Neumann M149 Valve Microphone

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Product Info

The M 149 Tube is a variable dual-diaphragm microphone. The K 49 capsule, well-known from the legendary U47 and M49 microphones, is followed by a tube functioning as an impedance converter.

In contrast to earlier concepts, utilizing a transformer, the tube is complemented with a transformerless output circuit design. The M 149 Tube can thus feed long microphone cables without any coloration.

Two slide switches are located below the large, acoustically very open headgrille. The switch at the front allows selection one of nine directional patterns. The slide switch at the rear operates a seven-step high pass filter. It allows a very fine adjustment of the cut-off frequency.

Applications
There are nine polar patterns to choose from, making this microphone an ideal choice for a wide range of recording situations.

As its ancestors, the M 149 Tube is a superb vocalist microphone, not only because of the capsule, but also due to its modern circuitry, characterized by extremely low noise level.

Acoustic features
The M 149 Tube is addressed from the front, marked with the Neumann logo. Also on the front is the switch for the selection of the polar patterns.

The capsule is mounted elastically inside the headgrille to eliminate structure borne noise. The surface below the capsule is shaped like a cone to disperse any reflected sound from the acoustic upper half space. This avoids any interference with the primary sound arriving at the capsule directly.

A large headgrille surrounds the capsule. It is acoustically very open and therefore increases the sonic realism.

Polar patterns
The polar pattern switch selects one of nine directional patterns: omnidirectional, wide-angle-cardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid, figure-8, and one additional intermediate pattern between each major position.

Filter
A seven-position slide switch is located on the back of the microphone. It selects a high-pass filter, advancing in half-octave steps between 20 Hz and 160 Hz (-3dB). This filter is useful to suppress rumble from air-conditioning and in windy situations.

In addition, the filter provides an effective tool to control the audio signal when the microphone is used at close distance and therefore proximity effect alters the program material.

Delivery Range
The specifically designed N 149 A power supply unit feeds the M 149 Tube through an 8-core cable. The output connector for the audio signal is a 3-pin XLR. The output signal is balanced.

The microphone comes as a set in an attractive aluminium case, together with the 8-core microphone connecting cable, the N 149 A power supply with plug-in mains unit, the EA 170 full elastic microphone suspension and a dust cover.