Warm Audio WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone Instruction Manual

Warm Audio WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone

THANK YOU!

Thank you for purchasing the Warm Audio WA-47 condenser microphone. We feel this product offers the best in terms of sound, function, and vibe from the classic era of analog recording. We don’t cut corners when it comes to what goes into our products, and the WA-47 is no exception. The WA-47 is an all- vacuum tube, large diaphragm, transformer balanced, multi-pattern (9), large condenser microphone, based on the classic ’47 that has been used on countless hit records for the last 50+ years. The WA-47 is designed for pro studio, home studio, live, and broadcast applications and sounds great on vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, acoustic/electric bass, drums, piano, strings, brass/ woodwind instruments, and an array of other sources. The classic’ 47 became extremely popular as a vocal microphone in the 1960s and is now considered to be one of the greatest microphones ever built. The classic ’47 mic is still widely used today in professional recording studios and has become extremely expensive to acquire. We at Warm Audio are very excited to bring this all-vacuum tube, large diaphragm, transformer balanced, multi- pattern (9), and large condenser microphone to the market at such an affordable price. We’re confident you will enjoy a lifetime of beautiful recordings with the WA-47.

Bryce Young

President Warm Audio Liberty Hill, Texas USA

REGISTER YOUR WA-47!

Before we begin, please take the time to visit www.warmaudio.com to register your product. To ensure you receive proper and uninterrupted warranty support for your product, please register your unit within 14 days from purchase.

WARRANTY STATEMENT

• Warm Audio warranties this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase, for the original purchaser to whom this equipment is registered. This warranty is non-translatable. This warranty is void in the event of damage incurred from unauthorized service to this unit, or from electrical or mechanical modification to this unit. This warranty does not cover damage resulting from abuse, accidental damage, misuse, improper electrical conditions such as Mis-wiring, incorrect voltage or frequency, unstable power, disconnection from earth ground (for products requiring a 3-pin, grounded power cable), or exposure to hostile environmental conditions such as moisture, humidity, smoke, lire, sand or other debris, and extreme temperatures.
• Warm Audio will, at its sole discretion, repair or replace this product in a timely manner. This limited warranty extends only to products determined to be defective and does not cover incidental costs such as equipment rental, loss of revenue, etc. Please visit us at www.warmaudio.com for more information on your warranty, or to request warranty service.
• This warranty applies to products sold in the United States of America. For warranty information in any other country, please refer to your local Warm Audio distributor. This warranty provides specific legal rights, which may vary from state to state. Depending on the state in which you live, you may have rights in addition to those covered in this statement. Please refer to your state laws or see your local Warm Audio retailer for more information.

NON-WARRANTY SERVICE

• If you have a defective unit that is outside of our warranty period or conditions; we are still here for you and can get your unit working again for a modest service level. Please visit us at www.warmaudio.com to contact us about setting up a repair or for more information.
• With the proper care, your Warm Audio gear should last a lifetime and provide a lifetime of enjoyment. We believe the best advertisement we can have is a properly working unit being put to great use. Let’s work together to make it happen.

NOW LET’S GET STARTED!

INTRODUCTION

• The WA-47 was created to offer a classic microphone design to a new generation of recording art­ists at an affordable price. We spent a great deal of time listening to different vintage ’47 microphones to determine what people liked about them and why, how various components impact the tone, and how to give our WA-47 microphone a signature that pays homage to the past but also stands out on its own.
• The WA-47 is an all-vacuum tube, large diaphragm, transformer balanced, multi-pattern (9), large condenser microphone, based on the classic ’47 that has been used on countless hit records for the last 50+ years. The WA-47 is designed for pro studio, home studio, live, and broadcast applications and excels in vocals, acoustic/electric guitars, acoustic/electric bass, drums, piano, strings, brass/woodwind instruments, and an array of other sources.
• The classic ’47 became extremely popular as a vocal microphone in the 1960s and is now considered to be one of the greatest condenser microphones ever created. The classic ’47 is still widely used today in professional recording studios but has become extremely rare and cost-prohibitive to acquire.
• Designing our WA-47 to sound like the classic ’47 was no easy task, especially since some of the vintage components are no longer manufactured or available. We compared and listened to 2 different vintage ’47 mines and found that they both sounded amazing but also sounded a little different from each other. These comparison tests became the benchmark for tailoring our WA-47’s sonics to sit right in with these 2 vintage ’47 mies. We are pleased to release such a gorgeous-sounding classic to the market at a price that’s reachable to more people than ever before. We are also pleased to witness that our WA-47 sounds legitimately indistinguishable from the vintage ’47s we tested it against on several sources.

