Thanks, great shootout! U87ai for me - actually I prefer it over the vintage U87, too - it excells in clarity and balance. I just wish Neumann wouldn't have reduced the headroom by 5dB with the Ai version: I often have to be careful to not clip the U87ai when recording some slightly more powerful vocals - FET clipping is NASTY!
@@tom_k_d thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I think the AI is a great mic and definitely gets a lot of undeserved hate because it sounds different from a U87i. It is certainly a great mic on its own and I can see why you would pick it as your favorite. Thanks again for checking out the video!
Vintage. 1997. Serrano. Beeneez. serrano. I don’t know Josh, both Neumann are close. Serrano and beezneez are close. Warm was also surprisingly decent. I really thought I’d like the beesneez the most based on the u67 video. I’m gonna have a few more listens. Thanks for vid
@@henryhuynh2099 I was most surprised by the Warm! I'm going to do a comparison video soon between the BeesNeez 87 and 67. The 67 feels VERY different to sing into, much better than the BU87 to me. I love the BU87 on instruments though. Having said that, even though I enjoyed the end result, I didn't like singing into the vintage Neumann either so the BeesNeez probably is the closest to the original 😁
Yep..... I thought that the Serrano 87 sounded especially awesome! The vintage prices are crazy - and always a gamble. At least with the U87ai you don't have to worry about what shape it's in! Thanks again
I’d def agree with you @BB Music I was listening to the shoutout blind as that’s really the only way one should to get rid of any bias honestly 👍 I was so pleasantly surprised with how vintage , smooth , fat yet modern the Serrano 87 sounded with its slightly enhanced top end and the sonic similarity between the vintage 87i in all its other frequencies range even though the Beesneez was in between them which stands its own I must say and really an awesome mic . I jumped between the vintage and Serrano too by omitting the Beesneez a few times too and I was amazed at how Carlos has so well understood the soul of the Neumann 87i & 87Ai to be able to give a new mic that’s got the best of both these legendary microphones & a thing of beauty by itself !! Kudos to Carlos and thanks for giving me what I’ve been looking for as my dream version of the 87 thereby 😎😎👍
I have had 2 occasions where an artist brought their vintage U87 to the studio to record. I have a few of the newer ai87's. both times i asked the artist if I could put up the newer 87s to see what sounded best. both times i did this....i put both capsules directly on top of one another......ran them both through a Neve DPA with the same settings. then after I normalized the files to make sure the levels were match. both times i did this...i asked the artist to listen to A and B. in both so these cases they described 1 of the mics to sound noticeably better. in both cases it was the new 87. Sadly both artists were pretty saddened by their discovery seeing how much they had paid for a vintage 87. Many people fool themselves in these situations. the brain is a crazy thing. In most cases people really do hear things to sound "better".....but more often that not it is information bias that literally changes what you believe you are hearing. I can't tell you how many times this has been proven to myself and others over my career. It is a real thing founded by hard science. I love your videos bro! you are doing some great work......and perfect advice you have prescribed at the end of this one. 100%. keep up the good work.
Man, that's so awesome that you took the time to do that! Nothing beats a well done blind test in your own space, on your own projects to see what works best for you. I wish more people would take the time to do it! It's crazy how convincing our minds can be one way or another. I really appreciate your kind words 👊🏼
I agree the placebo effect is a wild thing. As long as the artist is sane. The Mind will drive you wild and trick u. The more you let go the easier it is to decide what’s for you.
Confirmation bias is a big deal! Is the reason ppl pay too much and or have a hard time getting along, tons of things ha. Would be awesome to try the newer 87 against a random cheap mic- I’m sure the Normann mics / 87s are just super overrated.
I don’t think the microphone is that overly important. In many classic recordings with the old versions of U87 it sounds so good that if the new version of the U87 was available at the time, it probably would not make a difference in the final mix
Excellent Shootout! Thanks for taking the time and effort to do. I know a lot goes into this, so it's much appreciated. Very informative and will definitely help a lot of potential buyers, whichever they decide. I 100% agree that in the case of the 87-style mics, these lower priced options make much more sense. There are certain vintage pieces that have some magic that is very difficult to reproduce, especially in cases where original parts that affect the sound are no longer available. But now we have better priced options with brand new components that will perform for years without having to worry about when something is going to give out. Keep up the great work as always.
I really appreciate your kind words! I’ve always done this stuff for years now to figure out the best gear for my studio, it’s fun to be able to bring others along for the ride now. Hopefully I can save other engineers some time and sometimes money 😁
@@SeawellStudiosthis is the reason I came to this review are those beezneez mics. They just sounded a tad darker, almost like the tlm67 over the u87 top end. They felt really three dimensional though. Delicate material, tough decisions. Thank you for all the great reviews and videos. Really well done and much appreciated by many. 🙏
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I found the Serrano 87 to be the best sounding to me and will be purchasing one in the next week or two. I was tossing around the idea to get the warm audio clone but thankfully you showed me the light.. "hallelujah" 🤘😉✌
All the mics are pretty damn close. I have had a vintage 87 as well as one from 1986. You always do great shootouts. Thanks again and keep up the great work
I had a preference for mic A in the first test, but they all sounded good. Your shootout proved once again why recording with a large condenser microphone in an isolated space, works so well to capture detail & articulation at low to moderate sound levels.
