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Post by crillemannen on Aug 5, 2024 11:34:49 GMT -6
Hey guys,
So I took some time when I was on vacation to do some videos. I have a few nice ones coming up and the first one up is the CMV 563. I've been looking for one for quite some time and I finally found one for a good price. I'm quite amazed on how good it sounds, this might actually be my favourite vocal sound that I've ever gotten. Smooth, but with a great presence rivaling the very best including my M49b!?
You can download the raw files if you like but I would appreciate if you guys would watch the video:
So what do you guys think? The best value vintage microphone on the market?
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Post by Tbone81 on Aug 5, 2024 12:27:21 GMT -6
The one time I used a CMV 563 it was fantastic. Ran it into a Neve preamp into a Retro Sta Level and it was near perfect.
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Post by chessparov on Aug 5, 2024 14:11:14 GMT -6
MG did a Reissue W/M7 around 11 years ago. Tony "Drumsound" has an OG one too (with M7 capsule). Reputed to be a bit Darker than Neutral. Ketchup and listen after work. Thanks Crille! P.S. How "Mucho" in Europe? They're only around $6,500 US here new at Vintage King.
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Post by crillemannen on Aug 5, 2024 14:25:43 GMT -6
MG did a Reissue W/M7 around 11 years ago. Tony "Drumsound" has an OG one too (with M7 capsule). Reputed to be a bit Darker than Neutral. Ketchup and listen after work. Thanks Crille! P.S. How "Mucho" in Europe? They're only around $6,500 US here new at Vintage King. Yeah, I'm sure the Reissue is great. To my knowledge Gefell is the only company still making Neumann's like they used to haha. I wouldn't say mine is dark. It has a boost around 1.8khz which isn't something that I associate with Neumann Berlin, but that could be the M7 capsule. I have quite limited experience with vintage M7s but they seem to have a different peak and response then the K47 and K67. I like the sound of both the CMV and M49. Price was beyond great. I really try to find good deals when I buy microphones. David Fehrer of NLP audio can modd it to bring down the noise level which I'll probably do. At this point I feel it's a keeper.
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Post by chessparov on Aug 5, 2024 15:03:14 GMT -6
Thanks! I wonder if MG will also repair old ones. And offer parts?
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Post by drumsound on Aug 5, 2024 17:40:07 GMT -6
I've had mine for quite some times. It is a weird Russian refurbished model with a not original body and the capsule attachment reads something else, but there's an M7 inside. It is an amazing mic for ROCK singers. It's got that Neumann feel, and is what I would say is on the 'gooier 'side of tube sounds. It's also one of those mics that sounds ok in solo, but in the track sounds fantastic.
When I was buying this Mike Bradavsky of Russian Recording got a couple things from the seller, and Chris Garges bought a pair of the 563s. We all love them.
I talked to Joel Hamilton and spoke really highly of 536s with M7 capsules.
I sold an early Pearlman (which might have been Ozzy's) for more than I bought it for to finance the 563 and I never once regretted that decision.
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Post by reddirt on Aug 5, 2024 23:01:18 GMT -6
I have an M G re issue and it's great on some things (accordion , cello e.g.) but not a do everything mic as it has a broad (but classy) mid forward push. Having said that I got a very true recording of twin sisters doing BV's from around 15" on Sunday Got a great tube from Bowie some time ago (can't remember which - he might chime in) which made it "nicer". The MG M7 capsule misses a bit of high end (JJ Blair concurs fwiw) so Ive got a Heisermann HK 47 waiting to put into a replacement head basket for that different sound if anyone knows where I can find a. basket. (The Neumann baskets are fine)
The MG company are fantastic to deal with IME
Cheers, Ross
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Post by crillemannen on Aug 6, 2024 11:56:21 GMT -6
I've had mine for quite some times. It is a weird Russian refurbished model with a not original body and the capsule attachment reads something else, but there's an M7 inside. It is an amazing mic for ROCK singers. It's got that Neumann feel, and is what I would say is on the 'gooier 'side of tube sounds. It's also one of those mics that sounds ok in solo, but i n the track sounds fantastic. When I was buying this Mike Bradavsky of Russian Recording got a couple things from the seller, and Chris Garges bought a pair of the 563s. We all love them. I talked to Joel Hamilton and spoke really highly of 536s with M7 capsules. I sold an early Pearlman (which might have been Ozzy's) for more than I bought it for to finance the 563 and I never once regretted that decision. Cool, yeah I'm quite impressed, I got mine for such a good price I'll for sure keep it. I feel more comfortable using a 3-4k mic then the super high-end vintage.