A LOOK INSIDE THE WA-47

• The Capsule
  The WA-47 utilizes a custom reproduction of the vintage 47-style (K47) capsule that was used in the classic ’47 microphone – designed with the same hole pattern and frequency response. Our version of this capsule (model# WA-47-B-80v) is carefully manufactured by an Australian capsule supplier and is precisely reproduced to the vintage specs. We are pleased to offer a legitimate 47-style capsule re-incarnation because it allows us to nail the sonics of the most important piece of the classic ’47 formula.

• The Tube
  The 5771 vacuum tube we use in the WA-47 is a low gain, low noise valve that forces much of the sonics of the capsule and transformer to be heard more significantly than tubes with higher gain might allow. The transformer and capsule in the vintage ’47 mies are critical to their tone and behavior, and we found that the 5751 tube accentuates these two components. The frequency response of this tube and the way that it contributes to the circuit is smooth and vintage in nature. We found that the 5751 gave us the essence of the vintage 47′ tube circuit without electronically mirroring the original VF14 steel tube that is no longer available.

• The Transformer
  The WA-47 utilizes an American-made TAB-Funkenwerk (AMI) USA transformer with a large core of imported German laminations. This transformer helps provide the creamy smooth top end and the LARGER THAN LIFE bottom end one would expect from a 47-style microphone.

• The Cable
  One component of a tube microphone that is often overlooked is the 7-pin cable that connects the microphone to its power supply. When auditioning the WA-47 and other tube microphones we learned quite a bit about 7-pin cables and how the shielding and wire gauge size can change the sonics. We have partnered with Gotham Audio in Switzerland to use their very carefully built high-end 7-pin “GAC-7 cable”. Using this cable increases the top-end presence and the overall size of the recorded image in the stereo field by reducing phase shift and the parasitic effect often experienced in poorly built cables. Gotham Audio Cabling is very expensive and boutique in nature and shouldn’t be considered a small addition to the WA-47 package.

• The Capacitors
  The WA-47 proudly uses a polystyrene coupling capacitor, with film capacitors throughout, and an imported Solen French capacitor on its output.

FEATURES

1. Contents
   Your WA-47 package includes; the WA-47 microphone, power supply, IEC power cable, shockmount, 7-pin Gotham Audio cable, and wood storage box.

2. Power Switch
   The power switch is located on the power supply.

3. IEC Power Inlet
   The IEC power inlet is located on the rear side of the power supply and allows for a standard IEC cable to connect the power supply to your wall power outlet.

4. 115v/230v Voltage Selector Switch
   A voltage selector switch is located near the IEC inlet on the power supply and allows the user to set the appropriate voltage for the country they are located. We advise you to be careful with this switch because plugging in the unit at the wrong voltage setting will likely damage the WA-47 and its power supply. Plugging in the WA-47 power supply at the incorrect voltage could even cause injury or death. Typically the voltage selector switch will be pre-set to the proper voltage of the country where the product was purchased and should not be changed.

5. Polar Pattern Select Switch
   The polar-pattern selection switch is located on the power supply and provides 9 different pattern options. Patterns are Cardioid, Omni, Figure-of-eight, and 6 additional “in-between” patterns.

6. 7-pin microphone cable connector (female)
   A 7-pin female microphone cable connector is located on the power supply. The 7-pin Gotham branded cable included in the WA-47 box is connected to this connector on one end and to the WA-47 microphone on the other.

7. XLR Output
   A standard 3-pin XLR male connector is located on the power supply. The microphone’s signal will exit this connector. Connect this connector to a preamp via a standard 3-pin XLR microphone cable.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Custom true -47-style capsule -WA-47-8-BOv
• TAB-Funkenwerlc (AMI) USA output transformer
• Premium 5751 vacuum tube
• Gotham 5 meter GAC-7, 7-pin tube microphone cable
• Wima, Solen French, and Polystyrene capacitors
• 8 at I kHz
• Polar Patterns: 9 patterns – Cardioid, Omni, figure-of-eight + 6 mixed patterns
• Self-noise: 11 dBA
• Dynamic range: 130dBA
• Maximum SPL: 1-40dB (<0.5% THD)
• Frequency Range: 20 Hz-20 kHz
• Output Impedance: 200 ohms
• Rated Load Impedance: :!e2kOhms
• S/N Ratio: 82dBA
• Equivalent Noise: 1 0dBA (IEC651)
• External IEC grounded PSU
• Total Weight (Mic, PSU, shockmount, cables) – 9 lbs.
• Mic Diameter: 60mm
• Mic length: 254mm

