Thanks for doing the comparison. There's a significant problem with the vintage M49B. You can hear it clearly when you A/B on the sax recordings. There's a prominent hum. Maybe it was somewhere along the patch? More likely the mic or power supply. So yeah.... modern classics are the way to go!
Good comparison, but even better would be a more historical context - these mics shine in a large reflective room positioned at a greater distance from the talent. It seems that the spec at what distance a (directional) microphone has its flattest frequency response is often lost, especially when comparing mics. Those mics were not intended to be that close…
Just Friends on a Mark Vi. Both mics sound good. As a tenor,player, I’m getting what I need from both yet warmer is always better! The B sounds more natural, flatter across the range, the V has the modern presence bump by comparison…thanks for the horn sample. Every shoot out these days is bad vocalist, cool guitars or rap. A sax is difficult because of how many directions the sound emerges from the horn. We’ll done. Thanks!
While the frequency response of the Reissue and Vintage are incredibly similar, there is a distinct difference in output dynamics. Dynamically the new Reissue outputs more consistent and smoother dynamics than the Vintage. The Reissue sounds more polished and closer to a finished recording than the Vintage. The signal output levels of the Vintage are significantly wider than the Reissue, and not in a good way. The Vintage sounds a bit expanded, which is the opposite of compressed, while the dynamics of the Reissue sound much more natural. The dynamic output of the Vintage sounds a bit closer to that of a dynamic microphone in comparison to the Reissue. To my ears it sounds like the new Reissue is consistently sending a stronger and healthier signal through the tubes and rest of the electronics, while output and sound quality of the Vintage is more dependent on the sound pressure levels hitting the capsule. With lower SPL, the Vintage perhaps sounds thinner than the Reissue, and with higher momentary SPL, it definitely sounds more harsh and shouty. It will take more post-processing compression to get the Vintage to sound like a polished recording than the Reissue. I assume this difference in dynamic quality has to do with the effects of aging electronic components in the Vintage. All in all, for most recording purposes, the new Reissue M49 is clearly superior in terms of dynamic sound quality when compared to this particular Vintage M49. This is by far the most audible difference between the two.
You know what's funny. I did not add those TH-cam section Lables. My conclusion is Neumann freaking nailed this one and I really, really want a new re-issue M49V. Its that nice.
It sounds glorious
Minus the sax where the hum is apparent, I would be fine punching one for the other one on the same track. Very impressive.
Thats pretty much how we felt.
Thanks for doing the comparison. There's a significant problem with the vintage M49B. You can hear it clearly when you A/B on the sax recordings. There's a prominent hum. Maybe it was somewhere along the patch? More likely the mic or power supply. So yeah.... modern classics are the way to go!
There is something to be said for modern VS vintage electronics.
Good comparison, but even better would be a more historical context - these mics shine in a large reflective room positioned at a greater distance from the talent. It seems that the spec at what distance a (directional) microphone has its flattest frequency response is often lost, especially when comparing mics. Those mics were not intended to be that close…
Just Friends on a Mark Vi. Both mics sound good. As a tenor,player, I’m getting what I need from both yet warmer is always better! The B sounds more natural, flatter across the range, the V has the modern presence bump by comparison…thanks for the horn sample. Every shoot out these days is bad vocalist, cool guitars or rap. A sax is difficult because of how many directions the sound emerges from the horn. We’ll done. Thanks!
While the frequency response of the Reissue and Vintage are incredibly similar, there is a distinct difference in output dynamics. Dynamically the new Reissue outputs more consistent and smoother dynamics than the Vintage. The Reissue sounds more polished and closer to a finished recording than the Vintage. The signal output levels of the Vintage are significantly wider than the Reissue, and not in a good way. The Vintage sounds a bit expanded, which is the opposite of compressed, while the dynamics of the Reissue sound much more natural. The dynamic output of the Vintage sounds a bit closer to that of a dynamic microphone in comparison to the Reissue. To my ears it sounds like the new Reissue is consistently sending a stronger and healthier signal through the tubes and rest of the electronics, while output and sound quality of the Vintage is more dependent on the sound pressure levels hitting the capsule. With lower SPL, the Vintage perhaps sounds thinner than the Reissue, and with higher momentary SPL, it definitely sounds more harsh and shouty. It will take more post-processing compression to get the Vintage to sound like a polished recording than the Reissue. I assume this difference in dynamic quality has to do with the effects of aging electronic components in the Vintage. All in all, for most recording purposes, the new Reissue M49 is clearly superior in terms of dynamic sound quality when compared to this particular Vintage M49. This is by far the most audible difference between the two.
the B is sweeter. the V is more up front and present.
The B version is better. V sounds thinner and more brilliant. Both are very close.
In the part of the video labelled “conclusion” you didn’t make a conclusion
You know what's funny. I did not add those TH-cam section Lables. My conclusion is Neumann freaking nailed this one and I really, really want a new re-issue M49V. Its that nice.
the vintage is more sweet