is a neumann u87 worth it

Rocket Boy

New member
are they worth how much they cost. how would you describe the sound of them? is it better to get a few cheaper mics to have variety, or is that just for people who dont want to shell out of the money for really great mics?

thanks...
 
Yes, they are worth the $1500 or so you can get them on ebay for, but not the $2700 or so they want to retail it for. Question #2- If I was building a microphone cabinet, I'd probably choose some cheap mics that work, some mid priced mics that work, and eventually whatever kickass mic makes my voice sound good.
What is it good for? It's a very versatile mic that is good for vocals, acoustic guitar, and even percussion, if you're brave enough to put it in the way of a drumstick. If you are looking for the Neumann sound, and versatility, instead of buying a used U87ai on ebay, consider Soundelux ifet7. Really-

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/mercenary-audio/soundeluxifet7.html

Good luck-Richie
P.S- You asked what it sounds like- It's clear, with a high midrange boost, just like many cheap vocal mics. Why? because those cheap mics are all trying to sound like a Neumann U87! The difference is, the Neumann doesn't sound like a cheap vocal mic.
You know, you can put Christie Brinkley and Anna Nicole in the same little black dress, and one of them willl still be trashy, the other, a supermodel.
 
How much does it cost to get Christie Brinkley to act trashy?:D

She won't need the little black dress, either. Just some opera pumps/hose/& garters will do just fine............. maybe a highly boned-corset!!!!!!!
 
Originally posted by Rocket Boy
"are they worth how much they cost."


I think they're wroth the cost.

"how would you describe the sound of them?"

Good

"is it better to get a few cheaper mics to have variety, or is that just for people who dont want to shell out of the money for really great mics?"

Get both.
 
Definately a great mic. Just tried it on horns for my band, and it worked great. Although i did cut at 3kz on them. Worked out great.

But it might not be worth it unless you have a good preamp to go along with it.

Danny
 
How important is it?

I guess what the question really is asking for is how IMPORTANT will your recording be that requires a great mic at whatever expense. Consider for a moment that your band is finishing up an album and all the backing tracks are complete except the vocal track since all you have with your recordings are nothing but scratch vocal tracks. You would probably get the warmest tube mic preamp that matches your voice and if you couldn't afford it, you would probably rent a U87 just for that purpose for that extra oomph in your recording, wouldn't you? I would (well knowing how my voice sounds, I need all the help I could get). But remember, try them before you buy, the best mic may not be the best match for your voice. I myself use a beta 57 instead of a large condenser since the clarity of my condensers emphasize certain "scratchy" nuances in my voice that a dynamic mic hides, notwitstanding it is not too accurate, somewhat "muffled", not as smooth and warm (compared to a condenser).
 
seriously
Are you gonna make money with the thing, or do you just have that kind of expendable income?
I've done side by side A-B comparisons with a U87 and an MXL 2001, and the $2400 difference (retail) wasn't gonna impress MY clients. Still, the U87 IS one of the sweetest sounding mics in the world. Dont forget, you really need two of them, so you can do stereo micing or drum o/h......

Anyway, the MXLs were much cheaper, as were their shockmounts. About $30 vs Neumans for about $350. Thats right. For the price of one Neuman shockmount, I got a pair of 2001s w/shckmnts, and still had beer money.

To be fair, the 2001s have only one pattern and no pad or roll-off, but how often, in a small studio, will you REALLY use anything other than a cardioid pattern?

I do this for a living and still cant justify a Neuman (although, not a day passes that I dont try :^P )

Iv'e heard modified MXLs that were even closer to the U87, almost scary.

BTW, Tony A has a good point, too. I know I've used sm57s on vocals for the same reason....
 
I think Guido made the point. If you're looking for a great cheap mic, there are plenty, although the 2001 wouldn't be at the top of my list. The question is, do you *need* a kickass mic, and if you do know enough about recording to *use* this kickass mic- Why do you need people here to help you choose how to build your mic cabinet?
Don't get me wrong. I bought a kickass mic when I didn't deserve it, (a B.L.U.E. KIWI), and it has served me well. I have never regretted buying it. Is the U87 a kickass mic? Yes. It it the mic you need right now? That depends on whether the thing you want to record sounds good through a U87, and the rest of your signal chain. You owe it to yourself to have a pretty good idea of what some of these mics really do, both cheap and expensive, before you lay out that kind of cabbage for a great mic that may not be what you need. In the end, you probably will rarely regret owning a U87.-Richie
 
Ill bet the u87 never came with a free 184 for $199

Mods can be done and the capsule is good but for the most part the 2001 is only good for a few things...not as bad some of the posts arround here...I use mine for voice over stuff.
 
richard has the point, that there are plenty of good sounding cheap mics out therethat will make great recordings. A mic is only as good as you know how to use it......
I just picked the 2001 from experience
There are others: I've seen some at Sweetwater that looked interesting, called Studio Projects, or something like that
 
I've used U87's many times at other studios. They are worth every penny. I don't have one in my own studio, however. None of the clients that record at my studio would know a Neumann from a Radio Shack mic. They only care that their finished product sounds Pro. Having a U87 would not bring any additional money into my studio. It would just be an ego purchase. I purchase mics that get me close to the same quality, but at a much more reasonable price. Many years ago, I rented a U48 because a producer insisted it was the only mic that would work for his artist. I put it up and compared it to a CAD E-200. Yes, the Neumann was a better sounding mic, but, it wasn't a night and day difference. It took some serious critical listening to tell the difference. I doubt very much that the "discriminating" producer would have been able to tell the difference once the mix was done. There are lots of great mics that will get you close to the quality of a U87 at half the price.
 
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