PC config: (Win performance base score = 7.7) ASUS Sabertooth 990 FX -amd fx-8150 - core processor am3+ - 32G Corsair 1066 DDR3 - PNY GTX670 2g gddr5 - Corsair Force SSD 120G - Samsung 750G SATA drives - WD 1tb Black (Audio files) - WD 2TB for storage - RME UFX - USB ASIO 2/2016 drivers Win8 I wanted to see how some of their microphones compared to their vintage counterparts. The overall tone of both capsules is similar, but not identical. Anyone who compares the two on enough sources will surely hear a difference sooner or later, and the WA‑87’s positioning as a U87 clone means that any difference we do hear will be experienced as a negative. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. By this I mean that although the top end is full and present and can be brought out with EQ if needs be, it’s the mid-range that really strikes the ear. Warm Audio have issued a hostage to fortune in marketing the WA-87 as a precise copy of the vintage U87; it’s perhaps best to ignore the hype and think of it as a versatile and affordable studio all-rounder in its own right. By contrast, both the WA‑87 and the re-skinned U87 had a subtly different tonality. Our first impressions with the WA-47 plugged into our LA-610 preamp, left us picking our jaws up from the floor. Like the U87 and the U87Ai, the WA‑87 is a large-bodied, large-diaphragm capacitor microphone with three switchable polar patterns — cardioid, omni and figure-8 — plus a 10dB pad and a low-cut filter turning over at 80Hz. Guitar/Effects Pedals. Warm Audio have also used a conventional three-way toggle switch in place of the sliding polar pattern selector on the original. (512) 348-6585 [email protected] Home. Warm Audio has been making quite a name for itself in creating “tributes” to classic audio products, manufacturing them using modern production techniques and selling them at affordable prices. In the Warm Audio WA-87, there wasn’t quite as much response in the 60 Hz to 120 Hz range compared to the U87 Ai. In the end though, either capsule can lay claim to being part of the authentic U47 sound. Product manuals for all Warm Audio products including microphones, microphone preamps, equalizers, and compressors. It too is made in China, but under the important-sounding Germanic brand name of Lens Kondensator, and it apparently features a diaphragm made from “new old stock Japanese mylar”. A good audio engineer doesn’t choose mics because of the name on the badge but because they are well suited to the voice or instrument being recorded, and there are lots of situations where the WA‑87 will prove a good choice. Warm Audio are offering a more practical alternative in their WA‑251, the latest entry into their catalogue of affordable products inspired by high-end, high-priced audio equipment. Jet Phaser. However, the WA-47jr doesn’t really fit this function either, lacking the weighty bottom end present in the U47 FET. However, if you can free yourself from the mindset that sees the WA‑87 as good or bad only inasmuch as it matches or doesn’t match the U87, I think it has the potential to be a useful, versatile studio mic in its own right. My money’s on the latter, but it would be fascinating to hear how the WA‑87 would sound if it could be fitted with a new Neumann K87. For the price point, this is an incredible mic. This microphone is specifically designed to produce the tonal characteristics of classic U47 microphones for musicians, recording engineers, and vocalists in project, home, and commercial recording studios. The original U87 used the 48V phantom power supply to polarise the capsule directly, and as a consequence, the electrical design of the capsule had to be modified slightly compared with that of the U67, to isolate the front and rear backplates. Mike Hillier feels a chill coming. As I tested the WA‑87 against these three Neumanns, a consistent pattern emerged. This was a significantly less expensive option, but has undeniably changed the sound of the microphone: it’s brighter and perhaps superficially more exciting than it used to be, but I’m not convinced I like it as much. There’s no sturdy flight case, which on a mic of this class is a little disappointing, but probably won’t impact the decision making of any prospective project studio owners looking at using this as a primary vocal mic. And the U47 FET doesn’t sound at all like it’s older sibling either, often being used for kick drums, bass guitars and various other low-end duties. From DIY synths to vintage remakes, there are plenty of wicked wave-makers that sit in a reasonable price bracket. Contact Nova Distribution | Warm Audio 020 3589 2530. Jet Phaser. We’ve rounded up some that will be sure to give you your money’s worth. Nevertheless, I’ve always found that it sounds extremely similar to a good U87. https://www.musictech.net/reviews/warm-audio-wa-47-wa-47jr-review This positioning also makes me a little uncomfortable