Warm Audio WA-87 Mic Review / Test (Comparison to U87 Ai)

[@hnm6649]

Podcastage to wife: "Did the condom break?" wife: "Check the doobly doo and see what you diddly did"

[@ZAINILEXTHE1ANDONLY]

Greatest fucking comment of all time.

[@nonami_066xswqoqowiwl]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@2ndAveScents]

Condom with wifey? Nah brah.

[@user-bt7pu7qs2f]

thats underrated af LMAO

[@runnningonempty]

AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA!

[@thejasontlewis]

Ive had this in my Amazon cart for few months. May have to go for it!

[@jazzjames]

I would. I own one of these and I own the WA47jr as well. They are not perfect clones...but they are really good. These with a good preamp lets my music sit nicely in the mix. I do instrumental jazz...

[@kingofthejungle9300]

@@jazzjames hi thanks for sharing, if I have a interface would I still need a pre amp?

[@jazzjames]

@@kingofthejungle9300 When I said preamp, I was talking about a good preamp in your interface. The better the preamps in your interface (and conversion) the better it will sound.

[@smokem2d662]

May I suggest the WA 87 with the T13 Tab funkenwerk transformer mod that Zen Audio sells? www.zenproaudio.com/warm-audio-wa-87-zenpro-mod I have shot this version of the WA87 against a VINTAGE u87 and it sounded amazing

[@ramencurry6672]

I just got the new R2 version and I love it. It’s so good that it could be an end game mic and it’s only $599 !!

[@travislpatterson]

Love your reviews. Warm Audio modeled this mic after the vintage U87 manufactured back in the 1970s and not the current Ai. The Ai is noticeably brighter, so it makes since that WA-87 sounds a bit dull or dark by comparison. I have the WA-87, but TBH it suits your voice much better than mine for spoken word. Keep up the good work!

[@jayfuckinglast5083]

I was just going to say this exactly. I'm surprised with how detailed and well thought out Podcastage reviews are that it was missed that the WA87 is attempting to copy the earlier Neumann U87's (1967-1985) which is darker sounding and has lower output than the Neumann U87a and the current U87ai models. Besides that oversite... well done as usual !!!

[@shaft9000]

Well, whatever the topology, it's not sounding like the og or other neumanns, either. It's a good mic at a low price.

[@olafkliemt1145]

still the best mic reviews on the net. period.

[@MixedByCruz]

He always has the best ones

[@papilobi]

@@MixedByCruz yep

[@Mebzy]

I don't know why I like watching so many microphone reviews but ever since I started getting into audio it's just what I do in my downtime. I think I just enjoy watching Podcastage too because I rarely watch anyone else!

[@MixedByCruz]

Agreed!

[@metal571]

It's because Bandrew is amazing

[@Mebzy]

@@metal571 yeah I think it is

[@petertadd6245]

Fully agree. Competent. Obvious Integrity. Funny.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Addictive

[@ptkk21]

This is the best mic reviewer I've seen. What a great, focused , on point clip. Ty good sir. Besides that, there is a certain type of spark and presence to U87 - dman that change was audible.

[@TheSnufking]

This microphone fits your voice really well!

[@MixedByCruz]

Agreed!

[@johnhodgson5313]

Loved the review. Someone mentioned that the older U87 sounded different, so maybe that is it. Getting an old one for comparison would be difficult. Taken on its own merit this is a great mic for its plosive rejection and smooth sound.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah. I've had my eyes on reverb for a few months for a vintage u87, and haven't found one in my budget in good shape manufactured in the time I want. So I'm going to to keep looking and waiting.

[@xHadesStamps]

That plosive rejection is amazing! I would've compared the shock to the stiff mount for the shock mount test.

[@MixedByCruz]

Agreed 🙌

[@curtisjudd]

Does not sound exactly like the U87, I actually like the WA-87 better on your voice. But that's probably just preference. Whew! Thanks for saving me $3600!

