Universal Audio: FREE Pro Plugins with A

Telefunken U47 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone

Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone with Switchable Cardioid/Omnidirectional Polar Pattern and NG Power Supply
Share
Item ID: U47
Telefunken U47 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
Price:$9,995 and 00 cents
Special Financing - Ends Aug 2, 2026. $278/month with 36 month financing*

In Stock!

Add to Cart
Sales engineer photo
Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

What is a Sales Engineer?
Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Have one to sell?
Check out Sweetwater's Gear Exchange!
Learn More

Complete Your Order
Product Image - This Item - Telefunken U47 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
Telefunken U47 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
$9,995.00
+
+
=
Buy all:
OR
Telefunken U47 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone
In Stock!
Price:$9,995 and 00 cents
Add to Cart
Add to list
Skip to Description
Most Popular Accessories & Related Items
Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

The Classic Telefunken Tube Mic

Few microphones are as iconic as the Telefunken U47 tube condenser microphone. This vintage-style tube studio microphone offers the smooth and sweet sound that made the classic crooners of the 1950s come to life all around the world. In addition to vocals, the Telefunken U47 is a longtime favorite for classical recordings, where its robust low-frequency handling, airy high end, and switchable cardioid/omnidirectional pattern make it ideal for Decca tree stereo mic arrangements. However you use it, you'll be glad you asked your Sweetwater Sales Engineer about the Telefunken U47 tube condenser microphone.

A classic studio workhorse condenser for vocals, amps, and instruments

Whether you're recording the soulful crooning of a baritone vocalist or the open and airy sound of a chamber string quartet, the Telefunken U47 will provide you with the commanding midrange, extended low end, and glassy highs that have made this microphone a household name since 1946. From the loudest drums to the subtlest strains of nylon-string guitar, the Telefunken U47 captures all the beauty of any source you throw at it in exquisite detail. No matter which tube microphones you've recorded with, until you get your hands on a genuine Telefunken U47, you'll never know what all the fuss is about.

Dual polar patterns provide you with ideal recording options

One of the features that made the original such a hit in the first place was its switchable polar pattern. Loaded with a dual-diaphragm capsule, the Telefunken U47 condenser microphone lets you choose between cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns. In addition to shaping the pickup area, these patterns also subtly change the sound of your microphone, allowing you to fine-tune your tone to best match your source.

Old-school engineering and modern electronics

Technology has changed quite a bit since the Telefunken U47 first hit the market, and the original M7 capsule and the military surplus VF-14M tubes that formed the heart of the Telefunken U47 are long gone. But Telefunken has remained steadfastly committed to providing that classic Telefunken U47 sound. That's why the company developed amazing new components, including the plug-and-play VF-14K vacuum tube and the BV8 output transformer. Hold them up side-by-side, and you'll be hard-pressed to tell a vintage microphone from a modern one. Plug them in, and all you'll hear is pure amazing tube microphone tone.

Telefunken U47 Features:

  • Telefunken's classic large-diaphragm tube studio condenser microphone updated for modern recording
  • Classic smooth midrange, robust bass, and airy treble make this a go-to microphone for any source
  • Based on the microphones used on countless vocal and classical recordings
  • Dual-sided M7 capsule provides you with both cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns
  • VF-14K vacuum tube and BV8 output transformer offer smooth sound and tons of headroom
  • Locking case, power supply, shockmount, and wooden box included

*TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik is not affiliated or connected with, and this product is not produced or licensed by, Georg Neumann GmbH

Resources

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Tube Condenser
  • Polar Pattern: Cardioid, Omni
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
  • Max SPL: 138dB
  • Output Impedance: 200 ohms (50 ohms Switchable)
  • Tube: VF14K
  • Color: Silver
  • Power Source: External M 940H power supply
  • Connector: XLR
  • Weight: 1.375 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: SYTM-009

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

Back to navigation

Reviews

It is flustered by nothing
I've been using the Telefunken U47 for about a month and I'm getting a handle on why it has such a high reputation. It's not that it is the best microphone for all purposes. It's not a terribly modern sounding device. It's dynamics and noise floor are just above average.

The reason it is so well known is that there is nothing that sounds bad on it. The mic yawns at shrill sounds. It can tame sibilance with its eyes closed. It daydreams while handling wide dynamics. The thing doodles while conveying with authority deep instruments.

While it has a slight high-end rolloff, the sound has an effortless or silky sound I've not heard in other mics (the rolloff is easily EQ'd up, as desired). And it's capsule/tube combo produces that wonderful and addictive harmonic structure that adds magic to about any source.

This U47 more than any other of the dozen LCDs in my locker is the most foolproof mic I've ever used. It is so interesting that it was one the first widely distributed condenser mics almost 80 years ago and still outpaces so many others in these characteristics.

I noticed that the U47 sound benefits from being paired well with a good preamp. For most uses, I find that a transformer pre adds a little something. No wonder many recordings are made with the 1073, for example, though I find that a modern preamp by Portico or Great River adds the same enhancement, but with more detail. On the other hand, going double-tube with mic and preamp (The REDD.47 pre in my case) sucks a little life out of the sound, perhaps by applying too many harmonics. Apollo's Unison preamps also work well. For male voices and voiceovers, I find the Helios pre, with its transformer emphasis in the lower register, works even better than my other hardware units.
Music background: TV producer, audio engineer, song writer, and sometime bass player
Outstanding microphone
I own 2 of these plus a e251
These work amazingly for vocals, over heads for drums and acoustic guitars.
Love them,use them everyday.
Music background: Artist, producer.
Outstanding microphone
I own 2 of these plus a e251
These work amazingly for vocals, over heads for drums and acoustic guitars.
Love them,use them everyday.
Music background: Artist, producer.
Buenísimo un clásico
Este micrófono es una belleza totalmente un clásico
Music background: Composer
A classic reborn
I was always looking for a great vintage U47. Buying vintage mics is always a gamble for me, as you can never truly know what you're getting. My Sales Engineer Josh Estock has become a trusted resource for my studio, so I was happy to get his opinion on if there were any exceptional versions of the classic U47 sound out there. It seems I wasn't the only one asking, as he was quick to tell me that after extensive listening at Sweetwater, comparing new U47 clones to a beautifully maintained original U47, the Telefunken was clearly the closest match. It took months to wait for one, but it really was worth it. Beautiful, classic sound, with none of that super bright sheen that most reissue mics have these days. Many of my clients have sung into classic 47's for decades, and its very telling when they don't say a word about the sound of this new mic. To them, its a U47, and that's all they ask for. Sold!
Music background: Producer/Engineer/Mixer