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U87 Clone? [message #200993]

Fri, 24 November 2006 17:29

Chrisso
Messages: 17
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sydney

Member

Is there a slightly more affordable microphone that sounds similar and has similar applications to a Neumann U87?
Looking for U87 type stereo set up for drum applications, without wanting to compromise on the sound quality too much.

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #201002 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Fri, 24 November 2006 18:07

compasspnt
Messages: 11506
Registered: December 2004
Location: Compass Point Studios, Na...

Diamond Member

Old or new 87 sound?

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #201011 is a reply to message #201002 ]

Fri, 24 November 2006 18:52

Chrisso
Messages: 17
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sydney

Member

Old.

When drumming in the 80's, engineers most often set U87's for far ambience, as well as overheads. I'm aware some engineers use them for toms too.
Recently, I've had U67's put around my kit. Amazing sound, but I surely can't afford a pair of them.
I have KM84's and Coles 4037 as options for overheads, plus the Coles for room ambience I guess. But I wouldn't mind trying the U87 for room sound, perhaps occasionally closer in on the kit. The older ones are just a tad too expensive for me ($1500 - $2000 each?).
Therefore, looking for 'old' U87 soundalike options.

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #201193 is a reply to message #201011 ]

Sat, 25 November 2006 18:26

Chrisso
Messages: 17
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sydney

Member

Does anyone have thoughts on the Mojave M200?
http://www.mojaveaudio.com/products.html

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #201438 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Sun, 26 November 2006 18:58

jetbase
Messages: 1556
Registered: November 2004
Location: sydney, australia

Platinum Member

I've always considered Oktavas to be "poor man's Neumanns". The ones I've used don't sound hyped like other cheap mics, so you can get quite a decent sound, especially with a good eq (without eq they sound a bit "boring" to me). You could try MK219's. No guarantees though! I have one that I occasionally use when I need just one more LDC, & it always seems to stand up to an old U87 ok. If you are in Sydney (as your profile states) I'd be happy to let you try one out.

I've been curious about LDC's on toms since people on PSW have talked about using them (although I'm happy so far with 421's). I can't afford any more U87's either, but I've been wondering about those large diaphragm capsules you can get for Oktava MC012's, of which I have a couple. Perhaps that is another option for you too.

sleep is not an option

jwhynot: "There's a difference between thinking or acting dogmatically and drawing from experience."

Glenn "G-daddy" Santry
http://www.myspace.com/glennsantry
Beta tester for MS2K

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202246 is a reply to message #201438 ]

Wed, 29 November 2006 18:23

thephatboi
Messages: 265
Registered: October 2005
Location: Ojai, CA

Active Member

...and even if you could afford a 67 or 87 on every tom would you really want to? I have a friend who works at a studio that had 3 67s on 3 toms, a retarded head banger drummer took them all out on a single take. They all got whacked, can you believe it? All up for repair or parts.... Sad

I agree on the oktavas, not hyped= cool and rare in a cheap mic, gotta sometimes buy a few more than you need and match them though, sometimes they vary alot...

Sean Ingoldsby
http://homepage.mac.com/seaningo/

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202587 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 15:45

PookyNMR
Messages: 1598
Registered: April 2004
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada

Platinum Member

Chrisso wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 14:29

603 views and none but a couple of people could suggest a mic under $1800 that performed something like U87.

Just my limited experience opinion, but check out a Langevin CR-2001. That may get you in the ball park you are looking for...

Nathan Rousu

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202614 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 16:52

Klaus Heyne
Messages: 2220
Registered: April 2004

Platinum Member

Chrisso wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 13:29

Tim Campbell wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 05:56

I'm afraid this thread is probably under threat of being moved to Harvey Gerst's forum.

Why?
Is this the microphone forum, or the microphone over $2,000 forum?
I've seen plenty of chat about SM57's and D19's by the way.

This is not the snooty mic forum for self-important people, if that is what you are alluding to. But it may indeed be the wrong forum for your needs because the people who by and large frequent this forum are professionals who may not be familiar with low-cost alternatives to professional mics.

I will gladly move this thread over to Harvey's forum, as was suggested, as I truly believe you will be better served there, and that is really what counts.

Best of luck in your search!