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Post by Tbone81 on Aug 6, 2024 12:02:52 GMT -6
This thread is making me lust after a um92. For a while I was seeing them all over reverb/eBay for around $1700. Then the prices all shot up an extra $1k. The only reason I didn’t grab one when they were cheap is because I found a Lawson 47 for a great price. Still wish I had a um92 though (even though I haven’t heard one in person).
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Post by crillemannen on Aug 6, 2024 12:44:11 GMT -6
This thread is making me lust after a um92. For a while I was seeing them all over reverb/eBay for around $1700. Then the prices all shot up an extra $1k. The only reason I didn’t grab one when they were cheap is because I found a Lawson 47 for a great price. Still wish I had a um92 though (even though I haven’t heard one in person). After this, I really want to try out more Gefell microphones. I emailed them but no answer which seems to be the standard for me haha
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Post by Tbone81 on Aug 6, 2024 13:27:26 GMT -6
This thread is making me lust after a um92. For a while I was seeing them all over reverb/eBay for around $1700. Then the prices all shot up an extra $1k. The only reason I didn’t grab one when they were cheap is because I found a Lawson 47 for a great price. Still wish I had a um92 though (even though I haven’t heard one in person). After this, I really want to try out more Gefell microphones. I emailed them but no answer which seems to be the standard for me haha I have a pair of umt70’s. They’re fantastic. I have nicer microphones, but if I could only use one mic out of my collection for everything, it would be those.
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Post by tonycamphd on Aug 6, 2024 14:04:48 GMT -6
nice video
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 15,946
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Post by ericn on Aug 6, 2024 14:42:04 GMT -6
This thread is making me lust after a um92. For a while I was seeing them all over reverb/eBay for around $1700. Then the prices all shot up an extra $1k. The only reason I didn’t grab one when they were cheap is because I found a Lawson 47 for a great price. Still wish I had a um92 though (even though I haven’t heard one in person). After this, I really want to try out more Gefell microphones. I emailed them but no answer which seems to be the standard for me haha They were always big on going through your favorite dealer for demos.
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Post by longscale on Aug 6, 2024 16:12:26 GMT -6
Nice video. It is all about the quality of the M7 imo. Mine has a M7s in it/on it. I think for a time Gefell had quality issues - and were driven to a quota. ship out a certain number - don't care if you do not have the right parts.
Mine was an original. I ran into trouble at one point with it - so I purchased a new transformer from Oliver Archut and also used his published circuit improvements/changes at that time to attempt to up the game of this mike. Basically a complete rebuild with higher quality parts top to bottom. About the only thing original in mine at this point is the body, and M7s. I'm happy with that result - but would not do that to a working cmv-563. Id buy one of the many new quality mics that are now on the market. when I did this some 13 (?) years ago there were not as many options.
Like everything if it works for you - it is good. I have a particular acoustic guitar sound I enjoy and reach for with mine. I hear that tone in your video. I get that with a similar chain. cmv-563 - Neve 1073. I'll also put it on guitar amps from time to time. I don't tend to use it for vocals - favoring other mics I have. But I would not avoid putting it up and trying it. I've seen others using a pair as drum overheads.
If you can get a good one for a good price it is worth a try. I'm not a fan of the "poor mans u47" thing but that is not of your doing. It has a top and a mid that I hear from a u47. The bottom on a u47 is much fuller/bigger imo. But that can work to your advantage too - like on acoustic guitar where I don't want that. It is a mic that is useful and has some tone to it. I have been searching for a mk55 omni for mine for a few years.
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Post by phdamage on Aug 6, 2024 16:42:02 GMT -6
very curious about these - have some time booked at Electrical in a couple months and hoping to test these. Anything out there that is similar to these?
