Warm Audio Heats Up The Recording Industry With Their WA-47 Tube Condenser Mic Announcement

WA-47​ ​Tube​ ​Condenser​ ​Microphone

New​ ​Product​ ​From​ ​Warm​ ​Audio​ ​-​ ​In​ ​Stores​ ​(First​ ​Week​ ​of​ ​December​ ​2017)

Product​ ​Page:​​ ​​https://www.warmaudio.com/wa47

The​ ​WA-47​ ​is​ ​an​ ​all​ ​vacuum​ ​tube,​ ​large​ ​diaphragm,​ ​transformer​ ​balanced,​ ​multi-pattern​ ​(9),​ ​large condenser​ ​microphone,​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​classic​ ​‘47​ ​that​ ​has​ ​been​ ​used​ ​on​ ​countless​ ​hit​ ​records​ ​for​ ​the​ ​last 50+​ ​years.​ ​​ ​The​ ​WA-47​ ​is​ ​designed​ ​for​ ​pro​ ​studio,​ ​home​ ​studio,​ ​live,​ ​and​ ​broadcast​ ​applications​ ​and sounds​ ​great​ ​on​ ​vocals,​ ​acoustic/electric​ ​guitars,​ ​acoustic/electric​ ​bass,​ ​drums,​ ​piano,​ ​strings, brass/woodwind​ ​instruments,​ ​and​ ​an​ ​array​ ​of​ ​other​ ​sources.​ ​​ ​The​ ​classic​ ​‘47​ ​became​ ​extremely​ ​popular​ ​in the​ ​1960’s​ ​and​ ​is​ ​now​ ​considered​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​greatest​ ​microphones​ ​every​ ​made.​ ​​ ​The​ ​classic​ ​‘47​ ​is​ ​still widely​ ​used​ ​today​ ​in​ ​professional​ ​recording​ ​studios​ ​but​ ​have​ ​become​ ​extremely​ ​rare​ ​and​ ​expensive​ ​to acquire.

Designing​ ​the​ ​WA-47​ ​to​ ​sound​ ​like​ ​the​ ​classic​ ​‘47​ ​was​ ​no​ ​easy​ ​task,​ ​especially​ ​considering​ ​that​ ​some​ ​of the​ ​vintage​ ​components​ ​are​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​available.​ ​​ ​We​ ​compared​ ​and​ ​listened​ ​to​ ​2​ ​different​ ​vintage​ ​‘47 mics​ ​and​ ​found​ ​that​ ​they​ ​both​ ​sounded​ ​amazing​ ​but​ ​also​ ​sounded​ ​a​ ​little​ ​different​ ​from​ ​each​ ​other. These​ ​comparison​ ​tests​ ​became​ ​the​ ​benchmark​ ​for​ ​tailoring​ ​our​ ​WA-47​ ​sonics​ ​to​ ​sit​ ​right​ ​in​ ​with​ ​these​ ​2 vintage​ ​‘47​ ​mics.​ ​​ ​We​ ​are​ ​pleased​ ​to​ ​release​ ​such​ ​a​ ​gorgeous​ ​sounding​ ​classic​ ​to​ ​the​ ​market​ ​at​ ​a​ ​price that’s​ ​reachable​ ​to​ ​more​ ​people​ ​than​ ​ever​ ​before.​ ​​ ​We​ ​are​ ​also​ ​proud​ ​to​ ​mention​ ​that​ ​the​ ​WA-47​ ​sounds legitimately​ ​indistinguishable​ ​to​ ​the​ ​vintage​ ​‘47’s​ ​we​ ​auditioned​ ​on​ ​several​ ​sources.

As​ ​with​ ​all​ ​Warm​ ​Audio​ ​products,​ ​we​ ​focus​ ​heavily​ ​on​ ​quality​ ​components​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​we​ ​release​ ​the​ ​best sounding​ ​product​ ​possible.​ ​​ ​The​ ​WA-47​ ​is​ ​packed​ ​with​ ​top​ ​end​ ​components​ ​that​ ​are​ ​carefully​ ​sourced from​ ​many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​top​ ​pro​ ​audio​ ​component​ ​suppliers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world.

