Stam SA-87i vs Dachman DA 87i

[@KROWNCHAKRATV]

Good stuff man thanks

[@TheRecordist]

You’re very welcome!

[@alexisvazquez691]

New follower here, I love love love your videos, the measure segment is Gold! Keep up doing these excellent reviews. Oh, I vote Stam, hope to get my hand on one sometime.

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks so much! I’ll try to keep going strong! Oh, and excellent choice! Cheers!

[@winnipegbandog]

Thanks for this great comparison. I think I'd be happy with either one. Your beard trim looks very handsome BTW. Cheers!

[@TheRecordist]

Hahah. Thank you very much! Cheers!

[@eaglerayrob]

I preferred the Stam on your voice but the Dachman on the acoustic guitar. Nice review, looking forward to the DA FET 47 review. Thanks.

[@TheRecordist]

Excellent choice! The FET 47 is coming! Cheers!

[@hackinghifi4247]

These both sound great. I prefer the Dachman, just felt more smooth and muscular. You’re right though I was surprised they were as inexpensive as they are!

[@TheRecordist]

Yes. You can’t go wrong with either!

[@scottschwerdtfeger6189]

The difference was much more stark once you got in the booth. Listening through my headphones, the Stam was almost harsh in comparison to the Dachman. It would surely cut through the mix for for commerical VO purposes (part of what I'm looking to get a mic for) but the Dachman was much more pleasing to my ears.

[@TheRecordist]

Yes. The Dachman is very well rounded. The Stam has a ton of saturation and character. It really is a vintage sounding mic. It’s definitely for music first and foremost. Have you watched my full Stam SA-87i review? That focuses on a lot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4XLh5RrdrmLh6Msi=h8qB97M-BhYhz1I9 The full Dachman DA 87i video is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/op_ViK2oeMmGoNksi=xZ0oyWJYebQwmLLE Also, there’s a new Dachman. The DA FET 47 which I reviewed recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/imrXeq2qZdmLpsUsi=RNNDfxfGDLm8HVYJ That might help you further. Cheers!

[@scottschwerdtfeger6189]

@@TheRecordist I'll have to watch the Stam and Dachman 87i videos again (watched them when they came out and they were superb!) and check out the Dachman 47FET video as well. I'm building a vocal booth at the moment (doing some serious treatment on a closet in my house) and looking to get my first proper LCM for VO and singing. Your videos have been a massive help in my search! I've really been turned on by the Roswell Pro Audio mics (leaning towards a Mini k87 and/or k67x) because of the price point (sub $500) and the fact that they're local to me (I live about 1.5 hours from their headquarters) but I'm keeping my options open.

[@jenslempke7883]

I was positive you said "Made in Chili". Damn that mic sound really HOT... Thanks for yet another great video!

[@TheRecordist]

Hahahaha! Thanks!

[@offplanetfilms]

At first listen, the Stam sounded more "final radio produced eq" than the Dachman on voice, but the Dachman knocked the ball out of the park with acoustic guitar.

[@TheRecordist]

Great assessment! It’ll be interesting to hear how the DA FET 47 compares!

[@offplanetfilms]

@@TheRecordist Can't wait for the DA FET 47 review! I nearly pulled the plug on the pre-order, but FET 47's seem to be promoted mostly for kick drum or male rock vocals. (I'm mostly just a voice acting guy, but I'm open to different eq's mics. I have a couple of transformerless K47 type's, but they're a bit too dark for my voice.

[@PokeChit]

Jack, your movie is so underrated and the best soundtrack ever!

[@TheRecordist]

Hahaha. I know, eh?? Hahaha

[@Dan_Mahoney]

The DA 87i's are awesome for drum overheads. Soo smooth for cymbals. Was just playing around with the FET 47 I got today on my voice. Super smooth like the 87's. Going to record bass drum with it tomorrow along with the 87's for overheads. Comparing them with the AKG C414 XLII's. The Stam definitely seemed brighter. Love the vids, Frank Wallace!

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks! Let me know what you think of the FET 47! I have one here as well. Haven’t had time to play with it yet.

[@filmjazz]

@@TheRecordist I picked up a FET 47 and haven't had a chance to do any serious recording with it yet. I'm really looking forward to your video review of it!

