B was definitely the most balanced, C close in comparison but more sensitive to high and low end frequencies. Definitely an audible difference. Also noticed a lot of background buzz on the C microphone, especially with the guitar segment.
At this point I'm almost sure B is the Rode (too much proximity effect, too muddy because of that and too explosive). He used the high pass filter on the U87 'cause that's the correct way of recording with a U87 BUT you can't compare an U87 with the filter on to a Rode (without filters, it doesn't have one and does have a slight increase in the low frequencies in its frequency response that always make it sound too muddy if you sing so close to it). singing so close to it, knowing from the frequency response diagram that isn't the best way to sing into the Rode.. He used the U87 correctly way and the Rode NT1-A in the wrong way.
I really enjoyed the comparison but was very surprised at the sound of the Neumann which I found thin and almost tinny. I rated them B,C,A in order of preference and thought B was by far my favourite.
I liked the U87 the most, followed by the NT1-A. For a $45 mic, K670 wasn't too bad. The NT1-A had a very familiar sound. I do wonder if EQ can make the mics closer to each-other.
I could identify all mics after the guitar test. I was a little confused because of the low-end, since you didn't tell us about the hp filter. But what I immediately recognised as a owner of the nt1-a was the harsh sibilance and clicking peaks with the nt1-a. B does not sound "rich", it sounds distorted. C sounds comparable to B, but has some noise. With microphone A it does not matter what you play into it and how loud. The response is always natural, flat and undistorted. This is, how I spotted the expensive mic. This gives you a lot of room in the mix.
only %5 of people choose the mic a , i am also in this club :) B is absoluteley distorted and c is too noisy , i dont know which one is the expensive one but A is the best mic in this video.
can see now why the u87 is the choice for top recording...its just plain accurate more than anything else, throw in a bass and it will give bass, no bass means no bass while the others still produce that deep lower end sound...excellent review, most others are usually hard to tell...this made it day and night
Because of the high pass, the U87 didn't sound as good as the Rode. The Rode also has a low mid bump. In terms of clarity, the U87 wins, but this is not able to be judged because you didn't high pass the other mics.
I agree with the others. It doesn't make sense to compare the U87, with the High Pass filter on, to the others, with no filter. When version B comes on, one immediately hears more low end, and in the audio world, louder "seems" better. I hope you can post a new demo, perhaps with other mikes as well. Thanks!!
U87ai HP filter is not a subsonic filter, it is supposed to compensate for proximity effect - it's not a very steep filter, but it's effect is setting in as high as 800Hz already when engaged. Thus this appears not to be the optimal setting for a neutral comparison with other microphones, and could lead to the false conclusion the U87ai is a thin sounding mic lacking 'body', while rather the opposite is the case.
It's hard to get a true comparison listening over RU-vid. Personally, I always feel these kind of comparisons don't hold much water it's like comparing pro video camera to a domestic one, the domestic video camera might give amazing results for the price but you don't see many professional studios using them. At the end of the day studio equipment, time and staffing is expensive and not the place to be saving a few dollars on cheap microphones. That's not to say they're never used, Michael Jackson recorded on SM7's on more than one occasion but that was his choice. Years ago in the IT world there was an old adage which said "nobody ever got fired for buying IBM". Same holds true in the audio world no engineer ever got fired for tracking with a U87
Having turend on the High Pass on the Neumann U87 might have distorted the result considerably. Not a good a idea. You hear especially with the guitars that the u87 sounds clearer in the highs and seems to have a wider dB range without distortion, but the bass is fewer and this may be result of the highpass being turned on.
That was exactly my impression. I was disappointed with my choices after I discovered the identities of the mics. However, I had the RODE in the right spot. Thinking seriously abou t getting one.
This is a tough one. For a guy like me that truly wants to become a mainstream artist, I want the purest vocals I can get. Not only that, but I use quite a lot of instruments in my songs (unlike the basic acoustic demonstration here) and having a quality condenser mic that can make vocals stay up front throughout all those instruments is absolutely VITAL and worth the few grand to me. I have used $100 mics, $500 mics, and a few $2000 plus mics (that I couldn't afford myself at the time), and those $2000+ mics were sooooo much better, and also allowed me to save time by not having to mix the ever-loving CRAP out of the vocal tracks just to make them sound half decent (like I have had to do with cheaper mics).
