U 47 fet

Common name: Neumann U 47 fet

Production Status: Discontinued / Vintage

In 1972 Neumann launched a successor of the U47 in the “fet 80” series, named the U 47 fet. The microphone had the same head grille with a shorter body, a solid state amplifier and a cardioid KFC capsule, practically K 47 wired only on one side. The microphone had a switchable -10 dB capacitive pre-attenuator, high pass filter and a further -6 dB attenuation available at the output transformer by excluding one of the secondary windings.  The microphone was available with a 3-pin small Tuchel connector or XLR-3 (“i” version) in both nickel or dark matt finish.

The U-47 fet features a rotating arm for stand mount coupling with a cable securing mechanism on the side of its body. A dedicated EA 47 shock mount was available. This is it is fully compatible with previous tube U 47 and U 48 microphones. During its production, the U 47 fet assembly changed. At first, a special plastic-formed assembly supporting the circuit and components was used, later replaced by a more common mechanical structure.

The special switches used in the U 47 fet are prone to failures and they can be easily damaged if used without care. These replacement parts are unavailable today. The U 47 fet was reissued in 2014.