[@TheRecordist]

@@filmjazz woo hoo! I’ll be doing the 47 in a few weeks I think.

[@billyhughes9776]

I own an SA-87 w/a Lundahl transformer. I really love it and yes that is my bias. I was able to tell the difference in A/B test. Both sound great -- to my ears the DA87i is slightly rounder on top with a bit more low-mid/lowend. Not necessarily muddy but, it's a tad less distinct. I'm definitely gonna look in to the Dachman mic's -- thanks for this compare.

[@TheRecordist]

I agree 100%!

[@MusicChannel-rf5zz]

I have the Dachman.They were kind enough to give me a good discount.I like the highs on Stam though.Hope they would reduce their prices sometime this month so I can grab it too! :)

[@TheRecordist]

Perhaps they will! There’s also a new Dachman out. Stay tuned, for in two days time, its review shall be released into the world… on this channel.

[@dannylightning-audio-reviews]

Both sound quite nice.. very close honestly.. i like the stam a tiny bit better tho.

[@TheRecordist]

This was a controversial shootout. So many differing opinions. Haha. Very good!

[@mattytwohatsmusic]

Both mics are awesome. I picked A and B correct thru my phone. Which I think may have been a fluke. 🎸

[@TheRecordist]

Woo hoo!

[@MidnightMiik]

I like B. It’s got a really nice mid forward thing going on and sounds very detailed. Mic A also sounds nice but has a bit more roll off on the top end. Editing after watching to the end. I thought B was the Stam. I own one. I’ve done comparisons with a couple of vintage U87s (1978 & 1980). To me, the Stam actually sounds better. But then again it was modeled after a 1979 U87 so that is probably what I’m hearing. In case you’re wondering, the ‘78 & ‘80 don’t sound the same. They do sound incredible though. Stam tinkered around with the design for a while before landing on the current iteration. I haven’t done an a/b comparison between older versions of the SA-87 and the newer SA-87i. The Dachman also sounds fantastic. The rolled off high end would make it great for someone with really sharp sibilants or someone with a lot of mouth clicks. We are being hyper critical here. If you were to hear a VO from either mic and didn’t know what mic was used, you wouldn’t think “that sounds bad”. Both sound great! Do you like chocolate or vanilla? There is no wrong answer. But I’m glad I got the Stam. I kinda want a second one for stereo recordings. There was just an older SA-87 on eBay with a buy it now of $500 and I let it go because it wasn’t the 87i version. Red label vs black label. Would anyone but me have able to tell the difference? The world will never know…

[@TheRecordist]

Hahaha. Well said! I agree with you 100%.

[@osmosisrecording]

Mic A --- Believe it's the Dachman. Just ever so slightly more intimate sounding than B, but also a little less top end (manages to pull a performance forward without extra top end?!?). That's been the most noticeable difference to me up to this point. Anyway, both sound great. Glad I had a chance to build a couple of Dachman's when they still did DIY kits. Thank you for the comparison; I thoroughly enjoy your videos!

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks very much!

[@RealCoyCooter]

Upper Mids

[@narrator-timothymckean]

I like the more focused sound of B.

[@TheRecordist]

Indeed! The Stam!

[@Fl4ppers]

I really like all of those examples. The Stam is a tiny bit darker to my ears, the Dachman has a tiny bit more upper midrange. But they are soooo close. I'd be so happy to have either of those. They need to talk to Andertons, GAK and other UK stores to get some distribution going. £680 is a great price but import fees and taxes will add on another £2-300 ish from experience for the end-buyer. I'm not a fan of 87 mics, but recent years I've seen lots of videos about people using them with good results. These recreations of the older mics are more interesting to me, too as they're artistic interpretations in their own right. Its the same with classic guitar pedals.

[@TheRecordist]

This has been most interesting to read all the different takes on these mics. I don’t think I’ve seen so many diverse opinions in any shootout video I’ve done. So cool. Send Stam or Dachman an email and let them know you’d rather not spend £2-300 on import fees and ask what they suggest. Thanks so much for the comment!

[@Fl4ppers]

@@TheRecordist In reality its quite subjective given how close they are. They are both amazing, amazing mics.

[@TheRecordist]

@@Fl4ppers can’t agree more!

