Neumann U87 compared to this day's mics!

Fevre · 9th November 2005

Hi

I recently bought a Neumann U87, dated september 1974. As I do not have a bunch of other U87's to test it against I don't know if it's a good date or a bad one, if the ai's are better in any way than the old ones. It's noiseless and in good condition though. Does anyone know?

I paid £750 for it. I later wondered if I could have bought something new that would have been better. Tried the AKG 414, but wasn't impressed.

Thanks

Henrik

kats · 9th November 2005

Well, we had a couple of u87 tests, one was an AI and one still had the battery compartment in it (IE old) - I dunno the date of it though. The AI sounded a bit brighter... a bit. I don't know if that is due to age or by design, but we preffered the older version.

I'm starting to come full circle on the U87's actually. I, and many members on this board, call them boring. But I'm questioning whether or not that is because we hear the U87 alot more than any other mic. But somehow, no matter what your up to, they always sound good. Mystical and I had tested a bunch of mics last week, and a/b'd some fine fine examples of long body U47's, old and new U87's, Soundelux ifet7 etc etc. And while one of the U47's was basically incredible - the U87 held it's own quite well against, arguably, one of the greatest mics in the world.

Anyhow, I guess I'm trying to say that you purchased a very fine mic - don't worry about it - it'll never be a choke point in your recording chain.

[img]******//members.shaw.ca/kats1/u47.GIF[/img]

InsideTrip · 10th November 2005

my U87 dates to 1969. Magic Mojo, baby. It will need to be pryed from my cold, dead hands...

Mystical · 10th November 2005

Yep that u87 did sound quite nice... anybody know what year serial no. 34xxx would be?

HDGuru · 10th November 2005

I never understood why so many GS users say the U87 is "overrated", or "overpriced", and proceed to go off on how the Sounddelux is better blah blah.
In my experience the U87 is one of the most detailed, best sounding, most flexible mic's you can get at any price.

JonnyShiv · 10th November 2005

U87s are good and they'll get the job done, but they can be a bit "boring". It's more fun to use odd mics combined with odd mic-pres. They are reliable though, I'll give'em that.

Fevre · 11th November 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystical

Yep that u87 did sound quite nice... anybody know what year serial no. 34xxx would be?

I don't know. Mine from 74 is 27something, so I guess it's later 70's. But go to Neumann's website. There you can ask them. I did that recently and had a reply few days later.

Fevre

84K · 11th November 2005

My U87s have the innerTUBE mod... glorious is the sound

dale116dot7 · 11th November 2005

There was a circuit change roughly when the AI version came out, but maybe before. The high-frequency rolloff circuit (which is a requirement for the K67/87 capsule design) is somewhat more aggressive on the early U87's. You can likely get a similar sound by using a gentle HF rolloff on your pre. It's actually just a couple resistor and capacitor values on the preamp board.

The other obvious circuit change between the U87 and the U87AI was a boost in polarizing voltage to the capsule from about 45 volts to about 60 volts (the same voltage used in the U67).

kats · 11th November 2005

YEah I've heard alot of good things about the innertube mod...but holy quacamole...the mod costs almost as much as the mic - getting us into u67 territory!

9th November 2005	#1
Fevre Gear interested Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 12 Thread Starter	Neumann U87 compared to this day's mics! Hi I recently bought a Neumann U87, dated september 1974. As I do not have a bunch of other U87's to test it against I don't know if it's a good date or a bad one, if the ai's are better in any way than the old ones. It's noiseless and in good condition though. Does anyone know? I paid £750 for it. I later wondered if I could have bought something new that would have been better. Tried the AKG 414, but wasn't impressed. Thanks Henrik

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9th November 2005	#2
kats Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Posts: 3,683	Well, we had a couple of u87 tests, one was an AI and one still had the battery compartment in it (IE old) - I dunno the date of it though. The AI sounded a bit brighter... a bit. I don't know if that is due to age or by design, but we preffered the older version. I'm starting to come full circle on the U87's actually. I, and many members on this board, call them boring. But I'm questioning whether or not that is because we hear the U87 alot more than any other mic. But somehow, no matter what your up to, they always sound good. Mystical and I had tested a bunch of mics last week, and a/b'd some fine fine examples of long body U47's, old and new U87's, Soundelux ifet7 etc etc. And while one of the U47's was basically incredible - the U87 held it's own quite well against, arguably, one of the greatest mics in the world. Anyhow, I guess I'm trying to say that you purchased a very fine mic - don't worry about it - it'll never be a choke point in your recording chain. [img]******//members.shaw.ca/kats1/u47.GIF[/img]

10th November 2005	#3
InsideTrip Gear nut Joined: Apr 2005 Location: los angeles Posts: 87	my U87 dates to 1969. Magic Mojo, baby. It will need to be pryed from my cold, dead hands...

10th November 2005	#4
Mystical Gear nut Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Interstellar Overdrive Posts: 93	Yep that u87 did sound quite nice... anybody know what year serial no. 34xxx would be?

10th November 2005	#5
HDGuru Gear addict Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 389	I never understood why so many GS users say the U87 is "overrated", or "overpriced", and proceed to go off on how the Sounddelux is better blah blah. In my experience the U87 is one of the most detailed, best sounding, most flexible mic's you can get at any price.

10th November 2005	#6
JonnyShiv Gear interested Joined: Nov 2005 Location: LA Posts: 3	U87s are good and they'll get the job done, but they can be a bit "boring". It's more fun to use odd mics combined with odd mic-pres. They are reliable though, I'll give'em that.

11th November 2005	#8
84K Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2004 Location: right coast Posts: 3,857	My U87s have the innerTUBE mod... glorious is the sound

11th November 2005	#9
dale116dot7 Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 816	There was a circuit change roughly when the AI version came out, but maybe before. The high-frequency rolloff circuit (which is a requirement for the K67/87 capsule design) is somewhat more aggressive on the early U87's. You can likely get a similar sound by using a gentle HF rolloff on your pre. It's actually just a couple resistor and capacitor values on the preamp board. The other obvious circuit change between the U87 and the U87AI was a boost in polarizing voltage to the capsule from about 45 volts to about 60 volts (the same voltage used in the U67).