Well damn. You really have the whole lineup of basically all the important ones. Her vocals are just outstanding! The bottom end of the U47 was excellent on THIS subdued tune, but that C12 literally sounds like "a record that some grammy winning diva just made".
Before I read this comment I literally had the same thought as I cycled through the different mics. I thought I would automatically love the U47, but I caught myself pausing on the C12 because it sounded so perfect for this particular singer / track.
@@giselegillen6731 you are really trying to get me in trouble. Ha ha. Now I have to check out the Melodium 42b while here in Paris. Any tips where I can go? My review will be on the Ocean Way M1-b. I had just unwrapped it then had to leave for France. I still have a week here then I get to try it. Meanwhile, is it worth checking g out the 42b while here? Hmmm... souvenir.....8-)
WOW What an incredible singer and an equally incredible recording !!! This is in every way the perfection we all strive for, a quiet recording that is also intimate and full of emotion... This is Brilliant
Interesting isn’t it. The 47 just slots so well in a mix and you can see why. That mid range honk just great. The Elam251 sounds mix ready though. Great sound.
@@HarvinderSingh-yy8th cool, I guess. The one in vid is vintage. Not saying it’s bad, but it doesn’t work near as well as the c12 and 251 on this voice
I (unfortunately) prefer the U47 - unfortunately since it's completely unaffordable (I own the U67 re-issue) if not almost impossible to get hold of. It sounds close to the U67 but has that tad bit bump in the right frequencies which makes it sound very exciting and mix-ready without ANY eqing
Really nice mic comparison. Great singing. I find it hard to pick between these classic mics. You couldn't go wrong with any of them. All are outstanding in different ways.
The U47 had a kind of 'human' quality to the sound, and the 251 had fantastic detail and tonal balance. I preferred these two to the others, although they were all amazing. Love the singer too.
Nice to hear a mic shootout with actual music and not the typical autotuned pop pap. Very nice! I liked the U47 and ELAM 251 best, depending on the intention. Amazing clarity on the 251 with the U47 providing a more 'vintage' but equally amazing sound. The U67 is also great but I hear a bit more of the mic working as opposed to the naturalness of the voice itself. Like it's a bit veiled sounding, though very intimate and pleasant still.
@@orangeroom5414 I wouldn't say I 'didn't care', all the mics sound great but I'd probably add a tiny bit of 8k or 10k to the U47 and C12. Upon listening again, I think the 251 sounds just about perfect to me, 'HiFi' and clear but also round and warm. There is a presence and 'grab' to it that isn't hyped. The U67 came in last for me, I hear more of the mic instead of the voice, it says 'vintage' but I'm not sure if I like that so much.
I think the U47 is the odd one of the bunch. It was the one that I didn't expected to do so well on her female voice, but I actually found it to be the most emotional. All the others are great as expected, but are more articulate and that seemed to take away some of the emotion for me. Cheers. Fabulous video by way!
Hi Jon! Ha ha. Not really meant to have a winner. Just hopefully showing the different characteristics. I appreciate your vote choosing the 251 for a more modern sound.
This is the best shootout I have seen on TH-cam for these mics. The singer, the music and the song itself makes it easier to compare them. Really nicely done guys! Would love to see more videos from you! The vocalist is just top notch! Could you please publish the signal chain? Thanks a ton!
@@skolappacaguy I've had it forever. The U47, from Vintage King a long time ago. They went to my studio and had me sample about 5 of them and I chose the one I have.
Great shootout, a great singer, and song choice. I'd love to hear the .wav files. I love the chest of the Neumann's and the air of the C12 and Elam 251. They are all classic mics.
Well the open top end of the 251 is very apparent and in such and intimate setting maybe a little too much, but for more complex settings that was the one that required the lest effort to keep present in a mix. I worked for a long time in a facility that had 67s, 47s, but just 1 251. The 67s lived in the piano. The 47s came out when something needed to sound "larger". Upright especially. Harmon mute (covered with a sock, bell touching the windscreen). But that particular 251 more or less lived on the big vocal boom with the wheeled base - just tied a felt bag around it when not in use.... Thanks for this - so well done. Listened for an hour on my little Genelec "ones" ... What a vocal delivery!
Thank you so much for your insight. Must have been a blast working in a place that had access to great mics and great artists! Your contribution is absolutely appreciated!
Best demo ever......67 had a perfect balance with body , the 47 was sexy, warm and gorgeous but a lot of lip and mouth noise was picked up. The AKG was simply lovely ....and Telefunken was too much everything ..harsh at times
Thanks Vincent for your feedback. Pretty sure if I spent more time preparing and customizing, I could fix the issues you heard with the 47 and would be able to tame the 251. The goal was just to see the general differences in character.
My Goodness this man is very Talented I did not expect that, because I was here for a college assignment research, but found a nice mellow singer too. and I am going to go ahead and get this Microphone.
Beautifully done, thanks. What I really loved was that they all sound fantastic. You wouldn't be wrong to choose any of them. The 67 had the best low level detail, but the 251 was the most polished for her vocal. The C12 sounded really good too, but I kept noticing a slightly boomy resonance on certain notes that wasn't on any of the others. It was a little like when a bass has a few notes that boom out and drive you mad when mixing. The 47 sounded truly classic. I'd love to hear the exact same shootout with a powerful male vocal, hint hint ;-) Great work!
Beautiful mic comparison! My favorites are the U67 and the C12. The U47 is like a more perfect version of the U67 but the imperfections of the U67 is what makes me want it more because it sounds so damn unique lol. The 251 is like a more balanced C12 but the fact that the C12 is the C12 makes me want it more :) Plus, I like the high end of the C12. Gorgeous ;)
Yeah. I keep going back to the U67 on certain parts because it sounds so unique. You instantly can tell the difference between them. It's a little fatiguing on some parts though. The AKG is an all around work horse and I can see it being more useful for more applications with a wider low end. In some parts of the song though the U67 just shines and opens up her voice.
