New microphones at STUDIO 330

Hello, Hans Christian here!
Today I want to share with you one of my passions- the love of high quality microphones. Ever since I laid my hands on my first microphone as a teenager I was fascinated by the idea of using mics on instruments and trying to capture sound as best as possible. Since that first mic (a Sennheiser MD 421 for you geeks out there...) I have bought and sold dozens microphones. I have experimented with all kinds of mics on my cello and have been recorded by other engineers with all kinds of mics, from Coles ribbon mics to AKG 451s, Shure SM57s, and everything inbetween...

So what's the new stuff that I just got?
Well, for starters, I realized that my beloved NEUMANN M147 tube microphone was pretty badly misbehaving and needed a complete restoration. A new vacuum tube and a new transformer for the power supply needed to be installed, and a thorough professional cleaning of the diaphragm was also in order. This difficult work was expertly done by Tom Onofrio, and the mic is now better than new.

While I was waiting for the M147 to be fixed I had a sweet moment of weakness and allowed myself to purchase a long held dream- a PELUSO VTB vacuum tube mic, made by a small American company that has a knack for developing microphones in a vintage style. I wanted to find out how good these mics really are, and after comparing it with the freshly restored Neumann M 147 I couldn't let it go. The M 147 and the VTB compliment each other nicely- they are different enough that I needed to keep them both! So, now I have two top quality large diaphragm tube microphones. But wait, there is more!!!

A "casual stroll" on eBay led me to another golden opportunity: a matched pair of TELEFUNKEN M260s, slightly used but in pristine condition. The M260s are also vacuum tube microphones but with a small capsule (or several capsules, as they are interchangeable). These mics were offered by a seasoned engineer, Mr. Stuart Breed, who has had the amazingly good fortune of working with Geoff Emerick on Beatles reissues, amongst many other things.

So guess what I'll be doing in the next few days and weeks? Recording of course!

If you want to record with these and other high quality gear,  drop me a line! I'm always glad to hear from you.

Your sound geek...
Hans