NMD (new microphone(s) day)

[rockabilly69]

I'm pretty excited because I finally got a set of microphones that I've been wanting for a long time, but couldn't afford at the new price. The set is called the Lawson Tube/FET combo. I waited and waited till I found on good deal on a used set. When I found them on ebay, I bid two seconds before the auction ended, and got them. I was amazed as I typically lose the items I want because some high bidder usually just bumps me out of the running. But I won the auction!!! Then when the microphones showed up I found that the capsules were leaning excessively inside the headshells. I found out this is a common problems with mics like this that are over 10 years old, as the isolator that internally shockmounts the capsule wears out. The seller though was totally standup, and agreed to pay for any repair necessary to get the mics to MINT condition as he described them. So, I sent the mics off to the maker Gene Lawson, and low behold, Fedex screwed up and sent them to the wrong address, but Gayle Lawson who was watching the tracking, caught their mistake, and notified me with enough time to catch the package before it was delivered, and with enough time to have them rerouted to the proper address. The Lawson's were so cool about everything and turned the mics around in 2 days! And that included cleaning the capsules!!! So I got the equivalent of new microphones. Well let me tell you, these microphones were worth the wait.

Soon as I plugged them in a sang a few notes I realized how good they are. In the next fews days I will post a demo of them, but today they are doing construction next door so not a good time to record! Until then I'll just post this picture...



These microphones, the L47 and the L251, are based on two standards of the industry, one the U47, and the other the ELAM 251. And although handbuilt, they vary quite a bit from the original designs, but somehow in their voice tuning, evoke the tones of those mics.

The set comes with two capsules, and two bodies, one solid state, and the other tube. The tube power supply comes with, a pad switch, a multipattern control and a switch that optimize the power supply to the capsule used with it. You can mix and match the capsules by unscrewing three screws on the body. Both the solid state body (with a variable pad switch, and flat/LF cutoff switch), and the tube body (with a cardoid/multipattern switch), sound great.

http://www.lawsonmicrophones.com/product/COMBO.html

[DupleMeter]

Congrats...those are nice mics.

I was eyeing the L47 when they first came out. Now I'm eying the WA47 that Warm Audio just released. the U47 tubes were such smooth mics.

How's the top end on the 251?

[KevWind]

I think you will really like them.


I recorded 4 demo songs in Nashville on a Lawson tube L47

It had a red body and gold head basket

Here is an example of it on my vocal, it has been compressed to fit in the mix, if you do a more sparse track like acoustic git and vocal, with less or no compression. it will get bigger and more intimate

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Congrats...those are nice mics.

I was eyeing the L47 when they first came out. Now I'm eying the WA47 that Warm Audio just released. the U47 tubes were such smooth mics. How's the top end on the 251?

The top end on both mics is great, smooth but present, which defines what a great mic should do. The L251 is naturally scooped and the L47 is big fat mids.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I think you will really like them.


I recorded 4 demo songs in Nashville on a Lawson tube L47

It had a red body and gold head basket

Here is an example of it on my vocal, it has been compressed to fit in the mix, if you do a more sparse track like acoustic git and vocal, with less or no compression. it will get bigger and more intimate

Even compressed that mic was getting the job done on your voice, actually to the point of you should consider buying one! As for the red and gold, I've seen some crazy colored Lawsons, but I just wanted the nickel ones, less distracting

Today I was hunting down noise in my home recording rig so I didn't have time to do a proper recording, although I did find the hum, which was attributed to my headphone amplifier!

[midwinter]

I've got a WA87 and a WA14 and they're both just fantastic. I imagine their 47 will be equally impressive.

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Now I'm eying the WA47 that Warm Audio just released.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Congrats...those are nice mics.

I was eyeing the L47 when they first came out. Now I'm eying the WA47 that Warm Audio just released. the U47 tubes were such smooth mics.

How's the top end on the 251?

Although the Warm may sound good, the MXL Revelation is an equally good steller mic for $500 less than the Warm. It's currently on sale for $399 and that's a steal.
http://www.pssl.com/MXL-Revelation-M...-Condenser-Mic

And the MXL Revelation has been compared directly to much more expensive mics and performed admirably. Here's where Bob Womack has compared his directly to his Telefunken U47!...
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=460719

And the MXL has about as much in common with a real 47 as the Warm does (very little circuit wise, and both using Chinese capsules, power supplies, metalwork etc, although Warm coyly says Australian).

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Although the Warm may sound good, the MXL Revelation is an equally good steller mic for $500 less than the Warm. It's currently on sale for $399 and that's a steal.
http://www.pssl.com/MXL-Revelation-M...-Condenser-Mic

And the MXL Revelation has been compared directly to much more expensive mics and performed admirably. Here's where Bob Womack has compared his directly to his Telefunken U47!...
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=460719

And the MXL has about as much in common with a real 47 as the Warm does (very little circuit wise, and both using Chinese capsules, power supplies, metalwork etc, although Warm coyly says Australian).

Don't tempt me - we just spent too much on Christmas presents for the family

[midwinter]

Checks bank account....

Does quick math on upcoming song licensing and CD duplication costs to see if he can afford $400....

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by midwinter

Checks bank account....

Does quick math on upcoming song licensing and CD duplication costs to see if he can afford $400....

What songs do you need licensing for, I thought you guys were busy writing

[Bob Womack]

Sounds exciting! Let us know how they turn out!

