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Warm Audio WA87
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Rob Ellis
M&M


Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2385
Location: Detroit

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Philip, do you use the Very Excellent or the Double-Plus Excellent switch on yours?


I need a thingy like this.
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Best setting is RMAS, Rather Moist and Special with the Innuendo Filter turned all the way to Mmmmm.
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FinMac
Lucky 700


Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 705
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!

PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:11 am    Post subject: FWIW Reply with quote

Yesterday I had a session in a studio where they did a shoot out with the WA-87. I was a week late to join the fun. The engineer compared it to a mic modified by M Joly.

He said he could not hear much difference between them. So, he sent the Warm back.

He mentioned that the Warm worked better with one micpre than the A Designs P1 he usually uses. It might match up quite well with their new WA12 or Tone beast.

I'm sure it is a nice mic but ....
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"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)
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Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had both the Modded NT1a and the WA87 and I can definitely hear a difference. The Modded NT1a had lower noise and overall a harsher tone. I don't doubt his ear, but what was the context of the shootout? If you look at the design of the Warm vs the NT1a you will see that it is quite different. Joly's mod really is just a little bit of EQing on the circuit and a generic Mic Parts capsule.

In his case, the Joly mic might have been sufficient, but if you were buying new, they are both almost the same price and the warm is (in my opinion) the superior mic in every way except self noise (which is not an issue at all).
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FinMac
Lucky 700


Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 705
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:26 am    Post subject: Will find out more Reply with quote

Hi Jason !

Thanks for your comments regarding the Warm and the Joly modded mics. Since I wasn't there I will have to ask the engineer more about the shootout. He usually sets up 2 mics during a normal VO session, records them over the same micpre, at the same time. Then he A/B's them.

We did that with the TLM 103, AKG 414 buls, Microtech Gefell MT71s, the CAD e100s, Sennheiser 416, and the New Rode NT1 on other occasions. He uses the 103 for many recordings, 2 CADs for 2 person dialogue, and the modded NT1a for things that need to cut through in the mix.

I have no skin in this game, but was just sharing what he concluded with his shootout. His conclusion kept me from laying out almost 700 Euros to find out for myself what the Warm sounds like. Would love to test one though Smile

Would you kindly post some samples ?
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"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)
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Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh ya, I did say I would do that. Embarrassed

Once I'm done being sick and can talk again I'll get some samples recorded. Smile
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Dayo
Cinquecento


Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 544
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Feb 21, 2017 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Never heard anything that's quite like a U87 - especially for EQ-ability.
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Jason Huggins
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 12 Aug 2011
Posts: 1846
Location: In the souls of a million jeans

PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2017 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I still plan on putting up some sample...but I am JUST NOW getting over this sickness. It's been a rough month Shocked

From a "sounds like a Neumann standpoint," I am good with getting 95% there for 1/5 the cost. This mic might not be as good, but if it is similar in its ability to be used on lots of things then I've achieved my personal goal for the mic.

Samples still to come. I'll try and get something put together next week. If anyone has a U87 they want to lend me, I'd be happy to do a blind A/B test.
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DenaliDave
Club 300


Joined: 09 Jan 2016
Posts: 307
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After looking at the components used in the WA87, I'm fairly certain it would probably sound nearly identical to the D87 Neumann clone I had built for me.

If the WA87 sounds like my D87 -- it should be a great mic for the price, but certainly not a true U87 replacement (I think I've said that in here maybe?)

What I thought was cool about my D87 is that it was a one-off, custom made to order for me. I got to pick the powder coating color and texture of not only the body but the grill as well. Also, I was able to talk with the guy making the mic about it during the build.

U87's and their clones/offspring have transformers in them, and the voltage has to be adjusted in the shop to get the sound they have.

Sadly, I don't use mine much anymore. It's a spiffy looking mic with a textured metallic bronze body and black headbasket. I think the guy had just bought his powder coating setup and was really going to town or something, as it looks insanely cool -- way more than it needs.

I just find that the TLM-67 I have "sounds" more like me. It's hard to describe, but when I first was testing it I was like, "Yes, that sounds like someone with my voice is sitting right here next to me talking, not a recording of someone who sounds like me playing on a speaker".

Does that make any sense to anyone?

OH!

Also folks -- we have to remember that these mics are used for singing, and to a signer belting out musical notes ... the differences between a real U87 and a WA87 might be harder to spot.

I truly think that the bare, naked spoken human voice is one of the most revealing workouts for a mic. Singing or playing an instrument into a microphone really can complicate things and make it exponentially harder to differentiate the subtle differences.

So, if a pop singer used a WA87 and it was run through quality preamps and cleanly mastered ... I could totally see it sounding great. For musicians and singers, these types of clones are probably a great way to not break the bank and get 95% of the quality.

The other 5% *MIGHT* be able to be covered up in mastering with adding air, reverb, doubling ect to the vocal track and having it sit properly in a musical mix.

Most people don't realize just how much processing goes on with vocals in songs -- we VO people like to keep things clean! I heard the bare vocal tracks from a Linkin Park song without the music a while back. Woah. The same with a Green Day vocal-only track. When I went back and listened to the final songs with the music, you'd never known they added echo/reverb, tweaked the EQ so hard and added a "doubler" effect. It all blended into the music.

And that, right there, is why those sound engineers make good money. Getting that to all sound natural and work well...that's an art unto itself!
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Moosevoice
Club 300


Joined: 16 Nov 2012
Posts: 384
Location: Iowa

PostPosted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone got their hands on Stam audio's version? The SA-87?
Looks like it's more faithful to original insides.
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