[@MixedByCruz]

Big price difference lol

[@ArtVandelay592]

Chucky Gold My dream microphone would be if Neumann could release a cardioid only version of the U87, that sounds exactly like it right down to the frequency response, and sell it at $1000 or lower price tag. That would be a dream come true for the solo singer/songwriter musician or voice actor who only needs the cardioid mode of the most famous microphone in the world.

[@dulla8469]

i noticed the same thing on another video that the WA-87 is like another microphones that sound different and in some cases better, honestly im starting to love the WA87 more than the U87, but ive still never experimented with any of them so im just gonna have to wait till i can get to use them and see what the fuss is all about

[@Not-Only-Reaper-Tutorials]

Curtis Judd I definitely agree with you.

[@dancegod1691]

If you get a nicer pre-amp and good headphones you'd be able to tell the difference.

[@Techoftomorrow]

Holy Mac Bandrew, I kept saying to myself is this the dude who kicked me down that awesome metal tune and yes its you man....Great job on this stuff...

[@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent]

Dropped everything I’m doing on the floor including my kids to watch this

[@gmadruga]

IAUHiuAHiauHIAUhIUAhaIUHAIh

[@MixedByCruz]

As anyone should !lol

[@StevenSoto]

😭😭😭

[@clementinelives]

Parenting at it's finest

[@tike2022]

You're doing your kids?

[@Tiggsvoice]

I literally just got this mic and I really like it for female vocals so far! I haven't tried it on anything else but I'm excited to experiment with it!

[@polyphonicgroove]

First of all....I love your videos, you're funny and knowledgeable....a great combination. Now regarding the mic....I bought a WA-87 because of your video and I think it is awesome!!! Regarding the U-87, I've heard quit a few of them and honestly they don't even sound like each other. Bottom line, the WA-87 is a great value and a great sounding mic. Keep up the good work, I look forward to your videos.

[@VOByRobbins]

your voice sounds great on the WA-87, just got that popfilter and it's replaced my steadman, love it!!! works great!!!!

[@HarshMediaInc]

What is that popfilter?

[@mrtechie6810]

Which pop filter do you recommend?

[@SmokeM2D6]

I have this mic with the Zen Pro Mod (they replace factory output transformer with the TAB Funkenwerk T13) Sounds amazing.

[@dulla8469]

this guy is the best person to review a microphones audio interface or whatever thing that has to do with audio, he covered about every occasion, im subscribed and sure as hell will spend alot of this lock down time in your channel

[@guitar8617]

Owned the mic for a couple months now, a great mic for the vocal and voiceover applications I use it mostly for

[@osmanmirghani3418]

Finally..... I've been waiting for this review

[@Dillmatic97]

This is one of the best reviews on ANYTHING I’ve ever seen! 😂😂 I gotta share this with somebody

[@ShawnBrockMusic]

Man you do the best mic reviews of anyome I’ve seen! Great job!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Bandrew, any thought of doing a blind comparison of a few mics and then revealing what each was? That way there's no preconceived notion of how something should sound. A great time for that would be after the noise floor test so the audience has a moment to forget the sound of various mics or... use something like the AT2020 to announce what you're doing then start switching. Kinda like cleansing the palate with ginger before the test.

[@deadrituals]

I really love your demos and comparisons! If you have a chance you should totally try some vintage mics, not necessarily holy grail stuff, but you can find some pretty cool old mics for a few hundred bucks on the web, would be fun to hear your take on them and maybe compare to modern stuff

[@sapelesteve]

Definitely one of the better Mics that I have heard you speaking into Bandrew! Grear review...🎤🎤🎤

[@danmahoney11]

I have a U87ai and very clearly they do sound very different. I do like the WA87 though and you do a great job of demoing it for us...probably sounds a bit more like my AKG Perception 200 to my ears. The AKG is a great mic for Voice Over and other U87 applications so that`s not a criticism, just an observation... Love the reviews...keep `em coming!

[@sirnigelcogs]

Even though a lot of condenser microphones these days are transformerless, I often prefer microphones with transformers as they tend to impart a certain character that I tend to like.

[@redpoint8823]

I pray for you and for your family. Love you, Hercules of Microphones !

