Audio-Technica AT5047

The AT5047 shares its capsule with the AT5040: four rectangular, 2-micron gold-vapor-deposited diaphragms wired together for roughly double the surface area of a standard 1-inch round element. What sets it apart is a transformer-coupled output, which gives the mic a consistent load impedance and a character preamp engineers associate with classic transformer-output designs, at low noise and with a 148 dB SPL handling ceiling.

Like the rest of the 50 Series, it is hand assembled and individually inspected, and housed in aluminum and brass finished in an elegant silver rather than the AT5040's black. It runs on standard 48V phantom power over a 3-pin XLRM output and is equally at home on lead vocal or close to acoustic instruments where transient detail matters.