1st October 2009
|
#1 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Santarem
Posts: 162
Thread Starter | Gefell UM70 vs Neumann U87
Posting 2 files both recorded into an API with no compression.
| 
|  | |
1st October 2009
|
#2 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Europe
Posts: 1,673
 |
Which one do you prefer?
For this particular voice I like the pronounced low-mids of U87, but I would probably EQ them out in the mix anyway - so I guess UM70 sounds like the "processed" vocal I would put in the mix...
But for spoken word, minimalist arranged ballads I would like one U87 around I guess.
What's that - more proximity effect on U87 or what?
I own UM70, so I'm a little biased. 
__________________
" The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason."
John Cage http://worldhappinessmusic.bandcamp.com/ | |
| | |
1st October 2009
|
#3 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Santarem
Posts: 162
Thread Starter |
I too love the low mids of the U87 and after listening to it, going back to the Gefell makes it sound thin, but in the context of a mix the Gefell sits beautifully with no need for eq at all.
| |
| | |
1st October 2009
|
#4 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Beautiful NYC
Posts: 1,264
|
I have one of each of these mics, and I love them both.
In these two examples, I have to lean toward the UM70. Sounds much more dimensional to me.
All of that, of course, could change completely when put in a mix context.
They sound great, though!
Cheers. 
__________________
—————————————
—Minus 12. -Minus 24. -Duck.
——————————————————Rusko | |
| | |
1st October 2009
|
#5 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Santarem
Posts: 162
Thread Starter |
I've had the Gefell for a while and at first couldn't get used to it (had been using a 414B-XL11 which made it sound much thinner) but after a while I realized it was quite a beautiful sound, very smooth. I have only just got the U87 which is very dark sounding but I think music is all about how you use your tools. As you rightly say, hearing something isolated is one thing, in a mix quite another. It's nice to have them both.
| |
| | |
1st October 2009
|
#6 | | Gear addict
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 426
|
Gefell  | |
| | |
19th October 2009
|
#7 | | Gear Head
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 65
|
Think the Gefell is nice.
Voice is very clean and compact.
Nice mic!
| |
| | |
19th October 2009
|
#8 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,005
|
The U87 sounds very good, but the Gefell sounds great.
Which model is that Gefell, exactly? (Looks like they made the UMT70S now, which may or not be the same mic as your UM70...)
| |
| | |
20th October 2009
|
#9 | | Gear Guru
Joined: Jul 2006 Location: So Cal
Posts: 13,879
| Quote:
Originally Posted by radiospace  The U87 sounds very good, but the Gefell sounds great.
Which model is that Gefell, exactly? (Looks like they made the UMT70S now, which may or not be the same mic as your UM70...) | UM70 is an older mic and has a transformer. The "U" designates multipattern. THe UM70 has Cardiod, Fig-8 and Omni patterns.
The UM T70 is multipattern as well, BUT it is TRANSFORMER- LESS. Similar, but definately NOT the same mic.
There are conflicting reports that you might still be able to buy a 692 preamp body and UM70 head, (yeilding a UM70) but I have not confirmed this.
| |
| | |
20th October 2009
|
#10 | | Gear nut
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 94
|
Gefell | 
| | |
20th October 2009
|
#11 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,005
| Quote:
Originally Posted by drBill UM70 is an older mic and has a transformer. The "U" designates multipattern. THe UM70 has Cardiod, Fig-8 and Omni patterns.
The UMT70 is multipattern as well, BUT it is TRANSFORMER-LESS. Similar, but definately NOT the same mic.
There are conflicting reports that you might still be able to buy a 692 preamp body and UM70 head, (yeilding a UM70) but I have not confirmed this. | Thanks for the lesson. Gotta love "T" for "transformerless". Doh!
I used a Gefell mic about 5-6 years ago that I recall as an "M71" --- of course it might have been a UM71 (or something more complicated than that). From looking at their current nomenclature I'm guessing this was a Cardioid-only mic, perhaps a Cardioid-only UM70?
| |
| | |
20th October 2009
|
#12 | | Gear Guru
Joined: Jul 2006 Location: So Cal
Posts: 13,879
| Quote:
Originally Posted by radiospace
perhaps a Cardioid-only UM70?
| That is exactly right. Not to be confused with an M70 though which is a SD cardiod condenser....  
The UM70 is multi pattern LDC.
The M71 and M71S is card only LDC. (Available with removable head or as a one piece as if things weren't confusing enough....)