That 251 had everything for her voice. It had the full body with all the transients and high end you'd want without being splashy. The c12 was close but was missing the body.
U67 way above the others for her lovely voice...! Thanks for a great job..! don't get me wrong the others are fabulous mics too... second best is the U47 , third comes the C12 and last by far the ELAM 251.
I love how there's no blanket consensus on any of the mics in the comments here! Usually these mic shoot-outs compare industry legends and modernised clones, reissues, or budget options and comments usually gravitate towards the industry standard regardless so it's really refreshing seeing a lineup of legends and a real honest diversity of opinion. Great great vid! To me, surprisingly, I loved the U47. I'm used to hearing that mic emphasise bassier male vocals and didn't think it'd stand out in this lineup but it was so good. It had *just* enough of an open top end to add definition and clarity to the consonants and the full mids and low end just made it feel so intimate, it was a very emotional sound and I loved it. The U67 and C12 were good, but I don't think they lent themselves to this piece much. They were well rounded, but they both felt a bit bombastic in their own way, the U67 in a more classic way, the C12 in a bit more modern a way, and I think either of these could have been contenders if you were belting this piece but as it was I don't think they made their cases as well as the U47. The 251 is one of my personal faves so I was really rooting for it and I was really disappointed with it here honestly. It added so much to your high end that it went well past the point of airy and open and felt a bit too sharp and sibilant. Did you have a favourite out of these?
Thanks for your detailed feedback AR! I agree with your thoughts. I started by comparing these mics and after hearing comments, it's as you say, all over the place. I then realized, the goal of the test really has to narrow down to which mic would fit this singer in this genre out of the box. I can tell you, she has a biased favorite, the C12. But that's her taste and that's what inspires her. If not for this test, she wouldn't even consider recording with the others. So - in this scenario, I would have to say the C12 not because I think it was necessarily the best sounding, but I think I can get the best performance of her using that mic. A few weeks ago, I had a singer where we went through the same line up, and both of us were blown away by the 251 and went wioth that. Before that, I used the U47 for a whole album as the person was all smiles when he tried it. This exercise allowed me to easily identify the different characteristics of the mics so I can have a best guess which mic might fit the next artist I'm working with. So then fast forward, I tried this again with the different mics with different mic pres, and sigh, I told myself, it's time to go to work! LOL. Thanks again for your comments.
With these 4 mic models, the problem can only be coming from the sound source. For the rest, it's sure of excellent quality, you can't go wrong. honorable mention to U67, which, in my view, among the 4, must be the one that recorded throughout history the greatest number of hits in the phonographic industry. greetings from Salvador-Bahia, Brazil!
Fantastic video, great singer! To me you can really hear how the microphone changes the mood. They're all fantastic but as people who care about gear, we need to discuss that more than just which one is 'better'. We rarely talk about how gear changes the mood, which is what music is all about isn't it? With that in mind, here's how I would rate them for this song and singer: U67 - lean and understated but natural and classy. gorgeous without even trying. U47 - bold, refined, and luxurious. that special big date night kind of sound. C12 - classy, refined, flawless. if a mic were and occasion, this one requires your best outfit, jewelry, and fragrance. 251 - a little more on the raw side, almost aggressive on a sweet song like this. those qualities bring a vulnerability to the singer's voice that seems appropriate.
Thank you @Push Twist Pop!. Very well said. Absolutely not about which one is better as you say. Your take on this is loudly heard and noted. Thank you! Appreciate you taking the time to contribute to the discussion.
For me, they are all amazing, but on this material and her voice, I liked the C12 best, followed by the U47, U67, and the 251 last. But, none were bad.
Greetings, This was an amazing comparison between great mics!!! Also if I may add thank you for having a vocalist who's voice didn't take away from the listening experience, but rather added to it overall. You can really hear the prox effect on the mics. It sounded like you did multiple takes and did not do them all at the same time because the delivery changed everytime. BUT, things still can through fairly well. I gotta agree that the C12 was my choice of all these takes, but once again I'm so happy that this video was made. Do you have the waves available for download? I would love to hear these go up against some of the clones using the same song. I wonder how things would stand up.
Thank you for taking the time to give your feedback. I will have to look for these wav files. I'm pretty sure I have it. When I get a chance I will give you access to them. I also added a ribbon mic in the mix to compare. Check it out in my channel. You are right, recorded all of them seperately. I wanted to use the same mic pre for all and didn't have ability to do it all at once. Thanks again.,
Ditto the comments on her amazing voice! To my old ears, I thought that the softer passages had an ethereal quality on the U67, which I liked very much.
Thank you for this comparison! ❤ They are all legendary mikes and each one is incredible... However I have been a u67 fan for years now and I find the sound of it the most natural and most pleasing to my ears of all the microphones ever made.... but it's always nice to read other people's opinion to see how different they percept the sound. Anyway, I am picking up u67 this month and it's my dream coming true... Thank you again!
She would sound good on a standard SM-58, however from what I heard here all are great by the C12 seems it would need less processing in the track where the u47 seems kinda spongy I noticed that with my U47 on some vocals. The U67 was duller again great mic just leaned a tad dull. But the C12 & 251 were really good with the C12 coming out a little on top. Great mics & Great Video thanks for sharing!!!
WOW! Wonderful comparison! Wonderful Singing! Thank youuuuu! C12 makes my bold hair stand up! :D i like her voice best on the C12! hands down!!!!!!!!!!! witch one did you like ? witch one did the singer like?
Check out the #2 test. This time, I alternated the mics within a song. I also had her sing about 12-14 inches away to get a better balance. Let me know if it changes for you. Thanks. th-cam.com/video/YsgYY3NXBeI/w-d-xo.html
Great singer! Very good representation of those mics. I wish an M49 with M7 capsule had been thrown in and that would have pretty much covered the vintage tube mics. Still very good shootout!
C12 sounds phenomenal as well as the 251!!!! I would love to hear comparsions from your vintage Mics against the Townsends Labs Sphere L22. How close will this moddeling Mic come against the real ones? But I'm sure nothing beats the real deal!
