Getting an U47, suggestions/advice?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:28 pm

666 wrote:Bassie12,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my question (even though you're not the one I asked). Seriously, thank you for an ACTUAL ANSWER with substance behind it.

Sorry 'bout that. Where shall I send your refund?

bassie12 · Post by **bassie12** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:36 pm

James no need to apologize for my answer

I'll gladly take the heat for any failings in my posts, as I'm sure Mr. Lyons will for his.

Have a Great day!

kassonica · Post by **kassonica** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:46 pm

I have to say I respectfully disagree with Brad on the U47 front IT is the standard from which all other Mics are judged and should be judged. While I have never used one

I have heard many and read so much about them by people who have made some of the most important and biggest selling albums in history say that it is the pinnacle of a mic.

It amazes me that this mic has been around for about 60 years and production stopped in the 60's and its STILL the benchmark by those in the know. NO one has come close it seems to replicating its magic.

Then there is the U49 and U67.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:50 pm

bassie12 wrote:James no need to apologize for my answer

I'll gladly take the heat for any failings in my posts, as I'm sure Mr. Lyons will for his.

Have a Great day!

I was apologizing for my own. I'm the first to admit I'm a "chatty" person sometimes and it's far too easy for me to stray off topic. I've never tried a U47 but would love to. I'm sure I have years ago in other studios and not just known what it was at the time. As I can't afford one, I won't know what I'm missing out on.

bassie12 · Post by **bassie12** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:51 pm

Kassonica,

If you like the U67, as I do, you ought to hear a Neumann M269...a VERY pleasing twist on the design. There are SO many good mics out there!

James,

Just kidding about the apology.

Rent one & find out. If it's right for your voice, there's no going back. If not, you'll know why immediately.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:03 pm

bassie12 wrote:Rent one & find out. If it's right for your voice, there's no going back. If not, you'll know why immediately.

My problem is I'm in San Diego... no rental places like there probably are in L.A. for that kind of stuff. What do you mean "know why immediately?" I like the Red Type B for my voice... it really blew me away when I first tried it as it was one of the first mics that really "fit" my voice perfectly.

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:25 pm

As to the Red Type B, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS as I'm going from memory of a meeting a Looooooong time ago....BUT I think they were closing shop and being re-introduced as part of the Blue line. Let me dig into that and get back to ya'll.

As to my feelings on the U47---to me, never been a big fan as I prefer the U67. Again, to each their own. You might like chocolate while another prefers vanilla....me, I'm a mint chocolate chip kinda guy.

Tritonemusic · Post by **Tritonemusic** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:01 pm

James Steele wrote:
666 wrote:Bassie12,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my question (even though you're not the one I asked). Seriously, thank you for an ACTUAL ANSWER with substance behind it.
Sorry 'bout that. Where shall I send your refund?

Refund?

I don't understand what you meant by that, James. I was being sincere when I thanked him for his information and his time. Should I NOT thank him? I thought that reply was great and I appreciated his insight.

Seriously, what did I say wrong?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:10 pm

666 wrote:
James Steele wrote:
666 wrote:Bassie12,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my question (even though you're not the one I asked). Seriously, thank you for an ACTUAL ANSWER with substance behind it.
Sorry 'bout that. Where shall I send your refund?
Refund?

I don't understand what you meant by that, James. I was being sincere when I thanked him for his information and his time. Should I NOT thank him? I thought that reply was great and I appreciated his insight.

Seriously, what did I say wrong?

I was kidding you. They way you capitalized the "ACTUAL ANSWER" it sounded like you were making a statement about the lack of answers you received with "substance behind it." As I said in a later post... sorry... I can be "chatty." Glad you got the answer you wanted.

Tritonemusic · Post by **Tritonemusic** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:20 pm

bassie12 · Post by **bassie12** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:28 pm

Never mind.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:45 pm

I totally get where you're coming from. You're right about the Type B versus Type A specs. The Type A is solid state. On top of it I'm using a Millennia HV-3C preamp. A>D is a stock MOTU HD192 (with the exception of a recent fan replacement/modification so it no longer sounds like a leaf blower!).

My room is probably not great sounding. It's a detached garage the previous owners made into a rec room. I put up a lot of absorption and pretty much made it very quiet and very DEAD in there. I track my vocals and guitar amp out there by using my iBook to control my main DAW machine using VnC (Vine Server and Vine Viewer combo). So it's vewy, vewy quiet.

I actually own one of those SE Reflexion filters that I picked up used. I can see that it has its usefulness, but I found I preferred the sound without it. If I was recording vocals in my control room, then I could see the point of something like that.

Any way, yeah... the Type B with my HV-3C is the bee's knees for me. Prior to that I was using a 414 ULS (I know... I know...) that had been modded to a transformerless design by Jim from Audio Upgrades. It wasn't bad sounding but I found I was always having to use some EQ to try and get a sound I liked. A friend loaned me his Type B to try out and I remember doing some test tracks with it, coming back into the control room and playing back for the first time. I got a smile from ear to ear. I canned the default EQ curve I used to use for my 414... it sounded great with no EQ!! I got on their web site and ordered it that very moment!!

I haven't tried lots of microphones, but as a singer if you find one that flatters you it's a wonderful thing. If I record somewhere else I'm bringing this baby with me. Like you were saying there's no way to tell without trying something. There are times when a "cheaper" mic is the right way to go. Until I get to try something else that sounds better the Type B is my "go-to" vocal mic for MY voice.

Funny thing also... my favorite mic now for micing my Marshall amp, is an old, discontinued Groove Tubes GT-66 tube mic I got out of craigslist for $250 a year or two ago. I close mic the cab right smack on axis and it's heavenly in combination with my HV-3C. Perhaps the tube is "rounding" some of the edge that the HV-3C would normally leave. It gives me a brightness without harshness. I tried dynamics: SM57, Audix i5, Senn e609 and none of them floated my boat. I even bought a Cascade Fathead and although it's cool on some stuff... I don't like it on guitar. I have not tried a "good" ribbon or and MD421 which I know is an old standby, but right now my guitar sound is kickin' and I'm in the "if-it-ain't-broken" zone for my guitar and lead vocals right now.

FutureLegends · Post by **FutureLegends** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:13 am

James Steele wrote:I track my vocals and guitar amp out there by using my iBook to control my main DAW machine using VnC (Vine Server and Vine Viewer combo).

How does that work? And what kind of app is that? I've been thinking about doing something like that myself when recording my own voice. Possibly using Leopard's screensharing function.

On an sidenote/update to my original post I think I'm abandoning the U47 Fet for now. Might try to pick up a U87 instead that they also have. And I found a used LA-610 that has the tubes changed to Telefunken NOS's that I hope to buy later today...

kassonica · Post by **kassonica** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:19 am

FutureLegends wrote:
James Steele wrote:I track my vocals and guitar amp out there by using my iBook to control my main DAW machine using VnC (Vine Server and Vine Viewer combo).
How does that work? And what kind of app is that? I've been thinking about doing something like that myself when recording my own voice. Possibly using Leopard's screensharing function.

On an sidenote/update to my original post I think I'm abandoning the U47 Fet for now. Might try to pick up a U87 instead that they also have. And I found a used LA-610 that has the tubes changed to Telefunken NOS's that I hope to buy later today...

A word of advice on the 87 if you want one for sound buy an old one.

basstian · Post by **basstian** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:33 am

kassonica wrote:
A word of advice on the 87 if you want one for sound buy an old one.

Don't let anybody at Neumann hear that.

And for my experience it is not true. The new ones sound actually better for my ears