Neumann M147 DIY with Arienne K87 (add comparison with u87ai sound files)

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

oscarhuang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2020
Messages
159
The Neumann M147 is a very expensive microphone. I checked their circuit diagram and found that the basic principle should not be difficult. There is no output transformer, and a vacuum tube is used as the impedance conversion, and a transistor and an operational amplifier are used as the output part.

The hardest part for me was his power part. There are three sets of power supplies, one is the high voltage of the tube and the filament of the tube. There is also a group for operational amplifiers and transistors. Fortunately, I found a DC-DC with an input voltage of 3.5v-35v and an output from 5v-50v!

My power transformer is AC 140v and 10v. After rectification, the high-voltage DC voltage is 207v under no load. I tried resistor divider under no load and got 75v voltage. The load is about 65v. The filament voltage through the LM317 is approximately 6v. I connected the DC-DC to the filament voltage and adjusted it to 32v after boosting it. We can see through the multimeter that the voltage is basically fine.

I assembled all the components. I didn't have a 6111 for the tube, so I used a 6072 instead. I tried a lot of K47 and M7 for the capsule, but they were all too dark for me. I happen to have Arienne's k87 v1.5. When I installed it, I felt that the sound was what I liked. Although there is no NFB circuit, the k87 does not have serious sibilance under the tube. In terms of low frequency, I controlled the bass by adjusting the size of the R12 resistor, and finally settled on 56k. For op amps, I can play around with a lot of different ones to see which one suits me better.

Below are some pictures. Article translated by Google Translator. If anything is wrong please tell me.
 

Attachments

  • dc-dc 1.png
    dc-dc 1.png
    1.4 MB
  • dc-dc.png
    dc-dc.png
    1.6 MB
  • heat power.png
    heat power.png
    1.5 MB
  • M147.png
    M147.png
    708.5 KB
  • mic1.png
    mic1.png
    1.6 MB
  • mic2.png
    mic2.png
    1.6 MB
  • opamp power.png
    opamp power.png
    1.4 MB
  • psu.png
    psu.png
    1.6 MB
  • transformer.png
    transformer.png
    1.5 MB
  • tube power.png
    tube power.png
    1.6 MB
Last edited:
U87AI sounds more "even" and "softer" to my ears. I compared the part counting "one, two, three..".

I wonder if anyone would just replace the Neumann capsule inside UA87AI with Arienne K87 and what or if we might hear any difference.
 
U87AI sounds more "even" and "softer" to my ears. I compared the part counting "one, two, three..".

I wonder if anyone would just replace the Neumann capsule inside UA87AI with Arienne K87 and what or if we might hear any difference.
I can do this when I get my K87s in the next batch! but I have a vintage U87 not the AI
 
If you have a vintage U87i I bet absolutely everyone is curious about the comparison, it would be the coolest test.
(But on the other hand, tampering with the classic, expensive microphone would decrease its market value)
 
I’m actually
If you have a vintage U87i I bet absolutely everyone is curious about the comparison, it would be the coolest test.
(But on the other hand, tampering with the classic, expensive microphone would decrease its market value)
Don't worry about my mic. If it is done properly you will not be able to tell that it has been worked on. To note my K87 is damaged on one side, so I'm looking for a KK87 to come up which has not been restored. I will use the second head basket to change the capsules and keep one as vintage stock.

I want to test a Beez Kneez K7 an Arienne audio K87, a vintage K87 and a reskinned K87.

There is a lot of great informative information from Klaus Heyne, although subjective are many of his comments, he does acknowledge this.

I've read one post where he says re-skinned capsules will sound different and you should get Neumann to service/replace.

On the other hand his extensive document on the U67 reissue he states part of the sound of the reissue U67 not being as good as a vintage is due to the capsule.

Read into this what you will, but ultimately I want to know for myself with some solid AB's.
 
I’m actually

Don't worry about my mic. If it is done properly you will not be able to tell that it has been worked on. To note my K87 is damaged on one side, so I'm looking for a KK87 to come up which has not been restored. I will use the second head basket to change the capsules and keep one as vintage stock.

I want to test a Beez Kneez K7 an Arienne audio K87, a vintage K87 and a reskinned K87.

There is a lot of great informative information from Klaus Heyne, although subjective are many of his comments, he does acknowledge this.

I've read one post where he says re-skinned capsules will sound different and you should get Neumann to service/replace.

On the other hand his extensive document on the U67 reissue he states part of the sound of the reissue U67 not being as good as a vintage is due to the capsule.

Read into this what you will, but ultimately I want to know for myself with some solid AB's.
OK, now you've made me even more curious. A shootout in the big league. Definitely extremely interesting!
 
I have a question about the M147 that I still can't solve. Because it is an unbalanced output, when I turn on 48v, the microphone amplifier will have some noise. I tried connecting pin 3 of the xlr to ground using capacitors and resistors, but there was no solution.
 
Because it is an unbalanced output, when I turn on 48v, the microphone amplifier will have some noise.

How have you determined that's because it's an impedance-balanced output? Does the noise go away if you use a 1:1 or 2:1 transformer?
 
Back
Top