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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 24, 2015 20:48:49 GMT -6
I am not sure what year this is yet, I want to call it vintage because my buddy said he knows it's at least 20 years old. I have to contact Neumann with the serial number. Anyone care to elaborate on vintage U87's? The serial number is in the 62,000's.
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Post by drbill on Jul 24, 2015 21:00:43 GMT -6
If it has the battery compartment on the PCB it's definitely a vintage model....
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 24, 2015 21:10:15 GMT -6
If it has the battery compartment on the PCB it's definitely a vintage model.... I will post a pic, but it doesn't look like I can do that from my phone...ugh
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 24, 2015 21:44:50 GMT -6
If it has the battery compartment on the PCB it's definitely a vintage model.... I will post a pic, but it doesn't look like I can do that from my phone...ugh I will post a pic tomorrow. It says U89 on the pcb. It sounds like the source, but with a little less highs, and forward. Not bad, so far.
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Post by drbill on Jul 24, 2015 22:20:20 GMT -6
I will post a pic, but it doesn't look like I can do that from my phone...ugh I will post a pic tomorrow. It says U89 on the pcb. It sounds like the source, but with a little less highs, and forward. Not bad, so far. Well, there's your answer. It's not a U87.
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Post by Ward on Jul 25, 2015 6:35:21 GMT -6
It may be an early U87ai, as they used much of the U89 circuitry/amplifier along with the K67 capsule. The real U87 (pre 1987) used the K87 capsule and it's own unique amplifier circuit along with a battery compartment up until about 1981...IIRC.
I have a 1971 U87 which has the battery compartment. My "new" U87 is a U87ai from 1987. So, I wouldn't consider anything after 1987 to be considered 'vintage'. That word is bandied about far too much and too easily.
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Post by popmann on Jul 25, 2015 6:50:43 GMT -6
Yeah, so I've used SO many 87s over the years with so many other variables and thing is--the vintage ones (U87i) all sound the same to me....STILL. I've had ones with decades different serial numbers than could easily be used as a stereo pair.....yet to contrast, the AIs I've had have been a minefield. There were some nice sounding ones....some drab ones....some bright ones....some honky ones...I don't know that I've ever had two at a time I'd use as a pair. I would expect the less consistent to be the 40 year old mics....but, they' not.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 25, 2015 7:56:50 GMT -6
It doesn't have the battery pack, so it isn't vintage, however it isn't very new either. It doesn't sound bad. I will post some pics later today with some audio clips.
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Post by winetree on Jul 25, 2015 12:38:06 GMT -6
My Walley Heider San Francisco U87s are in the 11,000s. They have the battery compartment. Bought them in 1981. Haven't dated the serial numbers but they are probably from the late '60's. That means the Jefferson Airplane, Greatful Dead, and all the other 60's Sanfran Heider artists used them. My standard vocal setup for years was a 87 into a Neve 1073 into a Urei La3a. Always sounded great.
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Post by wiz on Jul 25, 2015 16:01:45 GMT -6
Mine is Sno 31600 and was manufactured in 1978
cheers
Wiz
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 25, 2015 17:47:50 GMT -6
I will post a pic, but it doesn't look like I can do that from my phone...ugh I will post a pic tomorrow. It says U89 on the pcb. It sounds like the source, but with a little less highs, and forward. Not bad, so far. I just got home to put this puppy to work. I guess I could track some acoustic guitar and vocals.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 25, 2015 21:47:43 GMT -6
My buddies called me up and I ended up going to a high school reunion, and for the first time I put hanging out before gear. This must be the sign of the times...lol
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 28, 2015 17:27:43 GMT -6
What is your experience with the U87? I am on the fence about getting it.
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Post by rbradford on Jul 28, 2015 18:02:17 GMT -6
I'm a fan! Randge has an older U87 that rules! It's great on a variety of vocals as well as acoustic instruments (it gets used fairly often on banjo). I have no idea what year it was manufactured. Perhaps he can tell you more. Rich
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Post by drbill on Jul 28, 2015 18:02:38 GMT -6
What is your experience with the U87? I am on the fence about getting it. 87's are great. Sounds like you have a U89 though. Nice mic, but not as good or ubiquitous as an 87.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 28, 2015 19:38:19 GMT -6
What is your experience with the U87? I am on the fence about getting it. 87's are great. Sounds like you have a U89 though. Nice mic, but not as good or ubiquitous as an 87. I did some research and it is a U87Ai, it doesn't have the battery pack, but it has the same insides as any U87ai's I have seen. I am waiting on Neumann to let me know more about it. I sent in my serial number. Thanks
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 28, 2015 20:01:05 GMT -6
I used an 87 I bought in 1980 every day for ten years. I sold it when I left the music business. It was flawless, and never failed to sound right on any source, vocals, guitars, you name it. The only mic I've used that surpassed that one was an original Telefunken C12.
