OPR M7 capsules now available on SAE 47 and 48 models!

new OPR M7's hot off the press!

If you're an early customer of SAE, you may know (or even own one of these early gems) that we started out back in 2017-2018 shipping the original SAE 47 mic with an M7 capsule that was contract made by Heiserman Audio, the earliest renditions being the DB-designed M7 that was made under license, and then later on their own improved model HM7. As those became unavailable, we transitioned over to the OPR K47 as our de facto boutique shipping capsule, while still also using the same cost-effective imported K47 capsule as a more budget-friendly option.

Ever since then, many folks have asked us to bring back the M7 option, and we have certainly kept an eye out for a new M7 possibility. As I was never personally a huge fan of some of the more high end or low end M7 options that have been out there in modern times (I've evaluated nearly everything out there, they're not bad, they're all either just too dark, too bright, or just kind of 'vanilla' and not special enough to our ears to be worth the hassle), it was always my hope that our main provider, OPR, would eventually give us an M7 offering so that we could stay with the same trusty set of vendors. That day has finally come, and we're really proud to announce the OPR M7 capsules are going to be available. We have already made a couple mics for discerning clients with these and the verdict is in that they have really knocked it out of the park with these.

While the FR on these M7's measure fairly close to the K47, to the ear they are certainly different. They seem to really have a good bit more bottom end weight and energy, and low end extension, while remaining pretty close on the top end and upper midrange. The overall sound seems more warm, wooly, intimate, and bass-rich. More vintage for sure, while their K47 has a slightly more modern and 'tighter' sound, while nonetheless still coming in a bit darker and bass-extended than other K47 offerings.

We will soon hopefully start getting the first new batch of these since our original testing batch, and start taking pre-orders for mics with the M7 option for those who desire it. The website has already been updated to reflect that new menu option on orders going forward. I want to note that we are only getting these in for new builds and I'm not going to be doing any cross-grades/upgrades of existing mics in the near future, as the limited number of these we get in will just be to complete new builds... I don't have the bandwidth and I doubt OPR does either... but, this will be a great additional option going forward.

In other news, we are still plowing ahead on the M49 development and making great progress. The PSU design is complete, which includes a new ultra-filtered traditional linear power supply design as well as new custom made shielded toroidal PSU transformer by Avel Lindberg. We are working on the quad-deck mic PCB set now, and also working on prototyping the mic body and yoke from a golden specimen chassis.

We are also hoping to finally introduce 2 new variants of the U47 later this year! The first will be a slightly more affordable solid-state U47! a phantom powered design utilizing the Phaedrus Audio Supertube. This is something we have been trying to do for years but there were quite a few engineering hurdles to get past in order to get it where we wanted it, sonically. We finally feel that we have something and that we have a mic that is essentially a solid state 47 that performs really well and sonically lives somewhere between a tube and Fet47.

The second is to finally make a more modern interpretation of the 47 with a continuously variable pattern control and based on a 12AT7 variant and a 'modified' version of the Bv8 transformer, to answer the needs of folks who want something that is a bit more flexible and future-proofed that doesn't rely on on NOS parts, but still has the handcrafted aesthetic of Signal Art. So... much good stuff coming in the next year or so, be on the lookout!