Neumann CMV-563

discontinued Detachable-Capsule Condenser Tube Microphone

Description

The Kondensator-Mikrofon CMV 563 is a tube condenser bottle microphone manufactured by the division of the Georg Neumann company in Gefell, East Germany, which has since been renamed Microtech Gefell. The mic was made from 1956-1971.

To be clear, although these mics are branded “Neumann,” they were not made by the company known today as Neumann. The present-day Neumann company refers all CMV-563 inquiries to MTG.

The CMV-563 mic was conceived as a tube preamplifier that could be used with any of a variety of interchangeable capsule heads: the M 55 (omni), M 7 (cardioid), M 8 (figure eight) and M 9 (omni) as well as M7S, M8S and M9S with short handles. The M7, M8, and M9 attached via a long “bayonet” mount. The “S” versions screwed directly onto the mic body.

Several contemporary microphone companies have copied the CMV-563’s bayonet mount, and have released aftermarket capsules that are compatible with the older mics. See below for a listing of Blue and Violet capsules for this bottle mic. (Flea makes compatible capsules as well; we will add them to the listing soon.)

With the PVC-diaphragm M7 capsule, the 563 is said to sound very much like an original U-47. That said, 50-year-old PVC capsules are unlikely to sound much like they did when new.

The 563’s circuit design was also found in the Gefell UM57, UM75 (an anniversary re-release of the UM57), and is said to be similar to the M92.1/UM92.1.

The tube was as EC92, and is reportedly equivalent to a 6AB4.

CMV-563s turn up on Ebay frequently, with prices ranging from $1000-$3000 depending on quality and the number of capsules included. The consensus on the forums is that a good 563 is a great microphone, whereas a poor one is a poor microphone, and that it’s hard to tell in advance which is being sold.

Further, this mic seems to more commonly be refurbished/repaired with newer parts than is the case with other vintage models (in which originality seems a requirement for maintaining the desired sound).

Oliver Archut
[T]he historic Gefell [transformers] were made in Gefell due to the fact that no real audio lamination [was] available in former East Germany… sometimes they used whatever they could get their hands on. Same with most Gefell parts during the time… The stuff Gefell used is home-made and barely works.
What Gefell made during the Soviet occupied times is 1.6 tons of microphones a month (to quote Mr. Kuehnast) and quality was not the goal, quantity [was]…
[M]ost Gefell [microphones] that were made during the GDR times are plain old garbage due to material problems… If someone wants to rebuild those mics, that is a pretty good job if you can do it yourself, but please see it in relation… to what it [costs] and what you get.
But in the end a rebuild CMV is a great mic to have.
In my experience everything needs to be replaced, resistors, capacitors as well as a new high quality (tube) mic cable, and a capsule rebuild to get a mic that can stand up to any west german Neumann counterparts, and do not forget the PSU.

As of early 2009, Microtech Gefell continues to offer repair services for CMV-583 mics, including reskinning of the PVC capsules; for a repair estimate, ship the mic to:

Microtech Gefell GmbH
Att: Michael Militzer
Georg-Neumann-Platz
D-07926 Gefell
Germany

The CMV prefix in the model name comes from the phrase Condensator-Mikrofon-Verstärker, which means "condenser microphone amplifier."

(Mic photo courtesy Bill Bradley / micshop.com)

The Neumann CMV-563 is also known as: CMV563.

Specifications

Compatible Capsules

	Blue Microphones B0 Large Diaphragm Bottlecap 24mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20-20,000 Hz MSRP: $649 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B1 Small Diaphragm Bottlecap 18mm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 35 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $649 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B2 Figure-of-8 Lg Diaphragm Bottlecap 24mm large diaphragm Bidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 35 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $649.95 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B3 Cardioid Mid-Size Diaphragm Bottlecap 22mm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $649 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B4 Perspex Sphere Pressure Omni Small Diaphragm Bottlecap 18mm Omnidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $849 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B5 Pressure Omni Large Diaphragm Bottlecap 25mm large diaphragm Omnidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 35 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $649 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B6 Cardioid Large Diaphragm Dual Backplate Bottlecap 24mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 18,000 Hz MSRP: $649.95 \| Still In Production
	Blue Microphones B7 Cardioid Large Diaphragm Single Backplate Bottlecap 24mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $649.95 \| Still In Production
	Neumann M 7 large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 40 - 16,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Neumann M 7 S large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 40 - 16,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Neumann M 8 large diaphragm Bidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 40 - 8,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Neumann M 8 S large diaphragm Bidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 40 - 8,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Neumann M 9 26mm large diaphragm Omnidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 30 - 18,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Neumann M 9 S large diaphragm Omnidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 30 - 18,000 Hz MSRP: n/a \| discontinued
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN12 26mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1027 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN26 26mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1027 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN27 27mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 22 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1027 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN44 26mm large diaphragm Bidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 28 - 10,000 Hz MSRP: $1027 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN47 26mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1068 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN55 26mm large diaphragm Omnidirectional capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 24 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1027 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN67 26mm large diaphragm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1068 \| Still In Production
	Violet Design Ltd. VIN89 22mm Cardioid capsule Sensitivity: n/a Freq. Resp.: 20 - 20,000 Hz MSRP: $1068 \| Still In Production