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Post by drbill on Jul 28, 2015 22:00:18 GMT -6
87's are great. Sounds like you have a U89 though. Nice mic, but not as good or ubiquitous as an 87. I did some research and it is a U87Ai, it doesn't have the battery pack, but it has the same insides as any U87ai's I have seen. I am waiting on Neumann to let me know more about it. I sent in my serial number. Thanks I thought you mentioned it had a U89 PCB? I've never seen an 87 with an 89 PCB. Especially a vintage mic. Maybe Neunamm did that at some point, but I doubt it. The one who could answer that would be Grosser or Klaus Heyne.
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Post by guitfiddler on Jul 28, 2015 22:08:35 GMT -6
I did some research and it is a U87Ai, it doesn't have the battery pack, but it has the same insides as any U87ai's I have seen. I am waiting on Neumann to let me know more about it. I sent in my serial number. Thanks I thought you mentioned it had a U89 PCB? I've never seen an 87 with an 89 PCB. Especially a vintage mic. Maybe Neunamm did that at some point, but I doubt it. The one who could answer that would be Grosser or Klaus Heyne. I can't post pics with the phone app, but I was comparing pics on Google images to mine, and it is a U87Ai. The U89 has a smaller capsule and a 5 polar pattern selector switch. This mic sounds really good after some testing. I just can't believe how much one of these new goes for, are they really worth $3600 new? I was able to post pics with my IPad. Muahahaha.
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Post by gouge on Jul 28, 2015 22:30:54 GMT -6
I'm going to upset the faithfull and say nope, it ain't worth it.
I'd get an oktavamod nt2a myself and spend the left over $2800 on more gear.
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Post by tonycamphd on Jul 29, 2015 0:49:50 GMT -6
Have a no nonsense mic builder make you an U87 clone from Poctops kit, then have Shannon put one of his jewel capsules in there, and be stunned at how unbelievably great a mic can sound.
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Post by jazznoise on Jul 29, 2015 5:37:35 GMT -6
I'm going to upset the faithfull and say nope, it ain't worth it. I'd get an oktavamod nt2a myself and spend the left over $2800 on more gear. I agree in so far as the U87 is woefully expensive for what it is. I'd get a U89 first. That said I hate the "Rode Sound" so much I don't know if even a mod could fix it. Does he remove the tooth shattering +500dB @ 10 Khz high shelf on their response? Maybe then, though I'd still keep giving it shifty looks.
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Post by gouge on Jul 29, 2015 16:43:20 GMT -6
I'm going to upset the faithfull and say nope, it ain't worth it. I'd get an oktavamod nt2a myself and spend the left over $2800 on more gear. I agree in so far as the U87 is woefully expensive for what it is. I'd get a U89 first. That said I hate the "Rode Sound" so much I don't know if even a mod could fix it. Does he remove the tooth shattering +500dB @ 10 Khz high shelf on their response? Maybe then, though I'd still keep giving it shifty looks. it completely changes the sound of the mic. gone is the harsh top end and he has tuned it to sound Neumannesque. for all intents and purposes you have a mic that sounds like a u87. I'm sure MJ himself would put up his purple u87 first, but his mics have been tweaked to match the frequency plot of his u87 and are 99% of the same thing. I can't find the plot for the rode mics but here is the same thing.
I've got one that I use. but I still want to build one of the clones poctop does.
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Post by kidvybes on Jul 29, 2015 19:05:49 GMT -6
...for that matter, the 3U Audio Warbler I ($270) gets real close to the 70's U87 voicing...and it employs the proper K67 capsule, 9.5:1 transformer and Fairchild FET...
...but Dany's (Poctop) clone PCBs are really great when paired with a quality capsule and tranny...my M269c is absolutely stunning!
***UPDATE: 3U Audio will be releasing a new premium version of their Warbler (U87 voiced), combining a proprietary dual-diaphragm K67-style capsule to implement multi polar-patterns as well as the original Warbler's switchable "voicing" settings...a new custom angled/wedge headbasket will also be employed...ETA is end of August...
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Post by drbill on Jul 29, 2015 19:12:02 GMT -6
it completely changes the sound of the mic. gone is the harsh top end and he has tuned it to sound Neumannesque. for all intents and purposes you have a mic that sounds like a u87. I'm sure MJ himself would put up his purple u87 first but his mics that have been tweaked to match the frequency plot of that mic and are 99% of the same thing. I can't sind the one for the rode mics but here is the same thing.
That's pretty much been my experience with the Joly modded mics as well. Some of his gems are my #1 go to mics for various things and I have a LOT of classics to reach for as well.
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