Cheaper mics you prefer over the Neumann U87?

[lame pseudonym]

I think I need to buy an SM58.

[Gitryst]

Originally Posted by capnreverb

I have two re2000's. Super quiet, detailed and unhyped. Sounds great on anything it's pointed at. It's only hypercardoid, so it's not as versitle as the u87. They were close to $3000 new, wtf? I would probably pick it over my u87 for almost everything but maybe vocals. For vocals any of the "real" Goove Tube mic's would be my choice. The Groove Tubes are almost turd polishers for vocalists, the u87ai in no way is. If I needed dough, the u87ai is at the top of the list of things that would go first.

Hi Ya'll! This is my first post and I am currently searching for a passable (ideally broadcast, if not necessarily CD quality), yet affordable - relative term- microphone. Man, did that comment about the "real" Groove Tube mics catch my eye! My whiny adolescent-sounding voice NEEDS some polishin'. I would love to know what you were referring to when you said "real".

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

[DJTEMPO]

I just shipped a Rode NT1-A to Michael Joly at Octavamod.com to do his magic installing the U87 capsule. I've heard the "Rode U87" compared to a Neumann U87 (A/B'd at a friends studio I was visiting), and the only outright difference I could tell was that the Rode had a much lower noise floor.

I took the ProTools session home and listened to it over, and over, and over... my monitors (Prodipe ribbons), headphones, my home stereo (Onkyo w/JBL speakers). If there is any difference (other than the noise floor) it's that the Rode U87 is actually a bit less sibilant than the Neumann. I have every intent to do this comparison again once I get my Rode U87 because I don't actually believe what I've heard.

When you consider... a brand new NT1-A is $200 (with cable, shock-mount, pop-filter, and XLR-cable), and the Joly mod runs you $379... it kind of becomes a no brainer.

Of course, I also have a Shure SM7B, an AKG C414-XLII, Shure SM4033, and a Blue-Bluebird, all as my "higher end" vocal mics. The 414 has been my "go-to" mic for a while, and I like the unique character of the Bluebird. But... we'll see how all this goes once I get the Rode U87.

How's THAT for a wrench in the works?

Chip

p.s. oh... and I have SM58's, SM57's, a couple ribbons, 2 complete drum-kits (Shure, and Audix), etc, etc, etc. I can't get the mic list to stop growing...

[Frank_Case]

Originally Posted by asdfdsa

Cheaper mics you prefer over the Neumann U87?

That's easy. The Peluso VTB and the Peluso 251 (in that order), among others.

[Rob Coates]

Years ago, when I was just getting my own studio going, I went to record some vocals at a nearby commercial studio. I remember being really excited because they were going to use a U87 on my voice! I had this idea in my head that the U87 was the holy grail of mics and my vocals would sound great just by virtue of that mic. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. It didn't sound any better to my ears, than the cheap mics I had at home. Nowdays, I don't think it's a great mic at all but rather mediocre no matter what the price.

[RightOnRome]

Originally Posted by DJTEMPO

I just shipped a Rode NT1-A to Michael Joly at Octavamod.com to do his magic installing the U87 capsule. I've heard the "Rode U87" compared to a Neumann U87 (A/B'd at a friends studio I was visiting), and the only outright difference I could tell was that the Rode had a much lower noise floor.

I took the ProTools session home and listened to it over, and over, and over... my monitors (Prodipe ribbons), headphones, my home stereo (Onkyo w/JBL speakers). If there is any difference (other than the noise floor) it's that the Rode U87 is actually a bit less sibilant than the Neumann. I have every intent to do this comparison again once I get my Rode U87 because I don't actually believe what I've heard.

When you consider... a brand new NT1-A is $200 (with cable, shock-mount, pop-filter, and XLR-cable), and the Joly mod runs you $379... it kind of becomes a no brainer.

Of course, I also have a Shure SM7B, an AKG C414-XLII, Shure SM4033, and a Blue-Bluebird, all as my "higher end" vocal mics. The 414 has been my "go-to" mic for a while, and I like the unique character of the Bluebird. But... we'll see how all this goes once I get the Rode U87.

How's THAT for a wrench in the works?

