New Music Gear Monday: Neumann U 67 Microphone Reissue

To many of the more seasoned engineers who grew up using them, the Neumann U 67 was a desert island microphone. Able to record just about anything well, the 67 has been a long-time favorite for those that could get their hands on a good vintage one. The problem was that Neumann phased out the tube U 67 for the transistor U 87 in 1971, and except for a very brief reissue in the late 80s, hasn’t been available from Neumann since.

A little backstory – The U 67 was actually created in response to the production line of the famous VF14 tube that the U 47 was based around being closed down unexpectedly. The clever Neumann design engineers decided that it would be a good time for an upgraded replacement to that fabled microphone, and employed a new M 67 capsule (which was intended to replace the M 7 being used in U 47s anyway) and a then plentiful EF 86 tube, with an additional bit of internal tonal shaping coming as a result of client feedback. The new U 67 also incorporated an additional bi-directional pattern (the U 47 was only omni and cardioid) and a 100Hz filter. It’s smaller and lighter package also meant it was easier to position than the bulkier U 47.

But solid state electronics were becoming all the rage and Neumann soon replaced the U 67 with a similar model that didn’t require a power supply for the tube electronics named the U 87, which is still being manufactured today (although it varies greatly from the original model). The U 67 ended up with a short manufacturing run of just 11 years, from 1960 to 1971.

That said, the desire for a new version of this mic never died, as proponents through the years have continued to sing its praises and look for a replacement. Now Neumann has decided to reissue this classic mic in as close to identical fashion as possible. The new U 67 is hand-built in the Neumann factory in Germany using meticulously reproduced key components like the BV 12 output transformer and carefully selected EF86 tubes. The power supply has been been slightly redesigned to adhere to today’s safety standards, but is fully compatible with older U 67s.

The reissue Neumann U 67 is priced at $6,995 and will ship in March. Find out more here or watch the video below.