M 150 Tube

From Neumann:

The M 150 Tube is a unique small diaphragm condenser microphone for orchestral recordings, based on the legendary Neumann M 50. The M 150 uses a titanium capsule flush mounted in a small sphere to create an omni pattern which becomes directional at higher frequencies. An innovative transformerless tube circuit ensures a vivid sound with low noise.

The M 150 is a unique tube microphone in the tradition of the legendary Neumann M 50 of the 1950s, often quoted as the ultimate microphone for orchestral recording. The M 150 offers the same phenomenal transient response and unique directional characteristic as its ancestor, updated with 21st century technology and improved performance.

Like its predecessor, the M 150 uses a 12 mm small diaphragm capsule, flush mounted in a 40 mm sphere. The capsule itself is a pressure transducer, but the sphere modifies its omnidirectional pattern to become gradually more directional at higher frequencies. The M 150’s condenser transducer is extraordinary in other respects, too: Its ultra-thin diaphragm is made of titanium, a light yet rigid metal, and spaced only 10 microns from the backplate, also made of titanium. The result is a sound transducer with unparalleled transient response. This delicate capsule is protected by an acoustically open headgrille – shaped just like that of the venerable M 50.