Recording - May 2017 - 54

Sonics

Peluso

Microphone
Lab P-67
A modern take on a
vintage multipattern
tube condenser mic
REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

ased in Willis, VA, Peluso Microphone Lab is dedicated to crafting quality
microphones inspired by the classics with the letters U, ELA, and C in their
names. Since launching the company fifteen years ago, John Peluso has
made quite a name for himself, not only with his own microphone models but
also with his hand-tuned capsules, which are used by quite a few other companies as
well as by the microphone modification crowd. All Peluso mics are made with globally
sourced components but are built, tuned, tested, and tweaked in-house. To learn more
about John and his company, check out the interview we did with him in our July 2016
issue, where we also reviewed his solid-state P-87 model.
This month we are looking at the Peluso P-67, which, as you can easily guess,
is an homage to the classic Neumann U 67. Not only do Peluso's alphanumeric
designations hint at the models they are based upon, so too does their overall look.
The P-67 is probably the closest emulation I've seen to looking like the real thing,
especially in its distinctive headbasket styling.

Style and specs

Visually the P-67 is almost an identical twin to the company's P-87, which make sense
considering the originals. Its 8" x 2" body is finished in Peluso's brushed-nickel look
with a chrome dual mesh headbasket and an etched Peluso logo. On the back of the
body are a pair of dual-position toggle switches for a 10 dB pad and a highpass filter.
Unlike the original U 67 or the P-87, the P-67 has no pattern selection switch on the mic
body. Instead, as with all of Peluso's tube mics, there is a 9-pattern stepped switch on
its external power supply.
The P-67 comes with a well-made accessory package that includes the
vintage-styled power supply, power cable, shockmount, and a wooden storage
box, all in an aluminum briefcase. Worth special mention is the multipin mic cable,
which has thick vintage style pins and screw-on locking ends.
Inside the mic is a center-terminated 34mm K 67-style capsule that John tells me is an
exact copy of the original. It is similar to the capsule he uses in his P-87, but the P-87 is
an isolated backplate version. The tube is a 6.3V pentode EF95, as opposed to the
original's 6.3V pentode EF86. It has a 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response, 200Ω
impedance, a max SPL of 148 dB, and self-noise of 14.0 dBA.
54

RECORDING May 2017

Across the board, this is a very even and
smooth mic, with a wide gentle lift in the
upper midrange and a clean crisp top end.
Sonically it is similar to John's P-87 on the
upper end, but it sounds like someone took
that mic and opened up a faucet and bathed
the mids and lows in warm honey.
Compared to other tube mics I had on hand,
the P-67 lacks both the dusty mid-forward vibe
of a "47-ish" mic-in my tests, a Pearlman Microphones TM-47-and it is smoother and thicker than a 251-style mic-in my tests, a Telefunken AR-51. My AR-51 has a top end that is open
and feathery, while the P-67 is more crisp and
solid. This crisp clarity is balanced nicely by the
P-67's mid and low thickness with zero sizzle.
Over a few months, I used the P-67
regularly in front of a drum kit, on acoustic
guitar, acoustic bass guitar, cajon, shakers,
tambourines, and vocals. It worked well on
each, with my two favorite applications
being vocals, where it excels, and on front
of kit as a smooth, buttery room mic.
On voice it is a microphone that a good
singer can really work, especially on the female
voice. Of special note is how it works on upclose intimate vocals, where it handles plosives
exceptionally well, even without a pop screen.

Conclusion

It's easy to see and hear why Peluso mics
have the reputation they do. This mic is no
exception; it does a great job of capturing
much of what we love about the U 67 at a
fraction of the U 67's current going price. If
you need a sweet, smooth microphone that
does not sacrifice clarity and presence, the
P-67 is one to put on your short list.

PRICE: $2043 (est. street)
MORE FROM:
Peluso Microphone Lab,
www.pelusomicrophonelab.com

http://www.pelusomicrophonelab.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2017