Who is the Neumann - U 87 Ai for?
Entry-tier microphone. Below 58 on the Mars Score means several weighted specs trail the category leaders by a wide margin.
Only consider this if there is a specific reason — price, brand loyalty, ecosystem fit. The best-of page shows what your money buys a tier up.
Mars Score is computed from 6 measured specs against the transparent formula for the microphones category. No editorial picks, no paid placement.
Neumann - U 87 Ai: advantages & disadvantages
Measured against every microphones we track, here is where the Neumann - U 87 Ai gives ground.
No spec lands in the top quartile of the category normalization window. Strengths sit in untracked specs (build quality, ecosystem, etc.) rather than weighted axes.
- ▼No Headphone out — a feature most stronger microphones include.
- ▼Max SPL: 127 dB — below the typical microphones.
Pros are specs scoring ≥75% of the category normalization range. Cons are ≤35%. Derived from the Mars Score formula — no hand-curated lists.
At a glance
- Type
- Condenser
- Connection
- XLR
- Polar pattern
- Multi (3 patterns)
All specifications
Spec
- Type
- Condenser
- Polar pattern
- Multi (3 patterns)
- Frequency response?
- 20Hz–20kHz
- Max SPL
- 127 dB
Connectivity
- Connection
- XLR
- Headphone out
- false
Latest from the lab
All lab reports →Popular comparisons featuring the Neumann - U 87 Ai
The 12 closest matchups in the Microphones category, sorted by Mars Score proximity — the fights most worth your time.
How Neumann - U 87 Ai fits the Microphones field
Neumann - U 87 Ai is listed in the Microphones catalog with a Mars Score of 44.5. It currently ranks 20 of 21 products in this category by Mars Score.This page is most useful when you match the product's strongest measurable specifications to your own workload instead of treating one number as a universal recommendation.
Key specifications to check
- Type
- Condenser
- Connection
- XLR
- Polar pattern
- Multi (3 patterns)
- Max SPL
- 127 dB
Values are shown exactly as stored in the current catalog. A dash means the value is not available; it is not a zero and is not treated as a win or loss.
Who should consider it?
Start with the priorities represented by type, connection, polar pattern. Buyers who value those dimensions should compare this product against the closest same-category alternatives below, then verify regional pricing, warranty, and configuration before purchase.
Closest alternatives
Frequently asked
What is the Mars Score for Neumann - U 87 Ai?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai scores 44.5 on the transparent Mars Score formula for microphones, computed from its published specs against the category's weighted normalization.
What category does Neumann - U 87 Ai belong to?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai is a Neumann microphone catalogued in the Microphones category.
When was Neumann - U 87 Ai released?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai was released on 1986-01-01.
What is the type of Neumann - U 87 Ai?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai has a type of Condenser.
What is the connection of Neumann - U 87 Ai?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai has a connection of XLR.
What is the polar pattern of Neumann - U 87 Ai?+
Neumann - U 87 Ai has a polar pattern of Multi (3 patterns).