The​ ​Capsule:​​ ​​ ​The​ ​WA-47​ ​utilizes​ ​a​ ​custom​ ​reproduction​ ​of​ ​the​ ​vintage​ ​47-style​ ​capsule​ ​that​ ​was​ ​used​ ​in the​ ​classic​ ​‘47​ ​microphone​ ​-​ ​designed​ ​with​ ​the​ ​same​ ​hole​ ​pattern​ ​and​ ​frequency​ ​response.​ ​​ ​Our​ ​version of​ ​this​ ​capsule​ ​(model#​ ​WA-47-B-80v)​ ​is​ ​carefully​ ​manufactured​ ​by​ ​an​ ​Australian​ ​capsule​ ​manufacturer, and​ ​its​ ​precision​ ​allows​ ​us​ ​to​ ​nail​ ​the​ ​sonics​ ​for​ ​the​ ​most​ ​important​ ​sonic​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​the​ ​microphone.

The​ ​Tube:​​ ​​ ​A​ ​Slovak​ ​Republic​ ​JJ​ ​5751​ ​vacuum​ ​tube​ ​is​ ​a​ ​lower​ ​gain,​ ​low​ ​noise​ ​tube​ ​that​ ​forces​ ​much​ ​of the​ ​sonics​ ​of​ ​the​ ​capsule​ ​and​ ​transformer​ ​to​ ​be​ ​heard​ ​more​ ​significantly​ ​than​ ​some​ ​higher​ ​gain​ ​tubes might​ ​allow.​ ​​ ​We​ ​auditioned​ ​4​ ​different​ ​tube​ ​brands​ ​and​ ​fell​ ​in​ ​love​ ​with​ ​the​ ​JJ​ ​5751.​ ​​ ​The​ ​frequency response​ ​of​ ​the​ ​JJ​ ​and​ ​the​ ​way​ ​it​ ​contributes​ ​to​ ​the​ ​circuit​ ​is​ ​tonally​ ​smooth​ ​and​ ​vintage​ ​in​ ​nature.

The​ ​Transformer:​ ​​​ ​An​ ​American​ ​made​ ​TAB-Funkenwerk​ ​(AMI)​ ​USA​ ​transformer​ ​with​ ​large​ ​core​ ​imported German​ ​laminations​ ​is​ ​used​ ​in​ ​the​ ​WA-47.​ ​​ ​This​ ​transformer​ ​helps​ ​provide​ ​the​ ​creamy​ ​smooth​ ​top​ ​end, and​ ​the​ ​LARGER​ ​THAN​ ​LIFE​ ​bottom​ ​end​ ​one​ ​would​ ​expect​ ​from​ ​a​ ​47-style​ ​condenser​ ​microphone.

The​ ​Cable:​ ​​​ ​One​ ​component​ ​of​ ​a​ ​tube​ ​microphone​ ​that​ ​is​ ​often​ ​overlooked​ ​is​ ​the​ ​7​ ​pin​ ​cable​ ​that connects​ ​the​ ​microphone​ ​to​ ​its​ ​power​ ​supply.​ ​​ ​When​ ​auditioning​ ​the​ ​WA-47​ ​and​ ​other​ ​tube​ ​microphones we​ ​learned​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​about​ ​7​ ​pin​ ​cables​ ​and​ ​how​ ​the​ ​shielding​ ​and​ ​wire​ ​gauge​ ​size​ ​can​ ​drastically change​ ​the​ ​sonics​ ​of​ ​a​ ​tube​ ​microphone.​ ​​ ​We​ ​have​ ​partnered​ ​with​ ​Gotham​ ​Cable​ ​in​ ​Switzerland​ ​to​ ​use their​ ​very​ ​carefully​ ​built​ ​top-end​ ​7​ ​pin​ ​GAC-7​ ​cable.​ ​​ ​Using​ ​this​ ​cable​ ​increases​ ​top​ ​end​ ​presence​ ​and​ ​the overall​ ​size​ ​of​ ​the​ ​recorded​ ​image​ ​in​ ​the​ ​stereo​ ​field,​ ​by​ ​reducing​ ​phase​ ​shift​ ​and​ ​the​ ​parasitic​ ​effect​ ​of poorly​ ​built​ ​cables.​ ​​ ​Gotham​ ​Cabling​ ​is​ ​very​ ​expensive​ ​and​ ​boutique​ ​in​ ​nature​ ​and​ ​should​ ​be​ ​considered no​ ​small​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​WA-47​ ​package.