You’re right, that is where large diaphragm condensers really shine. I’m so glad we have all these great options available to us today! Thanks for checking out the video and for sharing your thoughts!
Hello! I hope you've doing well. Thanx for video! I'm voiceover artist and month ago I've bought new u87Ai because price was attractive for me - little less than three grands, because I've have enough money at the moment and because I was dreamed about it long time. And now when I've at last got it, I've start to hear comments on RU-vid like a "ai version comparing the vintage sounds like a plastic box", "ai version have a horroble resonance on 3900hz", "Neumanns long time produces in China". So now I've little bit frustrated and dismoraled and I think maybe I would bought a vintage u87 or a new version u67 or even some good clone of u47 or m49 tube instead u87ai. I see you are very expirienced in audio recording sphere so maybe you'll tell me some good analyse. Thank you again.
Hello! Congrats on picking up a U87ai! It is a fantastic microphone, don't worry about at all about some of the negative things you've heard. People love to complain about audio gear, especially when it is expensive. A vintage U87 and AI do sound a bit different but that's not to say the AI is bad at all. I would probably even prefer it for voiceover applications to be honest due to its lower noise and reliability/warranty. So to sum it up, I think you have a fantastic mic and as long as you enjoy the way it sounds, just block out all the negative noise! Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and comment, I truly appreciate it.
Thank you for making these videos, you gave me the chance to learn many things, first of all to trust my ears after trying for years to analyze many salient aspects of the best records in history. I commented on the Part1 video in which I said I preferred Mic B and C, when I discovered the results and listened to your considerations I was happy to have found that my perceptions were not wrong, despite the limitations we often attribute to the RU-vid codec. In any case, the good configuration of the monitors with a good acoustic treatment of my room and above all the listening done at well calibrated levels helped me a lot. The effort you put into making these videos is really of great value to all of us. Thank you.
I truly appreciate your kind words! I'm so glad you've found these videos useful. You can also download the files to listen in full resolution to make sure the RU-vid codec isn't changing the sound too much here: www.dropbox.com/home/Seawell%20Studios%20RU-vid%20Channel/U87%20Shootout/Seawell%20Studios_U87%20Shootout%20Files Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I definitely put a lot of effort into these so it's so rewarding to hear that these videos are being enjoyed by fellow engineers. God Bless!
i own a matching pair of Neumann U87 from 1976 , i am used to them for more than 40 years and i love them . But the Warm Audio is a great mike and i was very impressed by this wonderful piece of gear . i liked this video very much and your words of your summing up at the end put a smile on my face because of the contained truth . congrats !
Thanks for checking out the video and for your comment! Wow, a matching pair from 1976, that's awesome! I really appreciate you, as a vintage 87 owner contributing to this conversation. Your opinion definitely carries a lot of weight. Thanks again!
The U87 is more open sounding but the Warm Audio sounds slightly saturated in a nice way. Probably from the tantalum capacitors. In a busy song mix, it may be impossible to tell which is which
I agree, it was a nice surprise. I could see it really being useful for times you want something a bit cleaner. It's funny, when I posted the blind part 1 of the shootout most people picked the Warm. No one had a problem with it until they knew what it was 😁
It’s pretty apparent to me (of course subjective) but the warm sounded the warmest. Pun intended lol. Honestly though. Things were a little harsh almost sounding at times on the real U87’s and I was really blown away. I own the WA87 R2 so I’m really happy to see it go toe to toe with the real stuff and truly hold its own.
Nice work on this! Thank you for doing it! I tried the original Stam 87 and the Beesneez. They just didn't give me the detail and intimacy a real 87 could. I ended up finding a killer deal on a U87ai. I'm really happy with it. But the Warm was really surprising!
Thanks, I really appreciate you checking out the video! The warm definitely surprised me the most! Glad you found a deal on an AI. For the right price, they would be hard to beat!
@@RockmannMusic I was referring to the warm audio mic. What are you referring to? I thought the Warm was the cleanest, least muffled of the bunch so not sure what you're saying here.
@@SeawellStudios Thanks for your well-done comparison. I was refering to the Warm Audio Mic. IMO it lacks detail and the forward coming mids from the Neumann U87 [. . and their WA-251 sounds hard in the top end. If a company is using model numbers from well know vintage mics than there is an expectation . . and than there is reality] Nonetheless, without context this WA is good enough for quality recording. I think the BeezNeez ticked the boxes very well. Different opinions
Thanks Josh for your good, fair and thorough shootout of these 5 Mic's. I liked and agree with your opinion that these are all very good microphones. I found it difficult to choose a favourite thought maybe between C,D & E though when relistening I didn't dislike A or B. I have BU87 which i think is a great mic. (your reveiw was very helpful when I was considering it a few years ago). Cheers
Nicely done! C and D were my favs from the blind listen through, and I was really hoping C was an affordable clone but nope lol 😂 Still, the Beesneez sounded lovely and is local to me as well! C just spoke to me immediately when I first heard it, but on a few more listens through, I found all of them to be pleasant and really lovely sounding, the only one I couldn’t gel with was E, there’s just some harshness to the sound.
