With the UT FET47, American manufacturer United Studio Technologies presents its own take on a classic and much desired condenser microphone. The main focus of the painstaking development process was to achieve the highest possible level of realism and thickness in the sound. This condenser microphone features a custom Cinemag transformer and a Heiserman-designed HZ-Series capsule as well as vintage polystyrene capacitors, and NOS (new old stock) FETs. The UT FET47 thus combines proven vintage parts with state-of-the-art electronics to achieve uncompromising sound quality and thus makes those sought-after vintage sonics available at an affordable price.
At the core of the UT FET47's capsule, which was designed from the ground up by Eric Heiserman specifically for this microphone and has a cardioid polar pattern, is a pair of matched all-brass backplates. To give this microphone its authentic sound, United has chosen high-quality Cinemag transformers that are manufactured in California and feature a "striped core" of interleaved sets of high nickel and steel laminations. The transformer design is also humbucking and thus ensures clean, quiet operation. The UT FET47 has a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, superior to that of many other models of a similar design. The rear side of the microphone houses a pair of switches, one for the 75Hz high-pass filter which suppresses solid-borne background noise, and one for the -10dB pad function for loud sound sources.
The United UT FET47 has been developed for professionals who want to get their hands on the vintage sound of a truly classic microphone for their productions at an affordable price. Its cardioid polar pattern makes it ideal for recording vocals and acoustic instruments such as guitars and cellos. The microphone's cylindrical body is made from solid milled brass and electroplated with a matt nickel finish, while the capsule is protected by a multi-layer metal grille, and the design as a whole delivers an impressive level of robustness.
United Studio Technologies is based in the town of Baton Rouge in the US state of Louisiana and was founded in 2018 by Chad Kelly and John “Cave” Daughdrill, both of whom brought with them two decades of development experience in the professional audio sector. While Chad previously worked for both large and small manufacturers of professional audio equipment and constructed his own high-quality devices in his spare time, John was employed as a creative director, graphic designer, industrial designer, illustrator, and copywriter for a series of renowned manufacturers. The first microphone that the two partners developed was the UT FET47, which makes classic vintage-style sounds available at an affordable price. United Studio Technologies also places great value on authenticity when it comes to the products it develops in cooperation with other audio engineers, and the company’s mission is to constantly exceed its customers’ expectations in terms of price-performance ratio.
The XLR connection of the UT FET47 features gold-plated connectors and is located on the underside of the microphone, which requires 48V phantom power from the multi-track recording desk or audio interface to which it is connected. This mic allows high-quality recordings with a classic vintage tonal character and will provide a full and powerful sound for a whole range of instruments - from acoustic guitars through to bowed string instruments. Thanks to its high maximum SPL, the UT FET47 is also great for vocal recordings in which the volume level alternates between loud and soft, and its particularly clear and powerful bass response makes it ideal for instruments such as double basses that chiefly serve the low end of the sonic spectrum.