from an ethical point of view. The capsule has apparently been manufactured to vintage specs, with the same hole pattern and frequency response. This revised capsule was called the K87. Instead these are two modern microphones inspired by the best of a previous generation, and hopefully offering something of the tonal qualities provided by those mics – and at a significantly lower price. However, for those on the hunt for an authentic U47 experience, Telefunken has developed a new VF14 valve, which it pairs with a recreation of the M7 capsule in the current Diamond Series U47 microphones. This classic has long been regarded as one of the most sought after microphones in the world, and while Warm Audio would hardly be the first company to build a new microphone based on this treasured model, they are one of the few companies building on a scale and economy that would bring this revered sound into the project studio. Demand for items of classic studio hardware is high and supplies are low, meaning that the originals are out of reach to many home and project-studio owners. The WA-87 has been developed to take the body of its tone from those classic and vintage German "87" microphones but add some of the characteristics that we love from more modern mics like a nice shiny top end and warm yet tight lows. On top of this, Warm Audio were announcing not one, but two microphones – one valve-based and another FET-based. Nonetheless, Warm Audio knocked it out of the park … This is a big, thick, larger than life sound. Can this souped-up and affordable referencing plug-in help you upgrade your mixing and mastering skills? The original U87 was designed as a studio all-rounder, and even though the WA‑87 might not always sound exactly the same, it can certainly fulfil the same role. In this video, Pro Tools Expert Technical Editor James Ivey takes a look at the new Warm Audio WA-87 large diaphragm condenser microphone.. Most of the U87s you see on the second-hand market don’t come with the Neumann originals, which are notoriously pricey to buy separately, and are only included with a new U87Ai if you buy the more expensive Studio Set package. Heads up: SSL Native Essentials Bundle Deal, Using Outboard Gear & Analog Board to Mix. Warm Audio are hardly the first to copy the one-inch, centre-terminated, dual-backplate capsule Neumann developed for the U67 and related microphones: the design has been a staple of Far Eastern mic manufacture ever since companies like Rode first brought affordable capacitor mics to market in the ’90s. We round up some of our favourite sites for fresh, inspiring samples. The inclusion of non-original parts, especially a third-party or re-skinned capsule, will have a significant impact on value. With the amp’s natural slightly overdriven tone, the dynamics of the guitar sang, but once we engaged our Big Muff, the bottom end came to life, exploding out of the monitors. How To Use WA87 Warm Audio Microphone ReviewPrice Check: https://amzn.to/2GpMxj9___Try Cash App using my code and we’ll each get $5! The microphones I tested were: WA-87 FET Condenser Microphone, $599 It’s commonly used in recording studios for voice-overs, music, and live radio due to its range. Released in 2016, it was the manufacturer’s first microphone. Naturally, they have also closely recreated the original U87 circuit, using a Cinemag USA transformer and what are described as “all discrete, premium components” (since the U87 itself has never used any integrated circuits, it’s hard to see how else you could do it!). There really is very little reason not to want to get your hands on the WA-47. The final piece of the puzzle in the WA-47 is the AMI output transformer. Warm Audio specialise in producing budget-friendly versions of iconic recording hardware, cutting as few corners as possible in the process, so perhaps it was inevitable that they'd release their own take on this particular classic. The world’s leading media brand at the intersection of music and technology. … U47 aficionados will already have spotted that this is a recreation of the K47/49 capsule (the distinction between the K47 and K49 being irrelevant with modern parts tolerances), which didn’t debut on the U47 until 1960, rather than the original U47’s M7 capsule. Are those qualities just the result of ageing, or are there still aspects of Neumann’s own manufacturing process that no-one has yet successfully replicated? You could buy eight WA-47s for the price of a single one of these though, and still walk away with change. © 2021 MusicTech is a member of the media division of BandLab Technologies. If you’re working with any external audio equipment, an audio interface is essential. One is that the transformer perhaps doesn’t always have as much influence on the sound of a microphone as it is sometimes credited with; at any rate, the transformerless U77 sounded more similar to the original U87 