Some thrilling news for musicians and audio engineers, Neumann Berlin has recently announced a reissue of the renowned M 49 microphone!
Ever since its origin in 1951, the M 49 has been highly praised for being an excellent studio microphone. It solidified its position as a legend for recording technology, and it’s become a desirable item amongst collectors and purists!
Critically acclaimed musicians used the original M 49 in studios to record their tracks such as Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, and Barbra Streisand. It continues to be used today by modern artists…who can afford it!
The original Neumann M 49 was only produced between the years 1949 to 1957. Its uninterrupted remote-controlled polar pattern helped reshape studio technology as it was able to record silky smooth sounds while recording engineers could try new ideas in the studio.
The price is right on point for this reissue at just below $17K (I know, I know) because if you want to buy a restored original M 49 mic today, you’ll have to fork out 18,000 Euros or $26,535.42 AUD! Yikes!
Announcing the reissued mic, Neumann states the M 49 V is made to original specifications and design using documents from the Neumann archive. There will be a maximum of 25 microphones hand-made each month in Germany by three craftsman. Now that sounds like quality control.
Improvements have been adjusted to the pattern control unit, which now alters to the mains voltage and will be suited to be used with old M 49 mics. How convenient! The classic K 49 large diaphragm capsule has been unchanged since the 1950s, but this version will have an even lower noise, hand-selected subminiature tube.
Like the previous M 49b model (with a BV11 transformer and some circuit-value changes), the M 49 V can be set to improve signal-to-noise ratio by about 3 dB. This is a handy option if the mic is used exclusively for vocals and speech.
Availability for it isn’t abundant, so standby to those with the funds. Ralf Oehl (Neumann CEO) states:
“Less than 48 hours after the official sales launch, we already have more than 200 orders.”
The M 49 V comes with remote pattern control unit, mic cable and the iconic “yoke” swivel mount, delivered in a lovely handcrafted case.
The RRP is AUD$16,249 and NZ$17,849 and will be available in August 2022.
For more information, visit Neumann.