TIPS AND INSTRUCTIONS

• GENERAL USES IN CARDIOID MODE
  The classic ’47-style microphone is known first and foremost as a lead and backing vocal microphone. It has been used to capture powerful vocal performances in rock, country, hip-hop, gospel, blues, metal, voiceover/ spoken word, and just about every other genre out there. Two ’47-style microphones for drum overhead recording, either in an X-Y configuration or as a spaced pair, is a classic choice. Likewise, a pair of ’47-style microphones in an X-Y configuration is a great way to achieve a big acoustic guitar sound. A single ’47-style microphone is a good choice for capturing many guitar amps, either alone or in conjunction with additional dynamic or ribbon microphones. Since the pioneering days of Joe Meek, ‘close mic’ing’ a sound source has become the norm in most genres outside of classical music. This has made near cardioid pattern-only recording a fairly common practice. The downside to this technique is an exaggerated proximity effect and lack of perceived space to an instrument, the advantage is much greater isolation and control of individual instruments in a mix. Close cardioid mixing also tends to capture fewer reflections and other unwanted information.

• USES IN OMNIDIRECTIONAL MODE
  The omnidirectional pattern is most often associated with ream mic recording, be it a ream mic a drum kit or an ambiance mic placed farther out from a guitar or bass cabinet or another instrument. Omnidirectional stereo recording is also sometimes associated with the ‘life’ recording ng technique and classical recording. Additionally, an omnidirectional mic can be one ingredient, along with a figure-of-eight microphone, creating aMid/Sidesterearecordingarray. It is also worth noting that most condenser microphone capsules are, by nature, designed to be omnidirectional devices. For this reason, omnidirectional patterns tend to yield the most linear frequency response and suffer the least from the proximity effect.

• USES IN FIGURE-OF-EIGHT MODE
  Figure of eight pattern recording is often used with pairs of the same microphone for advanced recording techniques such as the Blumlein Pair array; but has several more common practical applications as well, some of which only require a single microphone. One figure-of-eight application is to record a ‘duet’ or group vocal with a single microphone. Two or even lour vocalists can stand on either side of the microphone, each getting the full attention of one side of the mic capsule. A variant of the duet application is when someone plays an instrument, such as an acoustic guitar, into one side of the microphone while a partner sings into the other side.

• MICROPHONE PLACEMENT & SPACING
  When it comes to distancing a microphone from its sound source, one may think of this process, among other things, as choosing a desired ratio of the original sound source to reflections and acoustic space. The closer to the source, the less space and ambiance will be captured. In some cases, this is fully desirable; and ambience will be added in later via the magic of digital delay and reverb. In other cases, natural acoustics are critical. A great illustration of this is the recording of a gunshot or cannon fire: at very close range, the sound is surprisingly thin; however, at a distance, the sound becomes more full and explosive. This is a great reference to keep in mind; because to some degree, this phenomenon holds true with anything where natural acoustics is an important part of the sound, most notably with percussion. Beware that all processes do have boundaries and microphones do have a maximum SPL level they can be subjected to without distortion. Both microphones and preamps have a signal-to-noise ratio that tends to get poor in cases where more gain is required to make up for a distant signal. It’s generally good advice to place a microphone about 12 inches from a source and to fine-tune it from there until you have exactly what you are looking for.

• A BRIEF WORD ON ROOM TREATMENT
  Room acoustics can be just as important as the microphone you choose. Even the best microphone won’t sound great if you are picking up unwanted reflections that can smear or camp-filter the sound you are recording. Just because a microphone is set to a cardioid pattern will not always mean that it is not picking up unwanted room reflections or outside noises such as street traffic, footsteps, or air conditioning vents. Though a walk in a vocal booth is hardly necessary for most situations; a good quality ‘vocal shield’ type of product can make an enormous difference, often making the difference between a demo quality and a professional quality recording. Likewise, when recording combo amps and other instruments, using gobos or other acoustic isolation products can be hugely beneficial. Getting proper isolation and just the right amount but not too much room ambiance is one thing that really cannot be effectively corrected later in the process. It is of the utmost importance to put in the extra time to set things up well in the beginning.

