Mic Roundup Part 1: Mics Inspired by the Neumann U47 and AKG C12

Hear the difference as Sonic Scoop’s Justin Colletti takes to Braund studios to contrast and compare many different microphones. The common through-line? All these mics are modelled on one of two classic capsules: The Neumann U47 and the AKG C 12. In this video, you’ll hear the results as Justin tests out the Telefunken ELAM 251, the Telefunken AR-51, the Manley Reference Cardioid, the Telefunken AK-47, and the Neumann U47 FET.
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[@alexoldroyd770]

5:02 Tele 251 5:47 AR-51 6:31 Manley 7:16 AK-47 7:59 U47 FET

[@terrillmel]

The AR-51 is my choice. Amazing

[@ernestthompson891]

Really enjoyed your production. Watched, sounded and reviewed it over twelve (12) times for mic assessment details. Brilliantly well done. Just recently purchased the Manley Reference. Yep, it is amazing. From a deep voiced male vocalist to you Justin and B&H associates, Thank You! Again, great production. Straight to what matters most and why. BTW: Regarding Suline. She is definitely the "other reason" it made it so easy to listen to your presentation so many times. Her voice is truly "An Angel That Has Spoken" Thank you Suline. B & H Subscribed.

[@andyanderson6455]

Great Video! well done and very thorough - best mic shoot out vid so far!

[@leandrosinich2214]

wow that telefunken vintage mic is a dream!! it sounds just perfect.

[@jussabeatz]

U mean AR 51?

[@kylefryar8835]

I bought the ar-51 because of this shootout. I absolutely love it. it lacks a TINY bit in the low end of things, but is EASY to fix with a tiny low end bump on my preamp. this thing sounds CLEAN

[@user-sl7vh8lb6m]

Kyle Fryar still loving your ar51?

[@MO-fb8oh]

A very good and useful mic review, thanks a lot!

[@GingerDrums]

Nobody mentioning the incredible consistency of that singer from take to take! bravo

[@garbygarb31]

It's the same take.

[@danielclifton3319]

The Manley and the AR-51 sound great! Especially the Manley!

[@DanielGlenTimms]

Nice job on the shootout. For her voice I liked the Manley the best and the Neumann for the guitar strumming and clear mid lows.

[@underpressureman]

was the gain on the pre the same for all the mics? there was a big volume difference between alot of the mics!

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

incredible video tho :) really helpful with simple talking into the mic. easy to hear the differences

[@UTSONUT]

beautiful voice, and beautiful singer! nice mics

[@michellepackman1484]

Really impressed by the manley. It's the only mic where the low mids sounded clear coming through my HS5s. Wish I could hear these on better monitors, I bet it would give me a better impression. :) Thanks for posting this!

[@NevelBeats]

Sounds like the TeleAK47 and Neumann U47 did the best. The others had a noticeable “overdriven capsule” sound on her high notes when singing. The Manley came in at #3 imo.

[@pjmuck]

The clarity of that Neumann U47 FET is unrivaled here, IMO. Amazing mic.

[@1stCorinthians2_14]

Cool video! I haven’t used any of these mics, but I’m familiar with the AKG C12 VR which sounded amazing even when the external power supply &/or power cord were having issues!

[@Adept216]

we have a c12vr at work and i hate that mic

[@1stCorinthians2_14]

Tony Majercik Why do you hate it?

[@Adept216]

@@1stCorinthians2_14 maybee the one we have needs serviced but it seems on the dark side

[@ricksalt6860]

A few years back I would rent two AKG C12's from a friend . I did all the vocals on an album with a C12 on vocals . These mics were both different from each other , one sounded more compressed in the top end than the other and was kinda cool funky . Weeks after tracking , the artist wanted to re-sing 1 verse , so I tried to get ahold of my friend with the mics but he was nowhere to be found . I tried using a U87 but the difference was too much so in a panic I phoned the music store for Studio Projects T3 , cheap copy of C12 . I was so blown away , the T3 was a bit cleaner on the top end and sounded just a bit more controlled with very similar quality to the C12's . I bought 2 of them and never desired the AKG C12's again .

[@larrycom]

Great video!

[@EandVEntertainment]

Liked the AK47.

