What do the Vatican, the United Nations, the German Parliament, the BBC and my company Nethervoice have in common?
We all use top of the line microphones from a family owned business in the small German town of Gefell.
If you’ve never heard of Gefell and you enjoy European history, let’s travel back in time for a moment.
In 1943, Georg Neumann‘s main microphone laboratory in Berlin was hit by bombs and caught fire. To avoid more damage, Neumann and his technical director Erich Kühnast moved the entire company to Gefell where they continued their work in an old textile mill.
After Germany’s surrender, Gefell was occupied by the Americans and then handed over to the Soviet Union. In 1946 a number of Gefell employees returned to Berlin to establish a small workshop. This workshop eventually became Georg Neumann GmbH, the second Neumann company.
Kühnast and most of the original staff stayed in Gefell and continued to develop and build microphones. Neumann made Kühnast manager of the limited partnership Georg Neumann & Co. which was later nationalized by the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Despite the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the management of the two companies stayed in touch with one another.
In 1972, the GDR prohibited use of the Neumann trademark, and the East-German company was renamed VEB Mikrofontechnik Gefell.
After the Wall came down in 1989, Georg Neumann’s heirs reclaimed their share in the company and a new period of cooperation began. Here’s what’s remarkable. When the Neumann engineers took a closer look at the Gefell products that had been developed behind the Iron Curtain, they discovered microphone technology that was more sophisticated than some of that in the West.
After Sennheiser took over Neumann in 1991, Microtech Gefell -as it is now called- became an independent, privately owned company, known for hand-made, high-end microphones. (this overview is in part based on an article in Sound on Sound and on information on the Gefell website).
MY NEW BABY
Fast forward to Tuesday, January 17th, 2012, the day I became the first person in America to own a Gefell M 930 Ts studio condenser microphone.
Out of thousands of microphones on the market, why did I pick this particular make and model?
I have to be honest with you: I didn’t pick this mic. It picked me. Or rather: I got lucky. Very, very lucky!
In my radio days I never paid any attention to the equipment I was using, but since I became master and commander of my own studio, things have changed. As a professional, I think it’s important to get to know the tools of the trade.
Before I’m ready to make any type of investment in my business, I spend months doing research, reading reviews and talking to colleagues in the know. They make sure I don’t fall for the latest fad, and that when I finally decide on a new purchase, I invest in quality that will last for many years to come.
Any professional chef, musician or mechanic can tell you that well-made, reliable tools make the job a lot easier because they work with you instead of against you. Good tools can’t make an artist more creative, but they can inspire. Without them, he’s less able to realize his dreams. A great set of tools can take you to that proverbial next level.
It’s a cliché, but quality never goes out of style. It is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
RISING FROM THE PACK
As home studios are becoming the norm and more people are having a go at voice-overs, it’s increasingly important to distinguish oneself. It all starts with the way the voice is captured.
The quality of your sound is your signature.
Clients are sick and tired of having to put up with hiss, rumble, interference and echoes coming from inferior equipment recorded in so-called ‘professional’ booths set up in someone’s boudoir. By the sound of it, these spaces aren’t studios. They sound more like shacks. Radio shacks.
If you can’t provide clean, crystal clear audio, you should start a website where amateur VO’s can go forth, multiply and make a lot of noise. Why not call it VoiceRabbit (after the rabid growth I predict it will undergo)?
Alternatively, you could consult men like Dan Lenard, Dan Friedman, George Whittam or Mel Allen. They will set you up with the right gear and help you fine-tune your sound in less time than it will take you to learn the ropes through trial and error.
Although it never paints a complete picture, quality equipment does make a statement. When a client or agent sees you are using professional grade gear, they know you mean business and they have one less thing to worry about.
Imagine going to a wedding photographer to find out if he’s going to be a good fit for your big day, and the man pulls out a cheap point-and-shoot camera. Would you hire him? I don’t think so. Now, owning a Hasselblad 503CW does not make one a brilliant photographer, but that’s a different story.
RECORDINGHACKS
In my quest for the best equipment, I spent many hours on Matt Mcglyn’s creation: www.recordinghacks.com. It’s an online magazine as well as the world’s most extensive database of a 1000+ microphones.
If you happen to be looking for a good podcasting mic for $200, recordinghacks has put them to the test. If you need the specs of the Manley Reference Gold tube condenser, look no further. Interested in a $60,000 ribbon mic shootout? You know where to go!
In 2011, recordinghacks gave away a new mic every month: a Cascade Fathead II, a Blue Yeti Pro, a Lauten Horizon et cetera. December’s prize topped it all: a brand new Microtech Gefell 930 Ts. This small, large diaphragm condenser was made with broadcasting and voice-over applications in mind.
AND THE WINNER IS…
In the first week of January, Matt Mcglyn said he had some good news for me: I was the lucky winner of the giveaway! It was unbelievable. What a start to the new year!
