Neumann M 149 Tube 
Large Diaphragm Transformerless Tube Condenser Mic with Switchable Polar Patterns
Yesterday's Tube Sound with Today's Modern Technology!
Your pro audio specialists at Sweetwater can tell you: this microphone is a Must Have for your studio! The perfect combination of vintage sound and modern technology, the M 149 is the first tube mic designed by Neumann in over 30 years. Based on the classic U 47, the M 149 gives you unmistakable tube warmth that audiences love. At the same time, you get the clarity and precision of a modern capsule. It has the lowest self-noise of any tube microphone on the market. The M 149 will add true flexibility to your recordings with nine polar patterns to choose from and a seven-position high-pass filter. • 9 different patterns including Omni, Cardioid, Wide-angle cardioid, Hypercardioid, Figure-8 • Pressure Gradient Transducer ( K 49 Capsule ) • 20 Hz to 20 kHz
| Specification |
Detail |
| Freq. Response |
20Hz-20kHz |
| Kind |
Tube Condenser |
| Max. SPL |
134 dB |
| Notes |
Seven-Position Bass Rolloff, Shockmount |
| Polar Pattern |
9 Selectable |
|
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Sweetwater Advice
Kenny Bergle
What can I say? Possibly the 'best' mic on the planet! Sounds GREAT on anything, REALLY! I own a pair and they are worth every penny. The M149 made me a better engineer instantly as it erased a ton of microphone-related issues and eliminated the need for audio band-aids right and left! You will NEVER be sorry you bought an M149, except possibly that you didn't buy a pair! REALLY!
Jeffrey Green
The M149 is the must-have studio microphone for the serious recording engineer or studio. One listen to this mic and you'll hear a unique, smooth, warm, refined quality that is not present in any other microphone.
Aspirational jewel
by Ney Mello from USA
November 27, 2009
Music Background: Guitarist / composer, Producer, Engineer
I am fortunate to have access to the best possible equipment in studios with excellent tracking rooms. and I also sometimes have to modify microphones for recording purposes .I have a M149 which I hav ... read more [+]e no desire at all to modify as it is an amazing microphone. For many potential M149 users it might be cool to compare my studio production experience with the M149 and the U87ai, which is very deservedly popular. The U87 has a phase shift happening in the highs and high mids, which you may like or not. It depends on what you want to hear in a given project . The M149 is free of that. It is very silky and smooth , but very revealing of transients. The stock U87ai has also a trademark boxy, but very appealingly so, sound, that sounds great in many instances, but sometimes you may not want that specific sound, great as it is . It also has a bit of a harsh top end for some acoustic instrument applications. Nevertheless it is not thin and brittle like so many cheap imitation mics are and it has the mid range which, the imitators I have heard do not have. That is a Neumann "thing" the amazingly organic mids. The M149 has that unique midrange as well, but not so "in your face" like the U87ai. It differs mostly in that it is much more balanced , refined and polished sounding than the U87ai, to my ears. It takes eq marvelously ,like a ribbon, and the polar patterns are phenomenal. If you pair it with a transformer equipped tube pre you get a giant sound. The best of both worlds, for rock vocals for example or electric guitars that sound like a skyscraper...It all depends on the pre-amp as the M149 is enormously versatile....
So, to my mind, it has no immediately obvious "character" like the U87ai, but it is is not bland or neutral either... far from it. The analogy would be for me: U87=James Dean or Brando, Immediately in your face with presence and attitude. The M149= Sean Connery as 007..subtle. refined, polished, deadly effective when provoked and can kill in many unexpected ways with the 9 polar patterns....And oh yes..understandably costly , but her majesty knows he can do all by himself the job of 1000 of her other secret service men ..with elegance and cool..and all the female vocalists love him... to death! close [-]
Neumann M 149 - a gift from heaven!
by Francesco Bonifazi from Fort Collins, Colorado
January 7, 2008
Music Background: Pro Musician and hobbyist engineer
After doing some tracking at Anthony Walker Studios here in Fort Collins, Colorado recently; I'm extremely impressed with the Neumann M 149.
We used it on my vocals and tears almost cam ... read more [+]e to my eyes. Was that me singing my songs sounding like Frank Sinatra had come back to life and got tuned onto new music? This mic is something else on vocals. EQ?...no need to. I've used dozens of good mics but nothing comes close to this thing - for my voice anyways. The engineer tells me I'm not a unique case. Vocalists ranging from soft ballad singers to rock shreaders love it.
It took a bit of time for me to learn that I didn't have to do anything special to get a good sound from the 149. The condensers I normally use have what's called a "proximity effect" which means the tone changes as you get closer or further away from the mic. Not the 149. It sounded the same (tone-wise) at 3 inches or 12 inches. Cool!
So I could close my eyes and sing without having to worry about my head moving around - something I enjoy doing (it also has a wide sweet spot from side to side).
Also, I often use the PE to boost low frequencies to some of my notes...but that was already present when I hit the low notes...and more importantly, not there when I hit high notes...no need to move my head in and out to control tone. Wow! Now, I can use the distance element to select how much room ambience I want in my sound - a single variable is a lot easier to control for my simple mind.
List price: $5,700...Sweetwater price: $4,500...start saving for one!
I'm definitely going to do my important vocals with the M 149 at Walker's studio in the future. Most of his gear is also from Sweetwater.
Ciao!
Francesco - The Jazz Whistler
www.FrankieBmusic.com close [-]
M-149 is The best mic in the World for my vocals
by Cornelius Hill from Japan/harvey illinois
June 26, 2007
Music Background: Pro Rapper,Producer,Engineer,and always Student
my first neumann mic and i went straight for the gusto and i am am as happy as a kid if you got the money Get 2 if you aint got much save up for one until you get the money buy a MXL v69 mogami editio ... read more [+]n for my voice they stand toe toe REALLY THEY DO!!!! (dont stunt i have 14 mics now all from many price ranges all great)
also before you buy this mic ensure that your chain of comand is great mic pre,
converters acoustics you know what the deal is the get and v69 mogami then save up for this very very impressive mic
peace close [-]
See Also: Condensers
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