Topic: Milab VM-41, precursor to VM-44?

[sunjan]

A long shot, but is anyone familiar with the old VM-41?
I'm eyeing a pair of these, but I understand this is a legacy model (launched back in 1981).

Looking at the specs, do you think they would be anything close to the VM-44?
http://www.milabmic.com/documents/vm-40_41.pdf

Considering a pair of VM-44 (full size) are $1500 new, what would be a fair price to pay for these old mics in used condition?

[Todd R]

I don't really know if these would sound anything like the current vm44.  If the capsule were the same or similar, perhaps -- but a couple things to consider:

- From the schematic in the document you linked, the VM41 was a transformer-based mic.  The current vm44 is transformerless.

- From what I gather, Milab got some large contract to provide mics to Swedish parliament or something like that.  They made a version of the VM41, but with a significant bass rolloff to make them perform better as a speech mic.  I've seen lots of these bass rolloff, speech-modified versions of the vm41 for sale in the used market (ebay).  If you're looking at a pair of the vm41's, be sure you're getting the actual vm41's, not those that were modified for speech use (I've got no idea if there were any specific markings or badges used to differentiate them).

[ero3030]

I don't really know if these would sound anything like the current vm44.  If the capsule were the same or similar, perhaps -- but a couple things to consider:

- From the schematic in the document you linked, the VM41 was a transformer-based mic.  The current vm44 is transformerless.

- From what I gather, Milab got some large contract to provide mics to Swedish parliament or something like that.  They made a version of the VM41, but with a significant bass rolloff to make them perform better as a speech mic.  I've seen lots of these bass rolloff, speech-modified versions of the vm41 for sale in the used market (ebay).  If you're looking at a pair of the vm41's, be sure you're getting the actual vm41's, not those that were modified for speech use (I've got no idea if there were any specific markings or badges used to differentiate them).

heard the same thing.  make sure there not the speech mic.  almost bought a set, thank god for the WWW.  ed

[ohr]

Sunjan

They're really nice sounding microphones, but different from the VM-44's.
 
I've used the PML VM-41's which are identical to the Milab VM-41's.  After PML was split into two companies (PML & Milab), the PML VM-41's were sold under the Milab name. As far as I know, it was the identical microphone with a different name.  I recorded several of the Grateful Dead shows at the Greek in 1982 with 2 PML VM-41's using the PML Type 7320-S 48v Power supply into a Sony TC-D5M.  Although I haven't got around to transferring that one 28 years later....I can send you a sample if you have somewhere I can ftp to.

Very nice sounding microphone, but there is definitely a difference between the VM-41 transformer vs. the VM-44 transformerless sound.

[ArchivalAudio]

Considering a pair of VM-44 (full size) are $1500 new, what would be a fair price to pay for these old mics in used condition?

you can likely get a new pair of VM-44's for less than that- I'm not sure you easily find a used pair at any great savings.

try talking direct to a rep at Full Compass- mine is Ron V
likely you can get a great deal and lower price then any listed on the web

good luck
--Ian

[sunjan]

Thanks a lot, a wealth of information here!
Found a blog about the parliament deal:
http://milabmic.blogspot.com/2009/06/cm-22.html

The one's I'm eyeing are def. the original VM-41's, good to know...