U87 vintage

Congratulations on becoming a dad and Congratulations on buying a quality microphone! The U87's from that period of time generally sound terrific and will also hold their value into the future. An excellent solid purchase!I have found that these microphones sound pretty terrific through most preamps, but probably my favorite pairing is with a 1073. This is a classic signal path, you've probably heard U87s through 1073s on a ton of records. I personally use a BAE 1073 and I am almost always happy with the results. I also enjoy it through a Pendulum MDP-1 if I want something more open and sparkley (is that a word?) I also like to run it through an API 3124+ on electric guitars.Full disclosure, I own five "battery compartment" U87s, 3 stock and 2 modded by Klaus Heyne. So I'm biased...For some reason there's a bunch of folks here on Gearspace who like to hate on U87s. Don't let them get you down! U87s have been a staple of the professional recording industry for decades for a reason. If I'm using my vintage u87, I usually use the preamps in my API console and an adjustable low cut filter (API 565). Some singers don't need much compression, but if they do, I like the API 525 or Urei La3a.Another chain I like is U87 to Altec 1567a to Urei LA4.Or U87 to Empirical Labs Mike-E for things that are crazy dynamic and percussive or might need some grit.I like trying different things for each situation. My Favorite U87 chains always include a few choobs in the chain! Fave presently is 1973 U87 into a Weight Tank WT72 (V72 clone) into an opto into a bluestripe 1176ab Three best mic preamp matches for an " O.G." U87 on vocals:1) "O.G." Neve Mic preamp works well for both rap and rock. The original transformers smooths out the midrange,, a sound we've heard on many recordings. When you kick in the second stage you can make the right vocal appear bigger( watch out for distortion).2) "O.G." Tubetech MP1A not the MP2A- works well for singers, R&B and soul. The old transformers smooths out the grain in the old U87's and makes them almost "smoky" and "vintage". 3) The RND Shelford Channel- to me the best match for today's clear and open vocal recordings. With the Shelford Channel facilities you can pretty much make the old U87 vocal sound dissappear and it becomes something of a hybrid which brings the old sound into the present.

Large-diaphragm condenser microphone Product Description Great on vocals, overheads, acoustic guitars or just about anything. The U87 was originally designed by Gerhart Bore of Neumann as a solid-state replacement for the very successful U67 tube microphone, (somewhat ironically, the U87 was debuted in 1967). The mic used the new K87 capsule, which was sonically identical to the K67 capsule, but utilized phantom power instead of an external PSU. In order to guarantee usability in the absence of a power source, the microphone body was fitted with a pair of 22.5v batteries to power the mic.By 1986, when phantom power had become an industry standard, there was no longer a need for the battery compartment, and so the chamber was modified to house a DC/DC converter instead, and these mics are designated U87A. The output of this version is 6dB higher, with a noise floor that is 4dB lower than the original U87. Those models that had an XLR connector instead of a Tuchel are designated U87 Ai. More Information Condition Used / Vintage Capsule Type K87 Transducer Type Condenser Reviews No one has written a review yet. Be the first!

Gear Addict Joined: Aug 2010 🎧 10 years Help me build a killer vocal chain for my vintage U87! Since we became parents in the past month, I've only had limited testing time with this amazing mic (76 original capsule) I purchased. I've tried combinations of the below and so far, going into the 110 LE pre with a small cut around 3.5khz then into the modded Warm is my favorite, preserves the detail and has a nice bit of glow / warmth at least on my test vox. I felt it was a tad plasticy / lacking weight/depth or something so I pushed the Warm into the Stam just a tad with very low reduction and had a nice bit of hair, but easily overdid it I felt and maybe would benefit from Opto or vari mu instead of two linked FETs haha.Then again, when I re-tried the Silver Bullet on Neve setting with only a little bit of input rather than mixing with API and going hard, I really liked that direction too maybe just as much. I probably just need to play more with it.Styles pretty varies but mostly rnb / pop / edm / hip hop stuff, and outside of my own vox will sometimes work with a few vocalist collaborators who all sound good on an 87My setup / components available for chain besides the mics:-Treated bedroom/closetPre's / Eqs-Louder than Liftoff Silver Bullet-Focusrite ISA 110 LECompressors-Stam SA-76-Warm WA76 (with Revive Audio Mod)-Audioscape G Bus CompConverter-RME ADI 2 PRO FSOpen to all ideas into how to bring the most magic out of a vintage U87, particularly compressors in the chain.Thanks! Last edited by ThePremiere; 29th January 2022 at 12:45 AM.. Reason: Clarity Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 4,054 🎧 15 years Try the Buzz audio velox or look at the Gainlab Audio Dictator dual mono pentode Want that Fairchild 670 or Gates sta level fits in a mix perfectly sound ? Thank me later. Cheers Gear Addict There are way too many factors to give any advice. It's a good mic. I have a 1st gen U87 and it sounds good through gear that sounds good. SSL, Avalon, Neve, API, etc preamps all sound good with it. Same goes for comps, EQs, etc. It just depends on the source and what you're going for. Buy gear you know sounds great and experiment. Quote: Originally Posted by ThePremiere ➡️ Since we became parents in the past month, I've only had limited testing time with this amazing mic (76 original capsule) I purchased. I've tried combinations of the below and so far, going into the 110 LE pre with a small cut around 3.5khz then into the modded Warm is my favorite, preserves the detail and has a nice bit of glow / warmth at least on my test vox. I felt it was a tad plasticy / lacking weight/depth or something so I pushed the Warm into the Stam just a tad with very low

Gear Maniac Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 256 🎧 15 years U87 on kick. How close can you go? Hi,This is my first thread, but I have been reading for years. Tracking guide drums in an isolated small live wooden paneled room with no primary and hardly any secondary reflections. 122 on overheads, 414 on Toms, 57 top/bot of snare, D112 on kick and U87 as low room mic. I can go an additional 122, 421, 414 or even 58 on kick. I don't own a 147. The U87 shines on the kit, especially the way it breaks up the bottom end of the kick. Tried duplicating the break-up with outboard high end outboard, but nothing shines like the U87 on the kick. The musician/fellow engineer is unhappy that I will not go closer than 4 foot with the U87 on a closed back rock kick. It's my only U87 and I value it. How close can the U87 handle? I assume the high dBSPL distorts the diaphragm? If the mic is not distorting, then what are my concerns?Thanks Registered User Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 372 🎧 15 years I've gone 6" to a foot off the outside skin lots of times, (Its not a ribbon mic). It was an old u87, not the AI version sounded great. Then again who knows I've never had any issues, but depending on how hard a hitter the drummer is might not sound so hot. I just put outside BD mic where it sounds