9 Affordable Warm Audio Mics Based on Classics: Compared on Vocals, Guitars, and Bass

[@PhoctorDill]

Wow that 251 sounded incredible on vocals

[@phuzbrain]

They all sound very good to my ears. Surprised how good the 47jr. sounds for the price.

[@foxdropp]

This is amazing! Super useful to hear what's actually happening with each mic in the same space with the same source; definitely helps to contextualise the 'buzz' words used to describe these mics and make it all less abstract. Especially when you don't have access and need to choose where to start; thanks again guys - much appreciated!

[@BobSicotteMusic]

Favorites: 1) WA-CX12, 2) WA-47, 3) WA-87R2, 4) WA-251, 5) WA-84, 6) WA-47JR. All the mics are wonderful but these are my favrorites based on this amazing video. Thanks for this incredible comparison video. So much feeling going on!

[@TheAndrewforbes88]

I haven't historically been the biggest fan of the WA mics (although I LOVE their outboard gear) but these two new mics are really something. They did a great job with them. They are getting better at this. I hope they will continue to iterate on their older mics.

[@Puttyankit11music]

Which 2 New?? Name Them... Please

[@eselle]

@@Puttyankit11musiche’s talking about the 251 and CX12

[@sapienalien]

didn’t know what to expect with joe doing vocals, but that dudes got some beautiful pipes

[@jones786]

Wow the WA-84 KILLS on the acoustic. You really have to go with that SDC for the acoustic! Of the LDCs, the 14 and the 87 sounded best to me. The WA-47 is surprisingly good all around though. Especially killed on the electric, where it had a richness and smoothness in the low mids that the others were missing. The 14 was extremely versatile though. And the 87 probably had the most detail across the spectrum. Beautiful sense of presence and intimacy on the vocals. I suspect all the LDCs are good, it's just a matter of the specific application you're going for.

[@saxyrep1]

OK, I'm so thankful for this mic shootout because I didn't expect to fall in love with one of those but the 251 is amazing. The level of precision from top top bottom on all instruments and voices is insane. Also, the 84 and 47Jr win in the value category for me. Props!

[@anointed01]

The CX12, the WA 67 and the 47 sound awesome!

[@GrumIsMe]

A lot of great tones, but the one that surprised me most was how much I liked the WA14, particularly in light of the price.

[@bobophone]

The male singer distance from mic to mic is very inconsistent, so no real test there. The female singer sounds great on every mic, but exceptional on the WA47:)

[@OverdriveMusic]

I just did a blind test on the WA-87R2 vs a Neumann U87ai, and in some cases, such as on drum room and acoustic guitar, I preferred the Warm. Vocals, were still great with the Warm, but I could tell which was the Neumann based on a resonant tone. I've owned a Neumann U87ai and a Manley Tube Cardioid for over 4 years. I never thought to even look at Warm, because I was put off approx 10 years ago. Their gear wasn't the same back then. But man, I'm so impressed now with their new lineup of gear. I just don't know which one to choose out of the 47F, or the 87R2. I'm sick of replacing tubes, and dealing with noisy tube mics, so will go with FET.

[@buhlir]

great vid but man I wish these were all compared as drum overheads. that would be an incredible way to tell the differences.

[@liammm7036]

I feel like my SM57 is getting self-conscious seeing me watch this video

[@dannydaniel8975]

A lot of hit records have been made with the SM57

[@ЗВЕРОБОЙ-ф7ь]

Great test! Best! Thank you very much!

[@tomthomas8472]

WA 87R2 all day long! Thanks.

[@stanvidgg]

Wa47 tube is winner on vocals, CX12 close second.

[@kickit301]

Ah, ‘ol Elephants Gerald. Amazing artist

[@JohnGoodman909]

this video made me realize i really like small diaphragm condensers on vox. the 251 is just insane tho

[@OB-LA]

This was super helpful, thanks!

