Warm Audio WA87 Review

The Warm Audio WA87 is the most versatile microphone out on the market with an affordable price tag for what it offers. It is a large diaphragm condenser microphone, which means it requires phantom power in order to function. The features of this microphone set it apart from many of the other microphones with its price tag. In this review, we will detail the features of this microphone, and what sets it apart from the rest of the microphones.

Cons

The only con about the Warm Audio WA87 is that it should have been made better. I think that because it is an amazing microphone, they had to cut corners. They have decided to cut corners in its build quality, as well as the wooden box it comes with. Also, the shock mount which comes with it was also built cheaply, but it functions. These are the only noticeable cons about the Warm Audio WA87.

Pros

As mentioned earlier in the article, the Warm Audio WA87 is a very versatile microphone. It works very well with vocals, many string instruments, and percussion too! Many have used them with violin, cello, upright bass, and viola and as room microphones for percussion and acoustic guitars! These microphones are capable to hold their own in your recording studios.

Features

Within this microphone, there are many features. The first feature is a high pass filter at -10db. The next feature does have to do with the internal working of the microphone. The circuit of the microphone is based on early circuits that date back nearly half a century. This is what gives it it’s unique warm characteristic. There are many more features, continue to read on!

Sound Quality:

I will not compare this microphone to the Neumann U87. As everyone knows, the Neumann U87 is a $3200.00 microphone, and is in a league of its own! Instead, we can compare this to the Neumann TLM 103, which I will be doing further in this article. The WA87 microphone has a rather dry, but warm tone, and picks up every detail and timbre of the source it records. It picks up the recorded source so beautifully and accurately, and will leave a smily on your face! All who purchase this microphone always purchase a second just because of how happy they are with the sound quality of the product. The microphone has the clearest sound out of all of the microphones within this price range, and is an excellent addition to anyone building their microphone locker. This is definitely a microphone worth picking up.

Frequency Response

The Warm Audio WA87 is a winner compared to other microphones such as the Neumann TLM 103. The frequency response of the WA87 is from 20 hz – 20k hz max SPL. The WA87 has the same clarity that a Neumann TLM 103 offers but it cuts out the harshness in the high end making it more superior! With in the bass frequencies and the mid range frequencies, the WA87 is also better then the TLM 103. It features a richer bass and mid range frequency, which makes the recording source sound fuller. Don’t get me wrong, the TLM 103 is a great microphone, but the WA87 is the way to go comparing the two.

If you would like to further compare these microphones, read a review on the Neumann TLM 103 here.

Does it sit in the mix?

I am not about to say that it will automatically sit in the mix, as everyone who sings has a different timbre and needs different EQ. Judging by other people who use this microphone, they say that all that needs to be done is a gentle cut in the low end of the microphone. I think that this is needed by all microphones though because you would not want to hear those muddy frequencies in your recording anyway. Many others have said that vocals sit very nicely in the mix. Once you apply standard processing such as reverb and compression, you will hear an incredible sound from your vocals!

Overall

This microphone is an amazing choice for all recording studios, including your home recording studio. The clarity this microphone beats any other microphone within its price range. Although we cannot compare this to the Neumann U87 (even though it is a copy), it still has a top notch professional sound. For $600.00, it is an amazing value for anyone looking for a professional sound in their recording studios!

Purchase the Warm Audio WA-87 Microphone

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