For some time I have been wanting to own one of the finest microphones in the business - the Neumann U87 A1. I decided I could now justify its very high cost....!
So what is it about the U87, which has had a legendary reputation in recording studios throughout the world for well over 30 years?
Indeed if you go to record particularly vocals, in any high-end studio you are likely to find yourself singing into one of these. But not necessarily - choice of microphone depends on the voice, application and genre at the time.
In essence, the quality of the mic is such that you are likely to get a great result from almost any source, making it a 'go to' choice under many circumstances. In vocals, it reproduces the detail, air, space, depth (whatever word describing quality you wish to use) in a wonderfully engaging and intimate manner.
However, this quality and detail has its caveats - used unwisely it will also capture any defects including any problems induced by poor recording technique.
I'm looking forward to using this mic extensively in the coming years. However, as always the choice of mic, of which I have around 20 now, is a critical stage of the recording process.