Neumann U87 Ai Studio Set ni

You'll read a lot of good things and bad things about this mic, especially on gearslutz where they can get amusingly emotional. A small but vehement crowd says the newer version (ai) sounds bad and nothing like the cherished vintage U87. I've owned a few vintage U87s, and I actually prefer the new ones (although they sound very similar). The older version might be a bit more forgiving due to the distortion in the upper freqs which can help mask a singer who is not on pitch. But if you are a good singer, you'll want the newer version: lower noise floor and more accurate picture.

Here's one thing that just about everyone agrees on with regard to this mic: It doesn't always sound the best on a given source, but it always sounds professional and good enough -- and your track will sit well in a mix. It's very true. I can find better mics for my voice in this price range, but that mic might sound bad on the guitar or something. So the nice thing about the U87 is that it sounds acceptable on everything. What have I recorded with it? Lots of things: vocals, guitars, drums, sound fx, claps, hand percussion, piano, melodica, vibraphone, and more. It always sounds good!

I've used it for the last 7 years, and I just now remebered to review it. What can I say other than everything that's been said? It's the mic for everything, if you position it well, and use a quality preamp, it's going to shine.
My personal observations for this model are:
1. It doesn't suit every voice, especially not the muffled and boxy ones, because the low-mids have a tendency to be more present with this mic.
2. Those beefy low-mids are an advantage when dealing with thin sounding instruments, like every kind of high-pitched string, or high register flutes etc.
3. It helped me train my ears, and understand much more about quality sound. I upgraded from a Rode NT-2A, and my first impression was that it lacks definition or spark. Quickly understood that it doesn't have that high-bump that many mics do, it's much more linear, and once I figured the eq curves needed, everything began to reveal in a greater quality, and a silky top-end.
4. Low-end it's gorgeous, I tracked an upright bass, and it handled it so well, so clean, no distortion no artefacts, Just pure instrument. Cello, tenor sax, skin hand-drums, everything sounds like fat butter :)) of course, you must play with mic-positioning first.

Conclusion: In the last 7 years I had the budget to upgrade, and I thought of it for a while. But after good analysis, I came to the conclusion that there's no actual sound that I couldn't achieve easily with the U87 Ai. And any upgrade would be just a new toy, just a gear addictive satisfaction. So that's my honest review of this workhorse. You can't mess up with it. Good musical performance translates perfectly, if the recording engineer knows his job.

Good in everything, outstanding in vocals, acoustic guitars... If I had only mic to choose from - I'd pick Neumann U87 Ai. I sincerely recommend this microphone from the bottom of my heart. Only Neumann U87 Ai sounds like U87 Ai. Have used with UA 6176, Apollo Quad and Golden Age Project Pre - 73's and it sounds awesome. Have use it as the main mic with Coles 4038 and Golden Age Project FC4 and the blend that these microphones achieve in recording acoustic guitar through UA Apollo Quad and it's Console preamps 610-A is magic. And sounds are easy to mix in "the box" in Logic Pro X. Don't buy any Rode-crap etc., save and get the real deal!
Peace
~H~

I have a small but very expensive fully treated studio and bought this mic after having Rode NT1 and Antelope Solo Edge.
The first impression was how the microphone is picking every acoustical flaw and multiplying it by 10. I have a window that I'm currently waiting acoustic panels for and you can literally hear it's resonance with U87,the other microphones were much more forgiving.

U87 sound very flat,mid-range heavy and boring but this is it's strong point- being a flat as it is,you can crank the highs really hot and still have a very nice sound. U87 also has amazing bottom end.
It is a classic microphone. There are better moder alternatives,but U87 is a nice fit for everything and gives you a lot of freedom in post. Just be aware that in bad acoustic it may not be the best choice.