FLEA M 251 FET

FLEA have replicated one of the most influential mics of all time — but without the valve.

Slovakia’s FLEA Microphones have now been around for well over 20 years. In that time, they’ve built up an enviable reputation for their meticulous recreations of classic microphones. FLEA’s Vintage series pays homage to the most celebrated large‑diaphragm valve mics, and includes faithful replicas of the Neumann U47, U48, M49 and M50, the AKG C12 and the Telefunken ELA M 251. More recently, they introduced the Next range of mics, which are also inspired by the classics without being exact clones.

The mic under review here is part of the Vintage line, but is not a valve microphone. FLEA’s M 251 FET is an attempt to capture the magic of the ELA M 251 in a phantom‑powered, solid‑state design. The advantages of this include lower cost, low noise and greater convenience, with no need for a dedicated power supply. But does the M 251 FET still have the special sonic qualities that make the Telefunken original the most sought‑after vocal mic of all time?

In The Ring

At the heart of all good C12 and ELA M 251 microphones is AKG’s ‘brass ring’ CK12, which has been described as the most complex microphone capsule ever built, and is notoriously difficult to replicate. Unlike the main Neumann designs, it hasn’t yet proved amenable to mass (re)production in the Far East, and so modern‑day mic builders are faced with a choice. You can buy a cheap capsule that outwardly looks like a CK12, and perhaps tinker with the circuit to make the on‑axis frequency response somewhat like that of a C12 or ELA M 251. Or you can buy a handmade capsule that is actually constructed like a CK12 — if you can find someone to make it, and if you can justify the cost.

As befits their reputation, FLEA have always taken the second approach, and their earlier C12 copies used Tim Campbell’s excellent CT12 capsule. However, they have since developed their own CK12 clone, which is now being used in all of their AKG‑inspired mics, including the M 251 FET.

One of the reasons why FLEA mics are so highly regarded is that they’ve always gone the extra mile to recreate the construction of the originals. FLEA mics don’t just look a bit like their inspirations when viewed from a distance; they follow the dimensions precisely, and also reproduce the finish as closely as possible. That has led FLEA to make an interesting decision in designing the M 251 FET. As it’s a standard phantom‑powered microphone, there’s no functional reason why it needs to have a bespoke connector or cable. But in order to maintain the look and feel of the ELA M 251, they’ve...