Opinions from those successful with AMI u47

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
May 29, 2017
Messages
18
Location
Brooklyn, NY
I've been reading through past threads about it, but I'd really like to find some working links to Vocal samples if anyone would be kind enough. Im just about about there on pulling the trigger, but $1300 is not easy to part with having not at least heard the mic in action...

Anyone have thoughts on mics they've compared it to? Really... anything related to the sound would be appreciated.
 
Built one for a client of mine. It's awesome. Built with M7 PVC capsule and nice NOS tube. I don't have audio clips, I would dare say it would complete with any of the commercial versions with an $8k price tag.

Thanks!

Paul
 
Stam Audio is offering a completed mic for a pre order price of 990 dollars.

"We tested 11 transformers, 7 capsules, 5 tubes... it all come down to the best combination.

Components are not made the same as they were made 50 years ago, materials have changed, the laminations on transformers are not the same, the mylar, transistors, caps, they only thing that is left are NOS tube, which we use on the 47.

The only way to make a mic these days sound the same as the old ones is to find which capsule works with which tube and transformer the best to emulate the same curve, we ended up going with Dany´s D7 capsule, NOS Telefunken EF800 tube and the AMI BV8 output transformer. After month of testing this sounded the best of all configurations, I then rented several original U47´s and tested endless hours. We feel we got 95% there and at a fraction of the price.

We might do further research but I am very happy on how this mic sounds, all credit to Olvier and Dany of course

Josh"

https://youtu.be/pVHBPdp9UHg
 
Harry, I built the AMI U47 kit with Thiersch PVC M7, BV08 transformer and Telefunken EF802 tube and could not be happier. The fit and finish of the AMI parts are top notch. It is also has the lowest self noise of any mic I own, including FET U87. If you seqrch, you'll find q wiring diagram I posted here a few years ago that might save you some time.
 
TLRT said:
Are you looking for the EF800 or EF14, or vf14 versions? I have some samples of my EF800 clone and EF14 version(Wunder CM7)

I'm looking for the ef800 actually, so I'd be very great full if you would post one, thank you!

As for the stam mic, that was the other route I was considering once they switched to the bv8, because I'm planning to use the Heiserman 47 capsule anyway (there was a great shootout here using Max's design comparing the thiersch, heiserman, and beesneez k47 types and I felt the heiserman to sounded the best despite my bias towards thiersch, surprisingly, in that circuit at least), but I spoke to Joshua and he said the mic is going to cost more than the AMI kit in the end, now that they have switched components from what was originally projected...

Thanks AusTex64 I read thread, was one of the more influential ones that have pushed me to go the AMI route, thanks! I am curious though, everyone goes thiersch with these, so I'm hesitant to break stride here and go with the heiserman, but in the ioaudio kit I think it sounded best (not necessarily the most authentic).
 
At the time I built my mic, for PVC M7 Thiersch was really the only game around. Now Dany and  Ben and Heisermann offer M7's. I've not heard any of those, so no opinion.  Another factor that influenced my choice of Thiersch was that Oliver used it in CS-4 and people rave about that mic. And he had them around, so I could buy everything in one shot. Lazy, I know.
 
Id personally stay away from the blue Thiersch. sounds bright and harsh to my ears.. not the old u47 sound its known for. but definitely "a" u47 sound.
 
JessJackson said:
Id personally stay away from the blue Thiersch. sounds bright and harsh to my ears.. not the old u47 sound its known for. but definitely "a" u47 sound.

I found the STW7 PVC to be very smooth and three dimensional in Oliver's circuit. I did notice that they make an STW7.1 which has holes for screwing into a U shaped mount. The STW7 requires the original circle capsule holder.

I'm building another AMI U47 for myself with the same Thiersch PVC capsule. We'll see how it turns out.

Thanks!

Paul
 
Interesting.  No U47 around here to audition.  Blue definitely thicker sounding than my Gefell UMT70 from 1997, otherwise similar in character.
 
I think I would actually be more likely to buy the red line, the k47 sound is one I'm more familiar with -- when I think of THE u47 sound, at least. Anyone use the red line? All I've seen so far are either m7s from thiersch/beesneez or the hk47....
 
Blue is what most people I've heard that've tried multiple have settled on.  But that's not saying' anything. 
 
Headless_Harry said:
I think I would actually be more likely to buy the red line, the k47 sound is one I'm more familiar with -- when I think of THE u47 sound, at least. Anyone use the red line? All I've seen so far are either m7s from thiersch/beesneez or the hk47....

If you wanted to be super particular and go bananas tweaking it to your liking, Eric Heiserman will actual tune the capsule to your preference. If you are uncertain about the audio characteristics of different M7 capsules this may the less riskier path to take. I have an M49 with one of his HK47 capsules and its really nice. When I built my first U47, I bought the premium kit from AMI and spoke at length with Dennis there about deciding which route to take regarding the capsule and ended up with the Thiersch blue line (PVC). Even doing initial tests with an average preamp and less than average headphone amp, I noticed this really nice depth to the sound of my voice with pleasant and clear reproduction of the low mids. I did not experience any of the harshness that was mentioned earlier on this thread. Again, my results were in this particular circuit using the nicest components available in their kit.

To reiterate emrr, it seems that the PVC version is very popular with U47 builders. But I believe that you would get subjectively good results with any of the other respectable M7 capsules.

Happy hunting!

Paul

 
Just finished a AMI 47 body, didn't use any of their electronic items just the mechanical kit, which is pretty awesome, you should speak to Denis - they are going to have a complete 47 like the flea kit for significantly cheaper very soon, with the polarity switch in the grille, that's what I have.

I used Chris Galbraith's FAB BV-08 transformer which is really awesome sounding, theirsch blue line and a a UF14. It sounds like god on a stick.

Had to build my own psu to get 0.105MA at 105. Split the power with a 1k 10watt resistor for the 13volts instead of the 1.8k - it gets hot - like 6 watts so I did it in the psu instead of the mics and sent it up a redundant line.
 
Well I’m sold, ultimately I’ve decided to just piece it out — use poctop’s def47 (its Oliver’s design, too, and what Stam is using in their sa-47), replace a few caps with some soviet era pio, I think I’m also going to use Dan Bs D7 since the results Joshua from Stam Audio posted were so good.

Going this route also saves me $400, as opposed to the AMI or Stam, though I believe the body kits is superior from AMI, but, and most importantly, the headbasket of the body I'm buying is supposed to be an exact replica (from ioaudio’s supplier).

Thanks for all of the replies, as I get thing ordered and built I’ll add them to the thread!
 
Back
Top