Thanks for the comment. I do not have access to the Townsends Labs Sphere L22. Most of these mics would probably come really close. For me, a big part of what it gives is that inspiration that you are singing in a mic with lots of history behind it. Happy holidays to you!
Basically, I thought that the U47 and 251 conveyed the most emotion (and were the most acoustically pleasing). And, I felt that the 251 conveyed the most intimacy. But of course, everyone's ear is different, and it depends what speakers/headphones they are listening to this on. I'm listening on the speakers of a Macbook Pro.
@@orangeroom5414 the prettiest thing about it is that everything is bypassable , so you can use its pure signal with any flavor of compression/eq you like (kinda DW fearn pre)
Well, if you want "what comes out is what went in", most people in the industry know the U67 wins every time (with just a micro tad of sweetness added from the tube). The rest of them add more color, which is usually what people want ( if the "color' added is what color they want). I know, back in the day,..female vox (at least the ones I was aware of) leaned more heavily to the C12 than the others. We usually always went with U87 unless there were some U67s around. Now that the world is digital, you can't just go with a U87 and be good. You don't get help from natural tape compression,etc.,
She's so close to the mics it's a bit hard to really judge. But for me it's the U67 and the C12. But that could be because there less proximity effect with those mics.
Like a number of other commenters I found the ELA M 251 quite captivating on her voice in terms of the pushed sound and the warm air. And the sound may have benefited from the known proximity effect of this mic. That said, sibilance on the top end is noticeable and IMHO distracts from the loveliness of the performance. I actually found the U67 to be the most balanced for her voice. Subjective listening of course.
For me, u67 delivers a very consistent tonality throughout, although at the cost of very very slight dynamic range, almost like compressing some of the tonality, if that makes any sense. The u47, regardless of freq response, seems to deliver more midrange presence throughout (not what I expected). C12 seems to be a tad brighter than all, but in a very sonically pleasing way. At times, the ELA m 251 sounds a bit thin, and just doesn't fill a niche with this singer (nit pick). I think, interestingly enough, the u67's almost subdued tone works best for this specific performance and singer. Of course, the caveat is, all these differences are minute and the actual tangible differences between mics of this caliber are just that, minute. The performance is stellar and all of these mics shine in their own regard.
Should've have given the singer credit on this one, man. Sorry if I couldn't find it below. And the 251 is just stunning. I mean, they all are outstanding. But holy friggin' cow that 251.
Ha ha. Appreciate your comments. Regarding the singer, my wife prefers her recordings be private and not be known. I’m lucky she allowed me to post this. 8-(
Amazing voice, man. Thanks for the vid, it was well done. I've worked with the C12 before but not the ELAM 251. Questions answered and I'm blown away. Difficult to find quality vids. What pre, if you don't mind sharing? Wasn't sure anything could hang with the C12. @@orangeroom5414
@@flacmonster I believe I used my Retro Powerstrip for that recording. Lately, I’ve been using the Manley Voxbox for vocals and I have to say, I’m in tears of joy when I put my C12 or the 251 on it.
Interesting. I recently removed the VoxBox and the 737SP from my wish list. That darn list changes so often I'm not entirely certain it's relevant. That being said, I'm very nervous about printing EQ and Compression on the way in. :P@@orangeroom5414
U67 has clarity and brightness, but still smooth enough when more vocal presences is given by the singer . The ELA M 251 sounded very close to the U67, but lacked a little behind in the U67 smoothness when the singer pushed more presence into the mic. The U47 would be my 3rd pick, with all obviously having the ability to sound better than the other depending on the vocalist voice. Great shootout and very nice vocals!
Great comparison video. Thanks! The ELAM 251 sounded insanely good on her voice, left the others in the dust. I could never afford a 251 but I have a 414eb with the CK12 capsule so at least I got that. If those mics are yours congrats!
I disagree. The US "Elam" from this scammer company who bought the Telefunken name rights has not much in common with the original. The only thing that sounds good is the [borought] name
@@RockmannMusic A little harsh there my Rocketmann 8-). I don't work for Tele-USA so I'm very neutral. I only buy mics that inspire me and artists I work with. This 251 definitely does that. I'm happy they and other clones have tried to really replicate the almost unattainable vintage 251 - or at least the better sounding versions as they definitely had inconsistency in manufacturing. I am particularly impressed that I can take any part of this mic and use it to replace any part of a vintage 251 and it will work. That gives me confidence as to the detail they put into this. Besides, don't discount that you like the "borought" name. That alone may hold or even increase the value of the mic long term and perhaps, it may be worth investing in this mic . In any case, this was not about vintage vs Tele-USA. I was providing hopefully good info on the different characteristics of mics I have access to. Take care my mann.
The Telefunken is larger than life! Is there noise reduction done here, and not on the Ribbon video? It's interesting, the Ribbon seems to have more detail/high end than most of the condensers, but it seems like the processing might have been a bit different? What did you think of the Ribbon?
Is that the Retro channel strip? I had that for a minute and it's weird, as the preamp level also determings the input level to the fixed threshhold compressor so you have to split the difference between sufficient level and overcompression. And the EQ is not Pultec-like, which I believe is the objective. So I think it's a strange choice for these fine mics. Don't you think they'd be less sibilant just going thru an API? She's a very nice singer. I thought she needed that U47 low mid emphasis,, which an API would flatter even more. Thanks.
Thanks for your input. I just picked the retro for the test as I just got it and wanted to play with it. I've been playing around with different combination mic prfe to mic. Just have to find the magic pairs.
I love to be nitpicky, but honestly, I'd be happy with either of the 4 mics. And especially with a singer like that! Great capture and production. Just wow. 🙂 How much would you say the sound is also due to the Retro Instruments Powerstrip?
@@orangeroom5414 I'm going to sound stupid, but on my Apollo X8P, the "manley" preamp simulation sounds amazing. I'm really tempted by the Manley Force (4 preamps). And thanks for your kind answer.