Thank you, I'm so glad you found the video useful! I definitely think Beesneez nailed the mid range that is such a signature of the vintage 87. I prefer some of the others for vocals just because of the extended top end but I think BeesNeez is the closest overall and it also has become my favorite mic on guitar amp for clean tones 👍🏼. Thanks for taking the time to check out the video and comment!
Astonishing, to say the least!!! After listening to the other three mics and comparing them to the original 87, I am completely blown away. Who doesn't want in original 87, iconic, but at this point, not necessarily because of the price point? As you said, you can buy a locker full of the other Microphones and have the same results. I appreciate the shoot-out, one of the best I've seen and heard. Instead of spending $4500-$5000 on one microphone, buy five other ones, and you have a locker equivalent to the great studios. I think the hard part is to buy one of the different microphones IQ tested, "Warm/Serrano/BeesNeez" you may feel that they will start using the other ones as well and semi-retire their 87s. All jokes aside, I will invest in the different microphones because of what I heard in your video! Thanks a lot appreciated.
I'm so glad you found this video helpful! I know it's not so easy to get all these mics together at one time(it certainly wasn't for me) but it makes it all worth it to know it's helpful for fellow engineers. I really appreciate you checking out my channel.
The 1979 u87 sounded the best to me. Depth and open high end. The bu87 had a nice depth but lacked the air. The sennaro had the top but almost a tad much where the bu87 might eq better
All the mics sound good, didn't expect to like the warm though but I did. The only reason I bought my vintage U87 is because I know I'll get the money back. Bought one back in 2015 for 1400 USD and sold it for 2k maybe 4 years ago. Bought another one recently for 2k.
I agree, the Warm was a huge surprise for me. You're spot on about the re-sell value and it's definitely something people should consider if they have the available funds for a vintage Neumann. I keep thinking the vintage mic market will cool off at some point, but it has been a safe investment for as long as I've been in pro audio...about 30 years now! Thanks for taking the time to check out the video and comment, it is very much appreciated!
Great review, I think the analogy 'gear affects the performance' is spot on. This is why I compress while tracking. I have found through the years that when the audio path sounds close to the real deal while tracking it adds excitement to the performer. Just using the interface preamps direct, especially for vocals, does not do that.
I completely agree! Having "that sound" while tracking will bring the absolute best performance out of the singer. Thank you so much for checking out the video and for contributing to the conversation!
@@SeawellStudios I sent the beauty in for a new basket and the Sennheiser team said it was the cleanest on they’ve seen since they cleaned the Abby Rhodes set. I was floored. We should collaborate on a video one day in the future. I love your work.
@@producerbenford WOW! That's so awesome you have one in that condition. I really appreciate your support of the channel, I subscribed to yours as well! Definitely keep in touch and maybe our paths will line up to work on some content together.
I just purchased an AI And listening to this test, I loved the Warm Audio 87 the most. Great lower mids. Quiet dissapointed now to be honest. Thank you for they great video . Great music you’re making too man!
I agree, I through the Warm sounded great. Some people like to bash it in the comments here on the reveal video but the funny thing is, most people picked it as their favorite when only the blind(part 1) video was up. It's funny how that works 😁. I really appreciate your kind words! Thanks for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts.
Surprisingly I picked out mic C in the blind test as a favorite then came over to this only to be surprised to see it’s the OG. It just has this magic, smooth top end. It probably helps that I own a vintage U87 circuit diagram 930-18 which dates it to the late seventies. I just sang with it for a few hours yesterday so I’m quite familiar with the top end. In comparison the mics are soooooo close that a touch of EQ will make them all sound closer. The cheaper mics are still ass kicking
I “did” pick the vintage in the blind, but wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment on all the mics! I’m an Aussie and although I’d spotted BeesNeez, I had no idea they were made here in OZ! All mics had a quality sound to them with Warm being just a little on the crispy side but still very workable!
Thanks for checking it out and sharing your thoughts! Yeah definitely check out BeesNeez since they are close to you. After this shootout, I reviewed their BU67 & BC12A Tube & they were both great 👍🏻
Excellent test. My first thought was that all five mics sounded great. Very similar sounding. I had no idea which was the vintage. I liked C the most followed by B, E, D, and A, but found both C and B to be very close in sound.
Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It was definitely surprised that there wasn't as drastic of a difference in quality across the board as I had anticipated. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and share your thoughts 👊🏼
I appreciate your experience, honesty, and humility. I actually just bought the Warm and appreciate the conformation that I made a good choice. Thanks for making the shootout.
I'm so glad it was helpful, I really appreciate your kind words! When I first posted the files blind, the Warm was chosen the most. It is a great mic and I hope you enjoy it!
Seems like when there’s extreme subtlety, it invites even more obsession like in regard to difficult decisions. I like to go off the build / the grill - Which one holds up if it falls over type a thing.