Chip

p.s. oh... and I have SM58's, SM57's, a couple ribbons, 2 complete drum-kits (Shure, and Audix), etc, etc, etc. I can't get the mic list to stop growing...

i might have to try the nt1aU87

[ABBA]

Gefell UMT70s and MT71.
AKG 414 XLS and XL II.

Smaller, lighter, cheaper and better sounding than all the U87s I've owned
(new and old version).

[kennybro]

Many U87 love/hate/indifferent threads all end up the same. "It's a great all-arounder," and "here's my favorite mic." Get one and see if works for you.

It's a great all arounder, and the best choice often, but I've got plenty of mics that beat it on a regular basis.

[Musky]

Here is my experience with that: The first song I recorded in a pro studio we used both u87ai and akg c414. We found that the C414 doesn't fit well my voice and recorded the entire song with the U87ai. I liked the result and for me this mic is one of the biggest thing in this world but for the second song I had to find another mic because no more u87 was available in the studio. I tried many mics and ended to like the elam 251 ballpark sounding mic at least for this song.
After listening to a lot of mics I think you really need to try at least the main classic U47, U87, U67, C12, elam 251, Sony C-37A, a Ribbon mic and mics with different capsules to get an idea of what fit best your voice or the voice of your singer. After that you can try to get a cheaper mic using the same capsule as the one that fit well your voice costing $3000 to $20000. You search for an alternative and that can be a beta 58a in a Neve 1084 or a GAP pre73mkII at the end.

[Musky]

Here is the one I know that turn around the u87ai sound on most voices:
C414 (old) , U67, KSM 44/Sl, microtech-Gefell (UMT 70 or UM 930 I think) , Soundelux U95s, Lawson L47 mkII
Hope this help

[Larry Villella]

I was listening back to the ABC Impulse album (vinyl) "Hues" - Sam Rivers, Jr.
recently. I co-engineered some of the tracks back in 1971 with Sam Rivers III.

What struck me was this - the U-87 we used sounded good on Drum O/H.

They sounded ok on piano. The U-87 was definitely thin and nasal on Sam's
Sax. For the human voice, or complex timbre sources, I just don't think the
U-87 is the best mic. Maybe for some Voice-Actors, not for most Singers.

I know there are fans of the U-87. And I can see if you have a commercial
studio that it would be very important to have bragging rights to having one.

But you'll notice that of all the historical mics that we've Referenced,
ADK Has Never done a U-87 flavor. (Some claim the THOR is, but that
is simply incorrect data - Specs Equivalent to a U-87, not a Tone-Clone).

If you love 'em, God bless you!

I'll take my 67 and 47 for Voice, and would rather have a different mic
on instruments - even a 414 B-ULS. Are they good mics? Sure. But
just because they are pandemic in the studio world doesn't make them
the best tool in the tool-box. Just my 40 year perspective on the matter.


In the end, it's your ears and your audience that matters and nothing else!

[Multicore]

Originally Posted by Larry Villella

I was listening back to the ABC Impulse album (vinyl) "Hues" - Sam Rivers, Jr.
recently. I co-engineered some of the tracks back in 1971 with Sam Rivers III.

What struck me was this - the U-87 we used sounded good on Drum O/H.

They sounded ok on piano. The U-87 was definitely thin and nasal on Sam's
Sax. For the human voice, or complex timbre sources, I just don't think the
U-87 is the best mic. Maybe for some Voice-Actors, not for most Singers.

I know there are fans of the U-87. And I can see if you have a commercial
studio that it would be very important to have bragging rights to having one.

But you'll notice that of all the historical mics that we've Referenced,
ADK Has Never done a U-87 flavor. (Some claim the THOR is, but that
is simply incorrect data - Specs Equivalent to a U-87, not a Tone-Clone).

If you love 'em, God bless you!

I'll take my 67 and 47 for Voice, and would rather have a different mic
on instruments - even a 414 B-ULS. Are they good mics? Sure. But
just because they are pandemic in the studio world doesn't make them
the best tool in the tool-box. Just my 40 year perspective on the matter.


In the end, it's your ears and your audience that matters and nothing else!

Care to name a couple vocalists you've personally recorded with a U87, U67, or U47?

I'd like to check them out.

Thanks!