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Post by skav on Apr 14, 2023 17:54:13 GMT -6
Hello everyone,
Today, I had the chance to compare a Neumann U 87 AI with my SM7B(no windscreen), so I thought why not share it?
I set the video up as a blindtest, but I will give the answers to anyone interested.
Enjoy! Hope you get something out of it, I did.
More information in the video description.
Unprocessed:
3.2db HI-SHELF boost on both tracks (+0-3 db compression):
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Post by plinker on Apr 15, 2023 20:37:03 GMT -6
I have no idea what you're saying  , but I think B is the SM7B. It sound a bit less open. It also seems to compress/smear the mids like a dynamic mic will. I don't own an SM7, so have no idea what they sound like -- just guessing based on my own dynamic mics vs my Serrano 87. However, I'm surprised how close they are! |
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Post by RealNoob on Apr 15, 2023 21:36:00 GMT -6
No preference. I feel they could be used interchangeably. Does this mean a vintage U87 would be even closer to the SM7?
I do agree that B would be the SM7 in my listening. It doesn't bother me at all.
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Post by skav on Apr 16, 2023 14:30:42 GMT -6
delete.
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Post by skav on Apr 16, 2023 14:51:31 GMT -6
Added another video to the original post up above.
It's the exact same image, video and audio, BUT with hi-shelf
EQ added, and a few db compression, to expose any differences a bit more.
Let me know what you think. BTW excuse any mouth noises etc.. Haha
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Post by EmRR on Apr 16, 2023 15:34:32 GMT -6
I can't really guess. I feel like I'm hearing space reflections enough to affect and mask some of the nuances of the mics.
The most predominant trend I note switching condenser to dynamic coil on singers is a more packaged / less open image that may cut through a mix in a preferred way. I'm not hearing that difference here. My SM-7 was preferred over a 67 with a hard rock shouter guy recently, I agreed it sounded more packaged and contained in positive ways, fricatives/sibilances lesser.
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Post by bossanova on Apr 16, 2023 15:36:38 GMT -6
Also voting for B as the SM7B, but they’re surprisingly close here. “A” has that extra air.
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Post by skav on Apr 16, 2023 15:49:31 GMT -6
I can't really guess. I feel like I'm hearing space reflections enough to affect and mask some of the nuances of the mics. The most predominant trend I note switching condenser to dynamic coil on singers is a more packaged / less open image that may cut through a mix in a preferred way. I'm not hearing that difference here. My SM-7 was preferred over a 67 with a hard rock shouter guy recently, I agreed it sounded more packaged and contained in positive ways, fricatives/sibilances lesser. The SM7B is without its windscreen in these recordings. I did so to try to even out the playingfield a bit. The recording turned out less dark than I am used to. Maybe I'll do another comparison with the windscreen back on. |
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Post by christopher on Apr 17, 2023 7:47:10 GMT -6
My guess B is 87. U87ai don’t have anything special in the lows, so that’s one thing I listen for. They are also thin, delicate and jumpy in transient response, seems B has a little more of that on the top end to me. But it’s very close, more than I’d expect. I’d guess it’s an older AI maybe? Pre 1995? Foam can change the tone quite a bit, it’s cool to hear SM7b this close.
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Post by skav on Apr 17, 2023 8:23:16 GMT -6
My guess B is 87. U87ai don’t have anything special in the lows, so that’s one thing I listen for. They are also thin, delicate and jumpy in transient response, seems B has a little more of that on the top end to me. But it’s very close, more than I’d expect. I’d guess it’s an older AI maybe? Pre 1995? Foam can change the tone quite a bit, it’s cool to hear SM7b this close. Both mics are recent productions. I was surprised too, I especially expected the condenser to sound brighter or 'more open'. I do like it tho. I don't know why they turned out so similar, if it might be the room, my voice, the preamps or anything else. With that said, I have little previous experience with the U87ai. Will probably do more comparisons soon. |
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Post by drbill on Apr 17, 2023 8:57:00 GMT -6
I have an original SM7, and an original U87 (battery compartment) version. They sound pretty much nothing alike. Just for your comparison purposes.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Apr 17, 2023 12:15:17 GMT -6
I guess it’s relative to expectation, but these don’t sound at all alike to me. Except in the sense that they are clearly both usable, professional microphones depending on purpose.
So if you go in expecting one mic to sound like God’s own recording studio and the other to sound like sand through a sewer grate, I can see how they sound similar. I went in expecting different versions of the same dish and that’s what I got.
FWIW, I’ve done (blind) shootouts on voices with both these mics and both have won. In fact, SM7b beat out 87 for my own voice years ago, I was not happy about that!
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Post by svart on Apr 17, 2023 13:08:06 GMT -6
They both sound pretty similar. Both entirely usable.
