Pro Audio Review - June 2008 - (Page 18) STUDIO | REVIEW by Dan Wothke screws. The single PCB is roomy in layout with all components well spaced out and easy to follow traces located on the bottom of the board. The outside end of the power supply has a standard IEC power connector, selector for 115/230V A/C, power switch and indicator light. The other end consists of the 7-pin female Tuchel connector, female Neutrik XLR and pattern selector switch. Overall, this is a very well designed and constructed mic with no low dollar Asian components. Even the transformer is hand wound in Europe and fully inspired by the original M7/49, credited in large part to its smooth and natural sound. Included with each microphone is a custom frequency response plot. During my time at Masterfonics, there were many days where I found myself locked down in the shop with a vintage, high dollar tube mic disassembled on the bench while I tried to track down various problems. Whether testing and replacing tubes, fixing cold solder points or testing the components, I became quite familiar with the build and quality of vintage German microphones and even the latest high dollar microphones. Here, I decided to put that experience to work, taking apart the Berliner microphone for look under the hood. Inside, the mic looks similar to many of the classic mics with hand crafted point-to-point wiring accompanied by two easy to follow circuit boards. Clear Plexiglas dividers separate the diaphragm from the electronics and reinforce the construction of the microphone. The Raytheon NOS 5703 military-grade tube is hard wired due to the power requirements of the tube. This tube is known for its low noise and long life span and is similar to the original M49 tube, the AC701K. The capsule is hand-built and skinned by ex-Neumann engineer Siegfried Thiersch, one of the original builder of the M7 capsule. The U77 is built exactly the way BERLINER continues on page 20 ➤ Berliner U77 Multipattern Tube Microphone The U77 is an admirable choice as your one and only truly high-end tube microphone. Berliner Microphones — named in part after Emile Berliner, one of the first builders of microphones via a telephone transmitter in the late 1800s (which was eventually acquired by Bell Telephone) — completely skipped the cluttered budget microphone pool and jumped right into the elite world of high-end, hand crafted, European-designed tube microphones. According to the manufacturer, the company name became a no-brainer as the capsules and transformers for its high-end offerings wound up being manufactured in Berlin — just call it nomenclatural destiny. I spoke at length with Dana Paul, the man behind Berliner, to voice my concerns about investing the dollars to purchase a product — the U77 multipattern tube microphone — from a startup company such as his; it was a concern that I felt was justified. Dana assured me that Berliner was created out of a passion for creating music, as he himself is a producer and has a large collection of modern and vintage microphones. He has many other successful ventures and has not put his eggs all in the Berliner basket. I say this because I have personally reviewed equipment from startups in the past to find that only a few months after print, the company’s doors APPLICATIONS Studio, project studio, audio for broadcast KEY FEATURES Omni, figure 8, and cardioid patterns; 30 Hz to 20kHz frequency response; Raytheon NOS 5703 military-grade tube; ‘duraluminum’ and stainless steel construction; Mic-power supply connectivity via GAC7 10m Gotham cable with 7-pin Tuchel connector; brick-style power supply; shockmount; waterproof case. PRICE $3,495 CONTACT Berliner Microphones | ☎ 888-MIC-THIS ➲ www.berlinerusa.com are closed. For Berliner, those concerns are put to rest; should the mic ever have any trouble, it will be covered under its lifetime warranty from the Berliner US support center. | FEATURES The U77 is just over 9 1/2-inches long, weights 1l pounds and 5 ounces and is constructed of ‘duraluminium’ and stainless steel. It is right at home in its U47style shock mount with hinged clasps to assure a good grip on the microphone. It boasts three patterns — omni, figure 8 and cardioid — with a frequency response of 30 Hz to 20 kHz. Connectivity between mic and power supply is provided with a GAC7 10m Gotham cable using a 7-pin Tuchel connector. The brick-style power supply is encased in a thick black aluminum enclosure with the internal parts accessible via four 18 | ProAudio Review | June 2008 Subscribe to the Digital Edition of Pro Audio Review http://www.myparmag.com www.proaudioreview.com http://www.berlinerusa.com http://www.proaudioreview.com http://www.myparmag.com
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