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I've been looking for a good all-purpose large-diaphragm condensor and I just found a good deal on a used U87Ai locally. It was purchased new and never used, so it's pretty-much brand new. I can get it for $1,450, which seems like a pretty good deal. But then I think to myself that I could get a Shure KSM44 for less than half that price or an AT4050 for less than a third of that price. Is the U87 worth the extra, or would I just be paying extra for the Neumann name? I'm really torn.

Someone please talk me through this decision!

Comments

anonymous Fri, 09/05/2003 - 12:05

Originally posted by scenaria:
...what are you looking to record?

Everything, but most often vocals and acoustic guitars.

...nothing beats simply listening to them for yourself and letting your ears be the judge

If I could get them all in my studio together for a few weeks, that would be a great strategy. But I can't, so I'm just looking for some outside opinions to help me with my choice.

anonymous Fri, 09/05/2003 - 13:22

Originally posted by AudioGaff:
This was very recently covered.

Well, I'm not really asking "Which is the best vocal mic" or "Is the U87 the only mic worth having". But I take it from those threads that you find the U87 to be significantly (i.e. 15% - 25%) "better" or "more useful" than a 4050 and that overall you feel it is a good investment. Consider that noted.

Davedog Fri, 09/05/2003 - 16:02

Thats a decent price for a very decent mic.Its one of those mics tht 'may' work on a lot of sources.It also may not.If you are planning on using it for your own vocals then I would give it a very detailed listen.If you are getting it as a purposed vocal mic for an array of vocalists I would think twice about it.For the same amount of money you can buy three really decent mics and cover a larger pallette of sounds.The U87ai is not my favorite, though it is a Neumann.

Attached files Image removed.

Alécio Costa Tue, 09/09/2003 - 10:32

Someone told me that new U87´s are completly different from those manufactured pre-Sennheiser age.
I compared an At4050 with a U87, for vocals and accordion:
1)U87 is fuller under 240Hz. Vocals sounded deeper
2)At4050 has a slight bump around 8k/12k, which can provide sibilant tracks with some vocalists. So verify mic placement.
3)At4050 had more gain than the U87 vintage model.
However, for 1/3 of the price and as Roger Nichols mentioned at a past EQ issue, this microphone rules, could be more expensive.

anonymous Wed, 09/10/2003 - 13:33

Greetings J,

Originally posted by jroberts:
If I could get them all in my studio together for a few weeks, that would be a great strategy. But I can't, so I'm just looking for some outside opinions to help me with my choice.

Couldn't you hire them all for a week or two? I know it'll cost money but, as has already been mentioned, nothing beats evaluating them for yourself.

HTH