Tube Tests Show Ep.22 "DIY U47 Equinox Systems, And M7 Capsule" 

the best part about the video is your passion. very nice to see your eyes light up over gear just like a kid with a new toy. These are our toys!

YOW! That mike sound INCREDIBLE!!!! I'm a longtime broadcaster and stumbled on your video and test! Hey, nice singing voice, too!

wow, it sounds fantastic!

It's a great mic. Amazing that you can get that kind of sound with such a minute amount of electronics. Great job.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes the mic sounds great. I think I will have to make another one and make a more in detailed video. -johnny

I'm so happy you are doing a segment on Bob Paquette. No one in the world has his incredibly broad perspective on the art and science of the microphone. These days, there's a ton of condenser mic jockeys, but precious few people who know the real family history of the microphone like him.

Congrats on the little one & thanks for making the videos!

I love that sound !

I really enjoy your videos, great work

Golly that power supply is Brutal!!!! Very, VERY Cool!

I'm going this direction, the u47 kit. Thank for the info. After seeing this vid and the dytronics review I had to subscribe!! You just won a subscriber!

Dude! I still regret never picking up one of those Royer kits when they were available. I was always going to get one "next month". Great vid. Nice sounding capsule too! I see you are a mic nut like me.

Keep em comming!!!!!

Thanks...Yes great ideas and great singers. As far as the Cathedral Pipes Notre Dame. It is ranked in my top 5 favorite Modern Mics. For the price and that parts he puts in it you can't build it for that. It sounds fantastic and the tube is easy to come by and the mic sounds huge and full not really lacking. No sibilance and not bright like most of the mics being built these days. -johnny

thanks for the response cant wait to see it

@wandawong Thank you for saying that. I completely agree and was lucky to have the opportunity to sit with him for several hours. He really is a national treasure and is filled with so much knowledge it is like talking with a living microphone library.

thats so awesome. i really want to build my own u47 clone.

Hey thanks for the comment. There are a lot of U47 instructions and schematics out there. This one was the dave royer DIY U47. I will see if I can find a link to it. -johnny

good info man thanx!

Hey Jeremy sorry for the delay in getting to your comment. Thanks ya i'm constantly working on the mic movie. It is going to be called "modern mics" and tie into the new youtube channel called modern mics. As far as the book- check out ep.28 i bought it from Bob Paquette at the mic museum. -johnny

@everythingcomputer That's a fantastic comment. I have been filming so much haven't had a chance to edit it yet. It is 2am and I just got back from NAMM. Wow lots of great stuff and I have to start editing Ep.23. I am in Scottsdale for 2 days then up to Colorado. So I should have it up by Wednesday. Meantime I will post some NAMM videos tomorrow!!!

I've had too much caffeine today!! HA!! 2 funny!!

@everythingcomputer Sorry it took so long....Tube Tests Ep.23 is up. I hope you like it. -johnny

Mic looks and sounds great!!!! I would love to have one, do you think you could guide me thru the building process?

great voice

@nooneimportant77 Thank You. I guess you are right it is like mic tasting - adding the characteristics you like. The Arri hat was given to me about a year ago when I was working on a TV show and it just fit really well so it stuck...thanks for asking maybe they will send me a light kit...wishful thinking

ya those fmr pres are cool. -johnny

It was a kit that royer sold then discontinued that i placed in an equinox body. i'll see if i can find you a good complete kit. -johnny

Exactly what is the Dale Ulan inspired M7 capsule called? Who makes it? Or where can we buy it?

yes the psu actually came from a kit that royer put out years ago. i don't have the paper work but will try to get it from john or dave when i see them at namm 2013 -johnny

Wow I should not be allowed to drink caffeine!!! Haha. I love testing the mics and I am glad my test didn't make it into the actual show - but it's still there to laugh at in the "outtakes" :)

I think I am going to have to print some out. But I got my infer from Royer microphones.

Thanks. Yep it's time to make another one. -johnny

Hey Mark. Well it is hard to beat a FLEA 47 after testing my FLEA 47 against several U47 mics and swapping different heads (capsules) The FLEA in a blind mic test wins. The royer / DIY just doesn't quite have that bottom end that a U47 has so I like some of the characteristics but keep going back to the FLEA. -johnny

thanks!!! I hope I can keep making great videos. -johnny

Hi, actually a guy in Canada bought it after seeing the show. As far as some cheaper mics that have the Telefunken sound. There is a new mic that is made by the same company that made the capsule in this mic. Check out Cathedral Pipes they are coming out with a mic in 3 weeks that i just listened to and filmed. I should have a video up tonight on the Modern Mics youtube channel (documentary on microphones) or go to the website CathedralPipes. -johnny

I might be selling one of my Royer Mic kits in the next week. Let me know if you want it. It sounds pretty good. I'll make a video and post it on modermics channel. -johnny

Will you sell me one just like it ? Really Sounds big and warm, yet articulate... Thanks for the Video!