• SIGNAL INTEGRITY
  When recording vocals, it’s a good idea to use the nicest pop filter you can afford. This not only protects the microphone; it protects the recorded tracks by keeping plosives (a clipping that occurs from sudden air pressure on the capsule) to a minimum. Pop filters can also be creatively used in other situations where sudden air pressure changes can occur, which include large loudspeaker movement, the sound hole of a kick drum, or the gap between the two brass pieces of a hi-hat cymbal. As a general rule, a higher-quality pop filter will have less audible impact on the sounds passing through them; while less expensive, improvised, or foam windscreen-type filters can sometimes have a muffling effect on high frequencies.
  Microphone placement is as much an art as it is a science, and takes a great deal of patience, attentive listening, and trial and error. The more music you record the greater instinct you will have for knowing which microphones to first try for given situations, and how to place them. One thing to keep in mind is that what a microphone hears will often be radically different from what a casual observer hears when standing several feet back from where a microphone is.It’s good practice to get down and put one’s ear close to a speaker cabinet or right in front of a bass drum’s resonator head, and hear what that microphone is hearing from its position. Get a sense of how different your source sounds close up, farther back, and from different angles. Begin to move a microphone around very slowly and listen for the changes in sound that you get. Notice how a small change in mic position can make an under-snare microphone go from bad to good. Notice how moving a guitar cabinet mic further to the side of the center cone, or further off axis will affect the sound.

ILLUSTRATIONS

In this diagram, two WA-47s are used in a spaced pair configuration to record stereo drum overheads.

In this diagram, two WA-47s are used in a coincident pair, also known as XY configuration, to record stereo drum overheads.

In this image, a vocalist performs into the WA-47 at a distance of 12″, in a cardioid pattern.

In this image, two vocalists perform at the same time on either side of the WA-47 using a figure-of-eight pattern.

© 2020 Warm Audia™ LLC. Liberty Hill, Texas USA I www.warmaudio.com

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Warm Audio WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone?

The Warm Audio WA-47 is a tube condenser microphone known for its vintage sound and exceptional build quality, designed for professional audio recording applications.

What sets the WA-47 microphone apart in its class?

The WA-47 microphone is celebrated for its classic tube sound, versatility, and its ability to capture audio with warmth and character.

Is the WA-47 a tube microphone?

Yes, the Warm Audio WA-47 is a tube condenser microphone, featuring a vacuum tube in its design to impart a vintage and warm sound to audio recordings.

What is the primary use of the WA-47 microphone?

The WA-47 is commonly used for studio recording, particularly for vocals, acoustic instruments, and sound sources where a vintage tube sound is desired.

Does the WA-47 require phantom power?

Yes, the WA-47 typically requires +48V phantom power for proper operation. Ensure your audio interface or mixer can provide this power.

What is the included polar pattern of the WA-47 microphone?

The WA-47 often features selectable polar patterns, such as cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-eight, offering versatility for different recording scenarios.

What is the frequency response range of the WA-47?

The WA-47 is designed to capture audio within a specific frequency response range 20Hz covering a wide spectrum of sounds.

Does the WA-47 come with a shock mount or pop filter?

Some versions of the WA-47 microphone may include a shock mount, but a pop filter is typically not included. These accessories can be added separately if needed.

Are there any included accessories with the WA-47 microphone, such as a carrying case?

The package contents may vary, but some WA-47 microphones come with a protective pouch or carrying case. Check the product listing for details.

Is the WA-47 compatible with standard microphone stands and boom arms?

Yes, the WA-47 typically features a standard microphone mount, making it compatible with most microphone stands and boom arms.

What is the warranty period for the WA-47 microphone?

Warranty periods for the WA-47 microphone may vary, but they often range from 1 year to several years.

Can I use the WA-47 with recording software on my computer?

Yes, you can use the WA-47 with recording software on your computer by connecting it to an appropriate audio interface or mixer.

Is the WA-47 suitable for live performances?

While it's primarily designed for studio recording, some users may choose to use the WA-47 for live performances, especially in situations where a vintage tube sound is desired.

Are there any known compatibility issues with specific audio interfaces or recording software?

The WA-47 is generally compatible with a wide range of audio interfaces and recording software, but it's advisable to check the product specifications and consult with the manufacturer for any specific compatibility concerns.

How should I care for and maintain the WA-47 microphone?

Proper care includes protecting it from physical damage, keeping it clean, and storing it in a suitable carrying case when not in use. Refer to the user manual for detailed maintenance instructions.

Where can I purchase the Warm Audio WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone?

You can typically purchase the Warm Audio WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone from authorized audio equipment retailers, music stores, or reputable online marketplaces to ensure you receive a genuine product.

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