Loved the smoothness of the u67, the u47 sounded the biggest, C12 had too much audible distortion, the ELAM 251 sounded the most modern (my choice). They all sound phenomenal though. It's choosing between royalty, really. All major sounds are represented, and just about all others are clones of these in some manner.
Man you've got some ears. I couldn't hear much distortion until she got into her chest voice, and even then it didn't seem like too much to me. I've got some learning left to do! 😁
Thank you for your comment. Her name is Alma Silos. We used to be in a band together then I married her. 8-) We stay out of public for the most part but if you are curious, we do send out Christmas Videos as cards to our family. It does use some of these mics I've been testing. vimeo.com/almasilos
For me, it is the U47 for this singer and for this performance, easy. U67 is a close second then probably the C12 and then the 251. The U47 is out of this world yet real sounding. Something magical for sure.
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AKG C12 for her voice was perfect and clear.
Thanks!
The Elam- is the way to go- same mic they used on all those old Natalie Cole records- Anita Baker-
U67 was perfect for her voice.
Without a doubt, the microphone that best suits her voice is the Telefunken ELAM 251.
Agreed
Thanks Carlos.
i 100% agree...I had to go back and listen again and again....that 251 is killer!!!! the C12 is right behind it...
The 251 sounds incredible
Too Essy and too defined clicks
Well damn. You really have the whole lineup of basically all the important ones. Her vocals are just outstanding! The bottom end of the U47 was excellent on THIS subdued tune, but that C12 literally sounds like "a record that some grammy winning diva just made".
Thank you for your feedback. I don't know about the grammy winning but you got the diva part right! LOL.
@@orangeroom5414 Ah she's difficult to work with eh? Yeah that figures. Talent usually comes with ego
@@ikigai47 I'm just making fun of my wife!
Amazing how good sources sound when they aren't screwed around with, right?
Before I read this comment I literally had the same thought as I cycled through the different mics. I thought I would automatically love the U47, but I caught myself pausing on the C12 because it sounded so perfect for this particular singer / track.
251 for her beautiful voice.....
Agreed!
@@Redhotlugnut I'd put C12 and U67 both as good options, followed by 47 and 251 last.
Has the best of the U47 and C12 combined. Beautiful vocal.
The 4 best mic's in the world.. and what a voice!!
I thank you and my wife thanks you! 8-)
For me the m49 is missing
@@giselegillen6731 Please don't tempt me to buy an M49. LOL. When I get back from France next week, I will be adding a ribbon mic to the comparison.
@@orangeroom5414 Melodium 42b ?
@@giselegillen6731 you are really trying to get me in trouble. Ha ha. Now I have to check out the Melodium 42b while here in Paris. Any tips where I can go? My review will be on the Ocean Way M1-b. I had just unwrapped it then had to leave for France. I still have a week here then I get to try it. Meanwhile, is it worth checking g out the 42b while here? Hmmm... souvenir.....8-)
WOW What an incredible singer and an equally incredible recording !!! This is in every way the perfection we all strive for, a quiet recording that is also intimate and full of emotion... This is Brilliant
Thank you so much for the kind words!
Interesting isn’t it. The 47 just slots so well in a mix and you can see why. That mid range honk just great. The Elam251 sounds mix ready though. Great sound.
Beautiful voice and killer mics!
congrats! probably one of the best mic comparisons here, it's very useful!!
Thank you!
Emotion carries best with the U67. My clear favourite for sound and musicality. Great voice indeed!
Oh wow, thank you for your feedback.
Nah, it doesn't capture the nice high-end like the others. Sounds rolled off at the top or has too much mids.
U67 reissue costs 7500 dollars.
@@HarvinderSingh-yy8th cool, I guess. The one in vid is vintage. Not saying it’s bad, but it doesn’t work near as well as the c12 and 251 on this voice
I (unfortunately) prefer the U47 - unfortunately since it's completely unaffordable (I own the U67 re-issue) if not almost impossible to get hold of. It sounds close to the U67 but has that tad bit bump in the right frequencies which makes it sound very exciting and mix-ready without ANY eqing
They are all awesome mics.
BEAUTIFUL singer! thx for this video
That's some CRAZY good tone!! ...both vocalist and gear. Kudos
Thank you!
They all sound fine.
Beautiful Voice ! I love the U47 ! beautiful warm for this voice and song ! very good combo !
Thank you for your comment.
Incredible comparison video
Really nice mic comparison. Great singing. I find it hard to pick between these classic mics. You couldn't go wrong with any of them. All are outstanding in different ways.
I agree. . Putting them side by side makes it easier to pick what you are going for. Thanks for listening!
Fell in love with the voice!!
Love using these mics on worthy singers for sure!!! I will relay the complement.
Wonderfull singing ! Thank you very much for this video !
C12 is pure perfection. Thanks for this shootout!
You are welcome. Yes, the C12 is one of my workhorse magic mic!
The U47 had a kind of 'human' quality to the sound, and the 251 had fantastic detail and tonal balance. I preferred these two to the others, although they were all amazing. Love the singer too.
Thank you for taking the time for your feedback.
add an La2a to any Mic, it will go in this direction of "human" quality in style of the u47 vintage sound.
Nice to hear a mic shootout with actual music and not the typical autotuned pop pap. Very nice! I liked the U47 and ELAM 251 best, depending on the intention. Amazing clarity on the 251 with the U47 providing a more 'vintage' but equally amazing sound. The U67 is also great but I hear a bit more of the mic working as opposed to the naturalness of the voice itself. Like it's a bit veiled sounding, though very intimate and pleasant still.
Thank you Andreas? I take it you didn't care for the C12 on her? Thank you for your thoughts on this.
@@orangeroom5414 I wouldn't say I 'didn't care', all the mics sound great but I'd probably add a tiny bit of 8k or 10k to the U47 and C12. Upon listening again, I think the 251 sounds just about perfect to me, 'HiFi' and clear but also round and warm. There is a presence and 'grab' to it that isn't hyped.
