Cosmetics

The V-251 mic body has a black finish, with a vintage diamond MP logo badge on the front. (We do not have any custom color options for the V-251.)

We are aware that two of the product photos on this page show the older body style with laser-engraved micparts text logo. That body has been out of production since 2021 or so. All V-251 mics have the diamond logo badge, which is made from brass, then plated, then antiqued.  

Recommended Upgrades

Typical off-brand professional microphone cables can cause up to a half-volt in loss to the critical tube heater supply. We sell an upgraded cable made with genuine Gotham GAC-7 (imported from Gotham in Switzerland — we do NOT use the thinner stuff from China sold as Gotham by online vendors), terminated in our shop with Neutrik connectors, then conditioned for 72 hours on a proprietary cable conditioning device.

The standard power supply that accompanies most tube microphones priced below $2500 is a diode-regulated design that can suffer from voltage drift. This can cause subtle changes to tube harmonics, which can be audible. Our VPS1 power supply provides tightly regulated voltage, superior filtering, and slow ramp-up power to extend the life of the tube. It allows B+ and heater voltages to be set independently via internal trimpots. The VPS is available as a fully built, tested, and warrantied unit.

Our newest optional upgrade to the V-251 package is for the shockmount. The standard shockmount uses thumbscrews to clamp the mic into the mount. This device works, but is difficult to use. We developed a superior alternative: see our upgraded tube microphone clamp.

V-251 vs V-12

How does the V-251 differ from our V-12?

Both are premium DIY tube microphones based on vintage models. Both use the 6072 tube (selected for low noise and low microphonics). Both deliver exceptional performance, far above what the price point would suggest. But they differ in component selection, topology, features, and specifications:

• The V-251 is a single triode, whereas the V-12 uses a more modern design using a dual triode CCDA topology. The V-251 is a more authentic copy of the original 251 circuit.
• The V-251 circuit has 6dB lower output.
• The V-251 circuit has up to 12dB higher second harmonic coloration, and therefore sounds more vintage. The V-12 is a bit cleaner, while the V-251  has more vibe or tube sound.
• The V-12 circuit has more headroom, which by itself would make it more suitable for recording higher-SPL sources. But the V-251 has a 10dB pad switch, which makes it equally capable of recording higher-SPL sources.
• The V-251 provides a high-pass filter via external switch. The output capacitor for the HPF circuit is a NOS styrene component.
• The V-251 uses a superior film-and-foil output capacitor.

• In practice, both circuits offer performance rivaling commercial mics priced above $1900. The V-251 has additional features, and has more tube sound (2nd harmonic coloration). The V-12 has higher output, and therefore requires 6dB less preamp gain on quiet sources.

  Which of these mics best suits your needs depends on what you record, and what features you need.

   

  Hear the mic

  Charlie and Ernesto at Ultimate Studios recorded a complete song (drums, guitars, bass, vocals, piano, organ) with just one Platinum Edition V-251. Watch the music video here:

  (Three separate episodes show the sessions. See those on the Ultimate Studios Youtube channel.)