Neumann U87

[Jimmie]

Hi, my name is Jimmie, and I'm a pro-audioholic....


I haven't gas'd over accessories like high end mics before, that was however, before I watched James Lugo's most recent video diary highlighting the creation of his new record. Damn it!


Someone talk me off the ledge.... please?

 

[Audioholic]

Hey thats MY screenname!

U87 is a great mic, I like some of the other nuemans as well. Nueman however is gonna come with a hefty price tag 9 / 10 times. There are other mics out there that are just as good and a bit more affordable.

 

[Jimmie]

Hey thats MY screenname!

U87 is a great mic, I like some of the other nuemans as well. Nueman however is gonna come with a hefty price tag 9 / 10 times. There are other mics out there that are just as good and a bit more affordable.

 

[Anonymous]

Please do tell!!!

 

[Anonymous]

And while your at it... throw in some names of some great, affordable high end mic preamps. In the $1000-1500 range if you would.

 

[Jimmie]

And while your at it... throw in some names of some great, affordable high end mic preamps. In the $1000-1500 range if you would.

A Neve-ish 1073?

 

[Audioholic]

Please do tell!!!

I like the Mojave Audio MA-200, which is based around characteristics like the nueman U67 I believe, coming in around 1000 bucks. Bock audio's 195 is around a grand. In a VO studio I worked out, We used the AKG 414 II alot over the U87, just sounded better on some voices. The Blue Kiwi sounds fantastic, coming under the U87's price tag. SE Gemini. Even some of the Audio technica mics sound fantastic.

That about sums up my personal experiences for mics that I really liked and would be happy with over paying more, and there are more out there that others seem to like alot.

Granted most of these mics are in the Grand and up range, but still much under the U87.

As far as preamps that I have used and liked, I am a big fan of the UA 2-610 ({or single version) Great river, Pacifica, Neve Portico, True Systems, these are in that price range ({specially if you get the single version)

 

[Audioholic]

And while your at it... throw in some names of some great, affordable high end mic preamps. In the $1000-1500 range if you would.

A Neve-ish 1073?

Vintech makes Neve knock offs.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Not that I have much to add to this topic (never used a U87) but the Cascade Fathead II is a sleeper mic for under $500 even with all of the upgrades.

 

[Audioholic]

What I have found, is that some of these expensive mics Do sound fantastic, but given a certain singer, they actually may sound just as fantastic, if not better, on a lesser priced mic. It really can be all about the voice, of course other things in the chain help.

thats why its good to have more then one mic I guess. I have worked at a few studios with some pretty deep mic lockers. Looking back, not any one in particulair really knocked me out thinking i NEEEED this mic or else (well I really did dig the AKG C12 alot), but more or less, the sum of the parts, good room, good instrument and mic, good preamp and AD, is what adds up to superior tracking.

 

[Phrygian]

The U87 is a fantastic mic, one of the classics, and is great for so many things. Paired with a Neve type pre, you're laughing. It's a great mic for stacking vocals as well. Pair the U87 with an Avalon pre and you can stack those vocals for days.

Of course, you can get other great mics for less, and some mics will work better on different singers. Lots of great stuff out there by Telefunken, Mojave, Blue, Bock, Brauner, and then on the cheaper side Shure, Audio Technica and Rode.

 

[Audioholic]

The U87 is a fantastic mic, one of the classics, and is great for so many things. Paired with a Neve type pre, you're laughing. It's a great mic for stacking vocals as well. Pair the U87 with an Avalon pre and you can stack those vocals for days.

Of course, you can get other great mics for less, and some mics will work better on different singers. Lots of great stuff out there by Telefunken, Mojave, Blue, Bock, Brauner, and then on the cheaper side Shure, Audio Technica and Rode.

my experience as well, though I don't like the cheaper Rodes and AT, but there more expensive ones seem to get away from that overly hyped and piercing top end that so many cheaper condensers seem to exhibit. The shures however are usually a bit more neutral, really liked the KSM 32 I had.

 

[glassjaw7]

Funny this should come up. Just yesterday our very own Jordon sent me this link for U87 copies. They're dirt cheap and he said they're VERY close the real thing. I trust his word as he makes his living as a producer/engineer.
http://www.gauge-usa.com/

 

[Jimmie]

Funny this should come up. Just yesterday our very own Jordon sent me this link for U87 copies. They're dirt cheap and he said they're VERY close the real thing. I trust his word as he makes his living as a producer/engineer.
http://www.gauge-usa.com/

$149 bucks? do you know if he's actually tried them?

 

[tfridgen]

Funny this should come up. Just yesterday our very own Jordon sent me this link for U87 copies. They're dirt cheap and he said they're VERY close the real thing. I trust his word as he makes his living as a producer/engineer.
http://www.gauge-usa.com/

$149 bucks? do you know if he's actually tried them?

^^^^^^^this!!! Please report!!!

 

[Jimmie]

Funny this should come up. Just yesterday our very own Jordon sent me this link for U87 copies. They're dirt cheap and he said they're VERY close the real thing. I trust his word as he makes his living as a producer/engineer.
http://www.gauge-usa.com/

$149 bucks? do you know if he's actually tried them?

^^^^^^^this!!! Please report!!!

Heck, at that price, I'd be willing to buy one and send it to James and ask for a comparrison against his "known to be amazing" 87U.

This quest started out recently trying to sing get decent track out of an SM58. as many many people before me have found, its not going to happen, at least not at my present skill set. thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

 

[lolzgreg]

Since you're looking for a U87-styled microphone, and you don't want to spend a billion dollars on one:

a. Get a Rode nt-1a

b. Send it to Michael Joly @ Oktavamod:

http://www.oktavamodshop.com/product_in ... cts_id=145

His microphones are fantastic. I currently own five.

I've gotten some GORGEOUS vocal sounds from my modded Oktava MK-319.

Customer service and turnaround time is great.

Do it now, thank me later.

Cheers

 

[lolzgreg]

Funny this should come up. Just yesterday our very own Jordon sent me this link for U87 copies. They're dirt cheap and he said they're VERY close the real thing. I trust his word as he makes his living as a producer/engineer.
http://www.gauge-usa.com/

Now, let's be reasonable for a second:

$149 dollars to both purchase parts for, produce, and make profit off of a microphone? There's a line that has to be drawn here. Condenser microphones have a lot more going on inside of them than a simple dynamic such as a SM57 or Audix i5. I'm pretty sure you're going to get what you pay for in this case...

This quest started out recently trying to sing get decent track out of an SM58. as many many people before me have found, its not going to happen, at least not at my present skill set. thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

That is not necessarily true. You can get stellar guitar tones from a single SM57 microphone; who says you can't get a great vocal sound from one? The pleasant and not so pleasant subtleties of a person's voice are highlighted or masked by a microphone due to it's particular response curve. A $3000 microphone may not work with your voice; it all depends.

 

[johnnyjellybean]

New 87s are a little boxy sounding. Spend the extra grand and get a vintage 87 (not the Ai although the early Ai's are pretty good.)
Anything from the 60s to around 79/80. They have a much more detailed and smoother top end than a Bock/Soundelux or a Mojave M200 (too bright for my taste) and the 87 will only appreciate in value. Just make sure you get on with an original capsule in good shape. Well worth the money.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I still think that a cheap Large Diaphragm condenser mic with an upgraded or custom wound transformer is going to sound better than a mic that cost around a thousand or more. Haven't tried it though, still a theory. Would love to test it some day.