WeissKlang V17

I have wanted to write a review of the Weissklang V17 LDC microphone for some time now.

I am a home studio user who uses the mic to record vocals. Namely a Stellar Female Mezzo Soprano who is a performer and songwriter in the Pop/Jazz/indie Pop/Country and Ballad styles. I also record some Male vocals on her bandmates. Also, I will be recording a Bluegrass band in a few weeks.

I have had some lower end mics starting with a AT2020, then a Shure SM27 (new version of KSM27) then a new Rode NT1. I asked on here for suggestions for a GOOD affordable mic to record with. A very knowledgeable man who works in the Broadcast industry suggested I try out a Weissklang. He has a locker that features the biggest names in iconic microphones, and he said the Weissklang hangs with the best he has.

Based on this: I took a chance and bought the V17 microphone for a very reasonable cost (around $700 Canadian with shipping and taxes). These microphones are Made in Germany, and the company has been very excellent to deal with in terms of customer support.

All I can say is I am BLOWN away by this V17 mic! Incredible, incredible, incredible! This mic flat-out WORKS! Very quiet, very smooth and not brash or harsh at all. It is clear and accurate. It is heads and shoulders above the Rode and Shure mics that I had. It does not have any bells or whistles....no fancy switches or buttons......just a very solid and well made mic that performs amazingly well.

Our Producer was absolutely floored with the quality vocals I sent him with the Weissklang V17. Seriously, this is a Mic that I will NEVER part with!

If you are looking for an LDC studio mic that is very affordable and performs absolutely STELLAR, do yourself a big favour and buy a Weissklang!

PS: The gentleman I bought the V17 from (Daryle at Archtop Studios) called me up and I ended up buying the V13 microphone from him as well (I was so impressed with the V17....I figured I may as well grab the V13 as well).......This is a LINEAR microphone that is absolutely flat in response (the V17 has a bit of a lift). The V13 has software that you download and can use with any DAW.....it allows you to change how the microphone sounds....ie/ tube, classic, modern, etc... I have recorded a few tracks using the V13 and the Klangformer software....it is awesome!!! Very cool how you can change up how the mic sounds to fit the genre/song. Love it!!!!


So, like I say, these Weissklang Mics: V13 and V17 are keepers that I will not part with. They are very very high quality hand made in Germany. VERY affordable and exceptional performance.

I like the fact that there is a quite new German company, that offer manufactured good quality microphones. So we testet both, the V13 with the Klangformer software and the V17. We recorded in an optimised room through a Neve 1073 directly in the Apogee Duet2 with 192 kHz - male and female singing.

I am sorry to say that, but both mics sounded boring and "not expensive". We compared them with a Neumann TLM 102, a modded MXL V69 (tube), a BPM CR 95 (FET), a BPM TB-95 (tube), and a Baby Bottle (FET). ALL of them sounded clearly better, warmer, way more detailed and cut through better in the mix. The V17 is a bit closer to the others, but still not our choice. For our purposes they both were not a good choice. So may be that there is a big hype out there for these mics, but we cannot confirm that, I am sorry. We wish the WEISSKLANG company success and very good mics in the future.

At work I have a lot of mics at my disposal.
Mics ranging from Rode to Mojave Audio, Neumann and Telefunken.

I was looking for a versatile and great performing (cardioid only) mic that provides some character and mojo for my homerecording purposes. I already had the V13 (linear), so I purchased the V17.
At home I have a RME Fireface with rather linear sounding preamps.

But I tested it at work with our SSL 4000E and also on a small mobile setup with a 1073 Neve -> RME Fireface.

I tested it against the Neumann U87Ai, Mojave Audio MA-300, Neumann TLM 102, Gefell M930 and our greatest treasure - the Telefunken ELA M251.
Reason: These were our Goto mics for years now.

I recorded female/male vocals and an acoustic guitar (mono).

V17 - Generally speaking with the SSL 4000E:
The V17 has a very big and expensive sound.
Of course it's always a matter of taste and not every mic fits to every source.
But the V17 has a very musical and mild mid/high-range boost, that makes the overall sound very detailed. The V17 utilizes a technology called Transharmonic
which - as far as I understand - increases the resolution and the "sparkle".
I like it! With the SSL 4000E the V17 sounds very musical and I was quite impressed!

However not everybody has a SSL 4000E beast at work or at home - me neither

V17 - Generally speaking with the 1073 Neve:
The V17 does provide a very analogue sound by itself. It depends on the source but the 1073 does a better job with the linear V13.
I would rather consider using a preamp without Carnhill transformers with the V17. The integrated Fireface preamps sounded much better with the V17.
(Nevertheless I'm not a fan of the 1073 sound - there's definitely too much iron).
I also tested the V17 with the Focusrite ISA One and the Universal Audio 610.
Here the V17 did a great job but I like it more with linear sounding pres (which you can find in most interfaces). It has a beautiful character that doesn't need any further shaping with tubes or transformers.

But it always depends on the whole signal chain.
I wouldn't use the U87Ai with the UA 610, the MA-300 with the 1073 sounded horrible and honky. You just have to find the right combination.
The V17 likes preamps with less mojo (since it provides character by itself).
The preamps of most interfaces should do a great job with the V17.

Postprocessing:

The V17 takes any EQ very well. I tested it with the SSL 4000E and also the FabFilter Pro-Q2. There aren't any artefacts or annoying frequencies coming up, even when you drive the EQ with +6 or +9dB. I like!
In terms of fricatives the V17 doesn't need any de-essers

Now the comparisons (tested with the Fireface)

Compared to the U87Ai:
The V17 sounded very similar with that musical midrange-forward sound.
However there was s bit more mojo with the V17. In terms of resolution
the V17 could hold up very well. What I noticed is, that the V17 was much quieter in terms of noise but here I would say 50/50 (which is good, since the V17 is a lot cheaper).

Compared to the Mojave Audio MA-300:
The V17 sounded more detailed and the resolution was higher.
Also the cardioid pattern was more forgiving (when it comes to movement) and the noise floor was a LOT lower. In terms of character they were pretty different. It's all about taste here, but I liked the V17 more.
Here I would say 60/40 (V17/MA300)

Compared to the Neumann TLM 102:
The TLM 102 tends to sound very hard in the upper mids and has some problems with fricatives. The V17 however doesn't have these problems.
It sounds very musical and detailed in the upper mids and I never noticed any problems with fricatives (no need for any de-essers).
Here I would say 70/30 (V17/TLM102)

Compared to the Gefell M930:
The M930 definitely sounded more linear and I would rather compare the M930 to the V13. In terms of noise they were pretty equal, but the V17 had a lot more character to offer. In the mixdown the V17 was more in-the-face and pushed better through the mix.
Here I would say 50/50, since these are totally different-sounding mics, but in a good way.

Compared to the Telefunken ELA M251:
That comparison just blew me away.
I had to hear twice to figure out which sample I was listening to.
The V17 sounded very similar to the 251 but with a lot less noise (since it comes without tubes). The V17 sounded a tad crisper but all in all I was really impressed. The V17 comes with an edgeterminated capsule (as the 251).
I think that their Transharmonic technology makes the "difference" here. And I mean difference, because there almost isn't any difference
Here I would say 50/50 (and that's crazy...)

All in all I strongly recommend the V17 if you're looking for a good allrounder that does well with most preamps and interfaces.
The V17's character is just right, not too much mojo, not too linear.
Just fine...making it suitable for most recording situations.