The M70 is a card nickel Small Diaphram capsule that fits on the same preamp body (692, 691, etc.) as the UM70.
Confused yet?
LOL There will be a test.
I've got all of them, and although the nomenclature is confusing, they are ALL phenomenal mics!! thumbsup Perhaps the M71S is my fave.
| |
| | |
21st October 2009
|
#13 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Santarem
Posts: 162
Thread Starter |
The one I have and used is the UM70 which has the transformer. Thanks for your interest I love both mics. The UM70 sits perfectly for my voice with no eq necessary at all. The only thing with it is that you have to be careful with proximity if you are blasting as it is very sensitive.
I may post 2 mixes done with acoustic gtr and vocal. Same song. It's quite amazing how the human ear gets used to something. If I go straight for the Gefell I think "perfect" then if I hear the 87 you hear that low end and, in comparison, think "ah the Gefell lacks" which, of course, is not true, as when you hear a full recording it sits perfectly.
| |
| | |
29th October 2011
|
#14 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Sep 2009 Location: los angeles
Posts: 2,660
| Quote:
Originally Posted by The Listener Which one do you prefer? | Gefell.
| |
| | |
29th October 2011
|
#15 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Nov 2002 Location: Florida
Posts: 753
 |
I love the tiny bit of "growl" I hear on the UM70 when you sing the word "there's a pretty girl"
The U87 bottom is nice, but I would miss that bit of detail in the mids.
__________________
Steve Cruz
Cruzified Music
Florida
| |
| | |
28th November 2011
|
#16 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,269
|
I like the Gefell. It is on my short list.
| |
| | |
28th November 2011
|
#17 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,655
|
u87 on this one
| |
| | |
5th December 2011
|
#18 | | Gear Head
Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Burbank, Ca
Posts: 59
|
+1 on the Gefell. Something is more pleasing about it's sound.
Both are nice by the way.
| |
| | |
13th February 2012
|
#19 | | Gear nut
Joined: Sep 2010 Location: London UK
Posts: 106
|
To my ears the UM70 sounds quite a bit more detailed.
Tony
| |
| | |
15th March 2012
|
#20 | | Gear addict
Joined: Nov 2008 Location: California
Posts: 475
|
u87 all the way, the other sounds thin and too much highs.
| |
| | |
19th March 2012
|
#21 | | Gear Head
Joined: Feb 2012 Location: Paris, France
Posts: 66
|
UM70 is definitely more charming.
U87 is too slow, too "processed", too much.
EDIT: in HD25 headphones
| |
| | |
24th March 2012
|
#22 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Finland |
I'm quite late to the party, but I would choose the Gefell. In those samples it seems to sound like it probably fits the mix as is.
| |
| | |
12th September 2012
|
#23 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Austin
Posts: 1,052
|
old thread, but...what about the fact that this is obviously two different takes? ...and the 2nd that w/the u87 is off key? Ever comp vocals? Notice that each take can sound really different? I don't think these tests are worthwhile unless it's the same take with 2 mics up. Maybe his mouth was more open or closed etc etc etc...
__________________
DannyStapleton.com
| |
| | |
11th January 2013
|
#24 | | Gear Head
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 49
| Quote:
Originally Posted by turk sanchez old thread, but...what about the fact that this is obviously two different takes? ...and the 2nd that w/the u87 is off key? Ever comp vocals? Notice that each take can sound really different? I don't think these tests are worthwhile unless it's the same take with 2 mics up. Maybe his mouth was more open or closed etc etc etc... | I totally agree. Two different takes. The take with the U87 was sloppy, while the gefell-take was more confident. I mean I'm on laptop-speakers so the only difference I could hear was the hugely different takes. As I'm in the market for a better vocal-mic I get a bit sceptical when I hear this test and see the results. Is it some gefell marketing-scheme or something??
Sorry to say, but this was a very bad test indeed.
| |
| | |
11th January 2013
|
#25 | | 70% Coffee, 30% Beer
Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Quincy, MA
Posts: 9,127
| Quote:
Originally Posted by vido Is it some gefell marketing-scheme or something?? | HA!
serious!?
MG is a very established company, and well,
this is just a gearslutz example from a user.
Gefell does not even manufacture the microphone in question,
why would they be trying to market it? 
__________________ Adam Brass adam@dspdoctor.com  DSPdoctor.com "Where High End is Still King" 
__________________ "Any opinions above are worth exactly what you paid for them." Anonymous "If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. Thomas Edison
RTFM
| |
| | | |
New Reply 
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