The U67 came in last for me, I hear more of the mic instead of the voice, it says 'vintage' but I'm not sure if I like that so much.
I think the U47 is the odd one of the bunch. It was the one that I didn't expected to do so well on her female voice, but I actually found it to be the most emotional. All the others are great as expected, but are more articulate and that seemed to take away some of the emotion for me. Cheers. Fabulous video by way!
Thanks Ron. Thank you for your take on this.
agreed
Yes i had the same impression
U47 made it sound compact in the mids. The 251 was all over the place but in the mid or gently in your face. .
don't forget billie holiday used a u47!
The U47 sounds abdsolutely awesome - followed by the U67
The winner is you for having these four mics! I would probably choose the 251 because it's the most modern sounding, but all are amazing.
Hi Jon! Ha ha. Not really meant to have a winner. Just hopefully showing the different characteristics. I appreciate your vote choosing the 251 for a more modern sound.
This is the best shootout I have seen on TH-cam for these mics. The singer, the music and the song itself makes it easier to compare them. Really nicely done guys! Would love to see more videos from you! The vocalist is just top notch! Could you please publish the signal chain? Thanks a ton!
Thank you Siva. Basically Mic to Retro Powerstrip, Then into my A/D converter (RME Babyface Pro) in this case, Then onto Protools.
@@orangeroom5414 Thanks and keep it up! Where did you buy the vintage mics from?
@@skolappacaguy I've had it forever. The U47, from Vintage King a long time ago. They went to my studio and had me sample about 5 of them and I chose the one I have.
I agree...he actually put them in a mix...this is how you shoot out...pick a song not too busy as well...great work
Agree.
I like the U47 best. The emotion transfers better and there seems to be more space around the vocal.
Great comparison, unbelievable how little views this has gotten. All these mics sound great, but the U67 is a clear winner for me.
Thank you for your vote on the U67.
No U87AI is winner. Only clean sound doesn't matter. It should also appear to be natural. You need more understandings.
Great shootout, a great singer, and song choice. I'd love to hear the .wav files. I love the chest of the Neumann's and the air of the C12 and Elam 251. They are all classic mics.
When I have time, I can upload the wav files on google drive.
@@orangeroom5414 Thanks, It sounds great now, I'm looking forward to hearing the .wav files. Let me know. Cheers, Perry aka Techboy57
@@orangeroom5414 any update on this?
A outstanding comparison best example on TH-cam 🙏👍
They're all super good. But the ELAM 251 is simply magical. Vocals are super nice. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment. The votes are all over the place. This is wild!
@@orangeroom5414 Because people don't have good monitoring. But on my monitors ELAM 251 definitely the best.
Love the fullness and clarity of the 251. Listening on Adam AX7's! And, I have a Elam 251!
wow awesome ! They all great...love the c12 most
I am keeping score. Thank you for your input!
Ok all of these mics are great in their own way, but what I’m really impressed with is your voice!
I will relay the complement. Thank you.
Mic paradise right there… thanks for the video!
Thank you Eric!
U47 again. So smooth and rich. Fits just perfect for her voice.
The ELA M251 is also great, sounds abit more upfront/modern.
Well the open top end of the 251 is very apparent and in such and intimate setting maybe a little too much, but for more complex settings that was the one that required the lest effort to keep present in a mix. I worked for a long time in a facility that had 67s, 47s, but just 1 251. The 67s lived in the piano. The 47s came out when something needed to sound "larger". Upright especially. Harmon mute (covered with a sock, bell touching the windscreen). But that particular 251 more or less lived on the big vocal boom with the wheeled base - just tied a felt bag around it when not in use.... Thanks for this - so well done. Listened for an hour on my little Genelec "ones" ... What a vocal delivery!
Thank you so much for your insight. Must have been a blast working in a place that had access to great mics and great artists! Your contribution is absolutely appreciated!
The Telefunken brings out every single detail in her voice
This is some of the most beautiful singing I have ever heard
My wife says thank you!
And here is a live version if you are interested:
th-cam.com/video/A2qJq05eeVc/w-d-xo.html
0:29
2:58
5:28
7:59
Beautifull demo.
Thank you so much
A joy to listen...
And usefull too
Thank you for stopping by!
They all are killer mics.
I would say u47 or telefunken first
U67 third and C12 last.
But even the C12 could go platinum on her beautifull voice.
@@juanbrievaluthier6637 Thank you!
Best demo ever......67 had a perfect balance with body , the 47 was sexy, warm and gorgeous but a lot of lip and mouth noise was picked up. The AKG was simply lovely ....and Telefunken was too much everything ..harsh at times
Thanks Vincent for your feedback. Pretty sure if I spent more time preparing and customizing, I could fix the issues you heard with the 47 and would be able to tame the 251. The goal was just to see the general differences in character.
@@orangeroom5414 you definitely captured it...this was spectacular
My Goodness this man is very Talented I did not expect that, because I was here for a college assignment research, but found a nice mellow singer too. and I am going to go ahead and get this Microphone.
Which mic are you getting?
Beautifully done, thanks. What I really loved was that they all sound fantastic. You wouldn't be wrong to choose any of them. The 67 had the best low level detail, but the 251 was the most polished for her vocal. The C12 sounded really good too, but I kept noticing a slightly boomy resonance on certain notes that wasn't on any of the others. It was a little like when a bass has a few notes that boom out and drive you mad when mixing. The 47 sounded truly classic. I'd love to hear the exact same shootout with a powerful male vocal, hint hint ;-) Great work!
Thank you for the clear description of the differences you hear.
Happy to do a male version if I get any volunteer...
@@orangeroom5414 If you were in the New York area, I'd be happy to oblige.
@@martinjohnbutler thanks! Hello from SoCal!
@@martinjohnbutler Road trip?
great singer, great test. thanks :)
Thanks Fritz!!!
