U67, s/n: 1106 

A chance to own a piece of history is here.  Representing the “Neumann Sound” this U67 birthed a new era in music recording, earning a permanent place in our music history.  This particular U67 was birthed on the earlier side of the long and successful span this incredible microphone saw.  In many ways it represents the pinnacle of the vacuum tube microphone design, and gave birth to the tube-less design of the U87.  

Earlier 67’s are not typically found in this type of original condition, and in fact few remain as these early editions represent less than 10% of the total production.  Adding to this microphone’s individual mystique and history is the fact that the frequency response performance after complete refurbishment and cleaning has all of the 67’s majesty - the pushed upper mids, and the smooth bright top end performance, making it a legendary rock and roll workhorse.   

This brings us to THIS microphone.  The Sound Pure team worked intimately with microphone industry legend, John Peluso, to bring this back to its original glory.   Few folks on the planet have his level of understanding of the history, functionality, and tuning of this particular microphone.  An absolutely extraordinary original and vintage specimen, that has undergone an extremely high effort of authentication, inspection, and most specifically an extremely slow and methodical cleaning - proving its performance, this microphone was also placed in an anechoic chamber to confirm its ACTUAL, real-world performance.    

Of note, the internal images lack the typical evidence of rust and oxidation many of the units from this era will see, due to them being subjected to higher levels of relative humidity in the way that they were stored, or worse, in the ways that they were used.  Until John was fully satisfied with the cleaning and analysis was he able to send these on to us as authenticated, and arguably more importantly functionally certified with the attached (see image) frequency response performance, taken in the Peluso Microphone Labs anechoic chamber, December 2024. 

A careful review of the enclosed frequency response indicates EXACTLY what you would hope to see when these unbelievable tone monster was released - a flat and natural low and low mid performance with boosts in the upper mids, and high frequency range providing that legendary “pushed” and “forward” sound, while retaining incredibly musical and smooth due to both the vintage tube microphones elegant design, and of course a cleaned, well-preserved, and original capsule.  

With fewer and fewer of these remaining in circulation, it becomes hard to trust the actual sonic performance of one you find on the street truly performing up to specification.  For the truly serious vintage enthusiast, and someone who has seen the price of these only continue to rise, this represents a unique purchasing opportunity.   This is THE microphone, and this is especially true of anyone who wishes to see their historic U67 continue to make great reliable, world-class recordings the way the microphone was originally designed (NOT just those who want the shell of an original in a museum glass case).  

The microphone is supplied with vintage cable, PSU, an after market flight case, and a velvet-lined Neumann U87i box (same size and shape from the same era).  This microphone is safely in our hands and available for on site viewing and testing (for the pre-qualified purchaser) at our Sound Pure’s Grammy-nominated facility, in Durham, NC.   Due to the value of this microphone, standard terms are Bank Wire Prepayment, with shipping only via FedEx overnight, fully insured.  We are able to ship this microphone globally to most international destinations.

The Original – Often Imitated, Never Duplicated

Introduced in 1960, the U 67 was the quintessential studio workhorse throughout the formative years of modern music. Today, more than ever, its inimitably smooth sound continues to be in high demand. 

Neumann-Engineering at its Best

The U 67 is equipped with the famous K 67 capsule, which has since become associated with “the Neumann sound” and continues to be used in its successor, the U 87 A. No less important is the U 67’s masterful tube circuit featuring a clever pre-emphasis/de-emphasis scheme to minimize tube hiss. The U 67 was also the first microphone to address modern recording techniques such as close miking. Its switchable low cut filter compensates for the proximity effect occurring at short recording distances. Using its preattenuation, the U 67 can handle high sound pressure levels of up to 124 dB without distortion (and much more if you don’t mind a bit of “tube grit”).

As timeless as its sound and technical design is its outer appearance. The U 67’s cone-shaped body and the tapered headgrille have since become iconic for the Neumann brand; the same elegant design would grace its solid state successor, the U 87, for the next 50+ years.

Warranty

This item is sold without the Sound Pure 3-year warranty (used / B-stock / dealer-exempt). Coverage terms for items in this category live in Terms & Conditions, Section 27.

Returns

This item is not eligible for the Try-Before-You-Buy 48-hour audition. Standard return policy applies — see Terms & Conditions, Section 18 for details.