TAPE OP REVIEW
CM7 Microphone
Written by Mike Jasper
Writer's Website ­ www.deceptivesound.com

When Wunder Audio owner and CM7 creator Mike Castoro was asked to describe his mic, he said it was similar to a U47 but better. I would agree. The Wunder Audio CM7 is the best vocal mic I've ever sung through in my life. Period. And the "better" part is in the sound, especially at the high end of the spectrum, with air and clarity that's missing from the original U47. Oh, and please don't confuse this crystalline high end with the annoyingly bright 3-5k bump you hear so much on cheaper tube mics. I've listened to both, and the difference is huge.

My first tests were done at Wunder's own Stardog Studio using my Collings D1A and my own smoky vocals on a song I've sung and played a thousand times. We did a shootout between the CM7 and one of Castoro's selected U47s. He had seven of his elderly beauties ready for us, culled from nearly 150 U47s he had bought and sold over the years as a vintage mic dealer. We tried a few U47s, then selected the one we thought sounded best for my vocals and ran it alongside the CM7. It was undeniable; I preferred the CM7 on both guitar and voice, in both omni and cardioid modes. Later in the week, I blindly re-listened to the CD of that session and again picked out the CM7 as having the sweetest sound.

A few weeks later, Castoro agreed to bring his CM7 to 5 a.m. Studios in downtown Austin for yet another shootout. This time his CM7 would compete against some worthy adversaries, including a Pearlman TM-1, Rode NTV, Soundelux U99 and U95s, Mojave M-200 and a vintage Neumann CMV-563 with the lollipop capsule. (For some reason never fully explained, Castoro did not bring one of his vintage U47s to the shootout.) The test was done using two vocals ­ my lower toned Jim Morrison-ish vox and Steve Hudson's higher toned, John Fogarty-ish pipes. Only the Rode NTV sounded truly bad to my ears, and unfortunately I owned that mic. The others held their own, but the Neumann CMV-563 and the Wunder CM7 stood above the rest. Some at the shootout preferred the Neumann, but I absolutely preferred the CM7 on both my voice and Hudson's. It's the best vocal mic I've ever sung through, period. Did I mention that yet?

Castoro says there are three primary elements used to create the U47-plus sound ­ the capsule, the transformer and the tube in that order. With the capsule, Wunder is shooting for a copy of what Castoro calls the Berlin M7, as opposed to the Gefell M7 capsule. The Berlin M7 is machined differently from the Gefell, with three isolator rims instead of two. The one-inch diaphragm is glued on with precise tension to a very thin rim, much the way skins are stretched over a snare drum. The rims are milled onto a piece of brass that contains 90 holes per side and then super polished in a process called "lapping." Unlike the original M7s, which were 8-10 microns thick and made of PVC, the Wunder M7 is made of a six-micron thick Mylar substrate because it ages better. If authenticity is a must, PVC capsules are available upon request at a higher price. You can also get the capsules set at different biases, with one emphasizing the high-end tones, another emphasizing the low end.

The second key to the CM7 sound is the larger transformer used, based on the earlier Telefunken U47 design, the so-called "large badge" U47. Wound old-school style on vintage tool machines, these transformers allow for more saturation and a bigger low end, rolling off at 20Hz instead of forty. Finally, the third component is the tube. Yes, Wunder can make a microphone with the famous VF14 tube, but it'll cost one arm and leg more to buy. Fortunately, the lower priced EF14 tube comes standard and owner Castoro calls it the "savior of the mic." The interior tooling in the EF14 is identical to the VF14, but the difference lies in how the filament wire is attached. To make the EF14 behave like the VF14, a capacitor and resistor ­ called a "dummy load" -- is added to the back of the tube socket.

Although the capsule, the transformer and the tube are the most important elements to the sound, there are other factors. The U47's unique grille provides a 1.5 db boost at 5k for presence, but then a cut at 8K to mitigate sibilance. Another 1 db at 10k allows for air, while a roll off at 11k prevents brittleness. Castoro says the grille design gives the U47 its legendary aggressive sound and a natural EQ, so they've gone to great pains to insure the grille is an exact replica of the original. But some improvements in the mic's sound are due to innovations in the original design. For example, Wunder uses no PVC in the wiring, since wires sheathed with PVC tend to deteriorate and crack over time. Also, the mic uses high-end, metalized polypropylene capacitors instead of the now crumbling ones used when the U47 was originally made. And although it has nothing to do with the sound, the power supply used for the CM7 features better wiring overall and a voltage regulator that wasn't available in the original.

The entire package includes the CM7 in an oak box, a historical shock mount, the power supply and an original, large Tuchel-connected mic cable. For those who can't spend $5K+ on a microphone, Wunder will be coming out with a GT version, a CM7-lite model priced under $3,000. It will still have the signature Wunder large-style transformer and the U47
look and feel, but the capsule will be a K47 (M7 available as an upgrade), the tube will be the Telefunken glass tube (hence the name GT) and other historical details adhered to in the CM7 will be adjusted in the GT version to keep costs down. And just in case you forgot how this review opened, let me remind you one more time -- the CM7 is the best vocal mic I've ever sung through. Ever.