Beautiful mic comparison! My favorites are the U67 and the C12. The U47 is like a more perfect version of the U67 but the imperfections of the U67 is what makes me want it more because it sounds so damn unique lol. The 251 is like a more balanced C12 but the fact that the C12 is the C12 makes me want it more :) Plus, I like the high end of the C12. Gorgeous ;)
Thanks. Interesting take!
Yeah. I keep going back to the U67 on certain parts because it sounds so unique. You instantly can tell the difference between them. It's a little fatiguing on some parts though. The AKG is an all around work horse and I can see it being more useful for more applications with a wider low end. In some parts of the song though the U67 just shines and opens up her voice.
Magical ❤
Amazing !
Thank you
Telefunken ELA M 251 was so beautiful!!! The low frequencies were captured greatly! For me, it was the most superior..✨😇
Thanks for your input!
That 251 had everything for her voice. It had the full body with all the transients and high end you'd want without being splashy. The c12 was close but was missing the body.
Thanks. Added a ribbon mic to the mix:
th-cam.com/video/j_my0pT7Sh0/w-d-xo.html
Let me know what you think.
💯 agreed
I'm in love with C12
Glad to hear I’m not alone falling in love with mics! Lol.
All mic have very nice sounding features but the C12 on her vocals was hands down the best!
Thank you for your vote.
Professional all the way. Why can't others that attempt these comparisons even come close to this presentation? This undeniably set's a standard.
Oh wow. I’m humbled by your kind words. Thank you.
1:24
3:54
6:24
8:54
some time stamps for the same phrase in each version. I think this line is really emotive and a good point to hear the differences
Thank you
thx!
Thanks
U67 way above the others for her lovely voice...! Thanks for a great job..! don't get me wrong the others are fabulous mics too... second best is the U47 , third comes the C12 and last by far the ELAM 251.
Thanks for putting it in your order. Collecting data on it.
I love how there's no blanket consensus on any of the mics in the comments here! Usually these mic shoot-outs compare industry legends and modernised clones, reissues, or budget options and comments usually gravitate towards the industry standard regardless so it's really refreshing seeing a lineup of legends and a real honest diversity of opinion. Great great vid!
To me, surprisingly, I loved the U47. I'm used to hearing that mic emphasise bassier male vocals and didn't think it'd stand out in this lineup but it was so good. It had *just* enough of an open top end to add definition and clarity to the consonants and the full mids and low end just made it feel so intimate, it was a very emotional sound and I loved it.
The U67 and C12 were good, but I don't think they lent themselves to this piece much. They were well rounded, but they both felt a bit bombastic in their own way, the U67 in a more classic way, the C12 in a bit more modern a way, and I think either of these could have been contenders if you were belting this piece but as it was I don't think they made their cases as well as the U47.
The 251 is one of my personal faves so I was really rooting for it and I was really disappointed with it here honestly. It added so much to your high end that it went well past the point of airy and open and felt a bit too sharp and sibilant.
Did you have a favourite out of these?
Thanks for your detailed feedback AR! I agree with your thoughts. I started by comparing these mics and after hearing comments, it's as you say, all over the place. I then realized, the goal of the test really has to narrow down to which mic would fit this singer in this genre out of the box. I can tell you, she has a biased favorite, the C12. But that's her taste and that's what inspires her. If not for this test, she wouldn't even consider recording with the others. So - in this scenario, I would have to say the C12 not because I think it was necessarily the best sounding, but I think I can get the best performance of her using that mic. A few weeks ago, I had a singer where we went through the same line up, and both of us were blown away by the 251 and went wioth that. Before that, I used the U47 for a whole album as the person was all smiles when he tried it. This exercise allowed me to easily identify the different characteristics of the mics so I can have a best guess which mic might fit the next artist I'm working with. So then fast forward, I tried this again with the different mics with different mic pres, and sigh, I told myself, it's time to go to work! LOL. Thanks again for your comments.
With these 4 mic models, the problem can only be coming from the sound source. For the rest, it's sure of excellent quality, you can't go wrong. honorable mention to U67, which, in my view, among the 4, must be the one that recorded throughout history the greatest number of hits in the phonographic industry. greetings from Salvador-Bahia, Brazil!
Thankls for your input. Added a ribbon mic to the mix:
th-cam.com/video/j_my0pT7Sh0/w-d-xo.html
Fantastic video, great singer! To me you can really hear how the microphone changes the mood. They're all fantastic but as people who care about gear, we need to discuss that more than just which one is 'better'. We rarely talk about how gear changes the mood, which is what music is all about isn't it? With that in mind, here's how I would rate them for this song and singer:
U67 - lean and understated but natural and classy. gorgeous without even trying.
U47 - bold, refined, and luxurious. that special big date night kind of sound.
C12 - classy, refined, flawless. if a mic were and occasion, this one requires your best outfit, jewelry, and fragrance.
251 - a little more on the raw side, almost aggressive on a sweet song like this. those qualities bring a vulnerability to the singer's voice that seems appropriate.
Thank you @Push Twist Pop!. Very well said. Absolutely not about which one is better as you say. Your take on this is loudly heard and noted. Thank you! Appreciate you taking the time to contribute to the discussion.
For me, they are all amazing, but on this material and her voice, I liked the C12 best, followed by the U47, U67, and the 251 last. But, none were bad.
Wow! Great ear candy! My ears using headphone, hear the C12 as the winner. Sorry I'm so late to the party, but better late than never. Cheers!
Never too late and thank you for your vote.
Greetings,
This was an amazing comparison between great mics!!! Also if I may add thank you for having a vocalist who's voice didn't take away from the listening experience, but rather added to it overall. You can really hear the prox effect on the mics. It sounded like you did multiple takes and did not do them all at the same time because the delivery changed everytime. BUT, things still can through fairly well.
I gotta agree that the C12 was my choice of all these takes, but once again I'm so happy that this video was made. Do you have the waves available for download?
I would love to hear these go up against some of the clones using the same song. I wonder how things would stand up.