I want to thank Microtech Gefell GmbH for such a generous gift, and for their ongoing, uncompromising dedication to quality.
Matt Mcglyn deserves a big ‘thank you’ for creating such an excellent database and magazine, and for magically pulling my name out of his recordinghacks-hat.
As for the rest of you, I’m sure you’d like to know how my new mic sounds, and how it stacks up against other voice-over microphones. Well, it just so happens that I have written a review for recordinghacks, and you’ll find out for yourself why the Vatican has given its blessing to a small German company.
If there ever was one brand that has earned the right to capture the voice of G-d, it has to be Microtech Gefell!
Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice
Next week I’ll tell you about one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever had, and what lessons we can draw from that for our own business.
As always… great article Paul! Thank you for the mention. I’m looking forward to hearing the new mic.
Dan Friedman
http://www.sound4vo.com
http://www.procommvoices.com
My pleasure, Dan. Did I mention that you also wrote an excellent book called “Sound Advice – Voice Over from an Audio Engineer’s Perspective“?
Double thanks!!
You are a lucky man indeed – but so are the followers of your blog. Thank you kindly for the link Paul. All the best to you in 2012!
Cheers,
Mel
That’s so nice of you, Mel. Your series on voice-over gear is required reading. What will you surprise us with next, this year?
I’m hoping there will be several surprises. You will certainly be among the first to hear!
Mel
Congratulations, Paul! That’s a truly wonderful prize! I look forward to hearing more about it as you use it more. 🙂
I’m a very lucky and grateful man, Jodi.
The day I received my Gefell, I recorded an audition with it. Within minutes my agent wrote back: New mic?
Hee! Awesome. 😀 So what does it do for your voice (or does it just do nothing and record you more “as you are”?) that your other mics didn’t do?
Great question. Because I’ll be reviewing the microphone for recordinghacks, I’m not at liberty to tell you more about the sound of my new mic… yet. They get the scoop.
Ok. I look forward to reading the article! 🙂
Their slogan, “Finely Crafted hand made microphones since 1928”, says it all. As the engineer at another German pro audio company told me a few years ago, “MicroTech Gefell microphones are not very close to Neumann, they ARE Neumann microphones!”
A couple of years ago the BBC did a complete makeover of their facilities and chose the M930 for speech applications and the M950 for music.
I expect you feed this cherished possession through a world-class Portico series pre-amp from Rupert Neve Designs. 😉
A fellow Gefell-fan! I now know why the BBC choose the M930 for speech. It’s so small, it doesn’t get in your line of view when reading off the monitor.
Funny you should mention preamps. In a few weeks I’ll be getting a Grace Design m101. A good microphone deserves a good preamp.
Kudos!
They certainly chose someone who will use it to it’s fullest…
Can’t wait to see your full review – I’ve heard a lot about Gefell’s over the years.
Thanks, Joe. Every day I walk into my studio I say to myself: Did I really win this beauty? I’m ready to find out how it compares to a few other mics. It’s playtime!
Thanks for the entertaining history lesson Paul, and congratulations on your newest acquisition – it couldn’t have gone to a nicer guy!
I’m officially blushing, Andrew! I have to admit that -prior to winning this prize- Gefell was not on my radar screen. Of course I knew Neumann, Sennheiser, Rode, Telefunken etcetera. That’s why I was delighted to find out how much history and experience was reflected in my new microphone.
I’ve heard that some people used to call Gefell ‘the East German Neumann.’ I think Gefell deserves it’s own place in the great audio brands Germany has produced.
WOW! I know the contest (I registered too) and you’re the winner!
That’s TERRIFIC! Can’t wait for your review and a sound comparison if possible. I’d love to hear it next to a TLM-103 and a U-87 or one or the other. Then next compared to a cheaper but popular condenser mic like one of the MXLs, Rhode, etc.
It was also very interesting to know the history of Gefell and how companies like that were affected by war and post war governmental decisions. Very cool to read about that.
Looking forward to your review! I know you’ll have fun with that mic.
And what a great improvement you’ll hear compared to that Mr. Microphone you’ve been using… hee, hee.
And thanks for the mention!
I still can’t believe it, Rick. It’s one of those things that very rarely happen.
You bet I’ll have fun comparing a few voice-over mics. It will take me a few weeks to take each of them for a spin. Once the review is published, I’ll send out the usual Facebook-blast.
Paul,
Wow, congratulations! Here I thought as research oriented as you are, that you would have selected something as rare and wonderful as this microphone for yourself, but the Universe decided to reward you with it as a gift. How very serendipitous! And I’m sure the givers will win even more, with your contributions on future articles. Sounds like a win, win, WIN!