The​ ​Capacitors:​​ ​​ ​The​ ​WA-47​ ​proudly​ ​uses​ ​a​ ​polystyrene​ ​coupling​ ​capacitor​ ​for​ ​uncompressed​ ​top-end response​ ​from​ ​the​ ​capsule,​ ​wima​ ​film​ ​capacitors​ ​throughout,​ ​and​ ​an​ ​imported​ ​Solen​ ​French​ ​capacitor​ ​on its​ ​output​ ​driving​ ​the​ ​TAB-Funkenwerk​ ​(AMI)​ ​USA​ ​transformer.

We​ ​at​ ​Warm​ ​Audio​ ​are​ ​very​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​this​ ​all​ ​vacuum​ ​tube,​ ​large​ ​diaphragm,​ ​transformer​ ​balanced, multi-pattern​ ​(9),​ ​large​ ​condenser​ ​microphone​ ​to​ ​the​ ​market​ ​at​ ​such​ ​an​ ​affordable​ ​price.​ ​​ ​We​ ​feel confident​ ​that​ ​you​ ​will​ ​enjoy​ ​a​ ​lifetime​ ​of​ ​beautiful​ ​recordings​ ​with​ ​the​ ​WA-47.

SPECIFICATIONS

•​ ​Custom​ ​true​ ​'47​ ​capsule​ ​reproduction​ ​(k47​ ​style)​ ​-​ ​Model#​ ​WA-47-B-80v •​ ​TAB-Funkenwerk​ ​(AMI)​ ​USA​ ​output​ ​transformer

•​ ​JJ​ ​Slovak​ ​5751​ ​vacuum​ ​tube

•​ ​Gotham​ ​3​ ​meter​ ​GAC-7,​ ​7-pin​ ​tube​ ​microphone​ ​cable

•​ ​Wima,​ ​Solen​ ​French,​ ​and​ ​Polystyrene​ ​capacitors

•​ ​Polar​ ​Patterns:​ ​9​ ​patterns​ ​-​ ​Cardioid,​ ​Omni,​ ​figure-of-eight​ ​+​ ​6​ ​mixed​ ​patterns

•​ ​Self-noise:​ ​11dBA

•​ ​Dynamic​ ​range:​ ​130dBA

•​ ​Maximum​ ​SPL:​ ​140dB​ ​​ ​(<0.5%​ ​THD)

•​ ​Frequency​ ​Range:​ ​20​ ​Hz~20​ ​kHz

•​ ​Output​ ​Impedance:​ ​200​ ​ohms

•​ ​Rated​ ​Load​ ​Impedance:​ ​≥2kOhms

•​ ​S/N​ ​Ratio:​ ​82dBA

•​ ​Equivalent​ ​Noise:​ ​10dBA​ ​(IEC651)

•​ ​External​ ​IEC​ ​grounded​ ​PSU

•​ ​Includes:​ ​Microphone,​ ​Wood​ ​box,​ ​PSU,​ ​Shockmount,​ ​Gotham​ ​7​ ​pin​ ​GAC-7​ ​cable,​ ​IEC​ ​power​ ​cord •​ ​Total​ ​Contents​ ​Weight​ ​-​ ​9​ ​lbs

•​ ​Mic​ ​Diameter:​ ​90mm

•​ ​Mic​ ​Length:​ ​254mm

Princing

$​ ​899​ ​USD​ ​|​ ​1099​ ​​€​​ ​INC​ ​VAT