It's easiest to tell the difference in the last test. B is a bit boomy. It's louder, so it seems better, but A's clarity shines when all the instruments are playing together. You can hear each instrument but on B they all sound muddled together. Don't like C at all.
Have I missed something or you didn't declare the Mics at the end? I liked B the most, but it appeared very different from the other, much darker. C is makng noises and it s not clear so it must be the cheapest. Can I have the answer? thx :)
I'm listening from a voice perspective. B had the best clarity, then A, and C was really muddy on vocals. I like an HP filter, but my voice is too boomy. The 1st singer had a thin low end, so an HPF would lose presence. They should all be HP off or HP on (in DAW if necessary), since many people, even guys, have a thin low-end. That said, I still loved B, mid and high.
I put the most expensive mike last - the NT1a was the best for me. I own one so that is good and it is hands down the best mike I own. So having put the cheap mike ahead of the most expensive it shows me that I just don't know anything.
Great video. i agree about the hpf. The u87 sounded horrible but it's either the hpf, that particular rental is not in optimal condition, or both. Keep in mind that the u87 is variable polar pickup pattern and that adds to its value
That's not the volume that you are hearing on B. That's a denser bottom end which may be perceived as a fuller sound, or sounding larger. Or more simply put, it picks up more bass.
That's so strange. I actually liked mic A the least, so I was surprised when I found out it was the U87. It wasn't horrible but I did have to turn down my volume a lot to make it easier to listen to. I think the best sounding one is NT1-A and the K670 is actually a very close second.
Hello would you consider comparing high end mic press vs low end i.e. ART Voice channel vs. drawer, or Compressors such as the Klark Teknik kt2a vs UA leveling comp. Have the revive Audio modded versions that cost about 750 each. But unmoved these are 259.00 and to my ear sound good. Bottom line does the higher prices purchase you a demonstrably better product in the high end category?
Okay, so it’s been a year now... I would like you to compare the Staller X2 From TechZone vs. Neumann U87 and NT-1 Please... Hit me up when you see this request. Thank You..
Hey Jean-Michel, I'm glad you are enjoying the videos, I'd love to do another (more fair, no HPF) comparison with the u87 in the future. I don't see myself buying any mics for a bit, I was invited to cover the NAMM show this january so I will be saving up for the trip to California. I will keep your request in mind, keep them coming. Thank you for your message, I appreciate your view!
Its listed in upper right corner at 9:49 However, keep in mind that the Neumann had a high pass filter on and was lower in height (less proximity )than the other two which explains why it sounds thinner than the other two A is u87, b is nt1 c Fifine k670
I'm not trying to be critical here, but this "comparison" doesn't work. If you are gonna do a true apples to apples comparison, then you should not have turned on the high pass on the Neumann. It artificially made the Rode sound much more rounded, organic and full compared to the Neumann. So the result is that I know nothing more about these two mics than when I first read the title of the video. I'm sure you're a great engineer, but so far I've been a bit disappointed by your comparison videos. Same with the Scarlett/Apollo Twin Audio Interface comparison. You should have compared them at the highest sample rate they have in common. Still a fan of your channel, but would like to see you get better at comparison videos. No offense intended bro.
I'm stunned. I'm with those who say that using the highpass filter was a huge mistake. It make the Neumann sound cheap, and I know they don't sound cheap. Maybe yours was overused or something. But the Rode... wow, definite budget buster. And the Fifine sounded amazingly good! I want to add that I love the mix and panning of the last track, very tasty.
To bad you had the HP filter on on the Neumann. I believe the results would have been different without the HP filter engaged. I dismissed A every time because it sounded too "thin". But that is because of the HP filter. The NT1 is a nice sounding mike.
I realize this video is nearly a year old, but just happened across it. Why would you use the HPF on the U87? It starts rolling off at 1k, and by the time it gets down to 100 Hz, it's at -10 dB, then -20 dB by 50Hz. That's got to be the most aggressive HPF I've ever seen! No wonder it sounded so thin. Sure, it was clear and the frequencies you weren't rolling off sounded great, but hardly a fair comparison. After listening, C was almost immediately ruled out because of the background hiss that was readily apparent. I'd love to hear the U87 vs the NT1 (not the anniversary) - without the HPF engaged on the U87. The frequency response graphs on those two mics are far more comparable, although the U87 has a much larger presence boost than the NT1. Also, I'd love to hear some voice over / spoken word in the tests in addition to the vocals and instruments. Now to watch some of your other vids :)
@@LearnAudioEngineering ouch... you go through and shoot the entire video only to realize after you've returned the mic and have no way to reshoot. I'm definitely looking forward to a rematch - but you can skip the el-cheapo one this time. Maybe choose a popular USB condenser mic like the AT2020 or Blue Yeti as the third challenger for the next one :)
I thought B was the neuman till the end because A had the harshest treble rolloff.. maybe that was the high pass filter....... the $40 mic was obvious due to background hiss/noise floor.