Good point, I'd say in build quality out of the clones, the BeesNeez feels the most solid. All the other clones seem to use the same generic U87 clone body and to be honest it feels a bit cheap even though they sound great.
@@SeawellStudios i feel ya// those beez neebs look super nice! more confirmation bias related stuff though. it is my weakness for sure - the aesthetics / design of things... it can feel like an art piece sometimes and then oh whaat it does a thing too!!? PS United Studio Technologies seems pretty legit. another idea is reviewing their 87 vintage/ai dual circuit mic or their u47 clone (which i have been liking), just a thought' would be curious about yours on those.
Hey man! Thanks so much for doing this. I was just wondering if I should get a BeesNeez or a Serrano and this kind of answered my question! I downloaded the files, set them up on my DAW and compared the dry vocal recordings one by one. I wasn't trying to "identify" the vintage Neumann, but simply find which one I preferred. Once I had pinned down the differences, I would go to the full mix of each to compare and double-check my comments on the dry vocal sounds. I came up with this order of preference: B, D, C, E, A. It really surprised me when I checked the names, as I wasn't expecting to find the Warm on top of the list. The 87AI was definitely my least favorite, as it sounded way too bright to my ears. My guess is that you have one of the earlier versions of the Serrano, which was tuned "in-between" the brightness of the 87AI and the vintage 87. The newer standard version has a darker tone, more like that of the vintage 87 from what I understand. I think I'm gonna order a BeesNeez!! I'm sure the darker Serrano is just as good. I will be shooting it out against my beloved Langevin CR3A (which is also a U87 clone). The Langevin CR3A kind of always wins mic shootouts on soprano female singers.
You're so welcome! I'm happy to hear it was useful for you. I think the way you approached it is the best, just find the mic you like the sound of and go from there(whether it sounds like the vintage or not). I picked up this Serrano in December of 2021 so I'm not sure where that would fall in the tuning schedule Carlos has done, but just wanted to mention that for reference. Let me know what you think once you get the BeesNeez! Thanks for checking out the video.
Lol. In Part 1 my knee jerk was big nope on B and then meh on E. I own an 87ai and used to have a vintage U67 for years. The lack of sustain in the Warm was a dead give away (didn't stay up in volume enough when you trailed off, obvious in the first couple words of the take). Similar on the Serrano, it sounds like you're moving close and far from the mic too much (not saying you're doing that, it's a sign of a mediocre mic). This is the cardioid only Beesneez, right? Sounds better than the AI here I think (?). I've only heard the multipattern one so far. Side note, tho I've only heard it at Namm, the 67/269 seemed pretty awesome, like amazingly forgiving w/ no weird artifacts and I've not felt that way about much of anything since my actual 47 eons ago.
Yes, at the time of this video the only version of the BeesNeez was the Cardiod only. I'd love to check out the multi-pattern version as I think they nailed the midrange way better than the other clones. I think the BeesNeez 67 is amazing! It's definitely worth trying in your own studio if you liked what you heard at NAMM, I don't think you'll be disappointed! Thanks for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts, it's much appreciated.
Thank you for making this video, I agree 100% about wasting money on a $4,500 mic specially if you are not getting paid enough in this business.....My favorite mic is the Serrano, the Warm impress me the most. I will getting both.. Thanks again!
I’m so glad you found the video useful! I really appreciate you taking the time to watch & comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts once you get your mics. I hope you love them 👍🏻
I dont know if im just imagining things but there's still quite a difference sonically from the neumanns and the others (the vintage being my favourite) though for the price the other mics are fantastic as far as LDC's go but the neumanns are next level - there's just certain nuances they pick up. Thanks for the test!!
I agree, I think they are all different enough to where you can pick your favorite that you can afford and not look back. All really good to great options! I'm glad you enjoyed the test, thanks for checking it out!
Thank you for the time, effort and fairness of this test. I was really (at one point of my life) feeling like I was missing something by not having an original. After this test I went out and purchased the WA-87 because it was the one I picked both times listening to this. It cemented in my mind that being caught up in the hype of owning an original was the thing, I am glad I found something that my ears preferred before I went down that road. I am planning on getting me the UT twin87 just for a little different flavor and will still be cheaper than the vintage and the ai. Again thank you sir
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you found it useful. I really appreciate your kind words. The WA-87 definitely makes me want to check out their other mics. I’d love to hear your thoughts once you pick up the United mic to see how it compares to the Warm 👍🏻
@@SeawellStudios Yes sir I also have their 251 and c8000 I love the sound from them. I have a few good mics in my locker like the Blue Stage One Bottle Rocket with a few of the capsules, a tlm103 a Lauten FC-387, Lewitt 840, The NTR, and my Slate VMS, (hahaha and my little Avantone C12, I have the Apollo x8p interface as well as a Flock Audio Patchbay with about 14 Boutique and high end Mic Pre's. So, I'm not new to this. Again your test was hands down the best and the truest that I think you could come up with. SIde note I already love the mic. I will let you know my thoughts on the Twin87 once I get it.
