When Warm Audio brought into the world its WA-87, an especially affordable 87-style mic based on legendary ’60s-era studio condenser microphones, the response was immediate, resounding, and enthusiastic. However, its popularity didn’t stop the company from pursuing an even closer match to the coveted and vintage original. Enter the WA-87 R2 (Revision 2), available in a studio-standard nickel or a brooding black finish. Another new and newsworthy item for Warm Audio is the WA12 MKII Black, a single-channel, dual-transformer mic preamp that replaces the orange WA12 MKII.
Like its predecessor, the WA-87 R2 incorporates high-quality discrete components and relies on the WA-87-B-50V capsule—a custom reproduction of the classic K87 dual backplate capsule—to provide cardioid, figure-8, and omnidirectional polar patterns, making it a stunner on anything from up-close vocals to big, roomy drums. So, how is the R2 different than the first version?
A good look at the WA-87 R2 will show you something has changed. Its nickel-plated brass body, now bigger and sturdier, is topped with a rounded head basket (compared to the angled basket on the original WA-87), which creates more room around the capsule to enhance the mic’s sound print. Inside the mic, a freshly tweaked custom wound CineMag USA transformer yields a stronger output and better frequency response. The premium electronics are completed by an NOS Fairchild transistor and high-bandwidth polystyrene and film capacitors from Wima and Nichicon. What’s shocking is that Warm Audio made these improvements without raising the mic’s price! In case you’re wondering, the WA-87 R2 does indeed have the -10 dB pad and 80 Hz high-pass filter found on the original WA-87.
With its characterful circuit design, the WA12 MKII Black mic preamp makes a fantastic companion for the WA-87 R2, or for virtually any other mic you might want to use. It puts everything vocalists, musicians, producers, and engineers loved about the orange WA12 MKII—a fully discrete signal path with top-notch input and output transformers, 71 dB of gain, switchable impedance, a Hi-Z input, and a swappable op-amp—in a black enclosure with black buttons and redesigned black knobs.
If you’re about to snag your first pro microphone and preamp or your studio gear list needs an upgrade, come to the B&H SuperStore or our website to get the full scoop on the WA-87 R2 and the WA12 MKII Black.
0 Comments