87i vs 87ai vs 87ai SMD

I feel like this has been answered a million places....my take, having used a whole lot of both (though I have no idea about surface mount thing--is that new?)....is that the biggest difference is simply consistency. I've used AIs that sound mostly like 87s always did-only maybe a little harder&brighter, ones that sound like hard honky garbage....and in between. Meanwhile, I've had 4 of the originals from Blackbird here for one session whose serials span literally from like 69 to 81--any two of those four could've been used as a stereo pair. I seem to rememeber one was a touch darker, so likely a dirty cap or something--but, a slight shelf and it could be used with the others as pairs. Point being, that for it's entire run, the originals were consistent unit to to unit.

Blackbird also has two Innertube modded units--one's an original and one's an AI....talked to Stayne--exact same head amp--different pinout. The 87i with the innertube is sublime....the one in the AI is "a decent mic". A $4500 retail (AI+Innertube Kit) "decent mic".

I wouldn't pay what Sennheiser asks for a new AI. There are far too many old ones around if you really WANT "that sound"--and once you get into that $3k range? You should be saving your pennies and going up to get a subline mic for your specific sources. People forget that studio standards aren't standards because they imbue magic....it's because they rarely/never SUCK. Time is money--put up the things that never suck and hit record. The Project studio paradigm allows for more (or less) to be spent based on specific needs of the given artist.

Just as an aside... which one of the German microphone experts ws it who died recent;y?

Buy a used one send them to Shannon to be tuned?

Yeah I just think if you want them to match up well Having both is a target he can hit!