U87ai thin sound with pad on?

[AlexK]

Similar experiences here. I've noticed quite a bit of dulling at the top end too...

[jupiter8]

innerTUBE Audio Vacuum Tube Up-Grade kit for Neumann u-87

It is mentioned a couple of times in this thread.

[Davideo]

Same thing happened to me.
There's definitely something wrong with that pad

[tha]-[acksaw]

Thank god its not just me.

Aside from knocking down the level, the pad just seems useless to me now. The mids sound less focused, and the high end detail is gone. I really expect a lot more from a $3000 mic.

[Cathedral Guitar]

The pad is for emergency use only, when all other options are exhausted and the choice is to either use the pad or not get ANY recording at all. Kind of like your car is equipped with a donut tire -- not to be thought of as a real tire, but it can get you home in an emergency.

[Davideo]

I thought that the pad should just trim the volume -10db and not change the sound. Am I wrong?

[tha]-[acksaw]

Originally Posted by Davideo

I thought that the pad should just trim the volume -10db and not change the sound. Am I wrong?

That's the point, and should be the function. But unfortunately its far from reality.

The degradation of tone with the pad on is borderline unacceptable. I'd be less pissed about it if this were a chinese mic costing a few hundred dollars.

Part of me cant help but thing that Neumann did this for one reason or another. Only because they are so established and well loved. How could they let this sip past their tests? So, I cant figure out what that reason would be. Until them I'm gonna have to tack it up as a major engineering slip up.

[Cathedral Guitar]

Here are some more details on why it is the way it is:

<Mic Pads- When And How To Use Them>

[tha]-[acksaw]

Originally Posted by Cathedral Guitar

Here are some more details on why it is the way it is:

<Mic Pads- When And How To Use Them>

Thanks for posting that dood. It was an interesting read.

Although I'd still love to know why the tone changes so much with the pad on. They talked about all the adverse effects of the pad, in a general sense. But the tone effect wasn't mentioned.

I have a good deal of mics, from Chinese made to the really nice ones. I cant remember having any tone loss when using any of them. I use a pair of B-5's pretty often, and they have a pad. That pad for sure has no tone loss when engaged. Or so little I cant hear it. And that mic only costs $100. Just seems funny to me.

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[jlsgear]

Thats odd , since I've read that engaging the pad will actually help the mic sound like the BETTER sounding pre-1986 U87i versions .. ie. by not stressing out the new AI circuitry.

Whats REALLY going on with this pad ??

[Ward Pike]

the thinning of tone from the U87ai is widely accepted and acknowledged. It is a design "flaw".

It is unfortunate that it never needs to be used as it sucks the tone out as well... not so with the U87. Weird, right? Anyhow, there are other options such as a line pad.

[Emwolb]

Originally Posted by jlsgear

Thats odd , since I've read that engaging the pad will actually help the mic sound like the BETTER sounding pre-1986 U87i versions .. ie. by not stressing out the new AI circuitry.

You should stop reading/listening to whoever told you this...

[Flymax]

Something's broken. I had a similar problem. Get someone to look at it.
Something in the connectors. Goes "One Legged."