[@studiodsr]

This video really helped me fall asleep last night

[@pappyprimetime7510]

I am falling asleep too just watching this

[@ramencurry6672]

Huh?

[@jguk1977]

The 47 was soo good on bass. Loved the 47FET and the CX12 on acoustic guitar

[@MidnightMiik]

Great shootout thanks! I was surprised that I liked the WA-251 best on both vocals. The CX12 is also nice. Electric guitar I liked the WA-47, the WA-67 and the WA-14. Their WA-67 doesn’t sound anything like a real U67. The top end sounds dull and attenuated. This was actually helpful with the electric guitar as it cut down on amp buzz and string noise. For Acoustic I preferred the WA-84. Clear and detailed in the way only a small diaphragm transformerless condenser can be. A very solid microphone. It didn’t sound bad on vocals, just not special. For bass the WA-47 really stood out. With the less hyped, even rolled off top end and the big bottom end, nothing else came close. I really like the CX12, the WA-47, and the WA-84. The WA-251 really surprised me. It doesn’t sound like a ELAM 251 but it does sound good. The WA-47jr sounds like a cheap Chinese mic (which it basically is). The WA-47 FET sounds dry and boring. The WA-87 R2 has an annoying harsh frequency that kind of makes it useless. The first version sounded better. You didn’t show the WA-8000 at all. What’s up with that? If I had to pick 1 microphone out of this bunch to have as my ONLY microphone, I’d pick the WA-84. It’s the most versatile. Even with just the single pickup pattern, it’s not going to make anything sound bad. Thankfully I’m not limited to just 1 microphone.

[@SeanofAllTrades]

Wa14 picks up way too much sibilance on the female vocal. WA-47 sounded a little boxy, but the 47F sounded much better.. the rest sounded great overall. CX12 is my fav of the bunch for vocals. WA-47 sounded much better on electric guitar than the 47F. CX12 was the only one I liked on acoustic, though I felt they all could have been pointed a little further from the hole. Super helpful video, thanks for sharing.

[@marcospintor1333]

Sheeesh i want that WA-Cx12

[@geoffschuller4875]

That was incredibly useful! Thank you! Do you have the individual audio files somewhere so we can download them and compare the best ones head-to-head? That would be awesome.

[@EricMarinko]

Nice video, although I wished the male vocal performance on the CX-12 didn't stray so far from all the other takes. Seemed he really wanted to sell that particular mic lol.

[@daytripbeats]

WA84 on instruments sound incredible

[@Gooden_Eye]

I just wish more bombastic vocals were shown as examples...that's the real proof of difference in microphone capability - IMO

[@compucorder64]

The 47 would be my pick, for the mic that performed best overall across all sources. Though, for the female vocal, the 251 was exceptional - though 12 and 87 were good too. And it sounded good on many other sources too. So, 47 first, 251, a very close second, then third a 12/67 tie. The two cheapest mics (84, 47jr) faired pretty well, with the Jr sounding good on male voice, electric, acoustic and bass. I preferred the 47 jr to the 47F on electric and acoustic. And the 84 sounding good on all the instruments: acoustic, bass and electric. My least favourite was the 14, it only sounded ok-ish to me on male vocal, maybe bass. But I never loved 414s, except maybe on floor tom, grand piano, male spoken word / rap.

[@dollarwil1234]

I was prejudiced against the WA-14. I expected to hear a bright sibilant annoying fatiguing sound. However, it was quite nice. There is no single best mic here. I liked the fet and tube versions of the 87, 14, and the 47 best but I like them all. The 87 would probably get used the most though. I enjoyed it on instruments and vocals.

[@chickenlickin3820]

POP Filter please!

[@ramencurry6672]

Excellent visit

[@jasfordprod]

hey, have you got any information about what amp was used for the electric guitar demos?

