According to United, the UT FET47 is not only a recreation of one of the most desired microphones ever created, but the result of several years of R&D and intensive cooperation with other companies and microphone experts, in an effort to deliver an affordable alternative to the classic. That is the reason why the UT FET47 features a custom Heiserman (heisermanaudio.com) designed HZ-series capsule, custom Cinemag transformer, as well as vintage and NOS (new old stock) components, like vintage polystyrene capacitors and FETs, for the most exacting vintage experience.
For the project, United worked with capsule designer and manufacturer Eric Heiserman to develop a fresh take on the classic K47 German capsule design, developed from the ground up. "This process required the analysis of everything from the sourced Mylar to the thread types of screws. While many of the HZ-Series design secrets will remain so, one superior attribute we can reveal is the use of dual, matched backplates. With the HZ-Series matching process, a far more accurate and consistent quality from side to side and capsule to capsule is achieved. The HZ-Series capsule is still manufactured only a few at a time, and stringently listened to and tested," United explains.
The capsule is made from precision-milled brass and skinned with gold-spluttered, six-micron NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) Japanese PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) film that meets or exceeds the purity standards of laboratory-grade Mylar. The high-quality microphone body is produced from nickel-plated brass milled from a solid brass billet, complete with a durable swivel-arm for mounting.
Meanwhile, the circuitry involved is fully discrete, using only robust and over-spec’d components, including NOS military-spec polystyrene capacitors and tested, original NOS Fairchild FETs (Field-Effect Transistors). No electrolytic capacitors are used anywhere in the microphone, and an ‘all-dry’ topology ensures a lifetime of consistent use.
United also auditioned many recreations of the original German transformer; but quickly settled on an exceptional offering from Cinemag Transformers in California. "Their answer to the classic part is truly a piece of art; a large, hefty transformer made from a ‘striped core’ of interleaved sets of high nickel and steel laminations, and wound to the specs of the original. It‘s humbucking design delivers clean, quiet operation. While we could have used smaller or less expensive transformer; we simply refused to compromise," they add.
The result, United claims, delivers "a clean, clear, articulate, open sound with low noise, high headroom, and dynamic range. No other microphone on the market has been built this well, and this faithful to original designs at this price point."
"Choosing the best microphone for your needs couldn’t be any more difficult these days. With so many options on the market, and so many claiming to have the vintage sound and failing to deliver, it can be overwhelming," says United Studio Technologies President, Chad Kelly.
“Our formula with this microphone and all of the products yet to come is a very holistic one, bordering on the obsessive. We put care into every single part that goes into it — down to the last thin film resistor or tantalum capacitor, and even the quality of the PCB material itself, the positions of components, and the lengths of wires. Nothing is left to chance. We don’t just want to make a microphone that you’ll absolutely love, we want to make a microphone that you’ll still love 20 years from now and be glad you invested in. Everything we do at United Studio Technologies is engineering-driven; no less than five engineers — all experts in their field — have had some level of participation in developing this product. The result is a synergy that I think is palpable,” Kelly adds.
The UT FET47 microphone is distributed worldwide by RAD Distribution and is expected to ship before the end of January 2020 with an MSRP of $799.00 USD.
www.unitedstudiotech.com