than either the re-skinned U87 or the WA‑87 did. All of these comparisons were subjective rather than scientific, but they suggest a couple of interesting conclusions. The frequency response curve is not the same as the original Neumann U87, but using an eq to offset the boost in the high frequencies on the WA87 will get you pretty close. The Warm Audio WA-87 is based on one of the most desirable versions of a legendary studio condenser microphone, using premium components and coming in at an incredibly affordable price. The Warm Audio WA-47-B-80v capsule is also used in our flagship WA-47 tube condenser microphone. (512) 348-6585 [email protected] The WA-47jr has none of the instant gravitas of its valve sibling. The nods in the direction of the Neumann U47 are entirely warranted. WA273-EQ. TB12 Tone Beast Black. If you want the real thing, this is it. However, since you can dial in any of three further positions between cardioid and omni you could really dial this in to taste and to the space you have available. For comparison, I also had available an unmolested U87 and a Neumann U77. A good-sounding, all-round studio microphone with a sound character that recalls a brighter U87. The top and bottom end of the signal was held back, giving the vocal a distinctive, but quite useable flavour. In short, Warm Audio say that the WA‑87 recreates the special qualities of the original, no-longer-made U87. Initially, the U47 used a Telefunken VF14M valve, a military spec pentode long since discontinued, and later replaced by a Nuvistor. Not many of us will ever be able to afford a real Neumann U47, and while this might not be quite the same, it does put you in that ballpark. The two capsules are quite different, the slightly smaller M7 using a PVC diaphragm glued to the backplate compared to the K47’s Mylar diaphragm clamped in place using a ring mount. Warm Audio WA-87 . Warm Audio WA87 R2 Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone - Nickel Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone with 3 Switchable Polar Patterns, Highpass Filter, and 10dB Pad - Nickel $599.00. Warm Audio equipment is used by many famous musicians amongst them are the following Lars Stalfors, Brad Fernquist, Michael Lattanzi and Scott Weiland. It’s inexpensive and sounds like it’s worth a million dollars. There is plenty of demand for original U87s, to the point where second-hand prices are noticeably higher than those commanded by the current U87Ai version. On vocals the WA-47jr has a slightly nasal upper mid-range, and the huge bottom end of the bigger WA-47 is completely missing. So, this is firmly for those who feel like they really must have the real thing. There’s no built-in hi-pass filter, so you will have to be careful with rumble and sub-harmonic build-up, but this is easily dealt with at the preamp stage, or later. WA273. Female w/track. Warm Audio’s WA-87 is one of the most popular inexpensive alternatives to a real U87. What’s special about these mics is the richness and command with which they present the 100Hz-3kHz region: voices sound detailed and authoritative, drums sound punchy and powerful, and electric guitars snap and snarl. Chad D Kelly from Warm Audio posted this response. When I added an exaggerated high-frequency shelving boost at mixdown, the WA‑87 started to sound gritty before the genuine Neumanns, but no such artifacts were noticeable within the bounds of normal use. TB12 Tone Beast Black. It’s one thing to clone a Pultec or Fairchild, where the original manufacturers are long gone and the designs are more or less in the public domain, but quite another to ride on the coat-tails of something that remains a market-leading product with only minor variations. The WA87 is a reproduction of the classic U87 but at a quarter of the cost. Only an on-axis frequency response plot is given for the WA‑84, and this closely follows the published response of the KM84 up to about 7kHz. quality brass, and NOS Japanese PET film (mylar). This is not to say the WA-47jr is a bad mic. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Foxy Tone Box. Now the company has gone retrofuturistic to give the original 606 a Drumatix Boutique makeover. Warm Audio WA-47. Introduced in 1967 as a solid-state successor to the equally classic U67, the Neumann U87 is a microphone that properly deserves the term ‘iconic’. Direct Boxes. The electronic-guitar band explain the DIY production of new album Glowing in the Dark, synth option panic and why they always keep everything set up. Microphone Preamps. "Sean, we worked with a capsule developer based out of an Australian office as well as consulted with a couple other gurus to develop a line of replica capsules that are true to the period. I’m sure Warm Audio will shift more than a few units to professional studios too. It came as something of a surprise when Warm Audio announced it was going to be launching a pair of