That's a small tube. Is that soldered in? I notice several wires going directly to it. Is it not possible to have a connector for the tube to push into, to easily replace the tube if needed? Looks and sounds great. 👍

Not so much electronics. But it sounds real sucked up. Great mic! Would be nice to see how it sounds on a budget pre like the fmr rnp.

Thanks. Let me know if there is anything I can feature.

Heya Johnny, love your channel and I'm using your tips to get me a microphone. It would be amazing if you could get a heavy/high male singer (Like Bono, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison) so we can judge how tenor G-A-B notes would sound with this model, would also love to hear what you think about the Notre Dame Cathedral Pipes model and how you'd compare it to this mic you made here (I like this mic more, sounds smoother truer but I heard some high EQ distortion on the Notre Dame on your wife's vid)

ya just uploaded ep.28 the cathedral pipes Notre Dame come real close to that vintage tone of a U47. -Johnny

Great video, Amazing microphone TubeTestShow -- Sir Tube Test, if I want to do this build that you did is there any way you would be willing write up a parts list for me please?

Hey ya. I'm curious to see your film once it's done. Also, that Massive book...where to find one?

Pls test the Telefunken R-F-T series valve mics

hei! congrats man! nice work! what tube would you suggest for a sputnik mic mod?

Great Vid! I would love to try building one. where can i find the info to do so? thanks.

that's really sweet, being able to put together the flavor of mic you'd like. I gotta look into doing something like this, and listen to this video again on proper monitors. What's your affiliation with Arri? I see the hat in all the videos.

did you build the power supply yourself? i want to build this setup but there's no info on the power supply

Is that the original M-box you are using as an interface? How did you gt that working with a macbook newer than 2002 and pro tools 8?

Awesome! What was the total cost of this project?

Could not agree with you MORE!!!!!

Where can I find the featured Del ulong capsule?

is that a small capsule or just a middle capsule? because it looks just not as large as expected. it sounds very good though. Could you do a U47 and the TZ stellar x2 comparison?

are any of these kits still available?

Fantastic work! Would you mind sharing the cost of your build? Also, how do you think it compares to the Flea47 and/or the Peluso 2247se and any other U47 clones that you've tried? Does it match the quality of the best off-the-shelf clones in your opinion? If so, I'll be eager to build one myself asap! Thanks a ton!

Hi - I am interested in building one of these. How do you compare the DIY mic you just made to the Flea 47. Does it sound as good ?in your opinion

nice, If some one purchases a kit, you got a do it yourself vid or is it easy enough..imfo? how much?

Hey I was just wondering how much it cost to make this mic? Thanks :)

Hey guys can I run my peluso 2247 tube mic with an m7 capsule with with a neve preamp? Or is it going to cause too much gain??

Total cost?

I would actually like to get the info on the parts availability to build this mic...I have 6 of the real U-47's with the VF-14, but I'm curious about these clones...

Hey Frank. There are a bunch of kits out there but if you are gong for the whole U47 thing either start with a FLEA kit at Flea mics dot com or check the Tab Funkenwerk one by Oliver. -johnny

Planning to dump tha kit still?

are u selling this mic? lol also what are some cheaper mics that have that telefunken u47 sound

Hey Phil. I totally agree. I have always focused on mics that I like and stayed away from many that I have come across that Im not a fan of. but in the episodes to come I will try to start incorporating others and dive more into the sound and even get more technical. thanks for the honest suggestions. -johnny

It's build or parts? Yes, email me when you are ready. I have become a mic hoarder and would love to add one to my collection.

"Works off an MXL microphone". There are more so MXL models, a little hint about which one would have been nice.

I'm interested in the kit! Plz message me if the deal falls though :)

Hello . my name is anthony and im a up and coming Audio Engineer from Ohio and i wanted to know if you could help me build my own custom TubeMIc ?

please!!!!!! i need to build this!!!!! please i need a link!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was gonna build the u47 from mic and mod

get rid of the transformer for a beter sound

Still waiting for an episode where Johnny is actually critical of a microphone and its sound, or tackles why a mic might have flaws, whether its the circuit or application of incorrect voltages or bias. flaws in the capsule, use of a bad transformer, or whether the grill and capsule work in harmony to achieve the right combination. All I see on these videos are examples of mics that all sound "amazing" and "great", but never a technical or scientific analysis of "why" they sound the way they do.

u got no highs man

Ya I think I am. My wife Natalie gives birth via C section on Wednesday so I probably should get rid of a few things. Go ahead an email me tubetests@yahoo.com and we can work it out. -johnny

everything was cool till i saw that mbox......

Or any of the others mentioned... google was not to helpful