@@SeawellStudios Absolutely. I have the utmost flexibility in routing. Analogue hook ups with complete digital routing. I don't know why this wasn't thought of earlier....I sold my swtchcraft patchbay and ttr cables so fast it would make your head spin
Ok, so after using the twin87 in a session I love it. I really wish you had one of these when you were doing your shootout...I will admit that it surprised me...I love the modern 87 sound but on this little song we were doing over at my friend's studio , the vintage setting was so sweet...it was like butter....velvetty smooth. I know I will be reaching for this one a lot in the future.
The AI stuck out as a tad bright in this bunch. The '79 did sound the best to me while the clones were very good. I guess there are 87's for all budgets. Thanks for the shootout.
Thanks for checking out the video and for sharing your thoughts! The BeesNeez definitely felt the most like the vintage when singing into the mic. Very similar midrange.
Oh man I'd take any one of these,with my budget of almost none,hehe...I'm really enjoying your videos all the way from the Philippines. I sold everything and left the US and moved here,then I got bored and got cakewalk and started recording.im an old analog guy and I'm learning about digital recording. But I agree about why spend a large amountof money on a mic.my buddy had a vintage 87 and some lady he was recording knocked it over....he was devastated I had and did good home demos on an old tascam mklll 424 Keep the videos coming
I really appreciate the continued support! Man, I remember the tascam mklll 424 days! We really are spoiled these days with all the great affordable options compared to what we started out with.
Just from cleaning up the noise floor, these recordings sound totally different. Still probably couldn't tell them apart blind. It is noticeable though, that the more expensive mics capture more detail.
I ordered the Dachman Audio 87 clone. It’s a DIY build it yourself kit. I would be interested in you putting it up against this arsenal to see how it compares. Will let you know when it arrives and if I can miraculously put it together 😂
@@SeawellStudios do you slave one to the other or use them both for different sonic reasons? I finally ditched my Clarett for a UA Apollo X series and while I love the ecosystem and the plug-ins sound 👌 it has drastically changed the top end on my mics. Not sure if it’s revealing how harsh and bright they are or if the Clarett was coloring the higher frequencies.
@@MarkKanoMusic I needed more channels but unfortunately the fans in the avid interfaces are pretty loud so that's why I added lynx in stead(also they only take up one rack space in stead of 2). I keep one Avid interface around to ensure that delay compensation works properly on hardware mix inserts(although Lynx seems to have nailed this too so I may not need the Avid eventually). They all receive clock from the Mutec MC-3+ master clock. That's interesting that your new converter changed the top end so much. I guess if it is more accurate it could just be revealing something you weren't getting before. It is wild that it would be that much of a difference though.
I bet you’ll love it! Carlos could also voice it a bit more modern to better match the AI so you could use them as a pair if you’re interested. Just shoot him a message! Let me know your thoughts once you get it.
@@SeawellStudiosJust arrived. Sounds much more balanced comparing the two. Acoustics and Vocals are better on serrano, but I'd just prefer the u87 on electric for some reason. Not that I use the electric guitar, so I'm going to sell my u87 to grab a pair of the serrano. It came with a nice wood box and a vintage like shock mount too! Can't grasp how these are 800 msrp!
@@highaquatic3055 thanks for reporting back! I'm so glad to hear you like the Serrano. It is wild to think such a high quality mic is available for only $799.
@JetBeatMusic (sry for late reply)for my likes, there was a very small change in vocals on the serrano where I personally just found it duller and unexciting raw but easier to tune in post (yes the ai was a bit brighter). Its all different for each person but for versatility for me id darken it, I don't have experience with the regular serrano so i wouldn't really know the differences first hand
wow. i am a little shocked that the 87ai was Mic A after listening to your part 1 video. i was expecting the low end to match with the vintage u87 but it's very different. i'm very happy that mic B is the cheapest, as i think it sounds the best on electric guitar. i'm also happy that i correctly guessed C as the vintage 87. D & E, while brighter, were both great sounding modern takes on the 87. i think i would have the same advice as you josh: if you can afford a vintage 87, it does something smooth in the top end that might be worth $5k to someone with other mics already. but if you are starting out and trying to build up a working mic locker... you should consider getting 2 warm audio 87's and shopping for ribbons, sdc's and other useful colours to use on sources. $5k = 2x wa87's, 1x wa47fet jr, 1x wa47, 2x wa67's, and a wa84. That's an entire drum kit with stereo OH, toms, kick, hihat (just add a 57 for snare top) they won't have resale value like the vintage neumann but you'll be working and making money instead of having 1 mic and debt.
Thanks for participating, this was a fun exercise! Man, that list of warm mics you put together is seriously impressive! I didn’t realize you could fit that all in for 5k. Going that route you’d have an 87, 67 & 47 style mic for vocals, lots of versatility!
@@SeawellStudios I haven't tried the 67 yet but the Masterclaes channel has a shootout between his vintage u67 and the warm. Was blown away with the similarities on voice, when the mic is a tenth of the cost.
@@SeawellStudios no worries! I’ve been producing music and mixing for quite a while now, 11 years maybe. But I am quite new to microphones and how to use them properly! Could you kindly recommend me a good budget microphone that will capture that popular 5K raspiness in the male vox? I have tried the clariphonic as a post solution but I need a mic that will pick up that raspiness?