[@ericschlotzer1670]

I've been lucky enough to use a few different vintage ELAM251's on vocal sessions in the past and a well maintained one is hard to beat. I haven't tried the re-issues, but I think the AR-51 is gets you extremely close at a fraction of the price and I have owned one for about a year. I found one used and the price was right. It's bright without being harsh and vocals sound present and natural. You don't have to do much EQing to get the sound you want. It's versatile, great on other sources and the switchable polar patterns can be very helpful when using it to capture ambiance (or reject it). For vocals, the AR-51 is the probably the best condenser I own and is typically my first choice. That said, the Manley Reference Cardioid would be my first pick out of ANYONE'S mic locker, even over an original Elam 251 or Sony G800. I've never put that mic up in front of a vocalist and changed my mind about using it. They require little to no maintenance (for a tube mic) and if you have issues, Manley's support is amazing. Unfortunately, the Manley was about $1k over my budget at the time.

[@gunluv96]

Great shootout, but I wish the z12 or z251 were in this shootout. I would've loved to hear them compared to the other mics. After this shootout the Manley really deserves another look for my cabinet upgrade.

[@kirstensray]

I have a home studio and am on a budget. I've been using 3U Audio mics that were inspired by vintage mics. Very affordable, quality build (not hyped chinese mics). I really love them, especially the 67 Fet and the GZ 47 fet V (like a M49) which complements my voice so well.

[@millmoormichael6630]

Kirsten Ray check out Aston microphones Spirit, really amazing for the price.

[@bpanmusic001]

Kirsten Ray I got their GZ251. Direct recreated the original ELAM251 with their custom capsule and design. Amazing when they hooked up with WA12 from Warm Audio. Close to 1000 but still a lot cheaper then Telefunken

[@IssaAzad]

Takefumi Music Channel i would love to hear the GZ251 to see how it compares to the AR51

[@GoransMusicCircle]

well done, thanks

[@ricksalt6860]

Nice sweet sounding mics aren't the end all be all . When music is mellow and everything is played like butter , quality of equipment can vary quite a bit and not be a big issue . When you're in a dense thick , everyone going hard mix , a mic that sounds edgy and not pleasing by itself might work perfect .

[@takefumimusicproduction6811]

The original ELAM251 is amazing. Full button and open airy sounding.

[@MattsterFelix]

my fav was AK47 Manley and U47

[@lui1182]

what is LEVEL difference for blue and red MANLEY CARDIOD MIC ? IS IT OLD MODEL AND NEW MODEL ? look forward to your prompt reply. much tks.

[@andivax]

thank you! AK-47 sounds amazing on her voice.

[@mojogearfx]

All sound very good , but for this particular situation I like U47 FET the most.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

DEFINITELY the Neumann U47 FET.

[@vanrozay8871]

me too; great presence. manley second.

[@XChristianNoirX]

In the voice.. But bit really in the guitar.

[@channeloram]

Same here

[@ShiniHuong]

@@channeloram good

[@DaeHwan15]

wow, telefunken AR-51 !!! amazing !!!

[@xe1zlgg]

Just incredible .. unsurpassed quality sound from Ela M 251... no other Mic sounds as this as no other radio receiver sounds as Collins R 390 or R 392 !

[@lbochtler]

The sennheiser me2 sounds shockingly bad, right after hearing the U47 Fet. Rather fascinating to hear that transition.

[@nathanjames1981]

lbochtler me to

[@davidclarkson3066]

I really liked the Manley on both guitar and on vox. The U47 has a more steady balance between the highs and lows on the guitar. The ELA-M also sounded very nice on her voice, very natural.

[@captaingerryyt]

u47 is suited for male vocals , elam 251 is suited for female

[@captaingerryyt]

im sorry i meant for the older one the vintage one

[@wagnermees1]

Definitely the U47 FET hands down!!!

[@caspermaster-com]

That elam sounds million dollars thooooo Just push some top, the top seem super smooth and even. The ak47 had more "finished sound" but also a bit spikey top

[@millmoormichael6630]

Acoustic: Elam Voice: Would suggest AEA R88 or Flea Next 49 (she could use a bit of sparkle/presence)

[@hautecoutreblonde5455]

251 4:45 51 5:30 Manley 6:15 47 6:58

[@maldonadocorrea]

excelente video. pero me hubiese encantado ver el mcrotech gefell cmv563 con la famosa capsula m7. de hecho son ls únicos que fabricaron esa capsula originalmente hasta la fecha, capsula que usan los famosos u47 de neumann y telefunken. (si bien el u47 fue fuente de inspiración de muchos micros , el cmv inspiro al u47) gracias por el video.

[@definitiveenergy1]

Love her voice and style. She sounds great on all of those mics.

