You might be surprised.

Well, the earliest did have MSC2 valves, but basically yeah…if they don’t have AC701K valves (and I do mean AC701K not AC701), they can go pound bricks with that $8500 asking price.

I’d much rather they have spent the time and effort developing a new valve based head amp for the k47 that would be more sustainable to make than an original M49C, and reasonably priced. Like, maybe designed for EF86 or any other tube with greater availability than an AC701K, transformer balanced, traditional build and design (aka no solid state stages or surface mount). Sometimes I wonder what they are even thinking over there to not already have a product like this to showcase their k47/49.

Sidenote…they contacted me out of the blue awhile back to tell me that there service department can do custom work, which I thought was very interesting. It seemed like someone at Neumann may have noticed my wondering about getting black matte finished for newer U67 and U47fet, and/or putting different capsules on various head amps.

Klaus knows something we don't know.


(Well. Klaus knows lots of things that we don't know... But he knows even more somethings that we don't know than usual)

+1

Let me guess. It won't be a limited edition and it won't come with an AC701 tube?

I thought I heard they sold off a bunch of the AC701K to some private buyer, to fling an irresponsible hazy memory statement out there.

High-Key, this is what I'm hoping for.
A useable, serviceable tool that we can buy after saving our pennies carefully. Buying in the vintage world is cool (legitimately, I enjoy it) but it does involve having your trigger finger (and wallet) ready to pull if the right example dawdles into your circles.

I hear little enough difference between my m269 and my u67 to really care what they use, as long as it is good.

A couple of more updates:
1) The price is an introductory price to test out the market.
2) They will be delivering only 25 mics a month...and that is everywhere. So how that gets divided up between all of the dealers all over the world we will wait and see.
Sweetwater in the US will be at the top of the list.
3) The official name is the M49V
4) Introduction starts in August and Neumann wants to introduce it on a more low key manner but from what I heard they might lose on that one ( I mentioned to them that there are people here already that are excited an would buy a pair of mics and lets just say they weren't happy about the leaks..whoops!)

Yes, Klaus knows all.

Thanks for the update.

Apparently there are a few collectors in Europe that are sitting on large quantities of AC701’s. Maybe Neumann has cut a deal?

Well, I guess I need to start selling some things, starting with my second FleA 49 and figure out how to get the rest of the money. Lol.

The roll out will be slow and calculated, not only to build demand but to establish a market. Also they want to get some of the heavy hitters on board first, talking about it ( though sad that 2 of the guys who were M49 advocates Bruce Swedien and Al Schmidt are no longer with us).

So the waiting period after the first run will be long unfortunately. One of the issues will be if people want to buy them in pairs. Eventually someone will have to wait with an odd number roll out.
Also if you are thinking of getting a loaner from your dealer to try...good luck with that. With the small roll out, getting a mic to demo just won't be possible.

Neumann really wants to control the roll out on this thing and are going all out to make it as authentic as possible. All hand and custom made parts for the mic. No machines , old school ( or so i've heard).

So if you are not in the first group, you'll have plenty of time to raise the cash, though i wouldn't mind being to the guy who gets serial number 1 and 2!

Aside from the slow roll out, with just 25 of them available each month, and a long waiting period after the first run, do you know if the total number produced is still going to be limited to a specific amount (e.g. 100, as previously rumoured)?

Like others, I'm also eager to find out what tube will be used. And I'm curious about the rationale behind calling it the M49V.

They’re doing a fantastic job controlling the rollout so far.

Steamy, maybe it sounds best with a...
49 Volt phantom power supply?
(Or just 49'ers fans)
Chris

If the M49V thing is true, I’m guessing it *may* be for reasons similar to what I’ve been suggesting to Neumann for years; to just make a new circuit with a different tube, and adjust the output transformer to deal with the new tube selection accordingly (proper low end response, headroom, etc).

If they have just updated the circuit, they’d want to progress from the last C version they were on. D would be a potentially poor choice marketing wise because people associate the letter with digital.

I honestly think there’s no way on earth Neumann would ever release a new M49 with an AC701(especially) or AC701K. It would be insane for them to sign up for dealing with people complaining about perception of too much microphonics, tube farts, etc., when the cost of replacement is so high and the ratio of original tubes that prove acceptable after burn in being so low.

re: a comment above about no machines being involved. It would be really odd for no machines to be involved in making the capsules let alone the mics overall, LOL. I’d almost be more concerned if they suddenly started hand drilling backplates and manually doing various other steps after not doing it for a couple decades or so.

