The Neumann U 87 Ai is the modern incarnation of a classic microphone. Introduced in 1967, the U 87 gained instant favor with engineers, producers, and their clients; by the mid ’70s it was a staple in every world-class recording studio. And it still is. Walk into a session, and you’ll see 87s everywhere. On piano, vocals, toms, overheads, guitar cabs, brass, strings, congas — you name it. The mic’s popularity is easy to understand: it ushered in a new era of audio fidelity and reliability, and with three selectable polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-8), plus a switchable highpass filter and 10dB pre-attenuation pad, the mic is incredibly versatile, and an ideal choice for a broad range of recording techniques. The Neumann U 87 Ai is the industry-standard large-diaphragm condenser mic. Read on to find out what it can do for you.