[@voicehead]

why does the city in the background have a completely different vanishing point from the room he's in

[@supremo-official]

The Ref C sounded amazing for her voice

[@ElmoSyr]

251 on the guitar and AK47 on the vocals for me. Second on vocals was the 251 and 3. the Manley. The AR-51 surprised me positively on her voice, but was probably the worst on the guitar.

[@bagusmusicallo]

U47 FET better mid & gain AK47 better clarity

[@timothybrannigan]

I think the AK47 has the most to offer... That ELAM though!

[@tonygunz21]

On a number of occasions, I've seen people say that the Manley Ref C is intended to sound like what a new U47 would have sounded like back in the day...yet the Telefunken U47 is essentially a new U47, and that and the Manley don't really sound much alike. I love my Manley, and would love to have a vintage U47 or even a reissue, but the Manley does not sound like a U47 at all in my opinion. Great comparison video though.

[@tonygunz21]

@@beyondthegong Not sure what part of my comment you're replying to, but if you're saying that the Manley doesn't sound like a U47, we agree. Also, all the mics mentioned in my comment are tube mics...

[@beyondthegong]

@@tonygunz21 No, I totally agree! Never mind my rambling! Cheers

[@codylujan]

elam sounded the mos bright and open and the manley sounded more flat and natural. Idk. i'm a male rock vocalist and i'm thinking about just going with a shure sm7b. I don't really have the money to just go tbrough mics until I find the perfect one

[@Not-Only-Reaper-Tutorials]

why not the FLEA?

[@JGRStudios]

251 for ever

[@vijay1700]

Is there any all-rounder (suitable for home or studio vocal and instrumental recordings, suitable for all kinds of instruments, suitable for live/stage, & vocals performances, suitable for podcasting, and suitable for vloggers/whatever!) kind of mic/microphone?

[@1stCorinthians2_14]

BS Vijay Anand - It depends on context. For instance one important thing in mics for live sound is gain before feedback. A condenser that might be a fantastic choice in the studio may or may not be great in a live setting. Condenser mics can have extremely low noise floors and be extremely sensitive (they hear everything and react extremely quickly)! That may not translate so well in a live sound setting. Especially if the engineer isn’t good. Also each mic that is open (on) in a live situation is reducing your gain before feedback by around 3dB. So if the engineer puts 12 mics on the drums you’re probably not setup for success trying to use a condenser on the vocalist. Often times less is more in a live setting especially in a smaller room. One thing I’d love to do is use studio mics on a solo or duo performance (something intimate and acoustic most likely)! Another very important consideration is the interaction between the monitors and/or main speakers and the mics. High Pass / Low Cut filters are your friends anywhere you don’t need low end.

[@shubhshinde4438]

This really good and please can you tell me how does aston spirit mic sounds to you?

[@BandH]

This is a terrific sounding, very versatile microphone. Although it is an excellent vocal mic, it will also perform well with acoustic and percussion instruments. It is a very smooth and natural sounding for a mic in this price range. Aston Microphones Spirit Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone BH #ASTSPIRIT bhpho.to/3eikyxG >Mark

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

NT1 gen 4 , 5 sound better than Spirit. Blue baby bottle, STC 20, IMPERATIVE AUDIO, SE 2300 (BEST BUDGET) are some other good cms.

[@jermainesmith6315]

Manley my favorite

[@kicksncapz]

His voice first mic Elam 251, her guitar Manley, her vocal Elam AR51-

[@Ehabmxd]

why you stop doing these videos its really helpful and make ur channel growing

[@JayFrederick]

251 and AR-51 are the most similar. the AK-47 is nice more weighty. The Manley is the most different in a bad way. The U47 FET is the most different in a good way.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

U47 fet sounds the best.

[@theworldbrosefman]

251 for vocals, Manley for acoustic guitar

[@SoundationStudioHelmbrechts]

Manley!!! But the ELAM251 is also a killer mic but€€€€€€€

[@pmAcd333]

The vocal comparison between the Telefunken TF-47 and the Neumann U47 wasn't exactly fair - she was singing directly into the diaphragm of the Neumann and noticably off-axis with the Telefunken, about an inch below the actual diaphragm. I'd love to hear the same comparison with similar positioning of each mic.

[@netanelshavin]

What a view!

[@MeTuLHeD]

I agree! She's smokin'! Oh. You meant out the window. My bad.

[@poolwizard3856]

also the neumann fet

[@riktascale4]

U 47 net then the AR-51 for her voice.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Naumann U 47 fet sounds the best. Other mics are somewhat coloured mics.

