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Originally Posted by jim1960
Okay, that makes sense then. The U87 is a very good mic for some applications but it can be the absolute wrong choice in others.
I brought my Flea 47 over to a friend's place some weeks back because he wanted to do a shootout. His main singing style is operatic tenor but he also does some 40's jazz style stuff as well. A U87ai was in the mix, along with an assortment of Advanced Audio mics, the Slate VMS, a Wagner U47, and a Korby red. The U87 didn't sound terrible but it lacked the clarity and presence of some of the other mics. For his operatic stuff, we both thought the AAcm49 was the best for his voice before any fx so now he's looking to book some time in a studio that has a Flea 49. But getting back to the U87ai, I've heard pop-ish female singers on that mic and it really shined for them.
Maybe it's like how in the Harry Potter world they say "the wand picks the wizard." The mic picks the performer ...with a little help from someone in the studio who knows his stuff.
The worst of the bunch was the Slate VMS. My friend bought it thinking the versatility would come in handy but every time he compared it to another mic, the Slate would come up very short. He wound up selling it last week.
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Yes the U87 has both fans and detractors. But as you say at the level of a U87's et.al. the actual instrument itself or specific performer (vocals) and personal preference begins to become a big big factor, and to lesser extent but still a factor is the specific preamp also.
I have only ever recorded once with a pair of U87ai. I was very impressed at the time and had figured that would be my main vocal mic, but ultimately I chose the Brauner Phantom V (which also has both fans and detractors).