[@rylandweet7750]

I’ve used the wa14,wa47jr, wa87 r1 and the r2, and the wa251 The best one out of them all for vocals has been the wa14, it has punch, clarity ( can be a tad sibilant but the deesser around 10k really works extremely well for it, and grabs the vocal directly up front but yet distant? Definitely 3d sounding but somehow upfront. Probably due to the brass capsule. 2nd was the wa87 R1, it HAS the Neumann sound in the mids,,, the R2 version sounds nothing like an 87 in any way what’s so ever, I feel like they screwed that one up, wish they would have maybe tweaked the R1 a little just for clarity in the top end and nothing else The rest of the ones I’ve listed sound wooly, boring and sibilant in the airy frequencies and definitely sound just a little above half the price they are sold for Other then that I’d like to give the new cx12 a try, brass capsule which I love, just hope it’s not as wooly as the others, it sounds meh here but I’d have to see myself in my own studio

[@BluesCover]

thank you!

[@talkbackbutton]

C12 for vocals, 84 for instruments

[@travepassi6851]

Riverb or mixing ver. please

[@jaygerritmusic]

I’ve noticed and heard way much more difference with the female vocalist the the male vocalist.

[@CurtisGabrielMusic]

What preamp was used with these mics? Thanks

[@jaredsorce]

I’m trying to decide on the warm cx12 or Neumann tlm 103 any recommendation to help me make a descision. Thanks

[@quiettimes4779]

251, 47, 67, cx12. In that order on vocals, 84, 67, cx12 on instruments.

[@rocktonmusikschule]

That CX-12 sounds so polished

[@KeenApollo]

Might pick this one up. Sounds great.

[@rocktonmusikschule]

@@KeenApollo this could be the only mic you need.

[@chinmeysway]

great singers, much respect. pop filter coulda been cool tho....

[@gabrielobrien21]

Man I wish that had been any solid wood guitar instead of a laminate one.

[@DeepFriedHallelujah]

A laminate Yiari? I guess I assumed they were all solid in that line. I have an all solid Alvarez I love but would agree this one used doesn’t sound great.

[@gabrielobrien21]

@@DeepFriedHallelujah nearly all Yairis were laminate back and sides for decades. They’re mostly solid now, this one is all laminate, including the top if I remember correctly

[@rtmca1]

Sounded like a miced washboard

[@ArenaRecordingStudio]

Id like to of heard them with a powerful singer rather than a vocalist. Not a fan of the acoustic guitar sound....id have tried something clearer... GREAT VIDEO though. I would probably buy, as sound great for the price. Very impressive.

[@officialWWM]

I love that CX12 but not on her voice 🤔

[@JohnSmith-gh3kp]

7:14, 7:42, 8:42, 9:42

[@AlanAstro]

WA 8000????

[@Ricca267]

WA 87 domina

[@bobdimartino6738]

the funny thing is by the time you try to manipulate one of these mics to sound decent i keep thinking is the sm57 just as good?

[@lostdream3333]

oh great..

[@Stsilascousteau]

Eating the mics.

[@jdrum4371]

When i write/create i audition 5-6 mics almost every time. I have u87, soyuz 019, ksm44, akg314, AT4060 tube mic, etc...the WAu87r2 wins almost every time. Actually irritates me to say my $300 pawn shop wa mic sounds better than $7,000 worth of "high end" mics. Sorry, it is what it is. Side note, WA API knock off has too much low. Stick with API on the pre.

[@OkayyyBee]

The TB12?

[@sassas7128]

I do not like 67 ,the rest are good.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

"super affordable"

[@timgosden5519]

Please a) use a pop filter/shield b) use an acoustic guitar that actually sounds good c) do it all again

[@ikigai47]

not to mention placing fat capsule mics that close to the sound hole. Predictably bassy. They're not pencil condensers, need to move it up the fretboard

[@bibironibuh3104]

67 most neutral

[@JohnSmith-gh3kp]

11:37, 12:00, 12:44, 13:28