Golden Age Project GA-47 MKII Handwired Large-Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
Great Additions
Description
Due the high cost and low availability of vintage originals, especially ones in good condition, a number of manufacturers are producing U-47 clones. The selling price of the clones are covering a broad price span, several of them are sold at high price points.
The Neumann U-47 was produced between 1949 and 1965 meaning that the vintage original units are now very old and their performance do differ a lot depending on their condition. The different clones all have their specific sound character too. So, it's not easy to say which sound is "the right one". As always, not the least as microphones goes, it will ultimately be a matter of taste.
The Golden Age Premier GA-47 is the result of a lot of hard work and real world testing and the MKII version has been further refined. The end result is a microphone with a very sweet character that should appeal to a great number of users and a microphone that can be used for the most demanding recording tasks. It has proved itself to be a great all-rounder, this is not a "vocal-only" microphone.
The GA-47 MKII is not a product that is built in huge quantities on a big assembly line. It's a product that is built by hand, fifty units at a time in a small workshop by a skilled and dedicated staff. It uses very high quality components all the way to achieve the goal of offering classic U-47 qualities.
Mic Body and Grille
The mic body is made of brass, the grille is made of iron. The grille, which is a critical component affecting the sound character, is similar to the one in the U47.
Capsule
The capsule for the GA-47 MKII is designed to provide the requirements of modern day recordings by mixing the character between a vintage K47 capsule and the one from a K67-style capsule with a wide frequency response and high sensitivity. The result is a truly great sound. Being a dual-sided one, it provides the GA-47 with both cardioid and omni polar patterns.
In order to get a good consistency between units, for each production run of 50 pcs GA-47 units, approximately 200 capsules is evaluated in order to find 50 capsules with specifications that lie within the tight tolerances.
Tube
The GA-47 MKII uses a selected NOS Telefunken EF-800 series super low noise pentode tube connected in triode mode in order to decrease distorsion and noise. This tube is modern glass derivative of the VF14M used in the vintage U-47.
Output Transformer
The GA-47 MKII transformer is especially designed with a 6.5:1 dual bobbin transformer by a reputed transformer factory. It is a replica of the BV8 transformer used in the vintage U47. It uses a high quality core material.
Capacitors and Resistors
The coupling capacitor is made in United Kingdom, the brand is Ciarit, the same type used in the famous and very expensive B&W Nautilus loudspeaker. It is an axial capacitor made from MKP material with copper pins. It has a delicate, full sound and a wide frequency response.
Other used capacitors are MIAL polystyrene film capacitors with very low loss. The resistors are ALLEN BRADLEY carbon film resistors made in the USA with vintage and warm sound.
Mic Interior and Cabling
The electronic circuit is built with point-to point wiring on an expensive Rogers circuit board. Teflon insulated, silver-plated copper wire is used for the internal connections.
Power supply transformer and electrolytic capacitors
The vintage style power supply PSU uses a high power R-style transformer with a low noise level and a minimal stray field. The electrolytic capacitors are of a high quality audio style type.
A simple but effective circuit uses dual-stage filtering for the filament voltage. The high voltage is precisely filtered and stabilized using an ON semiconductor zener diode.
Mic Cable
The cable is specially produced using 99.99% pure oxygen-free copper, Teflon insulation, tin foil and 98% kitmesh, with a very high braided density of the cable shield. It has a very open and smooth sound.
Features
• High end, no compromise components and build quality• Hand made in small series, 50 units at a time, in a boutique style microphone workshop
• Capsules selected with very tight tolerances
• New Old Stock Telefunken EF-800 tube selected for low noise
• Point-to point wiring, using an expensive Rogers circuit board
• All soldering points made with Mudorf solder
• Supreme Silver Gold solder
• Solid wood microphone box, sturdy metal flight case
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz- Polar pattern; Cardioid and Omni-Directional
- Sensitivity: 12mV/Pa
- Rated Impedance: 200 ohms
- Equivalent Noise Level: 10dB
- Max S.P.L: 140dB
- Backplate material: brass
- Capsule diameter: 35mm
- Membrane diameter: 27mm
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
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Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
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Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| GA-47 MKII Handwired Large-Diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone | 834548 |
