Restored Telefunken Ela MZ 028/1 (Neumann CMV3A) Bottle Microphone Circa 1935

This auction is brought to you by people who care, for people who care.

If you're looking at this item, it means that you are interested in it. Me too! I try to sell things that are special, please enjoy your visit and purchase. There are two ways to purchase merchandise from me:

1. 'Buy it now or best offer'

2. At open auction

Items are initially listed with a 'buy it now or best offer', giving you a great opportunity to negotiate directly with me and acquire fresh inventory. If the item does not sell after the first week, I will usually relist it in an open auction format, starting at $1, with no reserve. Bargain hunters may wish to compete with other buyers in this format. Please scroll down for more pictures, and good luck!

I am very pleased to offer the first of six 1930's Neumann CMV3 / CMV3A microphones that are being restored by Leo Schaal of Schaal Audio. This is the Telefunken export version of the CMV3A, and is the same model. The bayonet top cap is engraved on one side "Georg Neumann & Co. Berlin SO16", and on the other side, "Ela MZ 028/1".

The mic is in superb condition, and has been brought to perfect working order by Leo Schaal. Electrolytics have been replaced, and the mic's operation voltage has been modified from 90 volts to 180 volts, bringing the mic's frequency range and transient response up to the performance of an M49 or U47.

A more detailed explanation of the update to the mic is as follows:

The operation voltages has been changed from 90V to 180V, and the anode resistor from 10kOhm to 46kOhm. The tube's anode voltage remains 65V but the load on the tube is now lower, and it can put its output power into the transformer instead of the anode resistor. As such, we benefit from the color of the transformer, and a higher sound level from the tube. As well, the character of the sound is lighter.

This resistor value has risen over the years in Neumann tube microphones, up to 150kOhm in the U67. However, as the RE084 tube takes a 2,5mA current, the anode resistor value of 46kOhm is the optimal value for this tube and circuit. The mic sounds older with the 10k resistor, but the original 1930's sound would be too "vintage" for most engineers in terms of modern functionality - the original circuit has a narrower frequency range, and lacklustre SNR.

There is a voltage divider in the mic that produces a 45V polarization voltage from the 90V operation voltage. These resistors have been adapted to the new operation voltage with an additional increase to the polarization voltage providing 78V. A higher voltage here means more output from the capsule which results in a higher SNR. Typical values for an M7 are 63V (U47) up to 80V (in the CMV563).

The mic sounds fantastic, with great depth and character, and a resilient ability to capture intense source volume and transient attacks musically.

The mic comes with a newly machined connector (I am having a quantity of these machined, please stay tuned), and a Leo Schaal power supply. It has its original RE084 tube, which tests very well, and is performing perfectly.

Please have a look and listen to this film to hear the mic with a wonderful musical theatre performer, who puts the mic through its paces.

Other musical instruments available:

1930's King Liberty II in silver plate with gold leaf Art Deco engraving
1930's King Liberty II in silver plate with Art Deco engraving
1930's Conn 80A cornet in silver plate with Art Deco engraving
1920's Buescher True Tone trumpet Bb/A in gold plate with large engraving
Boston Ne Plus Ultra 3-Star cornet, Circa 1880
Heavily engraved Besson Prototype cornet, Circa 1910 - full gold plate, full body engraving on all areas
Rare John Heald short cornet, Circa 1900, Excellent cosmetic shape
Rare John Heald short cornet, Circa 1900 in fair cosmetic shape, playing very well
1880's French echo cornet, with full bell engraving in silver plate
Olds cornet, circa 1930

Holton trumpet, circa 1940 with Art Deco bell engraving

Other audio items available:

RCA Veracoustic Low Impedance ribbon microphone

Pair of 1947/48 Maihak B-V 30a tube microphones - Neumann M49 prototype with Hiller tube

MINTY pair of Telefunken badged Neumann CMV3A tube bottle microphones in original boxes

