The Neumann U87ai - King of Voice Over Mics - The Microphone Playboy Podcast

The Neumann u87 is the undisputed VO gold standard mic. Is it worth what Neumann charges for it? But just listen to that tone.

[@jeffstewartauthor]

Love this one. Heard the distinctive, inimitable U87 Ai sound immediately. And as a viewer of this channel, it’s my favorite on your voice. I always rely on the 87. It’s not the easiest or the smoothest, in my opinion, but there’s something there with that particular Neumann that is untouchable.

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Thank you, Jeff! I think you summed it up perfectly. There is magic in that midrange no other mic can create quite like this.

[@waves7300]

U87ai is just a magic microphone. I feel it is worth it. I’ve owned many microphones both budget and higher tier and I just love how big and smooth and warm the 87 sounds

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Yup! It is so magic that every other mic company is cursed trying to eternally imitate it, and never getting close enough to be taken seriously. Not bad for nearly six-decade old technology.

[@sekkitsek]

May I know what other higher tier microphone you owned and I wonder what you think to compare with U87ai?

[@munkduane]

Great tribute to a classic by a classic. Nice work, my man

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Thanks Horvath! Hey, wait, are you calling me old? 🤣

[@TheRecordist]

What a mic! This was an immensely enjoyable episode. Thanks!

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

The richness and character of an 87 is almost timeless. It’s a mic you can really get anywhere with.

[@christurbiville]

I wish people who are new to VO and think it's just a cheap USB mic and a closet that makes real money could see the auditions that come from agents that spell out talent studio specs and see the U87 on the list of required studio specs for talent. Sure there are some cheap good mics, but most of us who work all day in VO, we buy the high end because we demand high end clients. That being said.... I'm mostly on the 416 all day 🤣

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Chris, you are so, so right. You need high end sound to book work with high end clients. I fear that podcasting has emboldened the uninitiated into believing that $500 worth of gear is a professional VO setup. And I've seen my share of complaints from people who wonder why they never book work and don't know why. Sadly, I believe most struggling VO artists don't know what to listen for, nor do they understand why their best mic is not best enough to win the job.

[@digitalcity1]

As a location sound recordist in the 1980, I found Schopes microphones. After transitioning to studio for a post career, I found the Schoeps to be an absolutely universal mic from recording a 90 piece orchestra to vo, foley and stereo atmos ambiences. Unlike the U87, which is colored tonally, the Schoeps can be creatively eq'd more than a U87 in my experience. I am often sent voice recordings from other studios using U87s and I find that the bass coloration can't be undone, nor can the brittle sound on sibilant voices be undistorted. The Schoeps is a cleaner sound that can be pushed to sound like a U87 but the reverse is not true. I was asked to re-record a demo for an opera singer after he twice attempted to capture his true tone. Using the same acoustic and piano but using my Schoeps ORTF stereo rig instead of Neumann mics and he was finally happy. Sure the U87 makes weaker male voices sound better but to me Schoeps mics are much more a universal mic that can handle all voices, instruments and natural sounds.

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

👍

[@curseleisure5507]

Great video! I’m trying to convince my wife that when we go on a European vacation I need to buy a U87 or two while we’re there. What’s crazy is that here in the states, a U87 costs more than a U89, whereas it’s the opposite in the EU, where a U89 is almost the same price as in the USA, and the 87 is much cheaper.

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Thank you. My thought: Buy her a Louis Vuitton purse there and save a bundle on it and you’ll get away with getting a pair of cheaper than USA u87’s.

[@curseleisure5507]

@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff genius!

[@voprofessional]

I love my U87 Ai!

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

It's a hard mic not to love.

[@DailyRiot]

What about the U89? Isn't it supposed to be the new and improved u87?

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

The u89 is the previous episode. And yes, it was.

[@matijatatomirovic3351]

👏👏👏

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Thank you, King!