The Telefunken ELA-M 251 — a Vienna-built tube condenser that became the most coveted vocal mic of the 1960s. Built by AKG, badged by Telefunken, and used on more iconic vocals than nearly any other microphone in history.
The ELA-M 251 was Telefunken's flagship vocal microphone from 1959 to 1965. It was built in Vienna by AKG using a brass-edge CK12 capsule and a 6072a tube — the same building blocks as the AKG C12, but with a different output transformer and Telefunken badging. Fewer than 5,000 original units left the factory, and surviving examples now trade for $20,000 to $40,000 each. Modern reissues from Telefunken Elektroakustik bring the original tone within reach of working studios.
Hand-built dual-diaphragm capsule. The brass-edge construction is the defining tonal element — silky highs, weight in the lower midrange.
Hand-selected dual-triode tube. Provides the headroom and harmonic richness that makes the 251 sit in a mix without EQ.
External power supply switches between cardioid, omni, and figure-8 patterns. Same flexibility as the C12, voiced differently.
Telefunken ELA M 251 — the most coveted vocal microphone ever made. Hand-built reissues to original spec.
From the original release through current production. Each version has its own character.
Original Vienna build. Cardioid and omni only. Now one of the rarest tube mics in existence.
Three-pattern version with the figure-8 added. Most original 251s in circulation are this generation.
Current production from CT, USA. Built with hand-selected NOS tubes and brass-edge capsules to original spec.
A short list of rooms and records that put the ELA-M 251 on the map.
Sinatra's vocal mic of choice. The Capitol echo chambers and a 251 cut some of the most iconic vocal performances in popular music.
EMI ran multiple 251s alongside U47s in Studio 2. Beatles backing vocals, orchestral overdubs, and string sections.
Bill Putnam's room paired 251s with the LA-2A and Fairchild 660 for vocals that defined the West Coast sound.
Vintage King has placed the ELA-M 251 in more rooms than nearly any dealer in the world. Here is what we tell engineers when they call.
Buying decisions get easier when you can hear the difference yourself. Talk to a consultant before you commit.
There is a reason every vocal booth I have ever walked into has a 251 or a 47 on the stand. The 251 has a sweet top end that flatters almost any voice.
Use case · price range · what we recommend.
If you have the budget and the patience to vet a vintage example. Best for collectors, commercial rooms, and engineers chasing the exact 1960s sound.
Current production reissue. Brass-edge capsule, NOS tube, hand-built in CT. The closest you can get to the original without buying vintage.
Telefunken's more affordable tube mics in the 251 family. Different voicing but the same build philosophy.
If you do not see your question, talk to a consultant.