I'm a rapper recording in a pretty good treated home studio.ehich one would you recommend :Rode NT1A vs Sennheiser MK4 vs Aston Spirit vs Lewitt LCT 440 pure?i know it's a lot of mics but I am very worried about my choice cuz it's a important one
Excellent comparison. Huge shock. A was my least favorite, shocked to find out it was the Neumann, but all of us still want to own one. the NT1-A was respectable and my preferred, could this be cos it was louder in the comparison... Shocked that the Fifine sounded ok... I Still want a Neumann U87 , and a whole locker full of Neumann Microphones, as well as Rode Microphones.. No Fifine love here... Ultimately I think it becomes more about what you can afford. Hopefully we all want to live within our means. in spite of our never ending wants. At the low end I think decency starts with things like an AT2020, below $100, then if you have a bit more money get at NT1-A or the newer NT1, then when you are rich get a Neumann U87 also ....
Thanks for the video. I liked the way B sounded better then C, but I also felt that the C mic was not set at its best level, I thought that I heard some clipping. I felt like the B microphone had the best sounding equalization.
From the very beginning I was sure that A was the most cheap one, it sounded really cheap compared to the others, well, this may be due to the HP. Not good. Over all I thought B sounded best, was not sure if it was NT1-A or U87.
Because he is singing closer to nt1 (same level as his mouth and more proximity) He sounds even more bassy because of how close he is to the upper 2 microphones
yep , liked the A and B first clip, but later in the vid a got confused, was it A or C that sucked ? now they both suck, Well B won for me , But if the lowfilter was not on , maby A would have won? Good vid othervise :) You got my sub on this vid !
The amp comparison wasn't fair at all, the rest it's ok, but you can tell right away that C is the cheaper mic, it's diafragm seems to be closer to its base, and the expensive ones are more centered. Hope you re do the amp comparison using the same position in every mic with a Reamp track
I actually have the Rode NT1, rather than the 1-A in this comparison, and according to Rode they are different designs. I believe the NT1 has a flatter response than the 1-A, so not quite as bright in the highs. It was nice to see the Rode compare so well here (I picked it over the other two without cheating), and reaffirmed for me that Rode is excellent for the money (or maybe excellent, PERIOD), but I do wish the Neumann's HPF wasn't on so it was more apples-to-apples. The FiFine was out of its league here.
1st take - B or C, lean towards C 2nd -C 3rd - B 4th - C 5th - A 6th (Last) - B or C, Lean towards B Really great test, Thanks! Luuuve blind (kinda..) testing!
If you want a mic that is virtually identical to a $3,200 U87, (not nearly $4,000) get a a Tech Zone Stellar X2. I own one. Look up Booth Junkie’s side by side comparison on RU-vid. You won’t be able to tell the difference as he alternates between one mic and the other and talks, until you see on the titles which one he is using at any given moment. Even better is the X3.
Hi Just wanna say that instead of the Record Anything eBook, I got Braurizing Mixing template as a free gift for subscribing. Is it still possible to get the eBook?
I got it right...the FFine was a giveaway with its high noise floor in the quiet passages. The Rode is crisp and the U87 has a flat sound that probably sounds great if you eq it. But $4,000.00 for a microphone? Nah, it's not 1966 anymore and technology has pushed forward. You can get a solid pro mic for between 200-400 dollars...that's the price span more or less and the rest is your personal preference. I found it insulting to hear you call the Rode an Australian aberration. Rode's quality for the price has scared the crap of its very pricy competitors. Excellent quality in the whole line, including USB microphones.
have a question: just getting started in voice overs and podcasting, purchased a rode nt1-a. i have been doing some research and found the yamaha mixer mg10xu, and wanted to know if it would replace getting an interface (such as the focusrite )or do i still need an interface for the mic?
