Warm Audio WA-87
Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone
The Warm Audio WA-87 is a side-address, transformer balanced, multi pattern condenser microphone. It is Warm Audio’s first microphone.
The WA-87 was conceived as a recreation of Neumann’s long-discontinued U87i, thought by many audio engineers to be more desirable than Neumann’s current U87ai. (See our U87i vs U87Ai shootout.)
Using available knowledge of the U87i circuit, Warm matched component values across the board using WIMA film capacitors, polystyrene capacitors, tantalum capacitors, and Fairchild FETs. PCB’s are assembled by hand using through-hole construction. Commendably, Warm posts internal photos of their microphone PCB’s on their site.
The capsule is of Asian origin, but made by Warm’s own company-within-a-company, Lens Kompensator. According to Warm, Lens Kompensator consulted with “a capsule developer based out of an Australian office” as well as others, to develop their version of the venerable K87 capsule. The capsule is made using brass and Japanese Mylar. Like the K87, it is a four-termination, dual-diaphragm, dual-backplate capsule, with 6 micron diaphragm material. Warm manufactures the capsules in their own facility in China.
The output transformer is a Cinemag CM-2480.
The WA-87 comes with a wooden storage box, a shockmount, and a swivel mount.
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The mic was released in 2016.
Specifications
| Pickup Patterns | Pads & Filters |
|---|---|
|
Omnidirectional
(20 - 20,000 Hz) Cardioid (20 - 20,000 Hz) Bidirectional (20 - 20,000 Hz) |
|
| Capsule Dimensions | Impedance | SPL/Noise |
|---|---|---|
| Diaphragm diameter: 25.4mm Diaphragm gauge: 6 microns |
150 Ohms (Low) | Max SPL: 130 dB Self-noise: 15.0 dB(A) |
| Weight | Length | Max Diameter | Interface(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | n/a | n/a |
|
| Power Specifications |
|---|
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