U 47
Encyclopedia
The U 47 was a large-diaphragm condenser microphone
manufactured by Georg Neumann GmbH during the years 1949-1965.
The U 47 used the M 7 capsule originally developed for the CMV 3 microphone ("Neumann bottle"). Its PVC
membranes unfortunately tended to dry out with age, however, and in 1960 the M 7 was superseded by the K 49, a capsule with similar acoustical design but membranes made of age-resistant biaxially oriented PET film
. The U 47's circuitry was based on the Telefunken
VF 14 M vacuum tube
; its discontinuation was caused primarily by the decision by Telefunken to halt production of the VF 14. In some ways the functional successor to the U 47 was the U 67.
The U 47 is well-known for its clear sound, with a distinct emphasis in its upper-midrange frequency response. It has been used in countless famous recordings. The Beatles' producer George Martin
used the U 47 extensively in the group's recordings and claimed it was his favorite microphone.
The U 48 was identical to the U 47 except for the available polar pattern combinations (cardioid and figure of eight instead of cardioid and omnidirectional). According to Neumann: The Microphone Company. by Anselm Roessler, the U 48 was not introduced by Neumann until 1957. However, according to representatives at Georg Neumann GmbH, examples of the U48 existed as early as 1950.
The U 47 fet, a solid-state microphone with yet a third capsule, the K 47, had a headgrille identical to that of the original U 47 but with solid-state circuitry; it was produced by Neumann during the years 1969-1986. It was intended to recapture the sound of the original U 47, but enjoyed only limited success.
However, the U 47fet became well known among recording engineers as a bass drum mic. If used on the outside of the bass drum (or bass drum head if there was no hole cut in the bass drum head), and in conjunction with a primary bass drum microphone, (which would usually be placed on the inside, or close to the inside of a bass drum or a bass drum head), mixed together would make a complete bass drum sound. The U 47fet also gained great popularity among double-bass players in the jazz world.
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
manufactured by Georg Neumann GmbH during the years 1949-1965.
The U 47 used the M 7 capsule originally developed for the CMV 3 microphone ("Neumann bottle"). Its PVC
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
membranes unfortunately tended to dry out with age, however, and in 1960 the M 7 was superseded by the K 49, a capsule with similar acoustical design but membranes made of age-resistant biaxially oriented PET film
PET film (biaxially oriented)
BoPET is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate and is used for its high tensile strength, chemical and dimensional stability, transparency, reflectivity, gas and aroma barrier properties and electrical insulation.A variety of companies manufacture boPET and other...
. The U 47's circuitry was based on the Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
VF 14 M vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
; its discontinuation was caused primarily by the decision by Telefunken to halt production of the VF 14. In some ways the functional successor to the U 47 was the U 67.
The U 47 is well-known for its clear sound, with a distinct emphasis in its upper-midrange frequency response. It has been used in countless famous recordings. The Beatles' producer George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
used the U 47 extensively in the group's recordings and claimed it was his favorite microphone.
The U 48 was identical to the U 47 except for the available polar pattern combinations (cardioid and figure of eight instead of cardioid and omnidirectional). According to Neumann: The Microphone Company. by Anselm Roessler, the U 48 was not introduced by Neumann until 1957. However, according to representatives at Georg Neumann GmbH, examples of the U48 existed as early as 1950.
The U 47 fet, a solid-state microphone with yet a third capsule, the K 47, had a headgrille identical to that of the original U 47 but with solid-state circuitry; it was produced by Neumann during the years 1969-1986. It was intended to recapture the sound of the original U 47, but enjoyed only limited success.
However, the U 47fet became well known among recording engineers as a bass drum mic. If used on the outside of the bass drum (or bass drum head if there was no hole cut in the bass drum head), and in conjunction with a primary bass drum microphone, (which would usually be placed on the inside, or close to the inside of a bass drum or a bass drum head), mixed together would make a complete bass drum sound. The U 47fet also gained great popularity among double-bass players in the jazz world.