Thank you for taking the time to give your feedback. I will have to look for these wav files. I'm pretty sure I have it. When I get a chance I will give you access to them. I also added a ribbon mic in the mix to compare. Check it out in my channel. You are right, recorded all of them seperately. I wanted to use the same mic pre for all and didn't have ability to do it all at once. Thanks again.,
Ditto the comments on her amazing voice! To my old ears, I thought that the softer passages had an ethereal quality on the U67, which I liked very much.
Thank you for your input!
wow nice comparison review
Thank you.
Wow! U47 comes in and the vocals get that 3rd Dimension that catches you immediately.
Thanks! I have to listen again to see what you are saying.
Hi, Thank you for this great video.
Thank you for musicians.
Little question can I know which tube and transformer are in the c12 it sounds perfect.
Thank you for this comparison! ❤ They are all legendary mikes and each one is incredible... However I have been a u67 fan for years now and I find the sound of it the most natural and most pleasing to my ears of all the microphones ever made.... but it's always nice to read other people's opinion to see how different they percept the sound.
Anyway, I am picking up u67 this month and it's my dream coming true...
Thank you again!
Congratulations on your U67. Enjoy recording!!!!
@@orangeroom5414 Thank you!!! 😁💛
It went in order from worse to best . 251 dominates🤤💯🙌🏾🔥🔥🔥& that C12 is dope af🔥🔥
In that case, glad you stayed until the end!
She would sound good on a standard SM-58, however from what I heard here all are great by the C12 seems it would need less processing in the track where the u47 seems kinda spongy I noticed that with my U47 on some vocals. The U67 was duller again great mic just leaned a tad dull. But the C12 & 251 were really good with the C12 coming out a little on top. Great mics & Great Video thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks for your input!
WOW! Wonderful comparison! Wonderful Singing! Thank youuuuu! C12 makes my bold hair stand up! :D i like her voice best on the C12! hands down!!!!!!!!!!! witch one did you like ? witch one did the singer like?
She likes the C12 for her. Kinda sits between the 251 and the U47. I do like the C12 for her as well. Thank you for your feedback!
Check out the #2 test. This time, I alternated the mics within a song. I also had her sing about 12-14 inches away to get a better balance. Let me know if it changes for you. Thanks. th-cam.com/video/YsgYY3NXBeI/w-d-xo.html
she's a real witchy woman
Outstanding, a great singer who doesn't do creaky voice.
Lol, thank you!
Great singer! Very good representation of those mics. I wish an M49 with M7 capsule had been thrown in and that would have pretty much covered the vintage tube mics. Still very good shootout!
Thanks David. M49 next on my hunting list. 8-)
@@orangeroom5414 Alright!!
C12 sounds phenomenal as well as the 251!!!! I would love to hear comparsions from your vintage Mics against the Townsends Labs Sphere L22. How close will this moddeling Mic come against the real ones? But I'm sure nothing beats the real deal!
Thanks for the comment. I do not have access to the Townsends Labs Sphere L22. Most of these mics would probably come really close. For me, a big part of what it gives is that inspiration that you are singing in a mic with lots of history behind it. Happy holidays to you!
nice comparison..best vid
Thanks Mike!
Basically, I thought that the U47 and 251 conveyed the most emotion (and were the most acoustically pleasing). And, I felt that the 251 conveyed the most intimacy. But of course, everyone's ear is different, and it depends what speakers/headphones they are listening to this on. I'm listening on the speakers of a Macbook Pro.
Thanks Khashyar for your input.
the powerstrip 🔥
Yeah, that mic pre is solid!
@@orangeroom5414 the prettiest thing about it is that everything is bypassable , so you can use its pure signal with any flavor of compression/eq you like (kinda DW fearn pre)
Well, if you want "what comes out is what went in", most people in the industry know the U67 wins every time (with just a micro tad of sweetness added from the tube). The rest of them add more color, which is usually what people want ( if the "color' added is what color they want). I know, back in the day,..female vox (at least the ones I was aware of) leaned more heavily to the C12 than the others. We usually always went with U87 unless there were some U67s around. Now that the world is digital, you can't just go with a U87 and be good. You don't get help from natural tape compression,etc.,
so if i have to buy a new mic, should i still buy an u87ai? I really need an amazing mic for vocals bro. Would appreciate your help!
She's so close to the mics it's a bit hard to really judge. But for me it's the U67 and the C12. But that could be because there less proximity effect with those mics.
Telefunken is very impressiv.
Like a number of other commenters I found the ELA M 251 quite captivating on her voice in terms of the pushed sound and the warm air. And the sound may have benefited from the known proximity effect of this mic. That said, sibilance on the top end is noticeable and IMHO distracts from the loveliness of the performance. I actually found the U67 to be the most balanced for her voice. Subjective listening of course.
Thanks for your feedback Michael!
nevermind the great mics, this is just pleasure to listen
Ha. Thank you !!!
This is so beautiful I really got consumed by the voice and the feeling of the song. But, I confirmed akg is what I aim
Can you not eq the u47 to get the highs more like the c12 and elam 251?
U67 for this one. It's warmth fits an intimate track like this imo.
Thank you for your feedback!
The C12 is the clear winner for her voice.
My all time favorite and workhorse.
She’s such a good singer, she would sound amazing on anything!
For me, u67 delivers a very consistent tonality throughout, although at the cost of very very slight dynamic range, almost like compressing some of the tonality, if that makes any sense. The u47, regardless of freq response, seems to deliver more midrange presence throughout (not what I expected). C12 seems to be a tad brighter than all, but in a very sonically pleasing way. At times, the ELA m 251 sounds a bit thin, and just doesn't fill a niche with this singer (nit pick). I think, interestingly enough, the u67's almost subdued tone works best for this specific performance and singer.
Of course, the caveat is, all these differences are minute and the actual tangible differences between mics of this caliber are just that, minute. The performance is stellar and all of these mics shine in their own regard.
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.
exactly. no other mic in the test sounds so consistent in entire range and dynamic.
Should've have given the singer credit on this one, man. Sorry if I couldn't find it below. And the 251 is just stunning. I mean, they all are outstanding. But holy friggin' cow that 251.
