Warm Audio WA-67 User manual

WA67
TUBE CONDENSER MICROPHONE
• ENGLISH (PG 1) • FRANÇAIS (PG 12) • ESPAÑOL (PG 18) • DEUTSCH (PG 24)

THANK YOU!
Thank you for purchasing the Warm Audio WA-67 tube condenser microphone! It’s an all vacuum tube, large
diaphragm, transformer balanced, multi-pattern microphone, based on a classic design that has been used on
countless hit records for the last 50+ years by artists as varied as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Four Tops and
Nirvana. The WA-67 was designed for professional applications and sounds great on vocals, acoustic/electric
guitars, acoustic/electric bass, drums, piano, strings, brass/woodwind instruments, and an array of other sources.
The classic ‘67 microphone is still widely used today in top professional recording studios, but it hasn’t been made
in 50 years and has become extremely expensive to acquire on the used market. We are very excited to offer this
amazing microphone at such an affordable price, and we’re confident you will enjoy a lifetime of beautiful recordings
with it. Enjoy your new WA-67!
Bryce Young and Team Warm
Austin, Texas
USA
REGISTER YOUR WA67!
Before we begin, please take the time to visit www.warmaudio.com to register your product. To ensure you receive
proper and uninterrupted warranty support, please register your unit within 14 days from the time ofpurchase.
1

WARRANTY STATEMENT
Warm Audio warranties this product to be free from defect in materials and workmanship for one year from the date
of purchase, for the original purchaser to whom this equipment is registered. This warranty is non-transferrable.
This warranty is void in the event of damage incurred from unauthorized service to this unit, or from electrical or
mechanical modification. This warranty does not cover damage resulting from abuse, accidental damage, misuse,
improper electrical conditions such as mis-wiring, incorrect voltage or frequency, unstable power, disconnection
from earth ground (for products requiring a 3 pin, grounded power cable), or from exposure to hostile environmental
conditions such as moisture, humidity, smoke, fire, sand or other debris, and extreme temperatures.
Warm Audio will, at its sole discretion, repair or replace this product in a timely manner. This limited warranty
extends only to products determined to be defective and does not cover incidental costs such as equipment rental,
loss of revenue, etc. Please visit us at www.warmaudio.com for more information on your warranty, or to request
warrantyservice.
This warranty applies to products sold in the United States of America. For warranty information in any other country,
please refer to your local Warm Audio distributor. This warranty provides specific legal rights, which may vary from
state to state. Depending on the state in which you live, you may have rights in addition to those covered in this
statement. Please refer to your state laws or see your local Warm Audio retailer for more information.
NONWARRANTY SERVICE
If you have a defective unit that is outside of our warranty period or conditions fear not - we are still here for you and
can get your unit working again for a modest service fee. Please visit us at www.warmaudio.com to contact us
about setting up a repair or for more information.
With the proper care, your Warm Audio gear should last a lifetime and provide a lifetime of enjoyment. We believe
the best advertisement we can have is a properly working unit being put to great use. Let’s work together to make
ithappen!
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS.
1. Read these instructions - All of the safety and operating instructions should be read before this product is operated.
2. Keep these instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed all warnings - All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow all instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water - The appliance should not be used near water or moisture (for example, in a
wet basement or near a swimming pool).
2

3
LET’S GET STARTED
The classic ‘67 became extremely popular as a vocal microphone in the 1960’s and early seventies, famous for its
chewy character and distinctive midrange. Based around an EF86 pentode tube and having the same smooth and
creamy tone of the original, the WA-67 excels at recording just about anything that you put it in front of, and it may
immediately become your go-to choice for vocals, guitars, drum toms and overheads, pianos, brass and strings.
At Warm, we’re passionate about killer equipment and we take our responsibility to our customers very seriously. That
means that we don’t make “look-alike” gear that doesn’t deliver, and we take considerable time and effort to get as
close as possible to both the heart and the soul of an original design. We went to great lengths to recreate the discrete
circuit of the original microphone, using boutique components throughout to ensure that nothing got in the way of pure
tube magic. The sound and vibe of the original ’67 is recreated in our WA-67, and we take great pride in being able
to make such a high-quality microphone available to everyone at an unheard-of price.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding plug. A polarized plug has two blades with
one wider than the other. A grounding plug has two
blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade
or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at the plugs,convenience
receptacles, and at the point where they exit from
theapparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by
themanufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart or rack is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Servicing
is required when the apparatus has been damaged
in any way, such as when a power supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, it has been exposed
to rain or moisture, does not operate normally or has
beendropped.
15. CAUTION: These servicing instructions are for use
by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the
risk of electric shock, do not perform any servicing
other than that contained in the operating instructions
unless you are qualified to do so.

4
A LOOK INSIDE THE WA67
THE CAPSULE
The WA-67 utilizes a custom re-production of the vintage ’67-style (K67) capsule that was used in the classic
microphone - complete with the same hole pattern and frequency response. We even went the extra mile to ensure
that our capsule adheres precisely to the vintage specs, evidenced by the fact that the assembly is made entirely out
of brass, including the tensioning hoops. The capsule is one of the most important pieces of the classic ‘67 formula,
and we’re ecstatic at how it turned out.
THE TUBE
The EF86 vacuum tube is well known in the audio industry for having characteristics that are seriously flattering to
audio sources - in fact there are a number of boutique manufacturers that use it in their ultra-expensive microphones
and preamps. The tube has a unique character that is both vibey and hyper-accurate at the same time, and even
though that sounds a bit odd to say, you’ll understand when you hear it. Offering a microphone of this quality, based
around an EF86 tube - at this price - is unheard of in our industry, and we couldn’t be happier to make it available to
recordists everywhere!
THE TRANSFORMER
The WA-67 utilizes a custom large-core transformer made by Lundahl in Sweden, a company well-known for making
killer transformers for some of the top names in audio. The transformer is another component that is critical to the
sound and performance of the WA-67, and it helps provide the creamy smooth high frequency response and girth
that this mic will undoubtedly become famous for.
THE CABLE
The quality of the 7-pin cable that connects a tube mic to its power supply is also of paramount importance - it carries
both audio and voltage for the tube on different pins, which means that it plays an integral role in the performance
of the microphone. That’s why we’ve partnered with high-end manufacturer Gotham Audio of Switzerland to use
their high-end GAC-7 cable with the WA-67. This special cable adds the finishing touch to the WA-67 system, and is
integral to the sound and performance of the microphone.
THE CAPACITORS
The WA-67 proudly uses high-bandwidth polystyrene capacitors, as well as boutique capacitors from Wima
throughout, and an imported Solen French capacitor on its output.