Description
Wunder Audio is passionate about making the best microphones available, and having done this we asked, “How can we make this mic even better? Can we redefine the limits of modern and vintage microphone engineering? Can we reconcile apparent contradictions of modern and vintage microphones?” The answer to these questions was a resounding Yes! And in fact we’ve done it, with audiophile performance!
The new Wunder Audio Suprema microphones redefines traditional engineering with our new modern-vintage line. We’ve optimized our recipe of the passive components in all of our microphones and then perfected it. The result is a quantum leap in presence.
In the new modern-vintage Suprema line, the sound spectrum opens up, adding emphasis to the sound staging and creates a greater sense of air and transparency, without the impression of a diminished mid and lower-end response. The outcome is a less grainy and a much more fluid sound. The focus is tighter and sharper. The track sits perfectly in the mix even with out EQ. The new Suprema line is simply one step up from perfect.
CM50 FET S
The Wunder Audio CM50 FET Suprema microphone is the solid-state version of the CM50 Suprema. It comes with the very same spherical capsule as employed in the successful CM50 Tube Mic.
The Wunder Audio CM50 FET Suprema tube microphone is true to vintage using an original Neumann style M50 spherical capsule. The Wunder Audio CM50 FET S has an incredible lineage; its predecessor, the CM50 FET, has been used worldwide in Decca trees for recording the soundtracks for many of the major motion pictures produced today. The CM50 FET version is widely used by scoring engineer Shawn Murphy and Tom Steel among others at most of the sound stages in Los Angeles including; the Newman Scoring Stage 20th Century Fox, Sony Scoring Stage, Culver City and other top scoring stages worldwide including Abbey road! Main left-right usage of the CM50 FET include; Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, the Hobbit film series, Harry Potter and Marvel films. The new CM50 FET Suprema is one step up from this already perfect mic.
The CM50 FET S is the best available microphone for orchestral recordings because it has a response that rises slightly and it becomes increasingly more directional at higher frequencies when exposed to direct sound, but it remains flat in a diffused sound field.
In addition to being the perfect microphone for soundtrack recordings, the CM50 FET Suprema is definitely an important mic when recording drums and capturing the room sound, giving the instrument volume and depth. Once you try this out on drums, you will never want to record without it, as the drums sound flat without the CM50 FET Suprema. “Simply one of the most wonderful sounding room mics in the world. It is a must for huge drum sounds!”
Grille
The CM50 FET S has a slanted grille to limit the effect of grille resonance on the response. Because the grille is slanted and presents a continuously varying profile to the capsule, there are fewer standing waves generated. This gives the most natural sound obtainable my any microphone. Very pure and pleasantly warm. The size of the grille forms a larger-volume enclosure giving the capsule more breathing room and contributing to its openness.
In every way the Wunder Audio CM50 FET Suprema grille is true to vintage and identical to the original M50. It has been used as historical replacement parts on the vintage M50s.
FET Circuitry
Wunder Audio CM50 FET Suprema incorporates an audiophile grade MOSFET circuit. Sonically, the MOSFETs enhance low-level detail retrieval and provide a startling improvement in low noise performance, adding a sense of purity on vocals and strings thought to be impossible in transistor amplification. There is also a sense of linearity that allows the microphone to maintain consistency of clarity and tonal balance from low to high levels, so there is no more confusion and congestion when the volume is pushed. The staging, depth retrieval and the overall presentation takes on just the right balance of airiness and bloom.
Capsule
The CM50 Suprema uses the same M9 capsule as the historic M50. Neumann went through several materials for their diaphragm, starting with PVC which quickly became too brittle, then went to aluminum which was difficult to tension correctly. For a brief period nickel was used and finally the decision was to use Mylar, as in the KM 83.
We have successfully recreated the small pressure transducer, similar to the capsule for the KM series microphones, embedded in the surface of a 40 mm diameter Lucite sphere. By mounting the miniature capsule in the large Lucite sphere all standing waves larger than 40 mm are eliminated thus canceling out proximity effect. No other microphone set to Omni can achieve the naturalness of the CM50 S sound. The inspiration is classic, the execution is cutting-edge.
Capacitor
We’ve optimized our passive components to achieve a true audiophile performance. While high-fidelity equipment is usually referred to at the end of the chain in recording, we feel that it is equally important all the way through; to be able to listen to the best possible recording, you must be able to record that sound with minimal amounts of noise and distortion and an accurate frequency. We’ve enhanced to our true to vintage microphones by doubling the value of the capacitors resulting in a lower corner frequency for a modern-vintage sound where the spectrum opens up, adding emphasis to the sound staging and creates a greater sense of air and transparency, without the impression of a diminished mid and lower-end response. The outcome is a less grainy and a much more fluid sound. The focus is tighter and sharper.
Box and Yoke Mount
Your Wunder Audio CM50FET S is nestled in velvet and softly secured in place in a foam-lined oak-wooden box that is clasped and hinged. This beautiful oak box is also sold separately. Your CM50 S yoke mount is an improved one-piece design for durability.