@@painauchocolate2395 my favorite budget microphones at the moment are the BeesNeez BU67, Stam Audio SA-47 MKII and Serrano 87. I have demoed all 3 on my channel individually so if you have the time, check those out and see if you hear one that has that top end you're looking for 👍🏼
The warm audio is just another hyped mic, high boost is so evident, theother clones sounds amazing really. Between Ai and Vintage U87 i will take the newr, more low end, a little more hyped but you probably would end up adding this frequencies while mixing if you where going to use the original vintage U87.
Thanks so much, I'm so glad you're finding content here that you enjoy! I'm definitely open to more comparisons. Probably a 67 shootout in the near future 👍🏼
I actually did NOT care for the 1979 Neuman as much as I liked the current U87ai . All the mics were pretty good but i have to go with the U87i . I truly believe you can get by with most of them
Totally understandable. The ai and the vintage sound quite a bit different. I can understand preferring the clarity and extended top end of the AI. It often gets a bad rap but it's a great mic.
Very telling shoot out. My ears tell me the BU87c articulates with the most similar to the 79 u87, in my experience these type of microphones take EQ best and are capable of realising any tonal extensions desired beyond the designed response of each microphone. If I was held at gunpoint and had to buy from the selections exampled here, the Beesneez and Serrano would be my choice. I wouldn't go near the WA87 with a barge pole, the dynamic character of the microphone seems frail and if eq/compression were needed or creatively applied, I think the WA87 will fall over. Money no object, I would still choose the BU87 and Serrano. Ymmv stay safe and well all, thanks for the video ✌️🎶🎶
That's a great point about EQ. I may end up doing a part 3 where I take all this files and apply some compression and EQ to see how they hold up. Thanks for checking out the video and for sharing your thoughts!
@@SeawellStudios the BU "darkness" will smoothly take a high shelf to open the top end if desired, but more importantly there is so much clarity in the spectral information, you probably wouldn't experience any siesmec shift that made any other region sound hollowed out or blur when doing so, whereas it sounds to me like the WA87 needing a lot mid boost would get blurry, which isn't necessarily a bad thing all round, if you had a tenor vocal/mezzo with disaphausia, it might help smooth out the sound of saliva caught in pockets of throat caused by disaphausia. Maybe. I just think the BU provides so much content clearly, cutting and or boosting would not cause the mic to hyper accentuate other regions. Much the same as my 87 handles eq so I guess that is what pricked my ear to its familiar sound. I actually think the BU87 might be a better full range clarity/sound than my personal 87. They all sound so different on different sounds, the predictability and fullness of BU87 appeals to my taste and wants from what sounds like an all round work horse microphone. The U89 size of the BU87 looked dwarfed alongside the others, or is it more equal in form up close? Is the Serrano really that much larger than the other models? I didn't realise it was so much bigger in size! If bigger, how does it sit on the stand comparatively?
@@gmichaelhall The BeesNeez is definitely the smallest and the Serrano is the largest. I actually like the fact that the BeesNeez is smaller when micing toms for example. For what it's worth, the BeesNeez felt the most like the vintage 87 while tracking vocals. Very similar midrange for sure. I have a pretty hefty shock mount(Enhanced Audio M600) and stand so the size of the Serrano wasn't an issue thankfully.
@@SeawellStudios that's good news. The Serrano really does look the part as a visually impressive vocal mic, I know it's superficial as hell to say that but to me size matters in front of a vocalist. Still, based on this video, Ben sells a BU87! It's unimposing size doesn't turn me off given the sound you get for $800aud. It just sounds like a really nice 87. My LDC's for vocals sit on the Latch Lake and for acoustic guitar singer songwriter been having success with the ability to hold strong by the Tama Ironwork series, great clutching system for the booms and the compression fittings stay snug and most importantly a smaller floor print to reach around! The Tama stands were the second best purchase of lock down for me. Hiring better session players and less plugins hit the top spot for me!
Good point, it seems like singers are more inspired by a mic of substantial size. Great stands are such a luxury to have! I need to check out those tama stands, thanks for sharing your experience with them.
Maybe it’s because the old U87 is, well old, where as the AI is not, but I really liked the detail on the AI. My prefered was 1st A, 2nd E, and 3rd (which I was not completely onboard with) D. So B and C I didn’t care for. Funny. I guess I don’t need to buy an original U87. I’m more into the U89/TLM170/TLM193 anyway..
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I've never used a U87 that sounded quite like an AI so I think a lot has to do with the design changes(although age certainly plays a factor too). Having said that, the AI is a great mic in its own right! I sometimes wish they had just named it a different model number and I bet it wouldn't have gotten the hate it gets for not being just like a U87i.
Loved the comparison man! Really good job on your side. Could I pls know what preamp you used for this shootout and the audio interface the vocals were recorded into before going into preamp. Would mean a lot if you could help clarify this. Keep up the good work man!
Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm really glad you found the video useful. "Hallelujah" and "Ghosts of Jackson Square" were recorded through an Antelope MP32 preamp into a Lynx Aurora 16 converter. "Very Good Advice" was recorded through a Shadow Hills Quad Gama preamp(Nickel setting for vocals, Iron setting for Acoustic Guitar) into an Avid HD I/O 16x16 converter.
