new "vintage" mic???

Pro Audio Asylum

Pro studio recording equipment and music production/industry.

Although I'm like many (most) other studio owners, and lust after a room filled with vintage mics, I know that in my case, it just ain't gonna happen. My studio is filled with gear from the 50's, 60's and 70's, but most of it was bought for a small fraction of what a new model would cost. But vintage mics aren't available at fantastic discounts like old tape recorders or even large recording consoles. Vintage mics can cost 30 or 40 times what they cost when new, and the most famous models, (251, C12, U47, M49, M50) all cost more used than any new mics currently available for sale. No bargains here.
Fortunately, there has been a run of great new mics offered for sale. Some utilize new technology and offer new levels of clarity and transparency (Neumann 149). Some utilize vintage technology manaufactured to incredible standards to produce vintage style mics that sound "better" than the best mics of the 40's and 50's could possibly sound (Brauner VM1). Finally, there are many mics utilizing vintage technology that strive to offer the sound of the great mics of old (Soundelux E47 & 251, Lawson 47mp & 251, etc.)
My current goal would be to purchase a new mic that sounds like a great old mic. I like the sounds of tubes and transformers and have no interest in the "remarkable clarity" of a Neumann 149 or even the Brauner VM1. I want an extremely well built, noticeably colored mic for vocal use. A perfectly restored Neumann U47 would be perfect, but they run around $7500 - $8000. But I can only swing $2k, so my top choices seem to be the Soundelux U99, the Lawson 47Mp or ???
The minimun requirements are a multi pattern tube mic that's not too bright. That rules out the all of the BLUE, Brauner & Neumann tube mics in my price range. Unless someone can suggest another option, I guess that I want to know which of the following mics sounds more like a brand new 1950's era tube mic; the Lawson 47mp or the Soundelux U99?
thanks.
steve
lex125@pacbell.net

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digital? I'm still not sure about transistors....

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Topic - new "vintage" mic??? - hollywood_steve 00:53:10 04/27/02 (2)

Re: new "vintage" mic??? - Frost 16:01:13 04/28/02 (0)

Re: new "vintage" mic??? - RBP 05:38:17 04/27/02 (0)

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