[@MixedByCruz]

Powerful 💪

[@mixphantom0101]

Excellent review! Would love to see some Advanced Audio mics reviewed... they're quietly making their way into many a mic cupboards!

[@MikeG-js1jt]

This is the U87 Ai that is being tested, it sounds different from a vintage U-87. It's brighter. The Warm Audio sounds closer to the original U-87 and not the U87 AI. The original was much warmer than the new reissue.

[@Podcastage]

That’s what I’ve gathered from multiple comments. Do you know what this means? I need to save up for the damn vintage U87. Damn it.

[@ToXball]

One question: I'm crazy or jumping from Se Electronics 4400a to U87 I hear a more similar tone? Anyway I think that 4400a is a great value mic. thanks for this comparison ;)

[@Adrianz911]

Also I have the impression that I am 4400 is closer to u87 ai than wa87

[@T.R.A.N.C.E]

Info's: The WA87 is emulating the original U87i, so it will sound different to your new U87Ai. Basically the newer model is more detailed with lower noise but can sometime sound sharp while old model is a tad smoother. Look out for Beesneez, their Elly microphone is cheaper than the WA87 and sounds just as great.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

BeesNeez Elly looks to be 2x the price-ish. Hmmm.

[@sacstudiosargentina]

Once again, you have done another best test video on internet about a microphone.

[@Jaredkfjones]

Love all your videos man.

[@drewharrisonmusic3184]

Awesome review! I'd love to hear this compared to some other great multipattern LDCs at the 'mid range' price point that folks seem to love... The Aston Spirit and Miktek Mk300 come to mind. Really dig your channel, keep it up 👌

[@pianofry]

The WA87 is an attempted clone of a U87, not a U87ai - the first paragraph on their website makes that clear: "The classic ‘87 is arguably the most widely-used large diaphragm condenser microphone in popular recording history. Rather than base our WA-87 circuit on current incarnations of this mic, we decided to closely follow the early circuit designs that date back nearly half a century." It's not as bright as the current U87ai offering, and that's the appeal.

[@itzyaboybugz]

Love this guy sense of humor and video editing ha

[@eggonspinellivilella9094]

*I started doing vocals **do7.pl/NMicrophone2** with a low-end mic that came along with the Focusrite Scarlett Studio 2nd Gen kit. Then I upgraded my gear to Rode NT1-A mic and subsequently with AKG mic, but was not getting the clear and natural vocals and have to do a lot of plugins/EQs. Finally, I got this Neumann TLM-102 after reading the reviewsand research. This is an excellent mic! Vocals are so smooth and natural. Need no or a very little EQ to get the perfect vocals. Very warm and strong vocals which allowsme to easily play around within the DAW. The recordings are no less than a high-grade professional studio. Noise level is approx nil (super quite) and with a pop-shield it works simply amazing. You won't regret the investment you do with this little master! Lastly, quick delivery by B&H and excellent packing!*

[@RusiruRupasinghe]

Damn this is a really good review! Thank u and subbed!

[@MrDifferentTV]

Have you ever checked out the Aston Spirt I know you did the origin but would like to see what you think about the spirt?

[@thecleanchannelmusic]

Honestly, I think I like the warmer tone and lower mid push compared to the U87 AI. Half regretting my recent TLM 102 purchase after listening to this review. Sounds phenomenal.

[@enriquekahn9405]

Thanks for doing this review. I love the U87 above all mics but that's car money to me, and I'm super interested in a clone version at a price that I can actually afford in the foreseeable future. My thoughts on this mic, before seeing your conclusions: It sounds quite nice, but not really U87 like. I swear the Black Forest artisans who make "the real thing" put magic pixie dust in those things. Maybe if WA made a cardioid-only version with fewer frills and knocked a good percentage off the price like Austrian Audio did with the OC18 I'd be a little more enthused. As it is I'm just going to keep using my "cheap" mic and dream of getting a U87 someday. After your conclusions: Maybe I was a little unfair to this mic expecting it to sound like something 6x the price but... it does say it wants to be a U87, right in the name. It really is a very pleasant mic and I would love to hear a longer video recorded on it (hint). Maybe something like this is for me after all, sometime in the future. Here's an idea for a video: Shootout between all the mics you have that claim to copy the U87 and the U87 itself. I bet that would get some views.

