neumann clones

[perceive]

Just interested to see what neumann u87 clones people have tried.. there seem a ton of chinese clones these days.. and what people favourite is.
Yes this is me asking for information about a mic that i otherwise could not afford..

 

[sound125]

I haven't found any budget U87 clones. The only budget mics I've heard that are smooth on the top end are the Audio Technicas. But it still doesn't make them a Neumann.

 

[jonnyc]

Yep, not really any u87 clones out there and if there are some claiming to be they probably aren't that close to the real thing. There are clones of more regarded neumann's like the u47 and u67. All that aside if your going for budget mics then just try some out and find out works best for you, don't buy something because it's a clone of something else.

 

[mrhotapples]

Here's a manual for the U87ai:
U87ai

Here's a manual for the AKG Perception 100/200:

Perception 100/200

I've never used either microphone, but their frequency response plots are really similar and I've heard that if you don't get a lemon, the perception 100 is a very, very nice mic.

I dunnoz. They're held in high regard for a reason. Copies are only going to come close.

 

[xstatic]

The Percepetion 100 is most likely only held in high regards by people who have not used the better stuff

 

[darnold]

i have done a few a/b tests with a studio projects C1 up against a neumann u87 (older 80s model) and i was quite surprised by how similar they actually do sound. Of course the Neumann was smoother top and tighter lows but i thought the general characteristic does work similar. That was a few years ago im sure they have other mics that do better or perhaps the newer model C1s might fix some of the smoothness on the top.

danny

 

[jonnyc]

The Percepetion 100 is most likely only held in high regards by people who have not used the better stuff

Exactly. Most people who know their mics also know not to give frequency charts any kind of real credibility. They are not a good indicator of how a mic will sound.

 

[chessrock]

Take your pick. At least 95% of the cheap Chinese crap on the market is some sort of variation on an attempt to copy that mic ... or it's capsule, or both.

BTW; the original Rode NT2s come sort of close, in my humblest of opinions.

.

 

[jonnyc]

Take your pick. At least 95% of the cheap Chinese crap on the market is some sort of variation on an attempt to copy that mic ... or it's capsule, or both.

BTW; the original Rode NT2s come sort of close, in my humblest of opinions.

.

Would you agree that frequency charts are rubbish and don't factor in how well the mic processes the particular frequencies?

 

[kojdogg]

Take your pick. At least 95% of the cheap Chinese crap on the market is some sort of variation on an attempt to copy that mic ... or it's capsule, or both.

yep-- this is pretty clear

BTW; the original Rode NT2s come sort of close, in my humblest of opinions.

.

the nt-2 (not nt-2a) does get a lot of love-- i've seen it mentioned in a lot of interviews with established pros. the original nt-1 is also said by many to be better than the newer nt-1a's. there's also the "legend" p) of the dapro u-87 clones...

 

[sound125]

i have done a few a/b tests with a studio projects C1 up against a neumann u87 (older 80s model) and i was quite surprised by how similar they actually do sound. Of course the Neumann was smoother top and tighter lows but i thought the general characteristic does work similar. That was a few years ago im sure they have other mics that do better or perhaps the newer model C1s might fix some of the smoothness on the top.

danny

The C1 is a brittle sounding mic and not something I would choose as a substitute for a U87. A smoother sounding mic would be the AT4040.

 

[kidvybes]

BTW; the original Rode NT2s come sort of close, in my humblest of opinions.

...that's exactly correct...pretty much a blatant copy...and used on many pro recordings when it first circulated...
...but here's the rub...when Rode pulled production of that mic out of China (I believe 727Audio was doing the work), Behringer negotiated taking over that production run and thus the original B2 (prior to the B2-Pro)...I had an original B2 and a Rode NT2 and they were identical in terms of casing, capsule and grill, but what Rode did was replace the inner circuit boards with their own (made in Austrailia) circuitry (better caps and components)...that was Rode's initial venture into "manufacturing"...and the NT2 is still considered the "poor man's" Neumann...

...here's a prime example (at a good price):
http://cgi.ebay.com/RODE-NT2-DBX-MI...ryZ41466QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[perceive]

Okay now we are starting to see a bit of what I was hoping for - I know none of these mics will be a neumann - but then considering their cost here (and even import costs from the US or anywhere) I figured it would be very worth seeing what people's other experiences with similar were like..

Thanks for the ebay link for the NT2 as well..


Really, I am very much looking forward to hearing more opinions both good and bad, about the issues of how close can they be for what price difference...
Unless some generous soul wants to donate one??? (Hey, I had to ask )

 

[perceive]

Yep, not really any u87 clones out there and if there are some claiming to be they probably aren't that close to the real thing. There are clones of more regarded neumann's like the u47 and u67. All that aside if your going for budget mics then just try some out and find out works best for you, don't buy something because it's a clone of something else.