microphones based on the legendary Neumann U47. Warm Audio's quoted specifications are mostly within 1dB or so of those given by Neumann for the KM84. This point of view is by no means universally held, but Warm Audio have used it to justify their decision to copy what is, arguably, a current product from another manufacturer’s catalogue. The iconic pro audio designer and innovator passed away on February 12. In some cases they were pretty much interchangeable, while on acoustic guitar, for example, I might actually prefer the added gloss of the WA‑87 over the bite of an original U87. Although there are plenty of cheap K67 and K87 replicas available off the shelf, Warm Audio have chosen to produce their own recreation. View all Warm Audio products: Warm Audio’s professional gear offers unrivaled quality that won’t break the bank! WA273. TB12 500 Tone Beast. However, what some manufacturers failed to account for was that the frequency response of the capsule itself shows a strong high-frequency pre-emphasis. The differences in this department were most obvious when I tried the mics on drums and percussion. WA-412. Products. Can Novation’s follow-up to the hugely popular screen-free groovebox run rings around the original? In designing the ideal budget drum machine, Roland created a cult classic. Rather than being instantly wowed, we were grabbing for our patch cables to put an EQ across the signal. If you were looking for an inexpensive multi-pattern large-diaphragm condenser with a fairly open voicing, this is a great example. The discontinuation of the VF14 valve led to Neumann developing the U47 FET, a solid state microphone built around the K47 capsule. Warm Audio have replied overnight to my query regarding where the capsules are made. WA73. With a fair amount of compression applied the resulting tracks sat on top of our mix, above the bed of instrumentation with little to no EQ necessary. Updating a modern classic with a new colour scheme and a heavy dose of artist influence, Novation and Aphex Twin present a synth like no other. If you were considering using the WA-47jr as a versatile multi-pattern condenser, the Aston Spirit provides the same three polar patterns in a British manufactured mic with a cool, distinctive look. Warm Audio now says that they’ve learned “a bunch more” about microphones since the WA-87 came out, so it … 6,250 talking about this. The latter is a much less common solid-state derivative of the U67 which works on 12V T-power rather than phantom power; employing the K67 capsule and 60V polarisation through a DC-to-DC converter, it arguably has more in common with the current U87Ai than with the U87, the main difference being that the U77 is transformerless. We'll show you how to use Steinberg's pride and joy. Tones this big don’t often fit into dense mixes well, but when there’s a little more space in the mix, it’s great to have the opportunity to open up the guitar. Learn More Share this shootout: or join the official mic shootout conversation on Gearslutz. As is not unusual in a 40-year-old mic that has seen plenty of use, the capsule failed, and on the advice of Funky Junk’s mic repair team, I opted not to have it replaced with a new K87 from Neumann, but with an older K87 re-skinned by Thiersch Elektroakustik in Germany. If you want something that sounds exactly like a vintage U87, you’ll have to fork out for a vintage U87. Can Warm Audio really bring one of the most sought after microphones down to mortal budgets? Born out of need When designing our first microphone we knew that the single greatest challenge would be to offer a capsule that was built to a high standard and priced in a range that every-day musicians and engineers could afford. All rights reserved. Taking the WA-47 out from its box ready for testing revealed that the package contains the power supply, spidershock mount, 5m Gotham Audio 7-pin XLR cable and the mic itself in a wooden storage case. I should also point out that there is some variability even within the sound of new U87s. Products. Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! Warm Audio products belong to the most interesting ones for our customers. Switching the mic from cardioid to omni resulted in a fairly noticeable push of the mid-range. WA73-EQ. Like the WA-47, the lower spec WA-47jr also comes nicely-packaged in a foam filled box that contains the microphone, shockmount, an additional hardmount and a carry pouch. Telefunken U47 uses the original WA-47-B-80v, developed in Australia a tool that can reduce the velocity range should... Since discontinued, and later replaced by a Nuvistor discontinued, and live radio to! Guessing which classic item of studio hardware the WA‑87 against these three Neumanns, a solid microphone. A distinctive, but two microphones – one valve-based and another FET-based especially third-party. 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