Man that wa87 really sounds better than the u87AI - very similar to the original u87, at first seems like the serrano may be competing with the wa87 for best on your voice
The WA87 was such a nice surprise! I had very low expectations but I was so wrong about that one. I do alternate between it and the Serrano on vocals depending on the song 👍🏻
Man was I surprised by the results on this to me from the previous video B & C sounded the closest to each other. Though C had just a bit more air under it for the price though I'm more than happy to go the Warm Audio route. Shame the STAM was not in this shootout because I prefer them over the current U87AI. Again mic choice has to be made on what works best for the singers voice always. All of these sounded great and the differences where small but C was my favorite followed by B.
I was surprised as well! Pleasantly surprised that I could save so much money and be totally happy with the sound :) Thanks so much for checking out the video and for sharing your thoughts!
I'm so glad you found it useful! The Serrano in this video has a SER-T13 transformer. I have not heard the new transformer(BV-13) but from what I understand it has a little more low end.
I'm glad you found it useful! Thanks for checking it out. It is great that there are so many more affordable options these days than there were when I got started.
Good advice! I wish I could say I was younger than you Josh. You're looking good for an 80's baby. I'm "experienced" too mate..or is it "vintage" like the 87i?
Well, hopefully like classic mics, we're getting better and more valuable over time 🤣. Maybe I'll start advertising myself as a "vintage mix engineer" haha!
Excluding the Neumann's as they will always be the benchmark, I think the BeesNeez sounds fantastic. Everyttime I hear the Serrano it sounds noisy like it has a high noise floor. Curious as to what it's specs are. The Warm just doesn't impress me at all. The body of the Warm looks like a cheap MXL body.
I think the BeesNeez has the closest midrange and overall Neumann sound. The others are a great value for what they are but if someone is looking for the closest clone I'd say the BeesNeez takes it. Since this shootout, they have released a new version with multi pick up patterns so it's gotten even better. Thanks for checking out the video and taking the time to share your thoughts!
Hey cool shootout! Just listen to the sibalance on the u87ai vs the vintage, jeez! I wouldn't recommend anyone spending 5k on a vintage U87 though that's just silly. There are so many nice high-end tube clones in the 3-5k range why go with a boring U87!? Cheers!
Hey Christian, thanks for checking it out! I've enjoyed a bunch of content on your channel, you do such a great job! I agree, there are some truly great, modern mics being made in that range that make much more sense to me than a vintage 87. Cheers!
@@SeawellStudios hey thanks! I really don't understand the obsession with the u87. To me it's a great (should be) 1500$ multi-purpose microphone. But give me a km84 and a nice tube mic and be done with it! I don't miss my vintage pair a bit 💩 Keep up the good work!
Cheap mics are great tools. I would never pay more than 800 for any mic. That’s still a ton of money considering all the variables; your room signal chain etc and it’s so subjective what “good sounding “ is even especially in a dense mix.
Hi Joshua !! thanks for the patient and elaborate reviews that you do each time like the U87 clones / Beesneez U67 clone to name a few much appreciate 😎 I did get in touch with Carlos and asked him to make me one soon exactly like ( that revision ) the one you’ve reviewed along with the Beesneez 87i and done a solo review too by itself & Carlos has obliged by confirming he will build that same exact revision for me as in the review video when I order soon . Thanks again . I had a few questions for you so that I am absolutely sure abt what I am hearing and thereby ordering . 1. Are all 3 of the Serrano 87’s the same revisions or diff 1) this shoot out 2) the second where you’ve compared Beesneez and Serrano 3) lastly when you’ve done a solo video review of the Serrano 87 . You did say most and I’ve read too that his earlier Serrano 87 revisions were much brighter than the one you’ve reviewed finally as a stand-alone ?? which is slightly less bright but bright enough to cut thru and not sound like a Vintage 87 & like the Beesneez 87i , is that correct ?? Carlos did tell me that the present revision he has is slightly darker as of now than the one in all of your videos where you’ve used his 87 we’re slightly brighter yet not as bright as his revisions . I quickly told him I didn’t want a darker Serrano 87 since I already have the ADK FET 67 ( yes 67 ) and that’s darker on the top like a 67 should be and boy LARRY & KEVIN at ADK really make fabulous microphones and they are up there if not as good as the ones they are paying homage to . Would you be so kind as to revert with my queries pls so I can put my finger on b the exact revision I wanna purchase 😊 Lastly I thought the Serrano on the solo review sounded a lot closer to a FET version of a M269 revision of the U67 with its beautiful midnight tge forwardness and ever so gently bright top end unlike a scooped midrange like what a 87 is in essence .. 😎 which is what it’s emulating & like you correct said the Beesneez is closer to sonically but as a purely vocal mic the Serrano is def the go to one . That’s a lot of Q’s in know ( lol !! ) but I think you’re very honest with your opinions and therefore I thought I’d ask you 👍 Thanks in advance and in look forward to hearing back sooner than later as I need to order the mic latest by Christmas or just before 🙏 cause in have someone coming into India second week of Jan ✌️✌️🙏☺️ you’re thoughts pls
Hi Kunal! Thank you so much for checking out multiple videos on my channel and for taking the time to comment! I very much appreciate the interaction. The Serrano 87 I used in all videos on my channel is the exact same mic and I purchased it from Carlos on 12/28/21. I hope that date will be helpful for both you and him to know exactly the tuning style of the capsule and the transformer used, etc.. I like my Serrano 87 exactly how it is for sure! The little extra top end sparkle makes me prefer it on vocals to the BeesNeez and the Warm. I hope that helps! Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.
