Topic: Good vocal mic that's similar to a U87 but cheaper?

[prof_karp]

Hey guys,

New to this forum and looking for some help. I am building a project studio and I need a good vocal mic. I already have an SM7B that I love for hip hop vocals, but I a looking for something more like the Neumann U87... But in a mic that isn't $3800.... Any suggestions? Looking to spend up to $1000

[rokpunk]

yeah, a used U87 for $1800.
TLM103's are like $1000 or so....nice for project studios.

we rent both of them, if you are in the baltimore area. 

[dgodwin]

check out http://www.gearslutz.com and I'm sure you'll find many recommendations.  I'm sure you'll get many more responses than here anyways...   http://www.oktavamodshop.com does some mods to mics that are supposed to make cheap mics sound as good, but I've never used one before...

[rokpunk]

buy something with a brand name, not a chinese/russian made mic that needs some "mod" just to make it sound acceptable.
seriously.

[Tim]

tlm103's

[SmokinJoe]

ADK makes a bunch of mics that are specifically designed to sound like the vintage European mics.  Do they succeed?  I don't know.  I know I like the sound of my ADK-TLs over everything I have tried, but that doesn't directly relate to your question.  I think they are worth looking into.

They have a "Hamburg" model which is the sales blurb says "Upgraded Version of the Popular Hamburg Edition with a More Fine-Tuned Response-Curve Designed to Replicate a Vintage Late 1950’s German Tube (Valve) Mic."   Available on ebay for $349.
http://www.adkmic.com/catalog/audiophileseries/hamburg_mk8.php

They also have the "custom shop".

[OOK]

Rode NT2000...........I could sell you a consecutive numbered pair with all the accessories for 1000....

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=132579.0

Peace
OOK

[rokpunk]

Milab DC-196 might fit the bill. It's under a grand and sounds fantastic. U87 it is not, but it really is a nice sounding, large (sorta) diaphragm. front address, mic. To me, it sounds like it should cost more than $900.

[sparkey]

These sound very close to a U87 to my ear

tlm103's

[raymonda]

buy something with a brand name, not a chinese/russian made mic that needs some "mod" just to make it sound acceptable.
seriously.

Oktava mics sound good right out of the box. The mods turn a good mic into a great mic, e.g., the 319, at a fraction of the cost. If you want something right out the box for vocals that sounds good try these:

Neumann 105 or 104 depending cost around $600  Also, you can use a 184 or 140 but you need to do a bit of eq'ing and use a high pass filter.
Sennhieser 431 Cost around $450 Their 935 and 945 are good at a cheap price of $140-170. They also have a new LD condenser vocal mic that is getting alot of ravs. I haven't tried one.
AKG 535 Cost around $300
Beyer M-88's are a bit dark but for some vocals they work well $300
Electro-Voice RE22 also work well cost around $450

But the only one that sounds close to the 87 is the mod 319.

[John Willett]

Neumann TLM 103 uses the same capsule but is cardioid only.  Voiced slightly differently, though, but still an excellent mic.

The new TLM 102 is also very good and very affordable, very different capsule but the reports I'm reading are all very good.

You could also look at the Gefell range.

[Nick's Picks]

I'd seriously consider the Peluso LD mics.  they are also designed to sound like the vintage Neumanns mostly.
and they do.

[rokpunk]

buy something with a brand name, not a chinese/russian made mic that needs some "mod" just to make it sound acceptable.
seriously.

Oktava mics sound good right out of the box. The mods turn a good mic into a great mic,

i've been in this business long enough to have come to the conclusion that oktava has never made a product worth using.
of course, ymmv, and your ears may disagree. i've never heard one that sounds remotely like a U87...and if they did sound like a U87, every project studio in the world would own and use them, and sales of the multi-thousand dollar U87's would drop off. i'm willing to bet that even at more than 10x the price, there are 10x as many U87's out there in studios than there are modded oktavas.

[DSatz]

John W., the capsule in the TLM 103 isn't the same as the one used in the U 87--the K 103 has only one diaphragm, with an interesting "second backplate" arrangement in place of the second diaphragm that a U 87's capsule would have, and it was designed for a different, and less costly, method of assembly. But its acoustical design is based on certain parameters of the U 87's capsule, and the family resemblance in the sound of the two microphones is unmistakeable, particularly the midrange.

However, the U 87 has circuitry to tame the capsule's high-frequency emphasis while the TLM 103 does not. If a cardioid pattern is all that's needed, I'd agree with the advice to try the TLM 103 as a less expensive alternative, but the user might want to consider some EQ to reduce the TLM's 3 to 4 dB rise in high-frequency response. Or not--it can be very sweet on some material, while on other material it can be "gilding the lily."

--best regards

[raymonda]

buy something with a brand name, not a chinese/russian made mic that needs some "mod" just to make it sound acceptable.
seriously.

Oktava mics sound good right out of the box. The mods turn a good mic into a great mic,

i've been in this business long enough to have come to the conclusion that oktava has never made a product worth using.
of course, ymmv, and your ears may disagree. i've never heard one that sounds remotely like a U87...and if they did sound like a U87, every project studio in the world would own and use them, and sales of the multi-thousand dollar U87's would drop off. i'm willing to bet that even at more than 10x the price, there are 10x as many U87's out there in studios than there are modded oktavas.

I've had great success with using mod'ed and un moded 319's And have had alot of pleased customers. I don't use a U87 because my money has went else where but do use many of Neumanns other mics, 84's, 140's, 105, SM69, etc.

I would suggest that you try some of the samples over at Okatvamod. The mod'ed 319's do a fine job.

BTW, Many studios do use them. Also, the rest of your comment doesn't make any sense to me as to the validity of their value or use.