Well, I used a UM900 for the first time. My jaw nearly hit the floor. All the smokey lows and more detailed highs than any other tube mic I've encountered without any crappy fizziness. Not all lows and mids forward, not clinical detailed highs. The best of all worlds. I know there's a few folk on here who know it's strengths, but I'm fairly taken aback that it isn't front and centre on this forum. Obviously not one mic for all applications but, well, astonishing. If I owned it, I doubt I'd ever use eq again.

Its my favorite mic on earth

Cheers
SP

there are a few other Geffel gems...non tube stuff is fantabulous...but ssshhhh dont tell anyone....otherwise then we wont get to hoard them anymore.

There are more than a "few," but you didn't hear it from me.

Cheers,
--
Don

sssssshhhhhhh

Which other ones do you like? Thanks.

Are they really that good? I'm serious, because I've been thinking about one for a long time now... and have them in the list with a U67, M269c, 800g and others.

People are saying that the Gefell is the only legit Neumann line now... i want to believe, I really do. I just need a push.

Any other comments or reviews?

UM 930...the rest is on a need to know basis...oh no I 've said too much...there's a helicopter circling above my place....gotta go...

Here ya go - consider yourself pushed.......

Yes, I love the UM70s. Fantastic mic.

X5!!!!! (Got 5 of em, love em all....)

Ward, it's that good. My surprise is only because you so frequently see the board clogged up with references to Brauner, Bock, Manley, Neumann - all sterling manufacturers, but this mic is a knockout. I think folk are put off cos it looks funny, and maybe in the US they aren't as common. You just have to hear it.

M930, UM930, M900, UMT800, M930Ts, M1030, M295,M296, M300, UMT70s, MT71s, PM860, [vintage UM70s/MV692] are all amazing mic's in their own way, in my opinion. The UM900 is a spectacular microphone that is unique and beautiful. A true work of art, meant to capture,,,a true a work of art.

What about the third one?heh heh

The UM 900 is my favorite mic

wish I had more.

This is one of my favorite microphones! It sounds amazing on everything. I am constantly changing my mind regarding my favorite vocal microphone. For me, it's between the UM900 and the Neumann M149. To me, both mics are better sounding than any U47 I've heard. But, opinions will vary.

And - uniquely - the UM 900 is a valve (vacuum tube) mic. that runs from 48V phantom and does not need a separate power supply.

.

I see my old thread has been revived.

After that I bought a UM900.

IT IS THE BEST.

We had all the top Gefell microphones here for detailed tests and trying ... UM900 looks very nice, no doubt, but as for the sound , we surprisingly found it the least interesting, a bit boring ... we expected much more (for the price) ... All the others sounded better (in many cases great) to us for any vocal or instrument ...

I think you got a dud. Haha.

LOL heh

One of these days I want to meet you Ivo - you have great kit and (mostly) very good ears.

Though, personally, I tend to prefer modern transformerless mics - and I am itching to try a pair of the M221 on a grand piano.

What is "dud" ?

I found M221 a bit "crisp" for close miking ... I preferred Schoeps MK2

And I'd be inclined to try the m296...

A 'dud' is one that doesn't work properly.

I had 2 of them in the course of time .. both sounded the same ...

I think of the UM900 as a vocal mic. It is very realistic, but has smooth highs.

Many of the characteristics it displays are those which make the m49 and c12 such sought after microphones. At about 12 inches with proximity you can get very rounded vintage sounds, the m7 capsule behaving in its traditional way.

I really don't know what you mean by 'boring' Ivo, but then I don't know what you used it on. I've never had boring results from it, just high detail, space and warmth.

Ahoj Ivo,

What do you mean by "close"?

I normally position a couple of meters or so away.

Also, what piano? (eg: do you find it accents the sharpness of a Steinway?)

Around the turn of the century there was a blind tube microphone shootout. In this test the big studios from my country (The Netherlands) participated. All the usual suspects were there, including Neumann, Brauner, Sony, Manley etc. There were three Microtech Gefells viz. UM92.1s, M990, and UM900. Of the three Gefells the UM900 was liked the least. Again, of the Gefells that is. The M990 came out on top, not only regarding the Gefells, but overall.

There was the key test and male and female vocal. I should add that the singing distance was larger than what's usual for most pop music. This was to minimize big differences in tone and dynamics from subtle movements. Gefells with the PVC M7 are lean on the bass and don't have extended air, either, so those will probably like closer approximation.

Ignore the proximity effect from the m7 capsule (and its descendants) and you pretty much ignore the history of pop and rock vocal recording.

If I wanted to record things 6 feet away with an LDC I'd use a Josephson.

However, in my line of work, fortunately I don't often do that.

"Horses for courses."

Oh yes, this is a great mic ... It was prefered also here most of the time. Big, vibrant, detailed, juicy sound ...

Yup, flying under the radar mostly. I've never understood why. Good kept secret, too? Anyway, happy owner here.
BTW, I too had a chance to A/B it with a Horch RM2J.
Unfortunately, I haven't tried the UM900 myself. My gut tells me it likes to be hugged. Well, its waist and curves are inviting enough.