Wunder Audio CM50 S

The Wunder Audio CM50 Suprema tube microphone is true to vintage using an original Neumann style M50 spherical capsule. The Wunder Audio CM50 S has an incredible lineage; its predecessor, the CM50, has been used worldwide in Decca trees for recording the soundtracks for many of the major motion pictures produced today. The Wunder Audio CM50 version is widely used by scoring engineer Shawn Murphy and Tom Steel amongst others at most of the sound stages in Los Angeles including; the Newman Scoring Stage 20th Century Fox, Sony Scoring Stage, Culver City, Newman Scoring Stage for both movies and television. It is favorite of Glee and The Glee Project and other top scoring stages worldwide, including Abbey road! Main left-right usage of the CM50 include: Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, the Hobbit film series, Harry Potter and Marvel films. The new CM50 Suprema is one step up from this already perfect mic.

The CM50 S is the best available microphone for orchestral recordings because it has a response that rises slightly and it becomes increasingly more directional at higher frequencies when exposed to direct sound, but it remains flat in a diffused sound field.

In addition to being the perfect microphone for soundtrack recordings, the CM50 Suprema is definitely an important mic when recording drums and capturing the room sound, giving the instrument volume and depth. Once you try this out on drums, you will never want to record without it, as the drums sound flat without the CM50 Suprema.

Suprema Microphones

Wunder Audio is passionate about making the best microphones available, and having done this we asked, “How can we make this mic even better? Can we redefine the limits of modern and vintage microphone engineering? Can we reconcile apparent contradictions of modern and vintage microphones?” The answer to these questions was a resounding Yes! And in fact we’ve done it, with audiophile performance!

The new Wunder Audio Suprema microphones redefines traditional engineering with our new modern-vintage line. We’ve optimized our recipe of the passive components in all of our microphones and then perfected it. The result is a quantum leap in presence.

In the new modern-vintage Suprema line, the sound spectrum opens up, adding emphasis to the sound staging and creates a greater sense of air and transparency, without the impression of a diminished mid and lower-end response.  The outcome is a less grainy and a much more fluid sound. The focus is tighter and sharper. The track sits perfectly in the mix even with out EQ. The new Suprema line is simply one step up from perfect.

Grille

The Wunder Audio CM50 S has a slanted grille to limit the effect of grille resonance on the response. Because the grille is slanted and presents a continuously varying profile to the capsule, there are fewer standing waves generated. This gives the most natural sound obtainable my any microphone. Very pure and pleasantly warm. The size of the grille forms a larger-volume enclosure giving the capsule more breathing room and contributing to its openness.

In every way the Wunder Audio CM50 Suprema grille is true to vintage and identical to the original M50. It has been used as historical replacement parts on the vintage M50s.

Tube 

Wunder Audio CM50 S uses and original MSC2, which is our preferred tube and an upgrade from the ultra-miniature AC701 that eventually replaced this fine tube in the original M49s due to the demands of the German Broadcasting industry. The original Telefunken GmbH German based company, which no longer exists, made a high-end version of the MSC2, Wunder Audio has secured a supply of the this version which was a superior grade and was originally designed for military use.

Capsule

The Wunder Audio CM50 S uses the same M9 capsule as the historic M50. Neumann went through several materials for their diaphragm, starting with PVC which quickly became too brittle, then went to aluminum which was difficult to tension correctly. For a brief period nickel was used and finally the decision was to use Mylar, as in the KM 83.

We have successfully recreated the small pressure transducer, similar to the capsule for the KM series microphones, embedded in the surface of a 40 mm diameter Lucite sphere. By mounting the miniature capsule in the large Lucite sphere all standing waves larger than 40 mm are eliminated thus canceling out proximity effect. No other microphone set to Omni can achieve the naturalness of the CM50 S sound. The inspiration is classic, the execution is cutting-edge.

Connector

The Wunder Audio CM50 S uses a M250 style seven-pin Tuchel connector, introduced by Neumann in 1961, that screws on and holds tighter than a eight-pin bayonet Tuchel connector, improving its performance with superior EMI/RF rejection.

Capacitor

We’ve optimized our passive components to achieve a true audiophile performance. While audiophile equipment is usually referred to at the end of the chain in recording, we feel that it is most important that the first link in the recording chain, the microphone, be the best attainable. To be able to listen to the best possible recording, you must be able to record the source with minimal amounts of noise and distortion and be able to accurately capture every nuance of the sound. We’ve enhanced our true to vintage microphones by utilizing the Suprema Silver Gold Oil capacitor which is the highest quality capacitor available today. More importantly, sonically the CM50 S capacitor stands out due to its wonderful natural singing and exceptional micro dynamic. Capacitance: 1uF; Dielectric: Polypropylene Metallization  99.99% silver, 1% gold; Purity of silver: min. 99.97% typ. 99.99%; Purity of gold: min. 99.97% typ. 99.99%”.

Sound: At this level we are talking about a really serious capacitor, relative to other exotic types. They are richer and better layered and they seem more open and more spatial. Mundorf Silver Gold Oil really excels in image depth – call it bowling alley depth! A slight hint of top-end air, this probably contributes to the perceived spatiality and micro-detailing. These capacitors are so quiet and really let you look very deep into the recording!

This results in a modern-vintage sound where the spectrum opens up, adding emphasis to the sound staging and creates a greater sense of air and transparency, without the impression of a diminished mid and lower-end response. The outcome is a less grainy and a much more fluid sound. The focus is tighter and sharper.

Power Supply

The new generation tube Microphone PSU is proprietary to Wunder Audio and is an upgrade from the vintage tube mic PSU’s used for the 1960’s era Neumann design. Our upgrade gets a clean and stable DC voltage to the mic and shields the influx of Wi-Fi and RF interference with 100 percent reliability.

We’ve engineered our PSU to the equivalent of the technology incorporated in top tier audiophile systems, using a duel-pole neutral-fusing design. The PSU can be plugged into any voltage in the world without having to jumper a voltage setting switch.

Inside, we’ve incorporated extremely accurate 30 turn trim pots so we are able to fine-tune all of the voltages. Most other power supply designs either do not have a voltage trim or use a single turn pot, which is susceptible to drifting.

Box and Carrying Case

Your Wunder Audio CM50 S is nestled in velvet and softly secured in place in a foam-lined quarter sawn oak box that is clasped and hinged. This box then is safely incased in a precision velvet-lined thick foam tweed case that also holds your PSU, your one-piece newly designed yoke mount, and your cables. The tweed carrying case is a work of art in itself; it uses the same Fender tweed found in a vintage fender guitar case which amplifies the vintage period of the vintage-style CM50 S microphone, and it is trimmed with top grain leather and fine stitching. The CM50 S case has a strong leather handle and combination lock to keep your mic secure. This case can be sold separately.

Upgrade Your Mic 

All previous versions of the Wunder Audio microphones can be upgraded to the Surprema.

Visit the Wunder Audio website.