Yes. The interface is for the Preamps to power the microphones, and the Analog/Digital Conversion to get the signal into your computer. As long as the Yamaha has a way to connect the mixer to the computer (USB, Thunderbolt) it should work in place of an interface. Hope this helps.
@Leafyjoe A hi pass filter removes low frequencies, usually below 100Hz, from the signal. I had the filter on from the previous session and forgot about it until after recording this demonstration and it was too late because I had to return the rental. Sorry if this ruined your day, I've gotten over it.
I cannot believe A was the Neumann. There had to be a mistake, it sounded weak compared to the other mics. Especially in the beginning with the singing. The mic seemed weak and distant.
B was my favourite, and I own one. A sounded like shite, but you turned the high pass on, so the bass was entirely flat, which was a bad idea since it skewed the test.
Obviously C boxy piece of crap, I preferred B and thought it was the U87! having just bought the Rode NT1-A I was Amazed at how I liked the way it colored the sounds esp the acoustic guitar. Of course my first listen of this clip was through my iPad. Thanks for your great vid.
I picked up a u87 last week and sorry this video doesn't show its true potential. The u87 is mind blowing. This video was clearly biased towards the u87. I guess people will do anything for views theses days.
Non treated room ... really? There was no test here. Room acoustics will hamper the results. Don't bother comparing anymore Mics until your using an acoustically treated room.
You obviously put a lot of effort into making this video, but there were a number of big mistakes which made the entire video not useful. Using the high pass on the U87 takes away the low end and low mids of the U87, neutering it. It also sounds like the U87 is at a lower volume than the others. It could just be my perception due to using the high pass. The vocal setup was too low and you were too close to sing evenly into all the mics. You even admitted to favoring the rode on that take.
Great test (apart form the use of HPF on Neumann). Well done! C sounds bad. A + B very good. Amazing Aussie value! The Nt2a (vs Nt1a) is even more balanced and slightly smoother, try it if you have the chance. Neumann really should change the HPF setting on the U87ai, it cuts too high up in the frequency spectrum. A lot of work has been put into this video, much appreciated.
@ @@jonathanvenegas7543 I know what a HPF is and am aware of Neumanns ambition to reduce proximity, been using them since the 80s. All engineers, producers, musicians I know of feel the same way. The HPF on the U87 is set way too high up even if the slope is around 6 dB/octave. Usable only if one needs to put the source too close to the mic. For voiceovers it's barely OK (most users prefer more bottom boom than what the filter allows), for music - not good at all, hence my comment. U87s are sensitive to vibrations and low rumble even if the elastic suspension is used, so they often need a HPF. Other mics and preamps usually have much more sensible and usable HPF settings.
After about a million videos watched I realised that cheaper mics are brighter,and more or a lot more expensive ones are warmer and muddier,period. All of us that are bedroom studio artists have no reason for something that expensive because it's just not worth it. DAW's give you ability to make 300 hundred dollars mic sound any way you want it to,and i have a deep voice so I don't need a muddy sounding mic I would rather go for nt1a just because I don't give a fuck about the neumann and his price. Do your thing,keep making music you love,all those prices are nothing to compare with what you can do with your talent.
So. Is the video over? Did I miss something. Not once did I see which mic was A,B, n C. Lol. Wat is the purpose of a shoot out if u dont know what u r listening to n u never once say which is which. I've seen other "blind" comparisons. Just a 411. A blind comparison isn't a comparison. It's just noise.
@@LearnAudioEngineering I like to know wat I'm listening to as I listen. That's just me. So u have to be left in the dark not knowing wat u r listening to for 10 minutes. By the time u see which is which u have forgotten wat u were listening to n how they sounded. Not just ur video but any video that does that. N there have been several. Very irritating. Like u know something I dint know but u ain't telling. Ull sneak it in at the very end. N oh I'm suppose to remember that u said u would put it at the end that is if I caught that since u said it as a quick side note like it didnt really matter n that is actually the only thing that mattered. Just nevermind. If u don't get wat I'm saying it's just no use.
C sounded compressed and really noisy, so I'll eliminate that. A lacked bottom end, but it sounded like it had some low-frequency roll-off turned on. B sounded the fullest and best, but I suspect A would sound best without the HPF on.
Woah hold on a second, my studio has a U87 and it sounded nothing like this, A & C mic is worse in all of these examples, but it sounded nothing like a U87, it's much better sounding than what you have here and definitely better than the NT1-A, I have entered my preference for B but only in this video.
