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Blackspade Acoustics UM17
Multi-Pattern Tube Microphone w/ Shock Mount, Cable and Power Supply
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Fake Price...................................
$1,299.00
Real Price...............
$999.00
Upgrade 7 Pin Cable
Status: Usually Ships Same or Next Business Day |
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Blackspade Acoustics UM17 Tube Microphone Description
Only @ ZenPro: Upgrade to Mogami's finest W3172 7 pin tube cable w/ Neutrik gold connectors for half price.
In the early 1990's Oliver started to design custom amplifier circuits and transformers around the EF732 tube to "hot rod" Chinese microphones. His creations were well regarded and ended up in professional studios around the greater Seattle area and gained the nickname of "Oliver's 47-type mod". Eventually, the design was licensed by Telefunken USA and became the RFT AK47 which received positive reviews. In September, 2009, the licensing agreement expired and both parties agreed to not renew the license.
Recently, AMI was contacted by Blackspade Acoustics, a company located in Switzerland, to provide them with microphone designs and transformers. BSA was looking for a quality microphone that could be sold for an affordable price in Europe. After several discussions, both companies agreed to create a product based on AMI's 47-type microphone mod that would be sold worldwide by either Blackspade Acoustics or AMI depending on the region.
With this new partnership, Oliver decided to make improvements to the design based on experimentation and techniques learned since creating the original circuit. The former transformer used with this circuit, the BV47, used a lamination that was a mixture of iron silicate and nickel which created an artificial distortion. Oliver has designed a new transformer, the BV8LP, as a low profile version of the historic BV8 in order to fit in the mic body which is smaller than a U47. Using all nickel lamination, the BV8LP is a higher quality transformer that produces a more detailed output than the BV47 with improved low frequency response and clarity to optimize the EF732 tube. As for the metalwork, we selected the T-11/SYT-1101 platform, as the construction is of high quality and produced with tight quality control. The K17 capsule is custom modified and rigorously tested to ensure consistency from unit to unit. AMI then installs every EF732 tube, BV8LP transformer, K17 capsule and amplifier buffer, and rebuilds every power supply with an 11-position polar pattern switch. AMI also performs the final burn in and testing on every completed unit before they are shipped to Blackspade in Europe or to our own dealer network.
The finished result is the BlackSpade Acoustics UM17, designed, assembled and tested by AMI.
Visit the Blackspade UM17R Upgraded Version
Product Features:
- Oliver Archut designed amplifier circuit
- Our BV8LP transformer manufactured here in Gaylord, Kansas USA
- NOS Telefunken/Sylvania EF732/5840 tubes
- Power Supply w/cable
- Shock Mount and wind sock
- 7-pin Connector Cable
- Flight Case
- Assembled, burned in and tested in the US
- 5-year limited warranty on all components except the tube which has a 6-month warranty, customer pays for shipping
Product Specs:
- Type: Condenser pressure gradient
- Capsule: K17 dual-sided gold sputtered, large diaphragm capsule
- Polar Patterns: Remote 11-position switch from Omni to Figure 8
- Frequency Range: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
- Impedance: 200Ω
- SPL: 128dB
- Sensitivity: 14mV/Pa = -37dB (0dB= 1v/Pa) -10dB
- Equivalent Noise: 17 dB, A-weighted
- Non-linear Distortion: 1% THD @ 1000 Hz (132dB)
- Mic Dimensions: 245mm long, 44mm diameter
- Weight: 775g
Reviews:
| (2 Ratings, 1 Review) |
Average Rating:
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Fantastic Mic in this price-range
Jay Murphy
(Durham, NC)
11/28/2011 5:08 PM
The Blackspade UM17 is a sweet mic to have around. It has a smooth mid-range presence that is useful for vocals and many instruments. In the short time that I've had it in the studio it has provided excellent results on both male and female vocals, cello, steel string guitar, various percussion, instruments, and as a mono overhead on drum kit. The proximity effect in cardioid and figure-of-eight is very controlled, never boomy, and in all patterns the extreme ends of the frequency spectrum are softened in a very musical way. The microphone's noise floor in practice is very unobtrusive for a tube-based design, making it choice for delicately played instruments and recordings with a lot of space. The UM17 doesn't seem to be very picky- it definitely has a sound, but it's the type of sound you can use on many, many sources. Money well spent.
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