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audiokid 23 February 2017

Wow, I just heard the Millennia M-2b is discontinued for good, no more made. If I won the lottery I would have 24 channels of those and call it completed. They are simply outstanding. I feel blessed to have at least 2 channels. I guess I have what will go down as one of the worlds most amazing preamps. The M-2b are now Vintage.

The M-2b is a two channel, high voltage, transformerless, 100% Class A biased, all vacuum tube stereo microphone preamplifier delivering the essential nature of triode musicality.

The advanced M-2b circuits employ differential topologies, ultra-high headroom, electrically correct transformerless coupling, high voltage rails, hand-selected componentry, unfailing attention to power and ground integrity, and much more.

Why a vacuum tube mic preamplifier All audio circuits, regardless of topology, whether tube or solid state, impart some coloration. In all topologies, Millennia seeks to minimize circuit-induced artifacts while retaining as much original sonic information as possible at the output. Nevertheless, even in these refined tube and solid-state topologies, there remain subtle sonic distinctions. If we were to subjectively characterize our vacuum tube topologies, some descriptions which come to mind include a heightened sense of ambience and "euphonic space," a subtle but enhanced musical "sweetness," and a particular quality of "intimacy" not normally associated with our solid-state designs. By contrast, one might say that Millennia's range of semiconductor products (HV-3, Mixing Suite, TT-FET paths, etc.) present a tactile, acoustically lifelike rendition of even the most difficult and complex spectra, exceptional dynamic stability, and superior objective performance in areas of THD, common mode rejection, noise, frequency response, and output drive capability.

Alas, both Millennia design topologies (vacuum tube and solid state) offer incredible realism, yet each technique approaches accuracy from a different sonic direction. Vacuum tubes offer audio performance which semiconductors cannot. Semiconductors offer audio performance which vacuum tubes cannot. Both have a significant and complimentary role in professional audio. Millennia now makes available the finest in both worlds.
 

The World’s Most Elegant Tube Mic Preamplifier

  • Musical, involving, euphonic
  • High speed transformerless, pure Class A, 350 volt
  • triode design
  • Differential topology: no attenuator “pads” required
  • Effortless dynamics, vividly realistic ambience
  • >35 dBu output headroom
  • High resolution gain control
  • Precision potentiometers, ultra-premium components
  • Built for critical professional applications
  • Gold audio connectors, tube sockets, and relays
  • 3/8“ thick radius extruded aluminum face plate
  • Durable mirror-gloss anodized finish
  • Mil spec 16 gauge cold-rolled steel chassis
  • Ultra-clean toroid power supply: internal sub-chassis
  • Hand machined aluminum knobs,
  • illuminated IT&T push buttons
  • Richly musical vintage vacuum tubes available
  • Mogami Neglex OFC audio wiring
  • Silver Teflon power wiring

Maximum Gain (3 ranges with continuous trim)
50 dB

Frequency Response (+0 / -3 dB)
4 Hz to 130 kHz

Noise (50 dB Gain, 10 Hz - 30 kHz, 150 ohm Source)
-116 dB EIN

Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (30 dB Gain, 10 Hz - 20 kHz Bandwidth, 0 dBu Out)
< .02%

Intermodulation Distortion (50 Hz & 7 kHz) 35 dB Gain, +27 dBu Out
< .0009%

Phase Response (35 dB Gain, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, +26 dBu Out)
< 10 degrees deviation

Phase Response, Stereo Deviation (35 dB Gain, 20 Hz - 40 kHz, +27 dBu Out)
< 1 degree

Common Mode Rejection Ratio (30 dB Gain, 1 kHz, 100 mV C.M.)
> 60 dB

Slew Rate (35 dB Gain, +27 dBu Out)
> 20 Volts per microsecond

Maximum Input Level (20 Hz - 40 kHz, 14 dB Gain)
+20 dBu (no attenuator pads required)

Maximum Output Level (20 Hz - 40 kHz, 10 kilohm Min. Load)
> +35 dBu

Interchannel Crosstalk (30 dB Gain, 1 kHz, 0 dBu Both Outputs)
< 70 dB

Phantom Input Impedance
3.800 ohms

Output Impedance
120 ohms

DPA (B&K) Mic Powering
+130 V dc max, (non-phantom)

Phantom Powering
+48 V dc, +/- 2 V dc

Power Consumption
50 watts maximum

Power Requirements
Selectable: 100-120, 200-240 V ac, 50/60 Hz

Dimensions/Shipping Weight
19" W x 3.5" H x 12" D, 26 lbs.

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Comments

DonnyThompson Fri, 02/24/2017 - 04:27

That's unfortunate.
But as you said, a sign of the times.

Sometimes - and I mean occasionally - in my journeys as a home studio consultant, I'll see nice gear; Millennia, Neve, Grace, SSL, Neumann, AKG, Manley, UA, ...
But it's pretty rare in the home studio scene. Mostly I see Behringer, Samson, M-Audio, Tascam, and entry-level Presonus and Focusrite stuff. Mics like 57's, 58's and budget-level AT's round out the inventory.
(I see a lot of AT2020's.)

I-O's are generally Behringer or M-Audio. Sometimes I'll see a UA, but never anything by Antelope, Prism, RME...

I can't help but wonder if the lack of hi-caliber gear in home studios - beyond the price tags - is also due to the styles of the music that the people who own these small "studios" are into and are producing; Rap, Hip Hop, Thrash Metal, and projects that are nothing but completely VSTi driven compositions ( Dance, House, Trance, etc).... truthfully, in so many of these current styles that are popular with younger recordists, high-caliber gear wouldn't really matter all that much anyway. So maybe, just maybe, a factor in the caliber of gear being used is partially style-driven?

The home studios where I typically see the finer pieces of gear - nice preamps, nice mics - are usually doing a lot of acoustic-centered stuff (classical, folk, country, bluegrass) and/or are owned by people who used to operate or work at pro studios, who are accustomed to the upper caliber gear, and who know the differences between budget and pro.
That being said, I'm not sure the majority of their clients can really hear the difference, (or would even care if they could?)

And, with so many people putting together their own recording rooms at their homes (on what is probably a weekly basis), far less people are doing work at pro rooms.
As stated here on RO many times before, it's not a good time for pro studios, and so many of the purchasers of the upper-level gear - like Millennia - were pro/commercial facilities.

FWIW

audiokid Sat, 05/15/2021 - 01:45

Indeed! It's a clear,warm tube sounding preamp with huge openess. Nice to find a member here that has one. Not that I will ever sell mine, I suspect these are going to be worth a lot of money one day. Incredible preamp.

engla wrote:

I am so happy to be an owner of one ex of a M-2b, my absolute favourite mic pre-amp which is producing an amazing rich and three dimensional sound.. No plug-in in post processing is capable to replace it ever.

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