[@Adammonroemusic]

Stam SA-87 supposedly has almost an identical frequency response curve as a vintage U 87 but the company can be notoriously difficult to deal with.

[@PharaohLawLess1]

It sounds different from the from the Neumann U87ai buck the Waem 87 is based on the Neumann U87 that was created before 1968

[@isaacjones5385]

I own one, haven’t got to use it yet really. Tested it out and it sounded great.

[@MinisterTravis]

Might not sound the same since its modeled after the vintage 87 which is darker sounding then the u87ai.

[@djsashradio]

Waiting for the review of the Warm Audio WA-87 R2, which they say looks much more like the Neumann U87 Ai and not the Vintage, also waiting for the review of the TZ Audio Stellar X3 which looks good and will give a lot to talk about. As always excellent video. Greetings from Colombia!!!

[@mattolivo]

The Acoustic guitar sounds great on this mic as well as vocals. Im impressed, no its not a U87 but it is a damn good mic that will be in my collection forever. Great mic for VO work as well

[@k_watts]

I was waiting on this one

[@MixedByCruz]

Same!!

[@dereklanevo]

It'd be great to see a WA87 vs WA87 R2 comparison ... maybe on the Deuce?

[@ernieg]

u need to get the new WA 87 revision ( R2 ) to do a comparison to your u87 AI

[@DopamineOverload]

Dug it a lot. It's warmer than the Neumann. There was a little harshness at the top end when you talked into the real U87... which caught me off-guard while wearing my headphones. I actually totally preferred the WA-87!

[@weirdskyreallyweird.5519]

The WA-87 is based off the original U87 circuit, not the current production circuit. So that’s probably why it’s a lil warmer and smoother.

[@josefk5659]

I wish I preferred the WA-87 😭

[@Thoracius]

I'm hearing a weird subtle resonance or comb filtering with the WA-87. I thought it was maybe just the room but it completely disappeared with the u87 ai.

[@Podcastage]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. The U87 has a pretty unforgiving polar pattern because it picks up everything.

[@Melvin7727]

So when you say, "if you want a mic like this that isn't so modern aka doesn't have so much boosted top end..." What do I do if I want a good mic in the same price range that does emphasize top end? I like the way the u87 Ai had it. What is a good bright mic that doesn't sound fatiguing or harsh up there in this similar price range? Are there any? Thank you, love this channel

[@Melvin7727]

Bump, maybe hopeless, but I'd still love an answer to this from anybody

[@daltonboles7447]

The Warm Audio is based on the old U87 from the 70's that was a darker, less scooped mic than the U87ai. Which explains the difference in sound here. I think it's actually a pretty spot on clone of the classic U87

[@Podcastage]

Awww man. Don’t tell me that. I don’t want to have to buy a vintage u87 to test all that.

[@jordanbonnick6732]

Please do a review on the WA 47 next.

[@KingDracSiege]

Bandrew I hate to break it to you but you’ve been reviewing a lot more U87 clones thank you think bro. Almost every mic below $200 that is a name brand condenser is a U87 clone.

[@riktascale4]

Very interesting. Love the Mike Mayers mask in the background 😆😆

[@xHadesStamps]

I really like the WA87 on your voice.

[@DopamineOverload]

Really curious what you think of the new WA-87 R2. I just returned my WA-87 since the new one came out a couple weeks later... haha. Thanks, Bandrew!

[@v3zMedia]

I'm ready for the Manley Reference Mic review. Be sure to compare that to the U87 as well.