[@poolwizard3856]

telefunkin ak47 very nice

[@MikeG-js1jt]

was this done in brooklyn or maybe queens?

[@icecreaman2010]

Possible, B&H is in Manhattan close by Penn Station. Im sure that studio is somewhere in NY.

[@josue.guevara]

U47 FET sounded best for guitar.

[@Alex-wl6oc]

Does the preamp affect the sound alot?

[@benjaminclark995]

Alex yes tremendously. It's just as important

[@Alex-wl6oc]

I have a focusrite scarlet 2i2.. its pretty cheap from what others ive seen, would the mic sound bad with this audio interface?

[@Jjf109nine]

Alex your signal is only as good as the weakest item the chain. Hence, makes no sense to buy a u87 and plug it into a behringer pre.

[@officialWWM]

Seems like I'm the only one here who likes the Manley 🤔

[@madduxregan]

surprised the AK-47 wasn't a shotgun mic... get it?

[@leolord6602]

If the tubed mics have a box why put them through a mic preamp? Doesn’t the box give them amplification? 1st. Neumann U47 Fet. A very tailored, even, warm & classic sound. 2nd The Telefunken AR 51. Cuts right through the mix with that brilliance that’s so sweet to the ear!

[@SmartyAnalysis]

Most people watching this video can’t even afford a $200 mic at the moment 😂😂

[@GeordieMcTavish]

so do this

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

i cant ignore the crooked top of AR-51 ... ahhhhh lol

[@CarsonHoy]

“I am having problems shipping my AK-47”

[@primerobeats]

Woow i have AK 47 -mkii

[@The2rbo]

Don't you ever Tag a Horch or Urton microphone here ever again!!! 💀☠ They have their own level of Quality and class!!!

[@troyBORG]

Wish you threw a Blue Yeti in there so we could have a comparison vs a cheaper USB style mic that everyone is familiar with.

[@Instrud]

That'd be redundant though?

[@BandH]

Although we love the Blue Yeti USB mic (bhpho.to/2fonf3U) for basic home or school projects, It is not a comparable product to the mics mentioned in the title and tested in the video. We targeted this project more to professionals who are already familiar with the characteristics of the Neumann U47 and AKG C12. >Mark

[@MikeG-js1jt]

They call that a Bob's Big Boy haircut

[@beku73]

not good comparison. You have to math the level to get the Idea.

[@DavorRMX]

something went wrong with that manley it sounded cheap and far away

[@underpressureman]

why is the manley locked lol ?

[@benjaminclark995]

James Cassidy just saw that 😂

[@Andrew-vr9hr]

4:45 6:15

[@AriadDaniela]

Haute Coutre Blonde said: 251 4:45 51 5:30 Manley 6:15 47 6:58

[@ananyachowdhury8455]

Ak 47 roks.

[@phillipphillip367]

This guy looks like that dude from GTA 3 lol

[@apostolicbible1]

I bet the $275.00 NEumann TLM 101/ aka Sennheiser MK4 sounds as good as any of these on KZbin.

[@Notinserviceij]

apostolic bible polyglot ummm why? You do know KZbin doesn't effect the audio? MP3 might but not KZbin It's a myth lol

[@qas2644]

apostolic bible polyglot talking yes.Vocal on different genre,instrument..have an obvious different.

[@martinistse]

lol ak47 what a name

[@4711shaun2]

that U47 reissue sounded like a dumpster fire.

[@savethefails]

i dont know. when he was talking all i heard was room...room..and more room.

[@bigdap100]

really??? the room acoustics are trash.

[@JohannesLabusch]

Weeeeelll, her voice is very lovely, but that guitar sucks. That did not sound any better over these expensive mics than it would have using a very basic condenser or even dynamic mic.

[@Galetox]

Everything the same, no difference.

[@jayjacks2641]

Not a ding against B&H, but Justin's voice is so hyper sibilant it almost made this unwatchable. An engineer isn't going to let their talent sound like they are spitting on the mics, and it makes this video sound very unprofessional.

[@netterstyl]

1) Babe! 2) AK-47 or U-47 - take your pick, whichever response you prefer - punchier U or more even AK. 3) Crappy-sounding Taylor guitar model proves nothing, sounds same (crappy) through any of them. Needs serious further work to draw anything decent out of it recording-wise. 4) Babe!!

[@SmartyAnalysis]

Most people watching this video can’t even afford a $200 mic at the moment 😂😂