Used Telefunken TF51 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone

I bought this mic for a project, we worked a few days and then the project fell apart… but not cause of the mic lol. Since, then I’ve tracked guitars once or twice, and used it as a mono room mic on a drum kit and it held both those spots with ease. After that, I lowered my hours to spend time with family, and I just don’t record as much as I used to, so someone more deserving should put it to good use.

It has since been kept in an AC controlled and humidity controlled studio environment.

I currently have the original tube in, but I have NOS tubes of many brands that can tilt the mic with a certain character.

I will add an extra tube as a bonus .. likely NOS GE, RCA, Amperex, or Jan Phillips.. all NOS vintage and testing great. I have a notebook that I wrote the characteristics trying each out…. by default, I will add the one I felt gave it a more classic rich open vibe tilting it a bit towards the Elam direction, but I can also go the 47 direction and find the one that felt a little more tilted towards the bottom end harmonically.
The stock tube is a beautiful Telefunken (obviously), and the NOS tubes were no better or worse, just a gentle tilt of sonic flavor.

I like the stock tube (Tele knows what they’re doing)… There’s something about this mic that I would describe as, ‘If API made the Elam 251, this would be that mic’ … if a C-12 sparkles up in the highs, and a 47 is rich on the bottom… this has a beautiful unique midrange. It is not a budget 251… it is a high class Telefunken with, to me, the glory area is in the critical mid range. Great for standing out in front. Nothing weak or cheap in the highs and not thin in the lows… the balance is great. It could cost double and I think it would still be worth that price.

I also do studio design and wiring, so I make my own cables using Canare Star-Quad Twisted Pair and Neutrik Gold barrels. I make em in white so if you take your cables to a gig, you know when someone is putting yours in their bag.
I am including one 12-15’ XLR on the house. I normally sell them under the ULM brand for 35$ each, or 60 for 2 (for that length), but I know the urge to want to fire up a new mic right away, so hey, another free bonus!

All original materials, stickers, booklets, etc included, the power cable is still brand new (i used one of my shielded cables… they’re only 2’ long, so I’m including the stock one… it’s quality too.
The PSU is flawless, the mic to PSU cable is like new… everything is like new. I’ve been in the game a long time, so rest assured … I baby all my gear with the highest tech standards (I was a engineer and tech at Criteria in Miami, so I’m well trained :)

I’ll copy paste the specs, and hope you enjoy the extra perks. I’m also a total gear nerd and happy to help advise on various placement techniques or answer any questions or whatever … I’m like a free concierge that comes w the mic. Peobably since I now teach audio at the local tech university, I just like sharing the knowledge I’ve picked up from being around some really amazing mentors and Grammy winning engineers I owe my career to. (I only got nominated, never won one… but I have a lot of platinum plaques :)

Anyway, I ship super fast, well packaged, fully insured via UPS and I’ve got hundreds of transactions under my belt, so you’re buying from someone who knows every component and detail and respects the craft.

I’m open to reasonable offers … reasonable tho!

Here are the specs:

The Telefunken Elektroakustik TF51 is a fresh take on the “Austrian” microphone sound associated with the legendary TELEFUNKEN ELA M 251E and C12. The TF51 continues this legacy, exhibiting a smooth midrange and airy top end and capturing every nuance in pleasant detail. The TF51 is a reliable first choice for stand out vocals, acoustic instruments, and percussion. Similar to the 251E and C12, the TF51 features a CK12-style edge terminated capsule, 6072A vacuum tube, and custom-made Haufe transformer. The combination of these components provides a beautifully open and smooth sonic profile, with a certain level of articulation that can only be described as lifelike.
FEATURES:
Airy and open top end, reminiscent of the ELA M 251E

Balanced low end and natural midrange

Cardioid, Omni, and Figure 8 polar pattern selection 
CK12-style capsule and German-made Haufe transformer 
TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik 6072A vacuum tube 
Designed and hand assembled in the USA 
Recommended Applications: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Violin, Drum Overheads
TELEFUNKEN ALCHEMY SERIES
Designed, hand-built, and tested to strict quality standards in Connecticut, USA, the Alchemy Series is TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik’s next generation of large diaphragm tube condensers. These new microphone models feature unique sonic profiles developed from the ground up. The bold new voicings of the Alchemy Series are the TF29, TF39, TF47, and TF51.
With the combination of vintage microphone elements and modern fidelity and reliability, the Alchemy Series delivers microphones each with a distinctively original sonic fingerprint. The Alchemy Series is an evolution and refinement to past models in the R-F-T Series (CU-29 Copperhead, AR-51, and AK-47 MkII), benefitting from over a decade of in-house microphone design and production.
TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik has implemented numerous improvements sonically and mechanically to the Alchemy Series, tailored all the way down to the accessories. Boasting newly designed custom headgrilles for transparency and openness, hand-plugged circuit boards, and selected American and European vacuum tubes and transformers, no detail was left unaddressed. All systems ship in a sleek, compact, protective case for easy transport and storage. Included are two modern mount options, microphone dust cover, high-flex 7-meter cable, and an American-assembled power supply.
Like all TELEFUNKEN microphones, the Alchemy Series is assembled in the same American facility as the legendary Diamond Series (ELA M 251E, C12 and U47) by a small, dedicated team of engineers and technicians. Each microphone is individually tested and listened to. All critical components are quality controlled in-house before assembly, including capsule frequency sweeps, vacuum tube burn-in and noise grading. These high standards lead to extremely tight tolerances from microphone to microphone - something few in the industry can claim.
The ideal choice for discerning engineers, musicians, and producers. The Alchemy Series combines timeless sound quality with TELEFUNKEN reliability in an affordable package. Whether it’s the home studio or a commercial facility, the Alchemy Series is suited for any recording environment.

MORE INFORMATION
 PACKAGE CONTENTS
TF51 mic, tube mic cable, power supply, shock mount, stand mount, mic sleeve, and carrying case
LENGTH7.9 inDIAMETER1.8 in
UNIT WEIGHT1.3 lb
TYPETELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik 6072A
CAPSULE TYPE
TK51 edge terminated large diaphragm
TRANSDUCER TYPECondenserPOLAR PATTERNBi-Directional / Figure-Eight, Cardioid, Omni-Directional
MicrophoneIMPEDANCE