Recording - December 2015 - 33

of subtle dips between 100 and 1000
Hz, a 4 dB rise centering around 5 kHz,
and a gentle rolloff and a slight additional build up at 12 kHz. Compared to most
modern mics or even U 47-style models,
this is very smooth mic which does not
have the typical high-mid boost or midpeak forwardness.
As you move to figure-8, this changes;
the mic is at its most mid-forward, with an
8 dB boost around 5-6 kHz. In omni
mode the mic's response flattens out.
Aside from a gentle 1 dB rise below 200
Hz and a broad 2 dB rise above 8 kHz,
it's flat to within ±1 dB.
Sound and use
With the CM49, smooth and big is the
name of the game! When many people
mention they want a warm, full tube mic
sound, this is often what they are after. It
lacks the bright top of a C12/ELA M
251 and, also as mentioned, it is not
mid-forward like a 47-style mic.
The top end of the CM49 is warm and
round, and yet retains a nice natural openness that keeps it from sounding too dull,
rounded, or imposing. Its low end is big and
even without being overblown or muddy.
The taming of the shrill
In use, it's easy to hear why this style of
mic is so well loved on female vocals. It

tames harshness and adds a nice fullness
to the voice. Rather than pushing the
voice up and out of the mix like a 47, or
sitting it openly on top like a C12, this
mic can seat the voice in the center and
allow you to build up a mix around it.
It's a great choice for backing vocals,
which is where the mic found its most common usage in the recording sessions where
I tried it out. In backing vocals, you want the
voices to hold down the fort, but not pop out
and overwhelm the lead vocal. The CM49
excels at this, especially in omni mode for
well-balanced group backing vocals.
It's well suited for taking the edge and
screech out of sources like trumpets and
brass, tambourines, and even cymbals in
the right setting. I have to qualify that last
statement, as I loved the sound of the CM49
as a room mic on drum kit, but it may tame
cymbals a tad too much for most modern
pop music when used as a drum overhead.
Aside from backing vocals, my favorite
use for it was as a mono room mic on
grand piano, about 12 feet up and angled
down at the piano. I originally planned to
use it to add depth to the close mics inside
the piano, yet often found myself using it as
the only piano mic in the mix! It set itself
nicely into the mix with little effort or
tweaks, beyond some nice compression
from Universal Audio's Fairchild 670 plugin (reviewed February 2014).

Placed up close with the foam windscreen on, the added proximity effect
makes the CM49 an exceptional dialogue mic. On electric guitar, I had great
luck using the CM49 as a distance mic
on guitar cabinets.
My only little criticisms with the mic have
to do with polar patterns. In omni mode, I
could hear a slight volume drop on the
sides, and in figure-8, the off-axis rejection
in the nulls isn't as tight as I'd prefer. Also
note that like many figure-8 mics of modern
design, the CM49 in figure-8 mode doesn't
have a symmetrical tonality from front and
rear. The rear lobe is thicker than the front
and very pronounced, making it another
great dialogue option.
Conclusion
Those small niggles aside, this is a very
nice-sounding microphone that is in every
way the antithesis of the bright open modern mic sound. If you're interested in the
vintage M 49 sound, there are a lot of
overseas-sourced options these days, but
few will have the quality and charm of the
CM49, and I'd be hard pressed to think
of any that delivers this level of excellence
at such a bargain price.
Price: $965
More from: Advanced Audio,
www.advancedaudio.ca
http://www.advancedaudio.ca http://www.gracedesign.com
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