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When you work on vintage microphones long enough, you start to think you've seen it all. We’ve restored rare prototypes, factory-sealed legends, and microphones with decades of stories to tell. But this week, the shop welcomed a piece so immaculate that even our veteran technicians were stunned: a vintage Telefunken ELA M 251 E in near-perfect condition.
“This is the cleanest 251 I have ever seen,” says Vintage King Microphone Technician Tim “Timmo” Johnson. “I’ve been working on mics here at Vintage King for 28 years, and I’ve never seen anything this nice. It’s definitely what I could consider ‘museum quality.’ I don’t think there’s anything like this mic in the world.”
The ELA M 251’s history begins in the late 1950s, during a turning point for both Telefunken and Neumann. When Telefunken discontinued the VF14 tube (the heart of the U 47 and U 48), their long-standing distribution deal with Neumann came to an end. Telefunken suddenly needed a new flagship microphone line.
That search led them to Vienna, where AKG had been producing the celebrated C12 since 1953. Telefunken tasked AKG with creating a modified version featuring several key upgrades. The result was the ELA M 250 and its more versatile sibling, the ELA M 251, which added figure-eight capability to the original cardioid/omni design.
Like the C12, these mics were built around a set of impactful components, including the CK12 capsule and Haufe T14/1 output transformer. There were some differences with the tubes, though: the ELA M 250 and 251 used AC701 tubes, and the ELA M 250 E and 251 E used 6072 tubes. The 6072 was the same tube as the C12.
The 251 introduced a larger head grille with an additional internal mesh, which subtly shaped high-frequency response. Its selector switch was mounted directly on the body, much like the U 47. And engineers designed the microphone so its components could be disassembled without tools, allowing for quick access to electronics or capsule swaps during broadcast and studio work.
With its extended top end, open midrange, and unmistakable presence, the ELA M 251 quickly became one of the most sought-after tube condensers ever made. To this day, it remains a gold-standard vocal microphone used on countless hit records.
Vintage pieces often arrive at the shop with understandable signs of age, like dust on the capsule, brittle wiring, missing accessories, or cosmetic wear from decades of sessions. However, this ELA M 251 E was something else entirely.
“It was originally purchased by a mic collector, who sadly passed away two weeks after he bought it,” Timmo explains. “The mic was never used and has been in storage ever since.”
The result is a time capsule: original parts, factory-fresh internals, and a level of preservation almost unheard of for a microphone built over six decades ago. Inside, the electronics were astonishingly clean. The capsule, tube, transformer, and wiring appeared almost untouched, which is extremely rare for a mic from this era.
“This mic still has all of its original components,” Timmo says. “It was missing the output connector, a special three-pin XLR with a flat spot on top that only AKG used, but I replaced it with one of the original connectors that I happened to have in my collection. Also, the six-pin DIN connector on the mic cable was smashed, but I had one of those too, so I made a new cable using original parts.”
Aside from those careful updates, the microphone remains completely original, just as it left the factory decades ago.
For collectors and engineers who understand vintage microphones, the significance of a pristine ELA M 251 and ELA M 251 E cannot be overstated.
“This really goes to show, when you buy a microphone like this, it’s not just a piece of gear you can record with; it’s an investment,” Timmo says. “You’ll almost certainly get your money back, most of the time with a profit. Mics like this do nothing but go up in value.”
More than six decades after its creation, this particular ELA M 251 E stands as a testament to the craftsmanship and innovation of its time. It's a piece of audio history that has somehow survived, untouched and ready to build a new legacy.
This product has been sold. Check out our vintage & used section or contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant for more vintage gear.
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