Having just spent a week researching new ISDN boxes to replace my 10 year old unit that finally bit the dust this week, I too am grateful for experts in the field who assist us in the trenches with what we need to do our jobs, and do them well.
Here’s to a great new year, with new gear!
Debbie
http://www.debbiegrattan.com
Thank you Debbie. As I said to Andrew, prior to winning this beautiful mic, Gefell was not on my radar screen at all. I buy most of my gear from Sweetwater and they don’t carry this brand. Another point was that the M 930 TS is not yet available in the U.S. Now that I am using the microphone, I strongly feel that this was meant to be. I don’t feel that I’m more deserving than anyone else, but that’s the thing with random drawings: the only way to influence the process is by taking part. The rest is up to chance.
Fantastic, Paul! ‘Can’t wait to hear your prize-winning Gefell recorded on your prize-winning iODock from late last year’s VOAT promotion. You are indeed a lucky man!
CourVO
I can’t tell you how blessed I feel, Dave. When I received the message that I had won, I was very sur-prized. Flabbergasted is perhaps a better term.
Wow! You won that beautiful mic. That’s so cool! Many congrats. Enjoy!
Thank YOU, Stefania. Normally, I try to avoid talking too much about myself in this blog, but this was such big news and I think Gefell has a story worth telling.
Congratulations, Paul.
I’ll be looking forward to your comparison article. However, you really said it all with this line:
>>>When a client or agent sees you are using professional grade gear, they know you mean business and they have one less thing to worry about.
This is the only reason to spend a thousand, thousands, or tens of thousands on a microphone to record the human voice when there are many good mics available for $300-900. Anyone who doesn’t understand that either has rocks in their head or a serious mental condition 😉
I hope you make a boatload of loot with that mic, Paul.
At some point, the correlation between added value and higher price becomes subject to the law of diminishing returns, and we’re paying for perceived value.
Then again, perceived value is why clients pay what they pay me.
Let’s not forget that a microphone is just one part of a recording chain that starts with the voice-over talent. Change one link and you change the end-result.
Dag Paul,
Via Linked-In jouw website gevonden.
Wat gebruikte je hiervoor als belangrijkste microfoon ?
Vriendelijke groet uit Amsterdam,
Peter van Velzen.
Translation:
Hi Paul,
Through Linked-In I found your website.
Can I please ask you what microphone you have been using prior to winning this Microtech Gefell mic ?
Thank you, best regards,
Peter van Velzen, Amsterdam, NL.
Hai Peter, leuk om van een mede-Nederlander te horen!
Voorheen gebruikte ik een MXL VO: 1-A microfoon, hier ook wel bekend als de “Harlan Hogan” microfoon. Hogan is een voice-over acteur die een eigen lijn van producten heeft ontwikkeld.
Welke microfoon heb jij in huis?
Hey! No fair…… now stop that jiberish!
Did I spell that right?
The name of the blog is Double Dutch, so every now and then you may expect a bit of Netherlandish in the comment section. I basically told Peter I was using harlan’s mic before I got the Gefell and I asked him what mic he’s using.
Ok, Paul… Got it!
From now on I’ll just call it Double Talk…. Hee, hee…
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your response. I will use English from now on ….
I am starting up a studio for recording radio-drama. As you may know The Netherlands, much like other countries, had important radio-drama being created, and a huge following. The last three to four years a resurgence of interest for radio-drama is visible, in Belgium as well as in The Netherlands. I would like to think my little studio would be beneficial to that development.
Anyway, I am using quite a lot of different microphones, often simultaneous, for recording the narration. My personal favourites are the Neumann TLM-103 and the Audio Technika 2020 and 2050 microphones, because of their inherent low self-noise, and their ‘honest’ sound.
I did not know your “Harlan Hogan” MXL microphone, and it is not readily available in Europe. It is available through the web, but it seems to draw mixed reviews.
I have been looking at the Mikrotech Gefell microphones often – they are the breeding ground of Neumann, and very, very higly regarded.
Looking forward to your comparison of the Gefell with the Neumann,
all the best from Amsterdam, where spring finally is about to start,
Peter van Velzen.
Thanks for writing back in English, Peter. I’m sure my international readers in 153 countries will appreciate that.
As I child I used to love radio plays. I can still remember listening to them on a small transistor radio, hidden under my blanket because it was past my bedtime.
The Neumann TLN 103 has often been compared to the old Gefell M 930. I have the new “Ts” version of this mic with the added transistor which no doubt impacts the color of the microphone. I have not been able to do a comparison between the old and new M 903 as well as the TLM 103. Both are solid mics, but the Gefell is significantly smaller and lighter.
It wouldn’t be fair to compare the MXL VO: 1-A ($279) to the Gefell M 930 Ts (about $1780).
Enjoy springtime in Amsterdam. I’m sure everybody welcomes the warmth after such a cold winter!