But if it were "M49D",
Deedeeyeah might get it.

To better match his digital desks, etc...
(Especially if the new/improved 701 tube is biodegradable)

Chris

100 pieces will never be enough. I'm willing to wager there's enough demand for 500 in the first year of re-release. Maybe twice that

I highly doubt it.
Why?
Because this isn't the old days anymore when it comes to recording studios. And if you are the fancy home studio type, trying to get an exclusive deal from your favorite boutique gear deal may not be possible( remember the goal is to be able to produce up to 25 mics a month so a lot of the smaller dealers around the globe won't have access to sell them for a long while).

Here in the states you are adding around $750 or $1500 in tax plus shipping for a single or pair of mics from the major dealers. And with the financial situation around the globe for the next few years, a purchase like this( close to $18.5K for a stereo pair) isn't a simple decision.

In the current climate where demand seems to be outstripping supply for nearly everything, even luxury items... I think Neumann/Senn will easily be able to sell as many of these as they like. The U67 reissue seems to have been selling like hot cakes despite the high price, and I'd think the M49 will do the same, regardless of which tube is used. I think they'd be nuts to limit it to anything beyond actual supply of materials.

But, as always, I suppose we'll just wait and see.

I wonder if they’re doing an ‘all original’ version with AC701k that’s limited to the 100 units and then another re-engineered with another tube and amp circuit.

Just a thought
Wiggy

I agree with this fully. I think the demand for a new M49 that isn’t an exact replica and *comes in at greater than the price of a U67*, will be somewhat limited, with the cost of gearing up production probably fairly high. They don’t really make anything in the same way the old M49 were made, with all of the internal sealed plastic decks and stuff.

It will be really interesting to see what truly justifies a higher street price than a U67 if it isn’t going to actually be a replica of an old M49C. If they are doing an entirely new head amp, doing some approximate math subtracting capsule and body work, I guess that part should be worth more than a U67 for some as yet unknown reason.

What i've been told is that what they are doing is really an old school, traditional build in terms of the investment in time, the parts, the craftmanship. Everything done by hand. The techs are controlling every aspect of the build and will not speed up the process, even if the demand is high in order to control the quality output.
This will definitely not be an "off the shelf" copy.

Aren't there laws and regulations when it comes to new gear in EU? I don't think Sennheiser/Neumann would ever greenlight such a thing. I mean putting out a couple of 100 ac701 tubes on the market with warrenty . I'm 99.9% sure it's going to be a substitute tube.

TBH I’m more than happy with my pair of Flea 49’s (with a great finish) my pair of Horch’s and my Blackspade M49’s. If I can’t get a pair of Sennheiser’s I won’t cry. Especially if they call them M49V it gives me C12VR vibes.

That wouldn’t be all original and would also cause uproar.

It makes sense to have some healthy degree of skepticism (and I do), but on the other hand, they have a bunch of top notch engineers working there. I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if they implemented some new bells and whistles, or some sort of aspect, that ends up justifying asking price. At least compared to some other company’s $6500 mic or whatever.

I was really impressed with the FLEA 49s, however the finish on the ones I used was cheesy and cheap looking, in comparison to my Neumann's. Sonically, they were so in the ballpark of my matched M49b's (that are my orchestral and choir mics mics) so closely, that I was shocked. They couldn't touch my jeweled M49, that is my designated vocal 49, but neither can most non-Klaus'd later 49's.

That being said, outsides of the capsule tuning difference and the new tube, I'm so impressed with the new U67. And I'll bet you that even with a "V" initial, a new 49 might be even better than the 67, based on a hunch I have. I know they they are starting to care about the sound like they haven't before, and Neumann has free rein from Sennheiser right now.

But what if the tube was made after 1965?

Yes uproar on forums! Lol

But there is a clear demand here and some salient points been raised here about the greatness of the reissued 67 version being up to snuff.

I used a reissue last year and it was great and to me I’d be more than happy to own and plan to going forwards.

Maybe the hypothesised non V version i mentioned will street at a more attractive price. I
Mean there a healthy dose of marketing implied in this scenario, but the wider market isn’t the minority here that care and discuss the minutiae, but the 80 odd % that makes a up Neumann’s and sennheiser’s profit and loss who use these fine mics as tools or might want something in the ballpark of a classic Neumann.

Waiting patiently!
Wiggy