Microphonics in VF14 and U47

[Whoops]

..and you changed everything back, including the power supply?

https://medias.audiofanzine.com/files/remplacer-vf14-par-nuvistor-477711.pdf
/Jakob E.

Hi Jakob,
the conversion was made by an high quality and very experienced tech, which knows very well all vintage microphones. He actually is from a very well known and respected microphone company that makes their versions (all pretty good by the way) of most of the classics.
I don’t want to say names and I will not say really, it’s not fair that that person would be publicly associated with a microphone I think sounds bad, but please trust me that the person that made the conversion knows very well what he’s doing in terms of the service involved.
And I know very well what I personally like in terms of sound.

Thank you

 

[Timjag]

I did a TV shoot a couple of years ago for a jazz thing, we took my U47 that was modded for a UF11 and a U47 with a VF14 from a rental company, unsurprisingly they didn’t sound too different, but every one agreed my 47 had the edge, was slightly bigger sounding, but their really wasn’t much in it. I honestly wonder if it’s that mine is slightly hotter and less hissy, these mics are very old and unpredictable. They both sounded great, as did the 2 M49s we hired.

I have no interest in putting a vf14 in mine because a) it sounds great and b) whoever did the mod had a bunch of uf11s with it.

I kind of over the rare tube thing, I am however in love with the sowter emi transformers and I’m very sad to see Brian sell to Carnhill, although I totally respect his desire to retire at 83!

 

[soapfoot]

I also don't put quite as much in the VF14 orthodoxy as I once did.

Several times I've been in a studio where there were multiple U47s and U48s. They're usually all in the same "family," but sometimes one or another sounds clearly better. And it's happened more than once that the "good" one had a 13CW4 Nuvistor, or some other anathematic tube.

I suspect that capsule quality and condition is the most important thing

 

[maarvold]

I also don't put quite as much in the VF14 orthodoxy as I once did.

Several times I've been in a studio where there were multiple U47s and U48s. They're usually all in the same "family," but sometimes one or another sounds clearly better. And it's happened more than once that the "good" one had a 13CW4 Nuvistor, or some other anathematic tube.

I suspect that capsule quality and condition is the most important thing

Not to be purposefully argumentative but, to me, the most important thing when doing vocals is to have a mic that totally 'works' for, and hopefully enhances, the singer's voice. And, in my experience, this is often predictable--but not always. To add a little more, I have 2 U47 type mics (Pearlman TM-1s) with Thiersch PVC M7s. They both originally had EF14s but, inspired by a forum topic on another site, I had Dave P. put an EF12 in one of the mics. And that mic has become my most-used vocal mic; I would characterize it as seeming halfway between a U47 and an ELA-M250/251 flavor (in spite of the capsule differences between a 47 and 250/251). FWIW.

 

[ZHOUJUN]

Oh wait, that's just a long screw with a nut on it for mounting the transformer. Duh.

Yes, good!

dear​

 

[Drea]

"Some recent story on the VF14:

2 weeks ago I recorded in a studio, the same studio I worked before as an in house Engineer for many years, this time I was there as a freelance hired by the artist.

The studio has a vintage U47, when I worked there it had a Nuvistor tube, the Mic had been modified long long time ago for the Nuvistor and that tube was installed.
It sounded absolutely great, and thousands of records were recorded in the last 40 years using it."

You could easily send your "BAD" " BAD" tube to me.

 

[Whoops]

You could easily send your "BAD" " BAD" tube to me.

It's not my Tube.
If it was I would sell it for a lot of money for sure to some gearslutz addict that was looking for the holy gail

 

[Drea]

It's not my Tube.
If it was I would sell it for a lot of money for sure to some gearslutz addict that was looking for the holy gail

like me I'm a VF14 admirer . a VF14 addict is beter for your health than alcohol.

 

[Whoops]

a VF14 addict is beter for your health than alcohol.

I have no idea what that means... neither if it's a good or bad thing.

I'm addicted to Love and Happiness, not to some insignificant thing like an ancient obsolete tube.
But each to his own I guess.

 

[Moby]

I have no idea what that means... neither if it's a good or bad thing.

I'm addicted to Love and Happiness, not to some insignificant thing like an ancient obsolete tube.
But each to his own I guess.

I think that happiness is to find a full NOS box of VF14M's. Then to share it with your friends and make them happy. LOL

 

[Whoops]

I think that happiness is to find a full NOS box of VF14M's. Then to share it with your friends and make them happy. LOL

For Sure

I have some friends in Belgrade that would love that, one of them is even a huge Pop star, great singer with beautiful long hair, a very attractive man.
When I find that box I will gladly send it to him.

 

[Purplenoise]

I think that happiness is to find a full NOS box of VF14M's. Then to share it with your friends and make them happy. LOL

No better way to spread the love

 

[Drea]

How many vf14’s belongings in “a full nos box”.

 

[Moby]

How many vf14’s belongings in “a full nos box”.

12

 

[Drea]

12

I will never get that full house.

 

[litespeedgreg]

It looks like you have two in that case (based on your photo) and I know someone who also has two (ahem), so that makes four-lol! Any others? I think a few others on here have a stash.

 

[maarvold]

If I remember correctly, there were less than 6,000 VF14 tubes ever made (5,400 maybe) and some of those are considered to be too noisy for microphone use, although I don't know the percentage. I think the idea of a box full of NOS VF14s is an idea that is no longer feasible, except maybe in a dream.

 

[gyraf]

Somewhere there's at least half a box of them..

 

[Whoops]

Aren’t the ones selected for U47 use the VF14M and not the standard VF14?

 

[gyraf]

IIRC only the first batch were selected into M/non-M by Neumann - the later were only designated VF14 if they reached spec..

As I understand it, this tube was manufactured exclusively for Neumann and German Radio by AEG/Telefunken