Warm Audio WA-47jr microphone overview
First and foremost, the Warm Audio WA-47jr is a modified version of the WA-47 handheld microphone. It also retains some similarities to the Warm Audio WA-87, a elegant condenser microphone.
This is the brand’s best pro microphone, widely used in the 1950s. Most records sold at the time used this vocal microphone to record vocals and pick up sounds.
For a long time, the WA-47 was appreciated for its sound quality and its vibration picking up ways.
It transforms them into electrical, electrostatic and acoustic signals with the help of a pop filter. The picked up bandwidth remains in a stable stereo range with a high output level.
Later, Warm Audio went back to the design of its little jewel in order to offer a more versatile recording equipment. He then designed the WA-47jr, a junior model of the WA-47, but without the FET vocal transformer.
Indeed, one of the most glaring differences between these two tape recording tools is the absence of a converter.
The Warm Audio WA-47jr doesn’t need more internal elements to offer an exemplary voice pickup. At first glance, it can rely on the functions of its recorder, amplifier, switch, adapter and connectors.
The acoustic pressures it picks up are done with a three-pole diaphragm that eliminates handling noise as well as possible.
Standing in front of a Warm Audio WA-47jr microphone, I feel like I’m standing in front of the most important professional microphones on the market, like the professional Sennheiser MK4 microphone, the Manley Reference Cardioid, or the Audio-Technica AT2035.
Picking up, mixing and condensing sound sources, it can handle any vibration thanks to its cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-8 directivity.
By the way, beginners and voice-over singers probably admire it for the pressure levels it projects.
In high and/or low frequencies, its audio interface remains an excellent studio recording medium for various sound waves.
An Australian made lavalier microphone with capsule
For years, the major brands of dynamic, condenser and micro-USB microphones have faced a major challenge. It was difficult for them to come up with excellent studio equipment at the right price/performance ratio.
Static and condenser microphones are often not available for everyone’s budget.
Musicians must then choose between expensive wireless microphones such as the Shure Motiv MV5, and affordable room microphone, but with less developed functions.
On its side, Warm Audio realized a deep reflection on the subject. And after long years of research led by a sound engineer, the brand ended up with the WA-47jr.
Indeed, the directional microphone is the result of several years of research.
Made in Australia, its capsules have all the characteristics expected of a professional studio microphone.
Moreover, it’s available at a relatively low price compared to the original WA-47. But how is this possible?
Well, this huge price difference can be explained by the new policy developed by Warm Audio. The brand now wants to create the capsule diaphragm for its condenser microphones in a small assembly house.
One of the objectives of this alternative is to reduce manufacturing costs while benefiting from an excellent studio microphone. Since then, they have been designing a type of condenser microphone with little proximity effect, which is more powerful, but above all more affordable.
Careful manufacturing in the workshop
The Warm Audio WA-47jr is manufactured in a small factory owned by the brand. It goes through a long and meticulous manufacturing process, inspected by meticulous workers.
Each capsule, voice coil, connector and magnet is tested with an electric current before the housing is installed.
This is to correct any imperfections and percussion before the external microphone is released.
In the end, I get an excellent condenser microphone with neat, metallic, sturdy and solid brass parts.
By the way, you can also consult our complete guide to Shure SM7B microphone. This guide provides a complete test of this dynamic microphone, as well as its configuration, microphone reviews and features.
Focus on the building quality of the Warm Audio WA-47jr
Basically, the Warm Audio WA-47jr takes the custom k47 type capsule from the WA-47. I was expecting this. So I end up with a similar sound pattern and the same frequency response range.
In practice, both types of directional microphone are designed with a WA-47-B-80V capsule.
Taking stock of the microphone’s design, I notice a neat, plated building quality. This realization of the wireless lavalier microphone gives it a more elegant appearance while remaining on a robust base.
D’ailleurs, outre ses avantages esthétiques, ce design influence largement la qualité de prise de son du Warm Audio WA-47jr.
Indeed, the brand has chosen a more robust type of capsule to perfect any studio recording technology.
This type of microphone uses a unique Toshiba FET circuit and Wima film capacitors. The stand microphone also uses Panasonic acoustic and electrostatic capacitors.
In all, it has an upgraded circuitry that is more powerful in powering the dynamics and amplifying the dynamics. Combined with acoustic instruments like an acoustic guitar, it offers a better tonal response curve.
I even invite you to plug in your headphones and listen to the quality of the sounds it provides in the studio or live.
Its gooseneck attenuator and pop filter suppress interference and background noise from the magnetic field.
