The original ’67 became one of the most sought-after and widely-used studio microphones of its time, recording a massive collection of some of the most memorable songs of the last 50 years - we’re talking about classic tracks from artists as varied as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Temptations and Nirvana! The original mics are still sought after, but they can command upwards of $8000 for a pristine unit, putting them far out of reach for most recordists.
Thankfully, Warm Audio has now changed that scenario with the release of the new WA-67! Based around an EF86 pentode tube and having the same smooth and creamy tone of the original, the WA-67 excels at recording just about anything that you put it in front of, and it may immediately become your go-to choice for vocals, guitars, drum toms and overheads, pianos, brass and strings.
Even if you stuff a microphone full of premium components, if the capsule isn’t right, nothing is - it’s that critical. Knowing this Warm Audio went to great lengths to recreate the capsule from the original ’67, making sure that theirs performs the same way, has the same frequency response and contributes to the same chewy character as the original. That meant not only ensuring that the hole pattern was identical, but they also made sure to craft the entire assembly out of brass (including the mounting rings) just like the original design. It takes more time and it’s more expensive than using multiple types of material, but they felt that it was critical to go the extra mile on this microphone. The results speak for themselves - the WA-67 sounds absolutely stellar!
The EF-86 tube is well-known in the industry for having characteristics that are consistently flattering to audio sources, and it’s one of the reasons why the original ’67 microphone remains sought after (and why some modern audio manufacturers use it in their own hyper-expensive microphones and preamps). Warm Audio knew that it was critical to get absolutely right in the WA-67, and they’re thrilled with the results.
Going even further, in order to accentuate and complement the custom capsule and EF86 tube, Warm used top-shelf components to complete their version of the original circuit. They used high-bandwidth polystyrene capacitors, as well as boutique polypropylene caps from Wima and a large output capacitor from Solen. Just as important in a tube design, they also used a custom large-core transformer from Lundahl in Sweden, which plays a significant role in the buttery smooth high frequency response and huge three-dimensional sound of the WA-67. The microphone is also encased in a beautiful nickel-plated brass body and headbasket, which provides strength, additional shielding from extraneous handling noise and the ultimate in audio performance.
Features
- Large Diaphragm Studio Condenser Microphone
- Faithful Re-Creation of the Classic ’67-Style Pentode Tube Circuit
- ef86 Pentode Tube for Creamy Smooth Clarity and Brilliance
- Custom Large-Core Transformer From Lundahl Sweden
- Custom All-Brass Large k67-Style Vintage Capsule Re-Creation
- Gold-Sputtered Mylar Diaphragm, 6 Microns Thick
- High-Bandwidth Polystyrene Capacitors
- Boutique Capacitors From Wima and Solen
- Nickel-Plated Brass Microphone Body and Headbasket for Ultimate Acoustic Performance
- Premium 7-Pin Tube Cable From Gotham Switzerland
- Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Omni, Figure-of-Eight
- Switchable HI-Pass Filter
- Switchable -10 Db Pad
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 Khz
- Rated Impedance: 200 Ohms
- Rated Load Impedance: 1kilohms
- Equivalent Noise Level (a-Weighted): 17 Db-a
- Maximum Spl for Thd 0.5%: 138 Db
- Signal to Noise Ratio (a-Weighted): 78 Db
- Microphone Includes: Wood Box, Shockmount, Hardmount, Power Supply, 7-Pin Mic Cable