Hope you don't mind me asking if any of these clones are well done? My brain is in information soak mode so I may as well ask now rather than later!

 

[kidvybes]

Hope you don't mind me asking if any of these clones are well done? My brain is in information soak mode so I may as well ask now rather than later!

...if you have the cash, I'd grab that NT2 on eBay...for $150 you probably won't find a better condenser mic, especially since the circuitry is not OEM Chinese...what you are getting is a "modded" Chinese OEM mic with boutique-quality circuitry...I have sold off most of my Chinese condensers over the years, but I won't sell the NT2...if you saw the circuit boards that are used in an NT2 (compared to your typical OEM Chinese condenser) you'd grab that mic tonight and get down to tracking some tunes...that's a very sweet little mic for very little dollars...from there I'd go to the Shure SM7 (dynamic, not condenser and nothing to do with clones, Neumann or otherwise) for more than twice the price...but that's just me...

...I mean, jeez...did you see what the other NT2 on eBay is going for?...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rode-NT2-Microp...ryZ29950QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[perceive]

...if you have the cash, I'd grab that NT2 on eBay...for $150 you probably won't find a better condenser mic, especially since the circuitry is not OEM Chinese...what you are getting is a "modded" Chinese OEM mic with boutique-quality circuitry...I have sold off most of my Chinese condensers over the years, but I won't sell the NT2...if you saw the circuit boards that are used in an NT2 (compared to your typical OEM Chinese condenser) you'd grab that mic tonight and get down to tracking some tunes...that's a very sweet little mic for very little dollars...from there I'd go to the Shure SM7 (dynamic, not condenser and nothing to do with clones, Neumann or otherwise) for more than twice the price...but that's just me...

...I mean, jeez...did you see what the other NT2 on eBay is going for?...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rode-NT2-Microp...ryZ29950QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And I never buy from anyone with feedback that low! Not a good start for that fellow...

 

[HeyHeyMyMy]

...if you have the cash, I'd grab that NT2 on eBay...for $150 you probably won't find a better condenser mic, especially since the circuitry is not OEM Chinese...what you are getting is a "modded" Chinese OEM mic with boutique-quality circuitry...I have sold off most of my Chinese condensers over the years, but I won't sell the NT2...if you saw the circuit boards that are used in an NT2 (compared to your typical OEM Chinese condenser) you'd grab that mic tonight and get down to tracking some tunes...that's a very sweet little mic for very little dollars...from there I'd go to the Shure SM7 (dynamic, not condenser and nothing to do with clones, Neumann or otherwise) for more than twice the price...but that's just me...

...I mean, jeez...did you see what the other NT2 on eBay is going for?...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rode-NT2-Microp...ryZ29950QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And the shipping is listed as being $122. Yikes!

 

[XLR]

...I'd grab that NT2 on eBay...for $150 you probably won't find a better condenser mic, especially since the circuitry is not OEM Chinese...what you are getting is a "modded" Chinese OEM mic with boutique-quality circuitry...I have sold off most of my Chinese condensers over the years, but I won't sell the NT2...if you saw the circuit boards that are used in an NT2 (compared to your typical OEM Chinese condenser) you'd grab that mic tonight and get down to tracking some tunes...that's a very sweet little mic for very little dollars...

I have an NT2 I haven't brought out of the mic cabinet for a while. After that testimonial I'll have to give it another listen.

 

[darnold]

The C1 is a brittle sounding mic and not something I would choose as a substitute for a U87. A smoother sounding mic would be AT4040 the AT4040.

a smoother sounding mic would be AT4040 the AT4040 but its not close to the characteristic of the Neumann u87 either.

Compared to a real u87 yes it is brittle but i would still say they are similar in characteristic. Infact there was a time when i used it next to a u87 and was happy with the results. But like i also said the highs are not as smooth and the low/low mids were not as tight. Besides i think the u87 is bright and can be brittle anyway. The mic that i thought was nearly identical was a microtech gefell um70 i had. thats a bit more pricey though.

Of all the mics in that range that i have used i would say the C1 has come the closest. Have you ever ab'd a u87 next to an AT4040 before?

Danny

 

[jonnyc]

Hope you don't mind me asking if any of these clones are well done? My brain is in information soak mode so I may as well ask now rather than later!

Yeah so well done they charge an assload for them. I bunch of high end companies have basically taken shots at doing their own version of the u series mics, especially the u47. You're looking at a least a couple grand for one of the clone mics.