys!

All the best,
Mihai Toma

Actually I bought it off of a group buy back in 2000 when 797 Audio was new to the USA microphone market. At the time the only semi-affordable multi-pattern tube mics on the market were the AT 4060 and the ADK TT (both around $900-1000 if I remember correctly).

Soon afterward, Alan Hyatt at Studio Projects came out with his T-3.

Mic guru Stephen Paul was still around (but very ill).

The rest is history...times (and options) sure have changed.

...ah, OK...yep, I remember those days well...797Audio was also making the MXL V77 (same as the Nady TCM 1100 and the ADK TC in a different body)...his K67 capsule is one of the best Neumann K67 capsule copies...that capsule was also used in the Soundelux 195 and U95, as well as the original Rode Classic I and NT2...Studio Projects still uses updated variants of that capsule in their LDC mics...

...prepping for further comparisons of the Warbler I (K67) and the Teal CM-1 (C12)...

That's what I like to see.

Have you AB'd Warbler I and CM-1 (K67)? Wondering how much the transformer adds...

Does anybody has got the chance yet to test the CM-1 on overheads?

...tell what you think, Doc...(first is the Black CM-1, second is Warbler I):

https://app.box.com/s/l2tfh5pl1lji3y7zx4evqp1eml92699a

Great! Thank you a thousend times!!

The CM-1/67 to my ears sound like a perfect microphone, nothing wrong, but nothing special. Perfectly usable. Wow.

The Warbler 67 sounds the same, but better. The lowend is full, the highs are mellow. Expensive sounding.

Hm.... ... how to decide??
Thanks Kidv!

...I think, if you're building a mic closet of potential "keeper" mics, the Warbler series are quite impressive (a K67, a K47 and 3 different C12 variants in the pipeline)...

...but if you're on a budget (this is the "LOW END THEORY") then this auction (both C12 and U87 style) is the "best-bang-for-the-buck" value IMHO:
3U Audio Black Teal CM1 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphones | eBay

...OOPS!...someone scored that deal...

Dang, that Warbler one sounds worldclass. I'm still waiting on my CM-1 to get here.

Kidv,

Can you remind us again of the difference between the Warbler I and Warbler II?

Nevermind. I re-reread the thread. The Warbler I is based on the K67 and the Warbler II is based on the U47.

Kidv will have you talked into both before this thread is done

No kidding. Considering I bought the CM-1 for $125 bucks, it's tempting. I've got a serious addiction to mics. They all have a unique quality, much like beer.

...I prefer to think of it more like "inspiring" rather than "talking into"...

BTW, if anyone was put-off by the "Teal" color of the CM-1 with the C12 capsule, it's actually a lot nicer looking (pic left) than it appears in the eBay auction (pic right)...

ADK Vienna/Hamburg mk8 body with an MXL v67g color scheme

(Is the CM-1 grill actually gold color or is it the lighting?)

...no, matte silver...just the warmer room light...but the body is not as blue as portrayed in the eBay ad...more subdued...

My new Teal CM-1. So far have tried it out on singing vocals and acoustic guitar. Sounds pretty wonderful so far!

Got my new Teal CM-1 today. So far have tried it out on singing vocals and acoustic guitar. Sounds wonderful so far! What I love so far is that vocals take zero Eq'ing. It sounds mix ready. Has the right amount of sparkle and really, really smooth. No low-mid buildup at all on this mic. I can work it really close and not get much proximity effect.

Great to hear bro...be sure to post some sound-files...I'd love to hear it on acoustic guitar in particular...very unusual to hear this kind of smoothness from a mic with such a low price point...I'm looking forward to tracking female vocals, possibly later this week...

Here's a quick sample of an original song I'm working on. I did a quick vocal track with the new CM-1. Still in the middle of getting electric guitars worked out. Tracked into a stock Gap Pre73 into a Focusrite Forte.

The Teal CM-1 reminded me of the "dark" branch of the c414 family so I did a shootout and you can hear the results. I gain matched the files as the c414 required a 12dB boost.

I can't play your file back. Says it's corrupted.

...try right-clicking on the file and select "save file as" to download the files...

...the two files definitely sound very similar...I think I still prefer the CM-1 over the C414...the articulation is very clear and balanced sounding on the CM-1...

...guitarboy94, can you upload your vocal track as a raw file?...I'd like to hear it soloed if possible...also, an untreated acoustic guitar track would be great too...