Ha ha. Appreciate your comments. Regarding the singer, my wife prefers her recordings be private and not be known. I’m lucky she allowed me to post this. 8-(
Amazing voice, man. Thanks for the vid, it was well done. I've worked with the C12 before but not the ELAM 251. Questions answered and I'm blown away. Difficult to find quality vids. What pre, if you don't mind sharing? Wasn't sure anything could hang with the C12. @@orangeroom5414
@@flacmonster I believe I used my Retro Powerstrip for that recording. Lately, I’ve been using the Manley Voxbox for vocals and I have to say, I’m in tears of joy when I put my C12 or the 251 on it.
Interesting. I recently removed the VoxBox and the 737SP from my wish list. That darn list changes so often I'm not entirely certain it's relevant. That being said, I'm very nervous about printing EQ and Compression on the way in. :P@@orangeroom5414
C12 went next level fast.
Yup, every time I use it, never fails to impress me.
with tuning and de essing and compression and verb? :(
U67 has clarity and brightness, but still smooth enough when more vocal presences is given by the singer . The ELA M 251 sounded very close to the U67, but lacked a little behind in the U67 smoothness when the singer pushed more presence into the mic. The U47 would be my 3rd pick, with all obviously having the ability to sound better than the other depending on the vocalist voice. Great shootout and very nice vocals!
Thank you for your detailed input. Every time I get an input, I listen to the test again to hear what you are saying.
Great voice!! All sound great but favouring the u47 and u67
Thank you!
Great comparison video. Thanks! The ELAM 251 sounded insanely good on her voice, left the others in the dust. I could never afford a 251 but I have a 414eb with the CK12 capsule so at least I got that. If those mics are yours congrats!
Thank you for your input and vote @Ripper - and yes, the mics are mine.
I disagree. The US "Elam" from this scammer company who bought the Telefunken name rights has not much in common with the original. The only thing that sounds good is the [borought] name
@@RockmannMusic A little harsh there my Rocketmann 8-). I don't work for Tele-USA so I'm very neutral. I only buy mics that inspire me and artists I work with. This 251 definitely does that. I'm happy they and other clones have tried to really replicate the almost unattainable vintage 251 - or at least the better sounding versions as they definitely had inconsistency in manufacturing. I am particularly impressed that I can take any part of this mic and use it to replace any part of a vintage 251 and it will work. That gives me confidence as to the detail they put into this. Besides, don't discount that you like the "borought" name. That alone may hold or even increase the value of the mic long term and perhaps, it may be worth investing in this mic . In any case, this was not about vintage vs Tele-USA. I was providing hopefully good info on the different characteristics of mics I have access to. Take care my mann.
@@RockmannMusic Agreed. It sounded like a $50 mic compared with the others.
Hi: Thank-you for posting this comparison ! Out of curiosity, are these all different takes or the same?
Different takes.
The Telefunken is larger than life! Is there noise reduction done here, and not on the Ribbon video? It's interesting, the Ribbon seems to have more detail/high end than most of the condensers, but it seems like the processing might have been a bit different? What did you think of the Ribbon?
I don’t use the ribbon on Vocals after a few tests. However, I use it on acoustic instruments a lot now.
for her voice and recording selection, the U47 is king here.
Thanks. Keeping a tally. 8-)
Is that the Retro channel strip? I had that for a minute and it's weird, as the preamp level also determings the input level to the fixed threshhold compressor so you have to split the difference between sufficient level and overcompression. And the EQ is not Pultec-like, which I believe is the objective. So I think it's a strange choice for these fine mics. Don't you think they'd be less sibilant just going thru an API? She's a very nice singer. I thought she needed that U47 low mid emphasis,, which an API would flatter even more. Thanks.
Thanks for your input. I just picked the retro for the test as I just got it and wanted to play with it. I've been playing around with different combination mic prfe to mic. Just have to find the magic pairs.
Classy song choice
Classy mic locker
Classy singer
Classy mix
Is this an advert for Orange Room lol
And I thank you classy @jamesr141 !
U47 and 251 for sure are the winners. 251 the brightest without being brittle. The C12 felt a little harsh and thinner, but the u47 felt so full
I love to be nitpicky, but honestly, I'd be happy with either of the 4 mics. And especially with a singer like that! Great capture and production. Just wow. 🙂
How much would you say the sound is also due to the Retro Instruments Powerstrip?
I’m sure it has a lot to do with it but then I also have a Manley Voxbox that I’m blown away as my mic pre.
@@orangeroom5414 I'm going to sound stupid, but on my Apollo X8P, the "manley" preamp simulation sounds amazing. I'm really tempted by the Manley Force (4 preamps). And thanks for your kind answer.
Loved the smoothness of the u67, the u47 sounded the biggest, C12 had too much audible distortion, the ELAM 251 sounded the most modern (my choice). They all sound phenomenal though. It's choosing between royalty, really. All major sounds are represented, and just about all others are clones of these in some manner.
Thank you for your feedback.
Man you've got some ears. I couldn't hear much distortion until she got into her chest voice, and even then it didn't seem like too much to me. I've got some learning left to do! 😁
I must say though. Distortion on tubes sounds way better than on condensers. I don't mind it.
What is the artist's name please? Fantastic sound.
Thank you for your comment. Her name is Alma Silos. We used to be in a band together then I married her. 8-) We stay out of public for the most part but if you are curious, we do send out Christmas Videos as cards to our family. It does use some of these mics I've been testing. vimeo.com/almasilos
Thank you very much for this amazing shootout and beautiful performance.
Would it be possible to get the HiRes files ?
Thanks again.
@@davidpaula5609 thanks! I will have to dig up the files . Been a while…. If I find it, I will get back to you.
@@orangeroom5414 oh thank you. That’s very kind.
For me, it is the U47 for this singer and for this performance, easy. U67 is a close second then probably the C12 and then the 251. The U47 is out of this world yet real sounding. Something magical for sure.