These have been around since before I was born, and I've been using them for years. Everything about this mic smacks of quality, from the build to the sound quality. These are one of the finest condenser mics available. Vocals tend to sound perfect through them, so you can worry a lot less about EQ. I have tried a wide range of condenser mics, and this one is fantastic. The value is only okay, because they are so expensive. You definitely get an amazing mic for your money though. Another great use for these is for room mics. These are very sensitive, so you can hear the small articulations in your room, which is a great thing if it's a good sounding room to begin with. There's a reason that these have been around for so long - they really do work magic on most anything you record with it. I don't own one, but I have used them many times. I wish I could get one!

I have been using these for many years, they are somewhat of a staple in many studios. These are some of the best you can get for small diaphragm condensers. The sound you get from these is totally crystal clear, and putting up two of these and recording in stereo will get you a truly realistic stereo image. For that reason, they are also sold in stereo pairs. Since they are small diaphragm, these are great with high frequencies and transients. Because of that they are very well suited to use as drum overheads, and stereo mics for a piano. I especially recommend using these on piano - they can really help highlight those harmonics and overtones that can unfortunately can get lost with a lower quality mic. These will also usually come with a detachable wind screen, mic clips, and a nice wooden box from Neumann. These mics are also my secret weapon for recording acoustic guitar. Put one of these on the neck of the guitar, and a large diaphragm condenser on the body and you're in heaven! These are expensive but definitely worth it if you want the best. I would get them again in a heartbeat.

I have owned one for about 2 years. It is very hard to beat this mic on vocals. Recordings sound wonderfully accurate, clear, and open, with very sweet highs. In addition to being great on vocals, it really does sound good on almost anything you stick in front of it. I use it frequently for acoustic guitar and solo violins, and sometimes on electric guitar cabs. I only have one and haven't tried it, but many people use these as high-end drum overheads or room mics.

They are also quite popular for use in recording classical music, when very accurate response is demanded. The switchable polar pattern is a great feature on this mic, as it makes it almost 3 mics in one. If you have a couple of these, putting one in figure 8 and one in cardioid lets use the M/S stereo technique, which is great for adding variable width to recorded sources. I have used a wide variety of large diaphragm condensers, and this one really does live up to its reputation. Singers who have never used one are often wowed when they hear their voice back by just how accurate and lifelike their voice sounds when recorded by a U87. They are built to a very high standard, so you can count on them not to junk out on you as well - they're built to last.

At nearly $3,000, they are certainly not cheap. But for anyone who wants to get some truly great sounding vocal recordings, this is the thing to save up for. You won't regret it. I would absolutely buy it again - I'm almost never disappointed with the results I get with the U87.

I've had the TLM103 about a year and a half and I have had nothing but good times with it. It's got such a clear and crisp sound. I've used a ton of different Neumann mics (U87, U67, etc) and although this isn't as great as those classic mics, it definitely holds its own. A friend of mine did a shootout between this mic and the U87 and said he really couldn't see much of a different, except of course for the $2000 extra the U87 will run you. Although it may be a bit pricey for a small studio setting, if you are looking for a real quality mic, this is about the cheapest you can get from a company who makes the best mics on earth. I wouldn't trade this mic for any other in its price range.