Bob

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Even compressed that mic was getting the job done on your voice, actually to the point of you should consider buying one! As for the red and gold, I've seen some crazy colored Lawsons, but I just wanted the nickel ones, less distracting

Fortunately I already have a pretty good FET vocal mic
But if I were going to get a tube mic the 47 Lawson would be a definite consideration, along with Cathedral Pipes

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Fortunately I already have a pretty good FET vocal mic
But if I were going to get a tube mic the 47 Lawson would be a definite consideration, along with Cathedral Pipes

I remember how long that Cathedral Pipes Regensburg Dom sat on The Gear Page for sale and nobody that I recommended it to jumped on it. I think they make great mics, although I already had that tone (47 style) covered in my studio. I specifically wanted the ELAM 251 style tone and that's what drew me to the L251, I figured buying the set would give me versatility especially with the two mic bodies.

I've been swapping the heads back and forth and I really like the FET body, but the tube body is sublime. For mic'ing a bass amp cab, or in front of a kick drum, right where the air starts dying off from the kick, the FET 47 is going to slay, but on the delicate stuff, which is mostly what I do, the tube body just adds a bit of richness that just takes it over the top.

Another thing, for a long time I've been chasing the 47 sound, when all along I should have been going after the 251 sound. The slight mid scoop in that capsule suits my voice a bit better. It seems like I can just walk up to the mic and sing, instead of fussing with placement. As a matter of fact the L251 just invites you to work your voice all around it when it's in one of the slightly open cardoid positions.

And this mic is getting compared to some fairly heavy hitters as I have a decent collection* of microphones in my project studio running the gamut in cost, both FET and tube, transformer and transformer-less, condensor, dynamic, and ribbon.

I think I'm going to sell a few mics, and buy another one of these Lawson sets so I can X/Y and MS mic some stuff, or use pair of tube L251s over a drum kit, with the L47 FET on the kick.


* mics compared to the LAWSONS: Violet Flamingo, Globe Vintage, Amethyst Vintage, Neumann M147, U87ai, U89, TLM 103, KM184, KMS105, Blue Cactus, Kiwi, Blueberry, Dragonfly, Peluso 2247, Rode Classic II, K2, NTK (heavily modified), MXL Revelation, Revelation X/Y, Shure SM7, SM57, SM58, Beta 87, SH55 Series II, Sennheiser 421MD MKII, Cloud JRS34

[KevWind]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I remember how long that Cathedral Pipes Regensburg Dom sat on The Gear Page for sale and nobody that I recommended it to jumped on it.

I actually also did a PSA on this forum for a Notre Dame that was on GS I think, If I would have had the cash I would ahve probably purchased that was something like $1400 or $1500 but it didn't last very long

I specifically wanted the ELAM 251 style tone and that's what drew me to the L251, I figured buying the set would give me versatility especially with the two mic bodies.
Another thing, for a long time I've been chasing the 47 sound, when all along I should have been going after the 251 sound. The slight mid scoop in that capsule suits my voice a bit better. It seems like I can just walk up to the mic and sing, instead of fussing with placement. As a matter of fact the L251 just invites you to work your voice all around it when it's in one of the slightly open cardoid positions.

Interesting I have yet to audition a 251 style mic .
I have sung through a U87ai, the Lawson L47 I mentioned , an actual vintage U47 circa 1958, A Neumann M149, and a Pearlman TM1.. and I have owned a Studio Projects C1, Shure KSM 44 , and my current Brauner Phantom V

* mics compared to the LAWSONS: Violet Flamingo, Globe Vintage, Amethyst Vintage, Neumann M147, U87ai, U89, TLM 103, KM184, KMS105, Blue Cactus, Kiwi, Blueberry, Dragonfly, Peluso 2247, Rode Classic II, K2, NTK (heavily modified), MXL Revelation, Revelation X/Y, Shure SM7, SM57, SM58, Beta 87, SH55 Series II, Sennheiser 421MD MKII, Cloud JRS34

That's a pretty nice mic locker .

I am way minimalist by comparison but then I only record myself and guitar and vocal and some few percussion instruments . So I can focus on just two nice channels and a very few nice mics for my needs .

[rockabilly69]

[QUOTE=KevWind;5568630]

I actually also did a PSA on this forum for a Notre Dame that was on GS I think, If I would have had the cash I would have probably purchased that was something like $1400 or $1500 but it didn't last very long.

Interesting I have yet to audition a 251 style mic. I have sung through a U87ai, the Lawson L47 I mentioned, an actual vintage U47 circa 1958, a Neumann M149, and a Pearlman TM1, and I have owned a Studio Projects C1, Shure KSM 44, and my current Brauner Phantom V

That's a pretty nice mic locker .

I am way minimalist by comparison but then I only record myself and guitar and vocal and some few percussion instruments. So I can focus on just two nice channels and a very few nice mics for my needs.

I've heard people get some great results with Brauners, but I've only heard the tube mics. I like this Brauner mic... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZCREueK6OI

I have a lot of microphones because I record bands of many different stripes in my studio, and I definately need more than 2 channels And no matter what people say there really isn't a mic that's sounds great on everybody so I like choices.

But I could easily get by with just a few in my house where I record my personal demos. Here's the L251 on 5 first takes (3 vocals, 2 guitars), no EQ, and approx 2:1 compression over everything, along with a Waves Renaissance Reverb. Sorry about the fast start, but I had to edit out some construction noise from the house next store to mine!