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Post by Martin John Butler on Oct 7, 2016 21:29:13 GMT -6
I bought a U87 in 1981and used it every day for ten years, then had to sell it. Round would not be how I describe it either, but "big", it most definitely was. In fact, it was the biggest sounding mic I'd ever heard until I tried the U67 in my shootout. The U87 had just the right size pickup pattern. I've found every cardioid mic's pickup pattern to be different, but the U87's was just right.
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Post by ragan on Oct 7, 2016 22:30:00 GMT -6
I bought a U87 in 1981and used it every day for ten years, then had to sell it. Round would not be how I describe it either, but "big", it most definitely was. In fact, it was the biggest sounding mic I'd ever heard until I tried the U67 in my shootout. The U87 had just the right size pickup pattern. I've found every cardioid mic's pickup pattern to be different, but the U87's was just right. It's a polarizing mic, that 87. On a 47, I'm all 2-4khz. On some people it sounds huge. It's all about the fit. And yes, Martin, you sounded great through that U67.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Oct 8, 2016 9:20:43 GMT -6
Thanks Ragan. Unfortunately, a U67's in another budget universe. Eventually, I'll do some tracks at home, and try doing the vocal in a studio with the 67.
I've been using the Soyuz 0-19 FET for a couple of vocals on a friend's upcoming album. It's here on loan. It has the same capsule as the 0-17, and that's based on the K67 capsule, so it works really well.
I'm crossing my fingers the WA-87 can run with that pack. If it can, it'll be a godsend.
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Post by rowmat on Oct 8, 2016 15:27:34 GMT -6
Thanks Ragan. Unfortunately, a U67's in another budget universe. Eventually, I'll do some tracks at home, and try doing the vocal in a studio with the 67. I've been using the Soyuz 0-19 FET for a couple of vocals on a friend's upcoming album. It's here on loan. It has the same capsule as the 0-19, and that's based on the K67 capsule, so it works really well. I'm crossing my fingers the WA-87 can run with that pack. If it can, it'll be a godsend. We have a Neumann U77 which is a transformer-less FET mic but uses the same era KK67 capsule as fitted to the U67 instead of the KK87 capsule as fitted to the U87. It's incredibly detailed in the midrange and doesn't have the upper-mid edginess of some of the later transformer-less mics.
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 15, 2016 9:25:40 GMT -6
wa87 Freg plot vs classic 87, pretty dialled in and they will sell matched pairs !
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Post by Guitar on Oct 20, 2016 17:09:37 GMT -6
I'm excited about both of these products for the general public. But I'm also going to stick with CAPI and eventually some DIY U87, haha. ;-D
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Post by ragan on Jul 14, 2017 23:45:45 GMT -6
Did my first (brief) test with the WA-412 tonight. It sounds really good. Blind, RMS matched I had a tough time picking a preference between it and the Great River MP-2NV. They do sound different (well, as far as mic pres) but both sounded large and real and classic to me.
I did pick the Great River but it wasn't with a great deal of confidence.
Need to track some more sources of course but I feel confident that the WA-412 can hang with the big boys and at $300 a channel it's probably gonna be damn near impossible to beat.
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Post by rocinante on Jul 14, 2017 23:54:12 GMT -6
Thats quite the endorsement man. Good to hear.
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Post by ragan on Jul 15, 2017 0:07:08 GMT -6
Thats quite the endorsement man. Good to hear. Yeah I don't mean it to sound like the Be All End All assessment but I'm not surprised. I had a pair of WA12s and I compared them to my Heritage DMA73 several times and I found them to be different flavors but not in totally different leagues. I generally kinda lean towards the Neve sound but the WA12/412 (different transformers, opamps) do sound big and classic. I'm gonna love having these 4 channels, big time.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 15, 2017 5:00:26 GMT -6
I have had mine for closing in on a year and just use it all the time. I would like a neve style pre at some point, but teh 412 is sure getting the job done here, voice, acoustic and electric, bass di'd and on drums.
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Post by ChaseUTB on Jul 16, 2017 19:33:33 GMT -6
Man if warm did a four channel neve style pre...
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Post by Vincent R. on Jul 16, 2017 19:43:24 GMT -6
Man if warm did a four channel neve style pre... For real...
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 16, 2017 21:00:27 GMT -6
Dang, that would shake things up a bit in Cloneland.
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Post by ragan on Jul 16, 2017 22:35:39 GMT -6
Did another comparison. All on acoustic guitar so far as I find that really revealing.
I do prefer the Great River, no doubt. But seriously, the WA-412 is not outclassed, by any stretch. It sounds really nice. I'll say it again: I don't see how anything touches it for $300 a channel, or even close. I'm gonna love having these 4 channels at the ready. I think they're gonna smoke on drums and electric guitar, which is no surprise given their namesake.
Edit: I just did the same blind test and this time picked the WA-412, so maybe scratch the "no doubt" part.
Edit II: Yeah, it hangs. Totally. And I'm running these wide open, output trim wise, just to get a sense of things. When I do some drums and e. guitars I'll attenuate down and saturate the input more and I think I'm gonna really like it. Altran are good transformers in my experience. So are the Sowters in the Great River of course.
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Post by ChaseUTB on Jul 16, 2017 23:56:15 GMT -6
Great info ragan thank you
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 17, 2017 3:11:49 GMT -6
I have been saturating the input on e Gtr, vocals and drums and experimenting with output levels too and really liking how you can affect the sound. I don't expect the 412 to sound nevey but I sure like its API sound !
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 17, 2017 7:47:43 GMT -6
I gotta say, kcat's material has never sounded better since he got the 412 and the WA87.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 17, 2017 8:31:12 GMT -6
That's completely brill Martin !
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Post by ragan on Jul 17, 2017 9:05:24 GMT -6
I gotta say, kcat's material has never sounded better since he got the 412 and the WA87. It's true.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 17, 2017 10:52:44 GMT -6
ah the symphony mkii might have a little something to do with it too ?
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 17, 2017 11:48:51 GMT -6
I'm sure that helps, but he sent me some files before he had the Symphony, and the improvement was obvious. The WA87 is a perfect match for his voice, and the WA 412 has a nice presence to it.
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Post by ragan on Jul 17, 2017 11:57:34 GMT -6
I'm sure that helps, but he sent me some files before he had the Symphony, and the improvement was obvious. The WA87 is a perfect match for his voice, and the WA 412 has a nice presence to it. Yeah I agree re: vocals. It's a really great fit for Matt's voice.
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 17, 2017 12:10:47 GMT -6
Can we change the thread title ?
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Post by kcatthedog on Jul 17, 2017 14:26:55 GMT -6
Ok somebody has taken 1 too many letsgetliteral pills ! Ha ha!
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Post by ragan on Jul 17, 2017 15:16:15 GMT -6
Heheh.
I was thinking something more like "WA-412, WA-87 and Kcat: The Love Story That Defined a Generation (Or At Least Part Of An RGO Thread).
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