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Post by drumsound on Aug 6, 2024 17:53:35 GMT -6
very curious about these - have some time booked at Electrical in a couple months and hoping to test these. Anything out there that is similar to these? I believe Electrical has a few capsule options for their CMV563a I know Steve love the MK55
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Post by phdamage on Aug 6, 2024 18:22:15 GMT -6
very curious about these - have some time booked at Electrical in a couple months and hoping to test these. Anything out there that is similar to these? I believe Electrical has a few capsule options for their CMV563a I know Steve love the MK55 I was pretty sure that’s what I saw him using with them! Wild he just laid them on the floor!
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Post by Ward on Aug 6, 2024 19:03:52 GMT -6
I really wish they would go back to their heritage name: Neumann-Gefell,
The mics are incredible! Thank you so much Christian!
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Post by drumsound on Aug 7, 2024 1:50:48 GMT -6
I believe Electrical has a few capsule options for their CMV563a I know Steve love the MK55 I was pretty sure that’s what I saw him using with them! Wild he just laid them on the floor! He also did that with MC012s with the omni capsules. I really wish they would go back to their heritage name: Neumann-Gefell, The mics are incredible! Thank you so much Christian! Sennheiser is having NONE of that.
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Post by Vincent R. on Aug 7, 2024 4:20:15 GMT -6
Nice video. I’ve been itching to try that microphone for a while.
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Post by paulcheeba on Aug 7, 2024 5:01:15 GMT -6
When I used to collect vintage mics you could buy them on eBay from Germany for next to nothing. I got C12, C24, all the bottles, um57 and m582’s but I sold them all to buy my studio. I think I paid 1k for the CMV563 it was quite lofi compared to my mint U47 which I drove into the German alps and paid €6k. It was cool though and had all the heads. In those day I didn’t know how to service a mic so I was paranoid they would break all the time which was crazy. So now I have a mixture of both and I’m not so paranoid. I still miss that U47 Grosser said it was the best he’d seen since 1982. It look brand new. I have some nice ones again now though
What I want to know is where you Are getting these bargains now?
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Post by crillemannen on Aug 7, 2024 5:14:48 GMT -6
When I used to collect vintage mics you could buy them on eBay from Germany for next to nothing. I got C12, C24, all the bottles, um57 and m582’s but I sold them all to buy my studio. I think I paid 1k for the CMV563 it was quite lofi compared to my mint U47 which I drove into the German alps and paid €6k. It was cool though and had all the heads. In those day I didn’t know how to service a mic so I was paranoid they would break all the time which was crazy. So now I have a mixture of both and I’m not so paranoid. I still miss that U47 Grosser said it was the best he’d seen since 1982. It look brand new. I have some nice ones again now though What I want to know is where you Are getting these bargains now? I think like I said in the video that the quality varies greatly on the vintage Gefell microphones so maybe you got one in poor condition? This one sounds just as good as any Neumann Berlin I've used. Bargains can be made, I scout the Swedish market. You just need to jump on it if you smell a good deal haha! Of course the days of finding a U47 for 6k long gone but I've found mics long under the "current" market value. The CMV was priced extremely well but way above 1k
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Post by christophert on Aug 7, 2024 7:03:10 GMT -6
I had a CMV for a few years, all checked by a Neumann tech. It always sounded deliciously warm - but not the required sonics in most situations. I had a (smart) moment where I thought about how often I would need that sound? I sold it. It was a beautiful object of desire though...
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Post by Dan on Aug 7, 2024 7:22:27 GMT -6
Sounds great. Communist mics are a trip.
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Post by jaba on Aug 7, 2024 9:36:57 GMT -6
I had a CMV for a few years, all checked by a Neumann tech. It always sounded deliciously warm - but not the required sonics in most situations. I had a (smart) moment where I thought about how often I would need that sound? I sold it. It was a beautiful object of desire though... I can understand this. It's a great mic but not always what you want. When it works, it's very cool. Great on some voices and I once got one of the best dobro sounds with one. The omni capsule is much brighter than the cardioid. Have spent as much time with that one though.
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