What were the distances between the mouth and the mics? I noticed a lack of major proximity effect on either one.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107 
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Post by ericn on Apr 17, 2023 17:18:34 GMT -6
I can't really guess. I feel like I'm hearing space reflections enough to affect and mask some of the nuances of the mics. The most predominant trend I note switching condenser to dynamic coil on singers is a more packaged / less open image that may cut through a mix in a preferred way. I'm not hearing that difference here. My SM-7 was preferred over a 67 with a hard rock shouter guy recently, I agreed it sounded more packaged and contained in positive ways, fricatives/sibilances lesser. If a lot of what Doug is calling packaged is what I consider a dynamic’s built in compression, we are in complete agreement. |
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Post by EmRR on Apr 17, 2023 18:40:54 GMT -6
I can't really guess. I feel like I'm hearing space reflections enough to affect and mask some of the nuances of the mics. The most predominant trend I note switching condenser to dynamic coil on singers is a more packaged / less open image that may cut through a mix in a preferred way. I'm not hearing that difference here. My SM-7 was preferred over a 67 with a hard rock shouter guy recently, I agreed it sounded more packaged and contained in positive ways, fricatives/sibilances lesser. If a lot of what Doug is calling packaged is what I consider a dynamic’s built in compression, we are in complete agreement. yeah and well, "band limiting" is sorta more it, but I hesitate to call it that, band limiting doesn't do the same thing. Mid-focus when it's needed. Absence of nebulous strays, whatever they are. |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Apr 17, 2023 21:13:27 GMT -6
Because it’s just a soft voice over, how different can they actually be? It’s the same voice, limited dynamic range, etc.
I could put up ten mics with this kind of content and you’d be hard pressed to tell much difference.
Still, I like gear shootouts.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,107
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Post by ericn on Apr 18, 2023 8:02:44 GMT -6
Because it’s just a soft voice over, how different can they actually be? It’s the same voice, limited dynamic range, etc. I could put up ten mics with this kind of content and you’d be hard pressed to tell much difference. Still, I like gear shootouts. Having had some fairly high end voice over clients; them is fighting words my friend 😎 |
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 18, 2023 8:28:17 GMT -6
Because it’s just a soft voice over, how different can they actually be? It’s the same voice, limited dynamic range, etc. I could put up ten mics with this kind of content and you’d be hard pressed to tell much difference. Still, I like gear shootouts. I agree with this. If someone belting their tenor range (for example) there’s a lot of vocal energy and complex harmonic elements to get captured and it will most definitely reveal the difference between mic types. Especially dynamic and LDC’s If someone is just speaking softly then a whole range of mics will take on a similar quality. |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 18, 2023 9:57:07 GMT -6
Because it’s just a soft voice over, how different can they actually be? It’s the same voice, limited dynamic range, etc. I could put up ten mics with this kind of content and you’d be hard pressed to tell much difference. Still, I like gear shootouts. There is some singing and an acoustic guitar track too. You gave up too soon. |
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Post by skav on Apr 18, 2023 14:14:34 GMT -6
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Post by skav on Apr 18, 2023 15:23:21 GMT -6
A song familiar to everyone, this time. RAW WAV |
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Post by tkaitkai on Apr 19, 2023 11:46:37 GMT -6
I like both mics and have no clear preference. Mic B has a little less top end, and maybe a little thicker in the midrange, but apart from that, they're tonally very similar. No idea which is which. Gun to my head, I'd say B is the SM7.
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Post by bossanova on Apr 19, 2023 12:27:13 GMT -6
I can't really guess. I feel like I'm hearing space reflections enough to affect and mask some of the nuances of the mics. The most predominant trend I note switching condenser to dynamic coil on singers is a more packaged / less open image that may cut through a mix in a preferred way. I'm not hearing that difference here. My SM-7 was preferred over a 67 with a hard rock shouter guy recently, I agreed it sounded more packaged and contained in positive ways, fricatives/sibilances lesser. The SM7B is without its windscreen in these recordings. I did so to try to even out the playingfield a bit. The recording turned out less dark than I am used to. Maybe I'll do another comparison with the windscreen back on. What settings were the rear switches on the SM7B set to for the recording? |
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Post by skav on Apr 19, 2023 12:48:42 GMT -6
The SM7B is without its windscreen in these recordings. I did so to try to even out the playingfield a bit. The recording turned out less dark than I am used to. Maybe I'll do another comparison with the windscreen back on. What settings were the rear switches on the SM7B set to for the recording? Flat |
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Post by svart on Apr 21, 2023 8:55:38 GMT -6
I think everyone is familiar with the notion of the "right" mic for a voice.. Some mics just sound the same on certain voices. My trusty U47 sounded great on a handful of folks but sounded terrible on a few others. The U87 sounds "good enough" on just about everyone, but on some it shines brighter. The SM7 doesn't sound as good on females or quiet singers but it sounds great on someone with a lot of low mids in their voice or a lot of upper fizz because it suppresses that stuff.
While I find these A/B comparisons fun and interesting, they can never tell us IF the mic will sound good on someone else.
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, but I think B is the SM7B. It sound a bit less open. It also seems to compress/smear the mids like a dynamic mic will. I don't own an SM7, so have no idea what they sound like -- just guessing based on my own dynamic mics vs my Serrano 87.