[@jimmyweaver5843]

In my opinion the Stan sounds much more rich and full on the vocals 😅

[@TheRecordist]

Excellent opinion!

[@MusicChannel-rf5zz]

Are the volume levels the same? Stam sounds a more crispier to those like me who prefer a modern sound. I guess I’ll have to sell my new Dachman & get Stam . Are there any stores that carry it apart from Stam ?

[@TheRecordist]

The volume levels are the same. You don’t have to get the Stam. Both are excellent mics. The Stam is more saturated, if you ask me. The Dachman is more crisp. But that’s just my take. I have not found anywhere else who sell Stam except for Reverb sometimes. Sorry about that!

[@MusicChannel-rf5zz]

@ Great tip !Thanks for your kind response.😊

[@EnglishEloquenceMoscow]

Nathan, totally unrelated, but important question: Do you think there's a chance I could consider Tascam FR-AV2 for VO?

[@TheRecordist]

You know, I haven’t gotten a chance to try that one. It’s the new one, right? It looks fabulous. People are saying it’s great. But I don’t have any personal experience with it to recommend it. So sorry about that!

[@EnglishEloquenceMoscow]

@@TheRecordist Thanks man!

[@CaptainMoto]

Jack, My impression is that Stam is crisper while the Dachman is much more colored with less top end. I paused and my impressions held. Don’t have a favorite, I think they each have their own voice which might suit different sources.

[@TheRecordist]

You think the Dachman is more colored? Interesting. Do you mean saturated? I tend to swap colored for saturated a lot. Either way. Very interesting. But you’re right about them both being fantastic and for different sources. Excellent!

[@CaptainMoto]

Saturated?...Maybe, To me it sounds like the Dachmen has a transformer and the Stam does not.@@TheRecordist

[@TheRecordist]

@@CaptainMoto that’s so interesting. I would say the complete opposite - or at least that I can hear more of the transformer in the Stam and less of it in the Dachman. The Stam sounds much more like a classic 70s U87i to me. Dirty and underpowered. The Dachman sounds more like a modern U87ai. Ears eh? Hahaha

[@CaptainMoto]

@@TheRecordist Never owed or even tried a U87i or U87ai. so that reference may be valid but it's lost on me. Yes.ears...Ha Ha, mine are half shot from age and live long abuse. I was suprised I could such a difference but then again, maybe my old ears are tricking my old brain.

[@TheRecordist]

@@CaptainMoto it’s all kind of subjective anyway. It’s actually fascinating.

[@Marlan-n9v]

I have a question On vocals, what are most engineers looking for when recording for a mix more bottom or more sibilance? What I MEAN IS CLEARITY OR BOTTOM?

[@TheRecordist]

That depends entirely on the voice, the song, the room, and so many other variables. On a mid-forward voice, a less mid-forward mic is usually selected, and vice versa. Some songs you want the saturation. Others clarity. It’s all about the whole picture.

[@The-Logician]

I've stopped at 11:23 and my guess is the Stam is Mic B and the Dachman is mic A. Anytime outside of the "booth", the Dachman or A mic had a slightly muddier lower end than the Stam which came through just a bit cleaner on the lower end (or maybe not as pronounced?). When in the "booth" however, the STAM sounded like it had a bit more high end sizzle than the Dachman, but both seemed to have a little bit of sizzle. That's my guess and I'm sticking with it. Now on to watch the rest of the video. PS Stay in the shadows my friend.... it's more fun here in the shadows....

[@TheRecordist]

Hahaha. Well done! Great ear! And the shadows are ALWAYS better 🤓

[@Kevinfordsynthesizers]

Hi from England, I recently bought the DA following your superb review. Thank god I still prefer the smoother (to my earparts) hi frequencies sound of it over the Stam. I may begin breathing again any time in the not too distant future. Your channel warrants another million or so subscribers.

[@rounderone8437]

Really? This is so obvious that one of these mics is vastly superior to the other. And of course, it's the Stam..... Because ahhh... like, okay, it's the one I bought; or ordered, that is. Supposedly shipping this month from the August build. And you made me buy it because you have some kind of mind meld power over your fanatical viewers. "Good things come to those that wait," and you don't have to wait for the Dachman, so case closed.

[@TheRecordist]

Hahahaha. Bam! Nailed it!