1937 Neumann CMV3A tube bottle microphone

1930's Telefunken badged Neumann CMV3 tube bottle microphone

Rare NRU OV 312 tube bottle condenser microphone, Circa 1950, with original connector

RFT CM-7156 tube microphone w/ connector & stand

Pair of RFT M93 omni-directional capsules

Rare Altec M49 condenser microphone set (195A lipstick body, 28A omni capsule & PSU) - boxed

Other audio gear offered:

Photo gear offered:

Nikon Nikkor 80-200mm F2.8 AF-S zoom lens

Olympus Pen-F camera w/ meter & 25mm wide lens

Minolta Rokkor PG 50m F1.4

Rollei 35SL EM camera with Planar 50mm F1.4 MINT

Stereo Pair of Rodenstock TV Heligon 64mm F1.25 ultra bright lens

Rodenstock XR Heligon 95mm F1.1 ultra bright lens

Rodenstock TV Heligon 50mm F0.75 ultra bright lens

Kowa 42mm F0.75 ultra bright lens

Kowa 77mm F1.1 ultra bright lens

Kowa 55mm F1 ultra bright lens

Stereo Pair Fujinon Xerox 260mm Process Lenses

Eskofot Ultragon 210mm Ultra Wide Field lens

Eskofot Ultragon 150mm Ultra Wide Field lens

Schneider Symmar 210mm / 370mm plasmat formula convertible lens

Linhof select Schneider Symmar 150mm / 265mm plasmat formula convertible lens

Schneider Symmar-S 210mm lens

Schneider Symmar-S Multicoating 210mm lens

Rodenstock Sironar-N MC 135mm lens

Rodenstock Sironar 210mm lens

Rodenstock Sironar-N MC 210mm lens

MINTY Ilex Calumet Caltar 10" (254mm) lens in Acme shutter for 4x5, 5x7, 8x10

Calument Caltar II-S 8 1/4" (210mm) Multicoating lens for 4x5, 5x7

Nikkor SW 65mm F4 ultra-wide lens for 4x5

Calumet Caltar II-N 90mm F6.8 MC wide lens for 4x5

Sinar Sinaron-W 90mm F6.8 MC wide lens for 4x5

Ilex Wide Angle Acugon lens for 4x5

Schneider Super Angulon 90mm wide lens for 4x5 - Anodized black MINTY

Schneider Super Angulon 90mm wide lens for 4x5

Linhof Technika select Schneider Super Angulon 90mm wide lens for 4x5 in modern Linhof Copal shutter

Linhof Technika select Schneider Super Angulon 90mm wide lens for 4x5 in Compur shutter

Schneider Super Angulon 47mm Wide Lens for 6x9cm in helicoid

Calumet C-2 rollfilm holder

Gossen Luna-Pro F light meter

Terms:

Weekly shipping is on Wednesday (please try to make payment prior). For Canadian shipping, please inquire, I have offices in Champlain NY, and Montreal, Quebec.

Payment by Paypal. Payment is to be received by seller in 3 days following close of auction. Weekly shipping upon receipt of payment. Picture(s) are of actual item(s) auctioned. Refund less shipping if item is not as described (5 day inspection period).

Please visit my other auctions for a selection of recently acquired musical instruments and cameras.

**Movie Alert**

Please tune into a number of 'Jazz, Period.' installments, which feature horns from my business in the hands of great artists. Al McLean and Kevin Dean take up a number of vintage saxophones and trumpets in my ongoing video exploration of the Montreal Jazz community.

Some horns you will see and hear are a 1944 Martin Handcraft Committee trumpet, three vintage Selmer Mark VI saxes (tenor, alto and soprano), gold plated Buescher Big B alto and Besson flugelhorn, a unique full body engraved Martin C Melody, and a gorgeous Conn Artist Special cornet dating to 1940

Visit my YouTube page to view over 100 films about Jazz, many with vintage mics.

Another auction from Randy Cole