New Chinese U87Ai (NOT branded Neumann! NOT a counterfeit, so we can talk about it)

[OneRoomStudio]

I wonder why all forgot about the 3U Wrabler option for a chinese U87 sound mics. Quality capsules, transformers, circuits, good headbasket / body and no legal issues. Reasonably priced.

The 3U mics are certainly a good option for someone looking for a U87-adjacent sound in a commercial product.

This is a bit different, especially since we're talking about it in the context of DIY.

 

[Rob Flinn]

Is this showing up in the UK Rob. I’m out in Spain at the moment and wondered what the price is?

No. If it's anything like the ELAM body it may be available in a week or two.

 

[chrispbass]

No. If it's anything like the ELAM body it may be available in a week or two.

Kinda my thoughts also

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

It's a neunomand, guys. totally different.

It's similar to, but legally distinct from a Neumann.

All joking aside I feel like this is a super grey area. Clearly it's not using the Neumann branding, but they're definitely making an attempt to make it look like a Neumann.

If they weren't using the badge that still looks like it's supposed make you think think it's a Neumann I'd be in full support. They 100% know that resellers are gonna be glueing Neumann badges on there.

I also think they're out of their mind charging $500 for a knock off. (Unless it's actually close in sound).

Why would anybody buy it over something like a 3U Audio Warbler MKID which has 3 different voicings in addition to the polar patterns, pads, and low cut filter?

For DIY I guess I get it the swappable head basket could be useful. I'm thinking more about people that are buying it thinking it'll be a U87ai stock.

I wonder why all forgot about the 3U Wrabler option for a chinese U87 sound mics. Quality capsules, transformers, circuits, good headbasket / body and no legal issues. Reasonably priced.

It doesn't have the magic mojo.

I wish I were kidding, but Guosheng doesn't openly advertise it as a U87 copy so people don't seem to care about it. And it doesn't sound like a broken stereotype of the Neumann sound. Which I always felt the WA87 R1 did. It had a lot of midrange honk I don't hear from other U87-like mics.

Plus he doesn't really do any advertising (I'd write copy for him for a reasonable rate if he were interested in starting to advertise).

 

[OneRoomStudio]

Consider the market - there are ton of U87 clones at this price point that are less accurate but still claim to be the “best U87.” There’s the Peluso P-87, which goes for anywhere from $700 to $1,500. The United Studio Technologies UT Twin87 is $500.
The Warm Audio WA-87 R2 is $700. The Dachman Audio D 87i is $700. There’s Guage, Stam, Advanced Audio, etc., etc….


All of these claim some variation of being “the most accurate reproduction of a U87 for under $1,000.” Like it or hate it, this Chinese copy has a better claim to that phrase than any of these other mics. Does it sound good? Sure - for a $500 mic, it sounds surprisingly good. And more importantly, it makes a great platform for DIY.

I’m not a shill for whatever factory in China is turning these out, but you have to realize that the U87 clone market became ridiculous a long time ago, and this is just the latest addition. All that said, I do wish they didn’t include the Neumann badge and stickers in the box.

 

[Riley Casey]

I'd be very curious to know the results of comparing a few of these to each other as my experience with low budget Chinese knock offs has been very poor unit to unit consistency.

 

[soliloqueen]

even neumann is primarily in the business of making neumann clones these days. nobody will let them discontinue the u87ai and they even managed to bully them into making a new m49. i feel like this market is probably pretty aggravating for the neumann engineers. nobody wants innovation.

 

[Recording Engineer]

i feel like this market is probably pretty aggravating for the neumann engineers. nobody wants innovation.

Completely agree! I’m also waiting for some true innovation from them too!

 

[molke]

I’m also waiting for some true innovation from them too!

You mean something like Solution-D?

The digital Neumann microphone technology (Solution-D) will no longer be part of the Neumann product portfolio from 2021.

(Also discussed here.)

 

[Khron]

Completely agree! I’m also waiting for some true innovation from them too!

Weren't TLM's more or less universally panned?

 

[Recording Engineer]

You mean something like Solution-D?

(Also discussed here.)

Not really. That’s cool and all, but that’s not really innovation on the science and art of converting sound waves into electrical signals.

Or maybe it is, but it got buried in the digital-hype of the product.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

even neumann is primarily in the business of making neumann clones these days. nobody will let them discontinue the u87ai and they even managed to bully them into making a new m49. i feel like this market is probably pretty aggravating for the neumann engineers. nobody wants innovation.

Hey that resistance to killing off the U87ai is probably what's keeping the U89i cheap on the second hand market.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Weren't TLM's more or less universally panned?

Yes. It was the wrong-approach at the time; during a classic tube-microphone renaissance with not really any options from the very-few manufacturers. They really thought the market was satisfied with the extremely-limited run of U67s reissued from NOS in the early ‘90s? I think TLMs would land much better today after their current U67 and M49 reissues and with the endless classic tube mic clones already satisfied by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

On the other hand, they sure have sold a hell-of-a-lot of 103s … Seems pretty-successful to me!

Plus, I loved my super-early 03734 and 03735 pair that I bought new in 1998. They got better after 10-years, owned them for 17-years. I’ve missed them since the day I let them go. Someone sell me one from the same era! Or maybe I’ll trade you a mic for it!

 

[kenwallace]

I recently bought a Chinese U87Ai clone for a U67 project and it just arrived, so I wanted to do a quick show-and-tell. This microphone is not branded 'Neumann,' so it's technically not a counterfeit (very technically - more on that later). I don't support counterfeiting, but I DO support access to accurate mechanicals for U87 and U67 DIY projects!

So it comes in a laminated cardboard box that looks pretty much exactly like a Neumann retail box, but it DOES NOT say Neumann anywhere on it or have any logos on it. When you open the box, you get a nice looking shock mount, a wooden box with the mic in it, and (this is the one part that I am not a fan of) a small bag with a badge that does say Neumann and stickers that says "Made in Germany" and Neumann. Basically, they leave it up to you to create the counterfeit instead of doing it themselves, haha. I will not be doing that. Anyway...moving on. The microphone itself has two different brands on it, but neither of them say Neumann (whoever came up with "Neunomand" and "Niesenxin" was trying too hard).

View attachment 138870

This is the newer/nicer "Circuit Diagram 06" version:
View attachment 138872View attachment 138871

This mic has functional switches and a proper headbasket:
View attachment 138873

The capsule looks OK. Not amazing, but honestly, it sounds pretty good.
View attachment 138874View attachment 138875

While I bought this for a U67 project, if I were in the market for an inexpensive U87, I would buy this over a Warm WA87 R2. It's cheaper and sounds better to me.

Let me know if any of you have any questions.

Hello where did you get these , i would like to get a few .. thank you

 

[OneRoomStudio]

Hello where did you get these , i would like to get a few .. thank you

Please read the thread

 

[garp]

Maybe a good start for that kind of surgery ...

 

[OneRoomStudio]

Maybe a good start for that kind of surgery ...

My thoughts exactly (still waiting on a few parts).

 

[garp]

You can can also swap the xlr for more acurate Tuchel

 

[Midnightsun]

My thoughts exactly (still waiting on a few parts).
View attachment 139235

Looks nice. Would you [someone] have a source for the PCBs?

 

[garp]

Ask tomas borgstrom here