[@bassface84]

they're really similar, I mean really close... I think B is the Dachman.

[@TheRecordist]

B was the Stam!

[@mikebauer6917]

Mic A is Dachman. Liked best on spoken word, a bit smoother high end and less artificial sounding. I think though, I preferred a few of your previously reviewed mics better for your voice (e.g., Lauten Audio).

[@TheRecordist]

You’re right about A! Interesting take. But yes, the U87s are mid-forward mics. And since my voice is already mid-forward, I don’t need any help in that department. Haha. I agree, the Atlantis is still my favorite mic of all time.

[@windpeoples]

Have you kept in contact with Ben Gates lately? I heard he had found info on the location of King Solomon's mines.

[@TheRecordist]

Now that would be an adventure I’d drop everything to go on! Hahaha

[@fuchidawagyu7815]

B is better, I picked it was the STAM I own this mic so my ears are trained to its footprint, there is a big difference between these two mics and the difference is great. It would be a boring world if they were all the same. Be great if you could test the SA47 MKIII, I own this microphone too, with 2 interchangeable capsules, it's so much fun playing around with the different sound it gives.

[@TheRecordist]

Stam makes some great stuff! I’ll try to grab the SA47 MKIII!

[@fuchidawagyu7815]

@@TheRecordist Yes a comparison between a Neumann U47 and a Stam SA47MKIII would be a good video

[@TheRecordist]

@ oh that would be a great video indeed!

[@badmiddens]

didn't dachman used to sell a diy kit?

[@TheRecordist]

They did indeed!

[@badmiddens]

@@TheRecordist love the sound of this. wish they still did a kit. (sad face)

[@TheRecordist]

@@badmiddens it’s the same mic, just pre-built. But I get what you’re saying.

[@badmiddens]

@@TheRecordist yeah, i really want to do a kit and i'm not sold so far on the micparts stuff

[@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff]

Great job! I also think this is a situation where even the slight difference in headbasket shape is making a relative difference. The more linear Stam headbasket has more in common with a real 87 and the Dachman is a bit more rounded and while I have zero doubt they both use very similarly spec'd components, the Dachman sounds a little less like an 87. Not that it sounds bad at all, but the Stam (with what I believe is an Arienne Audio capsule) wins here for me against the Dachman for VO purposes.

[@TheRecordist]

Well said, Mark! I think you’re right. And thanks!

[@unleashedjeremyhanson1597]

A seems to be smoother

[@TheRecordist]

It is indeed! The Dachman!

[@brianloughlin2340]

I definitely prefer the Dachman and am glad I got one. I like the way the sibilants already sound a little de-eased. My other main vocal mic is a WA-8000, so I wanted something a little smoother and warmer-sounding. Thanks for this!

[@TheRecordist]

There you go! You’re very welcome!

[@Marlan-n9v]

I knew you would do it! It was a logical choice, too. Both sound really good and clear, the Bachman mic may have a little more bottom, as the Stam is more crisp with a bit more sibilance. It is a matter of what sound are you going for. Hard to tell because some voices need bottom (like female vocals), and heavy, deep voices need sibilance to mellow out the perimeter of their vocal track. I'd like to own them both.

[@TheRecordist]

That’s a great plan! Get them both! Now you’re speaking my language! Hahaha

[@damolin77]

The Stam to my ears has a little more plosives so i pick the " A" Dachman.

[@TheRecordist]

More plosives on the Stam? Interesting!

[@savethefails]

to be honest, not a fan of either. I've just heard you sound a lot better on other mics. Kind of disappointed. They just both sound like cheap knock offs. Which I guess they are. I mean they arent "bad" but they just dont hold up to a few others you've tested.

[@TheRecordist]

Mics are often very subjective things. There are uses for all sorts of mics. These are both very very close to the vintage sound of the U87i. Perhaps you dislike that sound? Also, don’t use my voice as a guide. My voice is very mid-forward. So using mid-forward mics on it (like these ones) are just amping up that mid.

[@rylandweet7750]

The Dachman sounds way better to my ears,,, the Stam is brighter on the top end but bright in a way I don’t I like,,, almost “tinny” sounding

[@TheRecordist]

Hmm. Interesting take! Thanks for dropping a comment!