What mic would you choose?

If you can stretch the budget a little, I'd get a used TLM 67 and the max mod.

Yup.

Alternatively, you can have someone build this for you (within your budget):
Vintagemicrophonepcbkit.com

Those, and those alone, will bring you close to the U67.

Or.... contact Shannon Rhoades at Mic Rehab | Keeping the classic microphones alive by restoring capsules with today's new technology.

Whoa, his website literally gives me motion sickness. Looks like a restoration service. Does he manufacture and sell mics as well?

He can put a kit together for you, build you a mic from scratch, or modify one of your existing mics. He has modded an apex 460 and 2 miktek cv3's for me. My cv3 he modded in the u47 vein just gave me some of the smoothest yet articulate vocals I have ever recorded. I could send you a clip if you like. (615) 944 - 2378. Give him a call and tell him Antoine sent you.

This thread just got moved from High End to So much gear, so little time. I guess $2,000 is not considered high end? What would be the cut-off price for high end according to the mods?

mojave ma200 - that'l get in in the ballpark nicely

I forgot to mention that I need it to be multipattern mic like the U67...

Much less than $2,000: Sputnik. Don't be fooled by it's low price.

How does your modded Apex 460 stack up?

It's not in the 67 vein, more like a 800g on steroids. Extremely articulate and airy with alot of body. I might place it for sale once I get my cv3 back that he is molding to sound like a 269. He said he shot it out against some low number neumann u67's and it faired pretty well.

how about the Sennheiser MK8 since they are manufactured in the same place.

Sometimes I think some of the Sennhiesers are Nuemanns in disguise.

I second this

I bet looking for a $2000 mic to replace an $8000 - $10,000 mic is the aspect of your question that is not considered "High End"!

When I read the thread title, I was just thinking that this phrase is more likely than not to appear in any thread suggesting a specific dollar amount. The problem of course is that if your budget can be stretched, it puts you into a higher category from which the next 'stretch' can be suggested again.

I was wondering who was using that 6205 tube out there...
Looking at its guts online, they use a Jan tube made by amperex (green-blue lettering with red pins inside the tube).

with a better resistor and cap compliment, it would definitely get picked over anything Nuemann in a blind test.

Which is why I offered him the alternative.
Still with the correct circuit.
And with a choice of transformers.

the only thing that a 80-1000 mic doesn't have is a name brand legacy.

But now I have really looked at what really makes a mic great, it can be done for around $500 and sold retail $750

So anything over that, you'll basically paying for a diamond decal on the mic.

All great ideas! Never used his mics yet but listened to the VK/Warren Huart talk into a bunch of hi-end mics (on YouTube). The Peluso 67 was one of the unexpected winners. To get a 67, maybe the TLM67 used and add the mic mod would be the closest in this price range. There's a lot of nice mics in this range that with the right preamp/EQ can get you in the ballpark.

We spent the past year and listened to a couple dozen mics and with a few exceptions, most can give a great track in a good room.

if you say so

I know of no tube mic under 2K that has a sonic delivery better than my Peluso P67. It is one of four Peluso tubes I have along with a very under-rated AT4060 with a Mullard NOS tube. The P67 has been a stellar performer on many sources including vocals for more than five years.
Hugh

I saw in an old thread that Bob Olhsson said the Beyerdynamic MC 740 is the closest thing he's heard to a U67. Interesting that it's a solid state mic. Any opinions on the MC 740? MC 840 is the current version of the mic btw...

Heh, yeah I thought about that. But in this case it gets you a Neumann made 67 capsule, head basket and body...and the max mod gets you the circuit. Given the thread title it seemed worth mentioning even though it's over budget by a little.

it's a good answer and I bet the OP can appreciate it

It is just a conundrum I was thinking about because it always happens to me.

I try to set a budget and there is always something just above that budget....

I had a Beyer MC 740; used it for vocals and acoustic instruments for about 5 years...but this was about 20 years ago.

I loved its sound, very natural and full with a pronounced but smooth treble. However, I don't think anyone would mistake it for a U67.

I got a TLM67 and MaxMod for just under $2k. Granted, it was a very good deal. But I can't speak highly enough of it.

And as has been said, it's the closest you can get to an original U67, at any price, without just buying an original U67.

As far as the electrons are concerned, it's pretty much a U67.

Hey Ragan. Just curious, have you put it up against a un modded 67? I listened to the examples on the max mod page and to me it didn't sound close? Hopefully they were just bad examples...

In regards to finding a 67 that isn't a 67 I gave up. I couldn't find anything that got close to the two I hire here In Perth Australia. I ended up with a wunder cm67. It doesn't sound like a 67 but I got a mega deal on it! It does everything really well just can't capture those mids like the 67's I've used

I'm not Ragan, but I'll chime in if I may.

Yes, if AB-ing the maxmod with an original U67, it's important to use a stock (and healthy) U67. Many have had filters lifted.
I haven't tried the maxmod myself (I do own a U67), but since it uses the original circuit, it must have the unique dynamic behaviour the original has. And the feedback I got doesn't suggest oherwise, either. This is a key ingredient that other "clones" lack (save the ones with Dany Bouchard's PCB).
Also, the thick and classic mids are there.
I have to add, though, that several (independent) sources have reported that the max tranny is somewhat darker than the original BV12. In itself this isn't much of a problem. A U67 should be used with a good equaliser anyway.That's the point of the thing. It takes EQ like no other condenser microphone and a couple dBs more won't even make it blink.

Yeah the two I use are not modded! One in particular is glorious . Thick and meaty mids for days but somehow never sounds honky. Incredible! To me it's the ultimate mic. Everything sounds right, and yeah I agree it takes eq so well. And compression for that matter