All in all, the picking up and amplification of your sound source is still appreciable in itself. In the end, buying a Warm Audio WA-47jr microphone means enjoying good tone in three frequency ranges at a competitive price.
The sound details of the Warm Audio WA-47jr microphone
This question crossed my mind. Can the lack of a FET transformer and the technologies associated with this change influence the sound quality of the WA-47jr?
In return, Warm Audio points out that this transformation does not change the quality of the voice recording in the studio.
Moreover, it even goes so far as to claim a much better picking up of the sounds of your dynamic instrument.
I wanted to check this out anyway by doing a quick comparison of some USB and condenser microphone models.
At first, I was obviously interested in the WA-47, but not only. Indeed, I compared it with the sound performances :
- The Rode NT USB microphone : A USB microphone considered to have an excellent price-quality ratio.
- The Blue Yeti USB microphone : A simple, practical and functional microphone with a much higher connectivity thanks to its USB device
- Neumann U67 condenser microphone : The essential studio equipment that features three selectable polar patterns and advanced tube circuits.
The results are simply amazing. The Warm Audio WA-47jr sounds just like these other mics.
Best of all, most of these normal impedance mics offer a single polar pattern: cardioid. The WA-47jr, on the other hand, offers three different kinds of response curves: cardioid, omni and figure-8.
In practice, I find that the sound pressure and analog pressure are better considered with or without a filter. Nevertheless, in any case, you need a mixing console as external power supply.
Specifically, you need a 48-volt phantom power supply to use it correctly as recording equipment.
What about the pressure level?
On phantom power, the Warm Audio WA-47jr professional microphone can pick up high sound pressure levels. It is able to consider a sound source of 157 dB at an SPL of 0.5% THD + N.
A slight attenuation of 10 dB can be seen at this level. At 9 dB (A), the microphone sensitivity drops to 9 dB.
By the way, the presence of a high-pass filter with a cutoff frequency of 70 Hz attenuates the defects in guitar preamplifier.
Shockproof, it can be connected to any kind of dynamic instruments supported by an external sound card.
In the recording studio, this type of stereo microphone is widely appreciated by podcast and voice-over enthusiasts.
An excellent tube microphone
I also want to draw your attention to the saturation quality of the Warm Audio WA-47jr. For me, it is probably the best professional tube microphone of the market.
I tested it several times and each time, I get an excellent sound level on my guitar amp.
Whether in the home studio or live, the USB microphone enriches the electrical signal it produces with accurate and precise notes. When listening on headphones, I even notice a clear improvement of my voice and that of my instruments.
This improvement can be explained by the presence of an integrated loudspeaker and a solid capacitor coil inside.
The assembly of these various elements makes it able to support different studio recordings.
It is also an excellent omnidirectional live microphone. So you can take the microphone in front of a large audience and use it as a singing microphone. I assure you, it will not disappoint.
Warm Audio WA-47jr, a cardioid, omni and figure-8 microphone
All the qualities and sound performances of the Warm Audio WA-47jr are explained by its tripolarity. Indeed, in addition to the cardioid, your microphone of the radio WA-47jr can pick up sounds in figure-8 or omni.
Figure-8 picking up is used to pick up sounds from behind the microphone while rejecting side noise. This is a popular option for group and duo recordings.
This is commonly referred to as a “bidirectional diagram” because the microphone considers two sound source areas.
The omnidirectional mode is used for live recordings in a wider sound environment. Compared to the first two types of diagrams, it considers the sound sources in the same way.
This means that it doesn’t reject side noise. Cardio, omni or figure-8, you are free to change the characteristics of your Warm Audio WA-47jr condenser microphone.
Short note : Discover also our complete guide to the Sennheiser MKH 416 microphone. This guide provides a complete test, review, and demo on the use of this condenser microphone.
Technical specifications of the Warm Audio WA-47jr
- Type : transformerless condenser microphone FET
- Capsule : k47 style
- Directivity : cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-8
- High Pass Filter : 70 Hz
- Dynamic range : 138 dB
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: -40 dB
- Output impedance : 100 Ohms
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 147/157 dB
- Dimensions: 21 x 5,2 cm
- Pack : 1 micro + 1 shockmount + 1 rigid stand + 1 storage pocket
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Our opinion on the Warm Audio WA-47jr microphone
In short, the Warm Audio WA-47jr remains one of the best condenser microphones with a good price/performance ratio. Instead of a functional FET transformer, it relies instead on different frequency patterns. Omni, cardioid and figure-8, it can be used both in the recording studio and as a live microphone.
Warm Audio WA-47jr Demo
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