Summer NAMM 2016: Advanced Audio present CM48 budget tube mic
A new take on the Neumann U48 seeks to get close to the famed original
Advanced Audio are a small family-run Canadian company headed by Dave Thomas, who thankfully knows a thing or two about studios and the recording process. This has lead to them developing and manufacturing their own line of microphones which model many of the classics. They already have a valve version of the famous U47, and a FET version of the U48, so now they’re about to release the CM48 – their own take on the valve U48. Out of all their products, this might be the best option and apparently the cheapest. In fact, this could be the cheapest valve mic we’ve found so far.
The CM48 Microphone
We all dream of owning a classic valve mic. It’s the one piece of audio equipment that we collectively have a special place for in our hearts, regardless of the music you make. Unfortunately these mics are just too expensive for the majority of us, with the originals going up in value everyday. Thankfully though, there are several manufacturers starting to produce replicas of these iconic bits of kit, and they’re not bad either.
Advanced Audio have been doing it for a while. Although I haven’t used one of their mics yet, possibly because they’re based in the US, the signs are promising. They’ve had some good feedback and the company is run by ‘one of us’ in the form of Dave Thomas, not an electrical engineer up late at night with a soldering iron. They also have quite an extensive line of products now, so presumably the experience is there too.
The experience of the company is also giving way to helping bring the prices down according to Thomas, who explains he’s managed to use the same body that they already use for some of their other products. By bulk ordering these parts they are now in a strong position to keep production costs down.
Personally, if I was going to try one of the mics from Advanced Audio, this might be the one. Although they already have a copy of the U47, the CM48 like the U48 that it’s modelled on has 3 switchable polar patters and the same response as a U47. Couple this with the even cheaper price makes the most sense to me and is very tempting.
Information and Availability
According to the video below, the CM48 will be available from 15th August. It’s fairly safe to assume that it will take a few more days on top of that for any mics to arrive in the UK and I would recommend you contact them before you buy, to check shipping and customs charges. Thomas also mentions in the video that the price will be 595 USD, which is phenomenal. It will obviously be slightly more than that with taxes, but that is so low you are left wondering how good it will actually be. Hopefully their proven experience will make this a true bargain for any studio and I can’t wait to hear one. Currently there isn’t any official information on Advanced Audio’s own website yet, but keep a eye on it as details are sure to emerge soon.
For more, check out the Advanced Audio site.
Video
Check out this video by Sound On Sound at the Summer NAMM 2016 show this weekend. The video is from YouTube, on Sound On Sound’s own channel.
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
This might also interest you
