The Neumann U47 is one of the most revered microphones of all time, racking up more number-one hits than perhaps any other microphone in history. It’s a microphone that is over seventy years old and yet is still the go-to condenser microphone for many high-budget, large-scale recording studios.
BeesNeez has now painstakingly recreated a part-for-part remake of the Classic U47 microphone. From the capsule and head unit, to the connector and plug, we have been able to recreate this part of history. The original had some changes along the way. For instance, it was released with an M7 capsule which was then changed to a K47 capsule. It also had more than one transformer along the way. Neumann also released a separate variant of this microphone; the U48 for those that desired Figure 8 and Cardioid patterns, as the U47 only had Cardioid and Omni patterns. However, to keep everyone happy, BeesNeez has decided to release our BU47 with options. These options can be selected via the dropdown menu when you purchase your microphone.
Option 1: BU47M
This is just like the original, with a BeesNeez M7 Capsule and Cardioid/Omni patterns only. (The BeesNeez M7 capsule is a very mellow and sweet capsule. It has the famous lower mid strength and no single frequency is overpowering.)
Option 2: BU47K
This is just like the original, with a BeesNeez K7 (K47) capsule and Cardioid/Omni patterns only. (The K7 or, as it is also known, the K47 shares many of the same sonic characteristics of the M7. However, it does have a more prominent low mid and bottom end frequency response.)
Option 3: BU47M7RP (RP = Remote Pattern)
This is just like the original, with a BeesNeez M7 capsule when switched to Cardioid at the Head Grille. When switched to Omni at the Head Grille, this model will have 9 controllable polar patterns that can be changed remotely at the power supply unit.
Option 4: BU47K7RP (RP = Remote Pattern)
This is just like the original, with a K7 (K47) capsule when switched to Cardioid at the Head Grille. When switched to Omni at the Head Grille, this model will have 9 controllable polar patterns that can be changed remotely at the power supply unit.
Microphones of this quality allow us to hold our place as the leading boutique microphone manufacturer. The BeesNeez BU47 Classic Series Microphone is built to the highest standard and includes paper-in-oil capacitors, our very own handmade BV-08t Transformer, either the BeesNeez M7 or K7 Capsule, and the BeesNeez Shock Mount with integrated pop filter.
The transformer chosen for the BeesNeez U47 Classic Series Microphone is the BeesNeez BV-08t. Our team carefully winds this transformer to ensure seamless integration with the Telefunken/Valvo steel tube, meaning that the circuit remains as close as is physically possible to the original. We even go so far as to hand-wind our own voltage drop heater filament resistor as we firmly believe this is all part of what helps to create the famous sound that makes the U47 microphone. This transformer, and indeed the entire microphone, screams 1950’s!
The BeesNeez M7 and K7 Capsules are the natural choice for a U47 Microphone. These are single backplate capsules made famous by Georg Neumann & Co. The difficulty in reproducing a capsule like this is that it has both blind and through holes. The correlation between these holes controls the pattern via absolute distance and is quite mathematically complex due to having only a single backplate. The BeesNeez M7 and K7 capsules are made on-site in our factory. The 6 micron mylar film is framed, sputtered, tuned, and fixed right here in our factory. One thing that sets BeesNeez Pro Audio apart from others is the determination to bring to the market a truly Australian-made product.
The tube in the BeesNeez BU47 clone is the Telefunken/Valvo original steel Tube EF13!! While almost all clone manufacturers have decided to use a “fet tube” (not a tube at all but a fet circuit) or glass tube versions, we feel that having a design as close as possible to the original is fundamentally important to the design of the U47.
Sonic Characteristics
The U47 was special. It had the ability to bring out the special source nuance of everything it captured. No single component in the U47 was anything super special or previously unused. However, the magical combination or, shall we say, the sum of all of its parts, truly made it an amazing tool of the trade. Sonically, the BeesNeez BU47 is an accurate as possible re-creation of the original U47.
What’s Included:
▶ BeesNeez BU47 Microphone
▶ BeesNeez Lead with original style screw-on connector
▶ BeesNeez Producer Series Power Supply
▶ BeesNeez Shock Mount with integrated pop filter
