Golden Age Audio GA-47 MKII

An "Extended" Evolution: The GA-47 Sound with More Possibilities

The GA-47 Extended is aimed at sound engineers seeking the character of the Golden Age Project Premier GA-47 while gaining versatility. Its major difference lies in its interchangeable capsule head in the vintage U47 format: you can use compatible heads on the GA-47 Extended or even mount a Golden Age Project head on a vintage U47. Compared to a more "classic" GA-47, this architecture opens the door to a more modular approach, with a true logic of a high-end studio microphone designed to last.

Who Is It For and What Recording Applications?

The GA-47 Extended is a tube large-diaphragm microphone targeting demanding studios and home studios wanting a sound signature inspired by major standards: vocals (pop, rap, song, voice-over), piano, acoustic guitar, room, overheads, and all recordings where density, stable imaging, and harmonic texture typical of tube circuits are sought. Thanks to its polar patterns (cardioid, omni, and variable) and the -10 dB PAD, it can also adapt to more technical setups, from close miking to ambient placements.

High-End Studio Design: Interchangeable Capsule, NOS Tube, and Point-to-Point Electronics

Removable Capsule Head and Polar Patterns

The GA-47 Extended incorporates vintage design details down to ergonomics: polar pattern selector on the front face, under the grille, and removable capsule head. The standard GA-47 Extended HV head features a dual-sided capsule in M7/K47 format (reference S47d) with a tone described as darker, very close to the character of the standard GA-47. For a brighter and more modern sound, a GA-47 Extended HM head with a K67-type capsule (reference D35d) can also be chosen as the standard head, and the microphone can be supplied with both heads (optional depending on configuration).

Capsule Selection and Unit Consistency

To ensure consistency from one microphone to another, capsule heads are produced with strict selection: about four times more capsules than needed are evaluated to retain only those meeting tight tolerances. The sensitivity difference between front and rear faces does not exceed 0.3 dB, and the difference between capsules does not exceed 0.5 dB, contributing to excellent reproducibility (valuable in stereo, multi-mic setups, and session recalls).

NOS Telefunken Tube and BV8-Inspired Output Transformer

The circuit is based on a NOS Telefunken 800 series tube, a very low-noise pentode connected in triode mode to reduce distortion and noise. This reference is described as a modern glass derivation of the VF14M associated with vintage U47s. The output transformer is a specially developed model: 6.5:1 dual bobbin transformer, designed as a replica of the BV8, with a high-quality core to preserve bass, dynamics, and the "size" of the signal.

Audiophile Components, Wiring, and Optimized Power Supply

Inside, the approach is decidedly "old school": point-to-point wiring with silver-plated copper wire insulated with Teflon, with the printed circuit board used only for ground connections. Solder joints are made with Mudorf Msolder Supreme SilverGold solder (Sn88, 6Cu, 1.8Ag, 9.5Au). The coupling capacitor is a SOLEN (MKP, copper pins, made in France), complemented by low-loss SIEMENS polystyrene capacitors and ALLEN BRADLEY carbon resistors, known for their warm sound reproduction.

The vintage-style power supply uses a low-noise "R-style" transformer with minimal stray field. Filtering includes a dual stage for the filament voltage, and the high voltage is filtered and stabilized via a Telefunken semiconductor zener diode. A ground lift switch is integrated to help resolve certain ground loop issues, and a -10 dB PAD on the power supply allows confident work on very high SPL sources. Finally, the microphone cable is specially made (OFC copper, Teflon insulation, dense shielding) for clean and stable transmission.

Technical specifications