Hi Joshua thanks so much for your quick revert just like you always do when viewers put up their Q’s on your site 😊 really appreciate it 👍 In my mail to Carlos I’ve gone hammer and tongs abt him making me an exact replica of what you’ve reviewed in this video 😄✌️ and he was kind enough to assure me that he would 😎 so that’s that !! I’d also like to thank you for the Beesneez U67 review cause I am def gonna order that one from Beesneez too as that’s my favourite mic sonically amongst all the vintage flavours and I think Ben has absolutely nailed it sonically plus the added bonus of the 3 toned U67 😎😎 just wish the controls to switch between the tones was on the external body as opposed to the inside 🫣✌️ this is not by any means a criticism just more easier navigation to arrive at what tone one wants and lesser chances of causing damage to any internals or accidentally dropping the mic each time one wants to switch tones on the fly basically to make the story short 🫣 . Do let me know if Ben is thinking of that change anytime soon incase you know and have thought of this same feature yourself 🤝 PS . Just let me know how I can have you get the benefit of my purchases like you’ve mentioned in the video .. I am buying the Serrano in Jan and the Beesneez once I know someone is coming in from Australia sooner or later . Thanks again !!
Lastly does your version of the 87 have the new CINEMAG transformer as stated on Serrano’s website ?? would you have access to that info by looking at the guts of your mic or by asking Carlos ?? The info on their website as of today states a few things which have been changed in the revision of vintage Serrano 87 from earlier versions .. this is something I’d forgotten to ask you in my message earlier , cheers !
You're so welcome! I always enjoy talking music shop :) I haven't asked Ben about making those switches external but that certainly is something I hope will be implemented in a future version! I bet if he hears from enough of us, he'll make it happen.
I just opened my Serrano 87 up to take a look and the transformer says "Serrano Audio SER-T13," so it's not a cinemag. It appears it was something custom Carlos had made but I'm sure he could let you know for sure!
Ha! It happens. If it makes you feel better, the Warm was the biggest surprise of the bunch for me. Thanks for checking out the video and for sharing your thoughts!
I don’t own one, I’m not shopping for one, and I don’t want to break anyone’s heart but the vintage one sounded a tiny bit better. However, no one would ever know the difference or complain about any of these recordings. I am just as likely to use a an EV re16, or something else inexpensive. The performance and microphone operator are 20x more important than the mic itself
The vintage mic is giving a beautiful presence lift, without adding sibilance. Listen to the S sounds and you know why it’s sought after. It’s like it has a built in de-esser.
Did you happen to do the blind shootout(Part 1) first? If not, it would be worth doing if you don't have the results here necessarily memorized yet it may be further enlightening to make sure there is no bias in what you're hearing. If you decide then that the vintage is the best, I can certainly understand that as well(I think it sounds great too!). The main goal of this demonstration was just to give people an idea of what mic they may like to further pursue. Thanks for checking out my channel, I appreciate it!
Listening to this again I feel there is a certain magic to the Neumanns (ai and especially the i) that none of the clones really capture. The Neumanns seem to have more bass, a nicer top end and more depth in the field and they seem bigger. They (the neumanns) sound like "the sound" you are accustomed to on records and which is lovely and very much a tailored and not natural sound. The clones, while nice, don't seem to have those qualities. The test makes me want a real Neumann, though i might pick up the Beesneez first.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! There is something magical about Neumanns in general. Such a rich tradition, they really know how to make microphones! I definitely think you will be the most happy with the BeesNeez until you find a good vintage 87 you like.
Have you tried any mics from Micparts? I have their u87 clone, and also their u47 clone. I just got the Stam U87T last week(partly from watching your review ;)) but have not tried it yet. I want to compare, but in all honesty it's not really a fair comparison as the u87T is not really a clone per say...
@@ernieg Oh shoot! That happened to me once with what was supposed to be one of rare Neumann U67 SLO edition that was made in the 90s. Got it, opened it up and ...not so much haha. Thankfully I was able to return it. Dodged a bullet on that one!
Serrano sounds very sterile to me. The Warm was lacking in body. I preferred the 87ai's voicing personally but I think the Beeznees was close to the original U87.
Funny enough I got the SA87 which isn’t on here but I gonna sound like this after I get it. The guy said get an u87i don’t know what he was talking about it’s a mordern mics and sound nothing like the original u87.
You think those mics you recommended there sound better than the Serrano, BeesNeez and Warm in this video!? Whoa...our experience with those mics is very different then.
