Neumann U 87 Ai

Neumann U87 Ai is a recording microphone that is based around a condenser technology.

OVERALL OPINION

This product is a legend , it has over 70 000 of users and everybody that has ever used it , loved it.

The quality of it , that light design , Neumann technology , perfect combination that can be only found on Neumann products.

I like the fact that this is has a variable large-diaphragm , it has a high pass and attenuator to reduce noise and not necessary incoming signals and also a very powerful low cut filter to cut out the humming and other low frequencies.

Another great thing about this mic , are the polar patterns that are omnidirectional, cardioid, and figure-8 and that are guarded by a grille to not get damaged.

It has a A 10 dB attenuation switch, and something that's really wow it can support up to 127 dB without getting any type of distorsion.

My opinion about the value for the price isn't so great , this is a very expensive product , the price goes around 3600$ to even 4000 $ , a lot of money and considering how diverse the condensers microphones market is , you could probably get a better deal in terms of price and quality.

I've tried several condenser microphones , this is probably the most used in studios and home studios , due to its reputation , design , sound capture and durability over time.

Having said that , this mic is amazing , the only down side to it , is the price , but if money is not a problem you should check this mic out.

Knowing what I know, I don't think I would try or buy this microphone again mainly because everyday the technology evolves and you can find a better deal.

Specifications:
Microphone Type - Condenser
Polar Pattern(s) - Cardiod, Omni, Figure-8
Frequency Response - 20Hz-20kHz
Max SPL - 117 dB (ardioid) THD 0.5%); 127 dB THD 0.5% with preattenuation
Output Impedance - 200 ohms
Signal to Noise Ratio - 68/71/69 dB CCIR (rel. 94 dB SPL); 79/82/80 dB A-weighted (rel. 94 dB SPL)
Self Noise - 26/23/25 dB CCIR; 15/12/14 dB-A A-weighted
Pads - 10 dB
Length - 7.87"
Width - 2.2"
Depth - 2.2"
Weight - 1.1 lbs.

I use this microphone for studio recording. I wouldn't trust it with live sound because it's too expensive.

OVERALL OPINION

This microphone sounds great. Well really, it sounds like nothing. It sounds totally transparent. Whatever you put into this mic will come out on the same on the recording. Because of this I don't always like using it on certain applications. For example, it sounds great on vocals but if the singer doesn't sound great it will show up on the recording. As long as your sound source is good it sounds great. I use it on vocals pretty frequently and on acoustic instruments. It like it on orchestral strings and on horns as well. You really get what you pay for with this mic. It is expensive but you can't replace its sound with a cheaper mic. I would buy this mic again if I had a surplus of money. You can get great sounds with cheaper mics but if you have the money this is irreplaceable.