The Golden Age GA-47 MKII Tube Microphone features a very sweet character that should appeal to a great number of users and a microphone that can be used for the most demanding recording tasks.
The Golden Age Premier GA-47 is the result of a lot of hard work and real world testing and the MKII version has been further refined. The end result is a microphone with a very sweet character that should appeal to a great number of users and a microphone that can be used for the most demanding recording tasks. It has proved itself to be a great all-rounder, this is not a “vocal-only” microphone. Its is not a product that is built in huge quantities on a big assembly line. It´s a product that is built by hand, fifty units at a time in a small workshop by a skilled and dedicated staff. It uses very high quality components all the way to achieve the goal of offering classic U-47 qualities.
Mic body and grille
The mic body is made of brass, the grille is made of iron. The grille, which is a critical component affecting the sound character, is similar to the one in the U47.
Capsule
The capsule for the GA-47 MKII is designed to provide the requirements of modern day recordings by mixing the character between a vintage K47 capsule and the one from a K67-style capsule with a wide frequency response and high sensitivity. The result is a truly great sound. Being a dual-sided one, it provides the GA-47 with both cardioid and omni polar patterns. In order to get a good consistency between units, for each production run of 50 pcs GA-47 units, approximately 200 capsules is evaluated in order to find 50 capsules with specifications that lie within the tight tolerances.
Tube
The GA-47 MKII uses a selected NOS Telefunken EF-800 series super low noise pentode tube connected in triode mode in order to decrease distorsion and noise. This tube is modern glass derivative of the VF14M used in the vintage U-47.
Output transformer
The GA-47 MKII transformer is especially designed with a 6.5:1 dual bobbin transformer by a reputed transformer factory. It is a replica of the BV8 transformer used in the vintage U47. It uses a high quality core material.
Capacitors and resistors
The coupling capacitor is made in United Kingdom, the brand is Ciarit, the same type used in the famous and very expensive B&W Nautilus loudspeaker. It is an axial capacitor made from MKP material with copper pins. It has a delicate, full sound and a wide frequency response. Other used capacitors are MIAL polystyrene film capacitors with very low loss. The resistors are ALLEN BRADLEY carbon film resistors made in the USA with vintage and warm sound.
Mic interior and cabling
The electronic circuit is built with point-to point wiring on an expensive Rogers circuit board. Teflon insulated, silver-plated copper wire is used for the internal connections.
Power supply transformer and electrolytic capacitors
The vintage style power supply PSU uses a high power R-style transformer with a low noise level and a minimal stray field. The electrolytic capacitors are of a high quality audio style type. A simple but effective circuit uses dual-stage filtering for the filament voltage. The high voltage is precisely filtered and stabilized using an ON semiconductor zener diode.
Mic cable
The cable is specially produced using 99,99% pure oxygen-free copper, Teflon insulation, tin foil and 98% kitmesh, ie with a very high braided density of the cable shield. It has a very open and smooth sound. The connectors are gold plated.
Golden Age GA-47 MKII Tube Microphone Features
- High end, no compromise components and build quality
- Hand made in small series, 50 units at a time, in a boutique style
- microphone workshop
- Capsules selected with very tight tolerances
- New Old Stock Telefunken EF-800 tube selected for low noise
- Point-to point wiring, using an expensive Rogers circuit board
- All soldering points made with Mudorf Msolder Supreme Silver Gold solder
- Solid wood microphone box, sturdy metal flight case
Golden Age GA-47 MKII Tube Microphone Includes
- GA-47 MKII Tube Microphon
- Metal flight case
- Power supply
- Cable
- Shock mount
- Wood microphone.box
1 Review Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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Absolutely Stellar Microphone
Dec 12th 2021I must've spent nearly a month reviewing U47 style mics, trying to figure out which one was the best one within my budget. Well, this one was still above my budget by a good grand, but based on my research, I couldn't find a better alternative in the $1k dept. Based on Youtube testimonials and reviews, I was pretty much sold. It felt right. Plus, I really like Golden Age products. I own their compressors and those are hidden little treasures that play with the big boys just fine. Back to the mic. As for now, I've recorded lead vocals, backup vocals, all sorts of percussion (even gongs!!), and horns. I've yet to use it on acoustic guitar, but I'm quite sure it's very astute in that dept. As for the duties I used it for, it handled everything in a very stellar manner. And when I say stellar, I mean that everything sounds very natural, but also slightly larger than life - not exaggerated, just impressive on playback. There's a certain sonic magic in the 1k-20k region that's perfectly flattering, but also incredibly accurate. Having a room that's at least a little treated also helps. I especially love the omnidirectional mode for percussion and horns. It gave this sonic enhancement I've never heard from other mics in omni mode, which is one that makes you feel like you're hearing where the instrument is in the room, and how far away from the mic it is. In that respect, it confirms how accurate this mic is. And in cardioid position for vocals, well, it's obvious that it was nothing short of spectacular on so many levels. I also loved that it didn't create huge proximity issues. Of course, I had to move back when belting out notes and got closer for quieter passages, but the sweep wasn't so large compared to other high-end tube mics I've used. This mic just seemed to tame that potential issue without a hitch. This is, of course, a mic that you will keep for your entire life, if you're wise. If you can't afford a Neumann 47, this will for sure give you most of what that iconic, and MUCH more expensive mic, will give. I'm completely happy with this mic. For what it's worth, I've been recording albums for 25 years, have used countless high-end mics, have recorded in the finest studios, have mixed live music for decades, and have owned or used a crapload of mics of all levels. This mic, IMO, is amongst the finest I've come across. So long as it lasts for many years without breaking down, then I'll hold my high esteem for it. If you decide to buy this mic, I don't see how you could not appreciate its true greatness.
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