[@AnthonyMartinsRock]

v3z hey there. The Manley Ref microphone was modelled after the U47. I spent a long time deciding between the manly and au87. I learned quite a bit about these. Great but be sure the frequency response works for your voice. I thought about buying a clone a few years ago and then realised that it wasn’t worth it. I now own a U87ai it is fantastic on everything and without compromise on any source. I only needed 1 mic so saving for the one that was right for me made sense. I tried the u87, u87ai, wa87 the wa87 sounds great but it also does not react to material and sources the same as any of these.

[@paolomotta900]

The non-treated room demonstration was out of this earth...seriously it doesn’t pick up any or little ambient noise? Where you using some gating?

[@tacticalribeye9583]

Just discovered your vids. Fuckin on point 🔥🔥🔥🤜🤛 Only 213k subs?!? This world is disgusting...

[@lemteegee]

Omg this mic sounds INCREDIBLE for acoustic guitar

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

No your judgement is Wrong

[@kesamek8537]

Personally prefer 3U Audio over Warm for this purpose and quality but both are good. Great review as always, the best on KZbin no question.

[@danw3505]

I build microphones from scratch. The WA87 is not even close to the same design as a U87AI. The WA87 is supposed to be a direct copy of the OLD 1970's U87i. The U87i has lower output, a bit more headroom, and different frequency response. The circuit for the U87ai and U87i are very different. Comparing the WA87 to a U87AI is an apples to oranges kinda deal. Also, and this is super important, the WA87 doesn't exactly use the best components. The output transformer is the wrong ratio, and they use a different JFET to compensate for that. If you look inside your mic you'll notice the PCB was put together very messy. In the 2 I've taken apart the circuit board was still covered in flux from soldering. And in a circuit that is very high impedance, and VERY sensitive to dirt/dust/oils, leaving that crap on there could be really bad. Neumann cleans, then coats their entire boards in conformal coating to prevent this. I'd pay $200-$300 for a WA87, as that's what its actually worth.

[@BrentHood]

Hi Dan. Can you please recommend a mic that is closer to the Neumann u87? I don’t want to waste my money on something that isn’t close. Thanks

[@jermaineflowers1538]

You sound like you know what you are talking about but the sound is what people are going for. How do those design flaws/choices affect the sound? From my experience with it and other people's accounts the sound punches above it's price and it definitely doesn't sound like a $300 mic. I have a Lewitt 840, akg c414, sm57 , sm7b and this and they're all in the same class with different characters. Your critique may be a quality control issue but this is priced to be an affordable, mass produced product that make a great sound.

[@Rod-Wheeler]

Great Review as always.

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much Rod, that means a lot!

[@michaeltravis3562]

I bought a lot of mics while trying to find one that suits my singing voice, and the WA87 has been my favorite so far. The upper mid of my voice is kinda raspy, and this mic tames it without any outboard eq. I don't use it for anything else, because I have other mics that exceed it's performance wrt recording instruments, but for MY vocals- it's a win.

[@PT-ho1ez]

Already bought a mic after binging your videos, and yet here in am...

[@IntoTheForest]

Is that a Manley reference mic behind you? I would love to see a video on it!

[@producerbenford]

Can’t wait for you to do the WA87 R2

[@TheGurner1]

I've got one recently - I wonder how it compares to a Shure KSM32 ?

[@PianoManChuck]

Excellent sounding mic. Won't sound like a U87 for an acapella singer, but may be difficult to distinguish from a U87 for that same singer with a band.

[@bewater2072]

Hi! Which mic best now Rode NT1 or LEWITT LCT 440 Pure and LCT 441 Flex? For voice and other thing recording. Thanks!

[@lukehoward94]

Would be interested to hear a comparison between the WA87 and 70s U87, which is what it's based on! Anyone know if there's any such comparisons on the interweb?

[@muchammadnurwibowowibi4580]

Saw Manley in the background, gotcha! waiting for it

[@mfkrwill]

Dank. I was checking out some 87 clones on AudioTestKitchen. Sounds absolutely stellar Can you check out the MXL and the Gauge 87 clones?

[@MixedByCruz]

Sound is amazing

[@Podcastage]

I may or may not have the Gauge 87....I can neither confirm nor deny this claim.