Mike Jasper
Deceptivesound.com

Tape Op Review

Wunder Audio PEQ1R

By Garrett Haines - Sept/Oct 2005

I wrote a pretty positive review of the Wunder Audio PEQ-1 back in the June '04 issue. At that time, the unit was available as a replacement module for some vintage consoles, or in a custom rack unit. But console modules are designed to be read in a vertical position. You end up getting a kink in your neck trying to adjust settings when the module is rack mounted. Fortunately, Wunder now offers a single spaced version of the PEQ1, called the PEQ1R. The controls are rotated 90 degrees for easy left to right use. They've also added a convenient _" instrument jack on the front.

The PEQ1R has some sonic tweaks since the first PEQ1. Mike Castoro and the crew at Wunder have made additional improvements including an improved amplifier network, a beefed up output stage, and decreased the overall Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). Additionally, the EQ section was enhanced to give a little more separation between the 15k and 20k frequencies. All of this amounts to polishing a unit that was at the top of my list to start.

We tested the PEQ-1R on vocals, using a variety of microphones. The output was vivid, detailed, and forceful. When paired with a vintage Neumann U87 the Wunder brought out subtle nuances that cause so many of us to shell out so much for these mics. What was really impressive was what the PEQ1R can do with an inexpensive mic. The Wunder made the $99 AT2020 sound very respectable. The difference between the AT2020 with the Wunder and the same mic through the preamps of a small format mixer was significant. This pre can really squeeze the last ounce of performance from whatever you plug into it.

We used the instrument in jack to test the PEQ1R as a front-end for bass guitar. On a bass with active electronics the Wunder brought out finger work without undue harshness. Using a traditional P-style bass the PEQ1R supplied a full encompassing sound. Having the EQ section is a blessing when using the unit as an instrument DI. The flexibility of the EQ allowed us to shape the bass from anywhere from low thumping to crisp high-mid finger snapping.

Although the EQ section is impressive, I'm still in lust with the mic preamps. I would love a rack of those alone. Fortunately, Wunder is offering a single space rack unit that holds 4 preamps (PAFOUR). Yummy. That said, I'm sad that I have to send the Wunder away now. (I've pushed Andy off as long as I could). The bottom line is that this is one of the finest preamps (to my ears), and I'm saving for a rack of them.

List $2,450
www.wunderaudio.com
-GH

Wunder Audio PEQ1 PreAmp/EQ/Module

By Garrett Haines - June '04

The PEQ1 is a Class-A discrete mic-pre/ equalizer that can be used as a replacement module in vintage Neve 80 Series consoles. For those who don't have an 80 series, a 19" rack mounted version is available (with controls rotated 90 degrees for easy use). Despite the inevitable comparisons, the PEQ1 is not a Neve clone. Our testing proved it is a unique product that stands on its own merit.

Inspired by a one-of-a-kind console built in 1970 for John Paul Jones (of Led Zeppelin fame), the PEQ1 is the culmination of years of testing and development by Mike Castoro and the gang at Wunder Audio in Austin, TX. The inside of the PEQ1 is pristine, with meticulous wiring and impeccable soldering. Top-of-the-line components are used at every junction, highlighted by custom wound transformers. Made by the same craftsman who wound the original Zeppelin modules, the Wunder transformers are so beefy they barely fit in the unit's case.

We compared the PEQ1 against our preamp collection, including a vintage Neve 1073. The results were very pleasing. When level matched the PEQ1 and 1073 were similar. We could hear how they hail from the same family. Both are top-notch units, forcing us to make comparisons that amounted to "shall we drive the Porsche or the Ferrari?"

For most sources the PEQ1 seemed to have more dimension and clarity than the 1073. On drums you could hear the room surrounding the kit. In comparison, the Neve imparted a round, gauze to sounds. Woody tones inherent in folk guitar sounded unbeatable when wrapped in that infamous Neve-sound.

On distorted guitars the choice was clearer - the Wunder blew the Neve away. In our tests, the 1073 sounded like an amp simulator, or a recording of a guitar, while the PEQ1 gave the impression that we were in the room. This led us to the theory that the PEQ1 was particularly good a resolving fast or complex signals, while the 1073 handled slower straightforward signals with aplomb.

Headroom is another area where the PEQ1 holds an advantage. With twice as many amplifier stages, the Wunder provides roughly double the gain of the 1073s. On bombastic acoustic guitar or loud drums, the PEQ1 maintained a clear signal when the 1073 distorted. The additional gain stages make the PEQ1 a great option for line level sources such as direct bass or pickups from an acoustic guitar.

The PEQ1's EQ section is more flexible than a 1073, with 3db roll off points at 8.7Hz on the low and 118KHz on the top. In use, the PEQ1's low end seemed a bit more focused on items such as kick and bass guitar. But, both units were smooth and forgiving. If we had more time with the PEQ1 we would have tried it as a mix EQ just for good measure.

If you're contemplating a multi-purpose preamp you would do well to consider the PEQ1. Given the thought, components, and craftsmanship that have gone into the PEQ1, its no surprise that the unit can go toe to toe with a module of the caliber of a 1073. I highly recommend an audition.

Each PEQ-1 is $2250. www.wunderaudio.com