Klaus Heyne
German Masterworks
www.GermanMasterworks.com

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202624 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 17:09

Fletcher
Messages: 2166
Registered: April 2004
Location: Foxboro, MA

Platinum Member

Hi there... Mr. Forum Administrator here... you can call me "For" for short if you'd like.

I'm the guy that moved the thread because I thought it would be more at home here.

I hope you guys can have some fun with this!! [discussion about its potential move deleted by moi]

Fletcher
Mercenary Audio

mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33
We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid

"Recording engineers are an arrogant bunch.
If you've spent most of your life with a few thousand dollars worth of musicians in the studio, making a decision every second and a half... and you and they are going to have to live with it for the rest of your lives, you'll get pretty arrogant too. It takes a certain amount of balls to do that... something around three"
Malcolm Chisholm

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202666 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 18:47

Fibes
Messages: 3946
Registered: April 2004
Location: Joja

Platinum Member

Heh, thanks For.

My big question is: Why the 87?

See, I don't really dig 87s all that much but I do have a very old one that surpasses most.

I digress...

I might lean toward the Pelusos if I was on a search similar to yours.

Then again a Soundelux U195, although not a U87ish mic is a great mic for stated application.

And the discontinued U95 is one of my all time vocal faves (sometimes smoking my Neumanns etc.) although it doesn't handle high SPL in that workhorse *& way.

But if one wants to really look at a workhorse mic, sans vibe appeal, and something I have found to be similar to the U87 I would look closely at the Shure KSM44 and KSM32.

Kill me, I really consider them superior to many of the new Neumanns.

Fibes
-------------------------------------------------
"You can like it, or not like it."
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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202671 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 19:17

Dave Martin
Messages: 331
Registered: April 2004
Location: Nashville, TN

Active Member

Here's another vote for the massively useful KSM44 - though I haven't found a vocalist who shines on it, it seems to work in every other application just fine.

Dave Martin
Nashville, TN
Java Jive Studio
Cuppa Joe Records
Recent Projects

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202698 is a reply to message #202614 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 21:14

Chrisso
Messages: 17
Registered: November 2006
Location: Sydney

Member

Klaus Heyne wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 16:52

the people who by and large frequent this forum are professionals who may not be familiar with low-cost alternatives to professional mics.

I'm not looking for a 'low cost alternative', just some alternatives to the U87, mostly for drum duties, perhaps priced just below used U87 prices.
So far many people have pointed me in either one of two directions..........
Soundelux U195 or Gefell UM71S/UM70.
Thanks.

Smile

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202719 is a reply to message #202671 ]

Thu, 30 November 2006 22:45

Fibes
Messages: 3946
Registered: April 2004
Location: Joja

Platinum Member

Dave Martin wrote on Thu, 30 November 2006 20:17

KSM44 - though I haven't found a vocalist who shines on it, it seems to work in every other application just fine.

Which is usually how I feel about an 87.

Caveat: With the U87 there are vocalists who shine.

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202842 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Fri, 01 December 2006 12:07

hargerst
Messages: 1380
Registered: April 2004
Location: Sanger, TX

Platinum Member

Well (said he, sticking his neck waaaay out), I like the MXL V77, the MXL V69ME, the Oktava MC012 with the LOMO head, the ADK Hamburg, and the Studio Projects T3 for a lot of the older Neumann and Tele sounds. The T3 has a lot more "air" to the sound than the rest, so it's probably closer to the 251 than the others.

You can buy all of the mics I've listed for less than one used U87. I'd be very surprised if one of them didn't equal the U87 on just about any application.

Harvey "You NEED 12 guitar tracks? Why?" Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #202959 is a reply to message #200993 ]

Fri, 01 December 2006 18:11

mbrebes
Messages: 168
Registered: December 2005

Active Member

I have two of the old U87's and the closest other mic I have for similar sound is the Audio Technica AT4050.

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Re: U87 Clone? [message #205913 is a reply to message #202959 ]

Thu, 14 December 2006 09:16

vegas4ever
Messages: 262
Registered: September 2006
Location: Jacksonville

Active Member

Little out of topic but..... I have a MXL 2001 Tube MOD and its the closes thing you can find to U-47. That may be a little better and cheaper for drum application (get hit alot) than the alternatives to the U87.....

Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
David Brent

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