[@Josh-sx2lg]

@@Podcastage Sooo.., looks like you have the Gauge 87 with you already, and planning to do a miniseries of U87 clones (applause, yeeaaahhh) How is that pop filter called? I haven't seen it before.

[@bwillan]

@@Podcastage Spoken like a true spook. LOL

[@vevero7139]

Can't wait to see your review on RTX Voice.

[@larrycom]

I always forget to ask you, what is that pop stopper that you're using in this video?

[@NBproductionspresent]

I tested this mic a few months back compared to a tlm103 and u87 and found this mic was sooooo dark in comparison.

[@dylanj8676]

Because this mic is based on the vintage U87. The U87ai is significantly brighter than the original.

[@shaniell.mathur6372]

I like the warm and vintage sound of this warm audio mic . I like it .

[@VibeSounds]

I have a question, how to get a 5/8 inch to 3/8 inch adapter out of a microphone? Because I attched my snowbal mic to my boomarm and the adapter is stuck inside.

[@LavaLordz]

Can you do a best mic under 100 dollars for this year

[@SeleckPlays]

"Not too articulate down there" If I had a dollar for each time I've heard that...

[@cathyjones4702]

You have no idea how many useless videos I had to go through to get to this absolute gem. Thank you

[@HungryForTastyFoodAndComicArt]

1:08 your kryptonite strikes again! 11:12 Awww, these millenials, wanting a 1966 Aston Martin DB6 for the price of a Toyota GR Supra! Sweet widdle poppets, gotta luv'em! But kids gotta dream, man! Jokes aside, for $600, it sounded great on your voice, and would be great for young voices characterized by a high tenor sound. Great comparisons in the clip, too!

[@youngsaudiofficial]

Would you guys prefer the warm audio wa87 over the tlm 103? 🤔

[@asidtone6465]

Where can I buy one of those thick a** pop filter?

[@michaelwojtaszczyk481]

Is that a Manley Reference in the bottom right corner of the screen? When/what do you use that on

[@Kragatar]

It doesn't sound like a U87, but it does sound very similar to that JZ mic.

[@user-tm2ho3dt6t]

Could you please do a review on the warm audio wa-47jr microphone

[@ernestthompson891]

OK after LMAO with the HNM series...Still Laughing, got a question for you. Minus features of the WA-87, what are your basic thoughts (sound quality wise only) with your voice if compared to the Mojave 201FET? Please share your very basic thoughts and/or opinion.

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@JoeJacksonJr]

Hey can you review the pop filter your using and do a comparison video for us?

[@Liowen]

I wonder how much cheaper this would be if you got a foam lined plastic box or no box instead? The shock mount and "stiff" mount are a nice touch, but I would rather have a decent/good XLR cable and a pop filter rather than a wooden box. Maybe I am alone on this but I would rather have something that is functional over a pretty looking box. Might be me but the Vintage 11 sounded much better, but it only has one polar pattern.

[@mrtechie6810]

You don't have enough XLR cables???

[@taliesintenerelli8510]

Thank u for throwing the box this time!!

[@KROWNCHAKRATV]

Nice rig

[@TechButler]

I have a similar mic to this, but it has a hum that I can't get rid of without a lot of post production work. I've eliminated all the things I can think of from a ground loop, power conditioning, the interface, etc. and boiled it down to the actual mic. I don't get this issue with other mics I have. Is it really possible I'm getting this hum from my mic? I touch it and it becomes worse, but it's ever present, regardless. I have it plugged into a DBX286s and then run from there into a MOTO-M2 that is then plugged into a USB hub (tried directly to the computer, but that was worse).

[@PaulIsbell]

I have a WA-87 but I’ve been pretty upset with it the past year or so. I have a very high, tenor voice, so I think I am gonna switch it out for a WA-47 to give me depth and warmth. What do you guys think??

[@dulla8469]

why does that taylor acoustic have two screws on the 16th fret??

[@Etherealtheband]

did he give us the finger when he starting playing the song?

[@DisplaceMusic]

Absolutely love your work! Thanks, dude. :)