Neumann U 87 Ai Microphone/Grace Design Preamp Bundle

A definitive legend for decades, the nickel Neumann U 87 Ai Studio Set is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone offering the timeless and special sound that remains highly coveted for singers, voice-over artists, announcers, producers, and recording engineers to this day. By combining the same dual-diaphragm capsule design as the heralded U 67 with FET circuitry and a transformer-balanced output, the U 87 Ai retains the voicing that made the U 87 famous while ensuring low-noise performance and optimal signal purity.

The U 87 Ai's dual-diaphragm capsule, which is elastically suspended, affords the selection of three polar patterns (omni, cardioid, and figure-8) to enhance versatility in the studio. Additionally, the mic provides a switchable -10 dB pad that allows it to capture SPLs up to 127 dB without distortion, and a low-cut filter for controlling buildup of low-frequency content. Whether it is used for broadcast, stage, or studio applications, the U 87 Ai presents the sought-after look, sound, and reputation of a true classic.

The m101 from Grace Design is a single-channel microphone preamplifier that uses the same fast, musical transimpedance amplifier architecture as the model 801 and model 201, but packaged and priced to be within the reach of any recording engineer, musician or studio. The preamp now employs 0.5% precision metal film resistors.

An upgrade from the model 101, the unit still employs fully balanced, transformerless circuit topology and has no electrolytic capacitors in the signal path. With incredible bandwidth, headroom and resolution, the unit is remarkably natural, musical and detailed. A universal power supply is internally mounted.

The m101 features a ribbon microphone mode which provides additional gain that is usually required by that type of microphone. Pushing the dedicated ribbon switch does three things. Phantom power is locked-out to prevent potential damage to ribbon microphones, the impedance of the microphone input is raised from 8.1kΩ to 20kΩ, and the 48V DC blocking input capacitors are bypassed with sealed gold contact relays.

The included instrument DI input is designed to accommodate a wide variety of high impedance input sources, making the unit an excellent choice as a DI box which will flawlessly preserve the sound of any plugged-in instrument while imparting lackluster sounding instrument pickups with clarity and detail.

Presented here with a cable length of 15'', this Warm Audio Premier Series XLR Cable is designed to provide a high-end connection between balanced gear with XLR jacks, such as microphones, outboard equipment, and interface-to-monitoring connections. If you care about the details of your sound onstage and in the studio, use this cable to preserve your signal.

This XLR cable is chock-full of features that enable a top-of-the-line performance, such as gold-plated connectors and a star-quad wiring scheme for superior RFI rejection in the balancing process. Double-Ruessen shielding helps protect against EMI, and a braided outer wrap fights against tangling. To guarantee an optimal performance, Warm Audio partnered with Gotham AG, one of Switzerland's best producers of premium cable.