On voice-over work i was wondering what a lot of you professionals prefer? U47 or U48!

Sorry, have to shake my head at this.

When Don LaFontaine didn't even need a +$10K mic to do his VO's, why would anyone else? He used a Manley Reference.

Actually, I would think that neither of those would be good because they were not designed for close micing, which a VO generally is.

A U67 would be a much better choice if you had to have a vintage mic.

So what if Don LaFontaine never used a 10k mic! I'm not Don and i think a U47 - U48 would sound incredible for VO work and i wanted some real opinions on professionals who have experience with both these microphones!

Well, typically in the field for news, a lip mic is used. Look it up. Pretty much the opposite of a 47

Seriously though try an RE20 or SM7 for voice of God close mic type stuff. Otherwise I've used my 416 zillions of times, a 77DX a couple of times, and once my UM57 for a girl.

Inglewood SoundBarn

I agree with this poster. Recently produced a VO session, and we chose a 269 (different tubes version of a 67) over the original, beautiful sounding 47. Just not typically the right sound.

Use a 67, 87, or the Manley Reference for sure. Those are all great mics for most VO.

SM7b's and RE20's typically have more ground noise for some reason, and SM7b's have a fairly low output.

I guess Don was not a pro, and that opinion doesn't count.

Try it, then try something else. Tell your engineer to put a few up and do some blind testing. Don't fall in love with the mic just because it's got a mystic in a completely different application. As a pro who has worked on many VO sessions, a 47 or 48 would not be on my list.

I think you think the 47/8 would sound incredible because you've never tried one and you're buying the hype.

They are great for singers, specially ones who know how to project and have good mic technique. The pro VO talents use a mic in a completely different way and being that close to the 47/8 would probably sound too boomy because of the proximity. Unless you have a VERY thin voice.

To answer the actual question...

The difference between the U47 and U48 is their polar patterns, with both offering cardioid and the U47 offering omni while the U48 offers Figure of 8.

So, if you intend to use cardiod (eg to minimise room pickup and/or take advantage of the proximity effect it provides on close-up VO), there is little to choose between the two mics. If you want to experiment with other patterns (requires a good-sounding room, and is not a conventional approach for VO) then the answer is "it depends". The U47 in omni will give you more room with no proximity effect, while the U48 in fig-8 will give somewhat more room ambience than either in cardioid (but not as much as the '47 in omni) and ample proximity effect if up close.

FWIW.

Did Don use the regular Manley reference or the gold version?

Yeah i sound like Elmo my voice is very thin! J/k!!!

Personally, I'd never pull out a 47/48 for VO. Some good suggestions above, and add a U87 to the mess.....

Regular

I've been using a 414 P48 for the last 20 years for vo work.
Its ballzy- killer for male voices... Placed very close but off to the
side at a 45 deg angle so the sucker doesn't pop.

A u47/48 is the wrong mic.

Gary

Interesting, so you have never tried the U47 for VO, you just assume its not good and would be too boomy etc because its a "Singer" mic?

I love the sound of a U47 for VO with the right type of voice. Try one if you can.

The U47 is a commonly used VO mic, its generally good on most voices but ofcourse on some it wont work just as any other mic wont.

And Telling U47 is the wrong mic, you have not used one. You guys have no idea what you are answering the op.

But no, you dont need a U47, but its very good and hard to beat on VO

Thank you Showcase.

The New York studio I "grew up" in had 5 VO rooms plus a couple of film-mix rooms with VO booths. The only mics in those rooms were U47s and they sounded great.

These days, running my own joint, we have a couple of Pearlmans we often use for VO. They also sound great. And unlike most vintage "real" tube lcd's they sound exactly the same.

Having to decide between a 47 and a 48 is a high-class problem.

We used 47s for years and on all types of voices, including bass timbres like LaFontaine's. Most of the time it sounded amazing. I'd never expect to use figure-8, though I'd use omni, so I'd have to suggest the 47 between those two. It wouldn't be my desert island VO mic, but it's a great option.

Btw, the LaFontaine reference might be the least helpful thing to say. Few others have a voice which would be epic via ANY microphone. I've heard him on 47s and he sounds the same.

Just to throw a curve ball in the mix, the U47 FET version used to be a very popular mic in London v/o studios. Certainly in the 80's. They sounded great.

Don't see them at all these days as most facilities seem to have U87's.

I have used a U47 in the studios I work out of quite a bit, and have also brought it out for VO talents that want to try it out.

There are much better mics for VOs.

No Camera, you have not used a real U47, its pretty obvious from your posts.

for instance this "The pro VO talents use a mic in a completely different way and being that close to the 47/8 would probably sound too boomy because of the proximity."
What do you mean "would probably" if you have tried it?
I really must say its hard to get a U47 sound boomy, more richer lowend perhaps, but not boomy. More so on the U67 you´re saying is a much better VO mic.

Go U87!

Low noise, low maintenance, classy polished sound. Phantom, no PSU boxes to set up.

Millennia HV3D or similar great low noise preamp.

Pocket the change, or buy more U87s for more simultaneous V.O. Artists.

+U87

I'm not saying anything on the subject, but telling someone they're lying when you don't agree with their opinion is unprofessional and just a bit sh1tty if you ask me.

How do you know what the guy has used?

I'm going to try a Flea 47 this week on VO as well as a U87! I'll post clips!

Yeah well, what really upsets me and what I think is unprofessional here is how you can "shake your head" to the ops question and be giving reasons why the U47 is NOT a good mic for this application to the op because of its design etc etc.

It has nothing to do with not agreeing with his opinion, I woudlnt hesistate to use U67 for VO, U87, 269... and many others, Im getting alot of nice VO tracks done with U87, but if you´re in the buisness and saying the U47 does not compete with those (in fact the opposite), yeah I think that is utterly weird and "just a bit sh1tty if you ask me"

I'm not saying anything about the comment, I'm talking about calling someone a liar to their face, because you don't agree with their point of view. With that viewpoint, half the users on this site haven't used the gear they claim to own, in my view.

Then explain for me these sentence`s, words :

"Actually, I would think that neither of those would be good because they were not designed for close micing, which a VO generally is"

"The pro VO talents use a mic in a completely different way and being that close to the 47/8 would probably sound too boomy because of the proximity"

What has this with my opinion to do? Honestly

You told someone he had never used a mic he said he had. You called him a liar. Didn't you? Or did you mean something else?

Yes well, if you look at these sentences among other things, it doesnt sound like a person who have used a real U47 does it?

Anyway, its all in here for everybody to make up there own opinion now, we dont need to go any further with this?