Telefunken AR-51

jim1960 · #1 09-21-2022, 05:11 PM

Clearly, I've developed a problem in recent months.

This wasn't a must-have mic for me but I've heard it enough times (and liked what I'd heard) that it was on my radar. I wasn't actively searching for it but every now and again, I'd take a peek on Reverb and see if anyone was selling one for the price I wanted to pay for it. A few days back, I saw one that had been listed for a couple of weeks. The seller was taking offers, so I made one, he countered... we eventually settled on $900, which was the price I had in my head all along and a fair bit lower than what the mic typically sells for.

It just showed up so I haven't used it yet, but I'll get to it soon. At some point down the road, I'll likely upgrade the capsule with a C12 capsule from either Tim Campbell or Beesneez because I suspect the capsule must be the weakest link. The product copy goes into detail about the tube, the transformer, everything but the capsule. I might change the tube too.The mic details can be found on the Telefunken site.

The mic showed up in very good condition. The shock mount bands are a bit loose but I think the mic is close to a decade old so that's not unexpected. On the bright side, the mic fits the Rycote mount I just bought to use with the Beesneez BU67. I suspect the tube may not be the original because the rubber grommet that should be around the tube is missing. I'll have to see how it sounds before deciding what to upgrade first.

RRuskin · #2 09-21-2022, 05:18 PM

My advice - If the mic works and you like what it does to what's put in front of it, leave it alone. In other words - if it works, don't fix it.

jim1960 · #3 09-21-2022, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRuskin

My advice - If the mic works and you like what it does to what's put in front of it, leave it alone. In other words - if it works, don't fix it.

Maybe... we'll see. If it's great out of the gate, I might just leave it alone. If it's just good to my ears, for not a lot of money I think I can get the mic in the "great" category.

Rudy4 · #4 09-21-2022, 06:15 PM

Curious about the Telefunken brand, I enjoyed the basics of the brand history as well as a pretty detailed overview of the AR-51 on the Recording Hacks website:

http://recordinghacks.com/reviews/re...lefunken-ar51/

jim1960 · #5 09-21-2022, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Curious about the Telefunken brand, I enjoyed the basics of the brand history as well as a pretty detailed overview of the AR-51 on the Recording Hacks website:

http://recordinghacks.com/reviews/re...lefunken-ar51/

Thanks for that link, Rudy. Occasionally, my mic instincts serve me well and, if that review is accurate, this is one of those times. BG vocals and strummed acoustic were exactly where I thought this mic would work for me based on the clips I've heard.

It also verified what I deduced from the copy on the product page I linked: the capsule is the weak spot. I'll see what this mic sounds like as is but I'm inclined to think I can raise the bar quite a bit by replacing the Chinese capsule with a quality capsule from Campbell or Beesneez.

AcousticDreams · #6 09-21-2022, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

Clearly, I've developed a problem in recent months.

Sometimes the only way to really know, is to own and experiment with it yourself. It could be the perfect missing ingredient that will take you over the top.
It took me many years & many guitars, to find the right acoustic guitar wood combo that could deliver what I heard in my head. My only regret is that I did not try-buy out more guitars earlier in my life.

Bottom line: that mic is Money In The Bank. It is not going to go down in value. You will not loose money when you sell it.

A microphone addiction is way, way, better than those other addictions. Hey it keeps you off the streets & on the straight and narrow. ha ha
Plus you are now offering us entertainment, as we eagerly await your evaluation of this mic.

Nothing to loose & satisfies your curiosity? It is a win, win. I say, Keep up the good work!

jim1960 · #7 09-22-2022, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Sometimes the only way to really know, is to own and experiment with it yourself. It could be the perfect missing ingredient that will take you over the top.

The way I look at it, every mic is like a color on a painter's palette. I may not need all the colors for any particular project, but they're there for when I do.