When you think about your favorite albums or musicians, you probably picture them with their signature instruments: Hendrix shredding on his guitar, Elton commanding the piano, Tommy Lee performing those wild upside-down drum solos above the crowds.
Here's the fascinating part — hardly anyone thinks about the microphone they used, yet nearly every superstar (about 85% of them) has recorded with a Neumann. Most of them likely used the legendary U67!
While this microphone wasn't exactly affordable when it debuted, and today it costs a fortune, it's worth every penny.
Thankfully, several forward-thinking companies like Warm Audio and Mojave now offer budget-friendly alternatives that capture that same classic sound.
Here are 4 budget alternatives to the legendary Neumann U67 that I think truly deliver without breaking the bank.
4 Best U67 Clones - Similar Sounding & Affordable
1. Warm Audio WA-67
The Warm Audio WA-67 is one of, if not the most, popular U67 clones out there. It recreates everything that makes the U67 special while also managing to be its own thing. All at a fraction of the price.
The WA-67 is an impeccably designed mic. Not only does it have a similar look to the U67, but the build quality is on par. The body is incredibly sturdy, giving a sense that the internal components are well protected inside.
Warm Audio WA-67
The mic features three polar patterns, just like the original U67. It has a cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-8 pattern that can easily be switched between using the slider at the front of the mic.
Neumann mics have always excelled for vocals, but two microphones stand above all others in recording history — the U67 and U47 tube mics. These legendary mics sound phenomenal on any artist.
Interestingly enough, I found the Warm Audio clone to be a bit of a hybrid between these two legendary mics. It has a silky tone that really excels on female vocalists, and I love the low end on male vocals.
I like getting singers to be extremely close and get that proximity effect when using the WA-67 — it really makes vocals sound larger than life, like the original it's based on.
As crazy as it sounds, I might like the WA-67 better than the original vintage U67 on acoustic guitars. I'll tell you why: the Warm Audio, being slightly less sensitive in the SPL range and using a more modern tube, seems to break up less.
The original U67 always had a really nice sweet distorted edge to it when you hit it hard, but the Warm Audio seems to sound a little bit more polished, which I do like on acoustic guitars.
A lot of producers like using the U67 for room mics because they're so sensitive that they capture really nice acoustics. No surprise there since the U67 was heavily used in orchestral sessions back in the day.
I absolutely love how the Warm Audio clone brings out the liveliness and energy of my drum kit setup — you won't believe how amazing the WA-67 sounds when capturing those crisp, up-close hi-hat details!
Here's a production tip that I give a lot of young producers that come into my studio: everybody these days is using Splice loops, and everybody has really amazing kick and snare samples now, but hi-hat loops usually sound pretty boring and static when you pull them from a library.
So, I always recommend people program the kick and snare, but do the hi-hat live if possible. For that, the WA-67 is almost unbeatable to get that super cool, pop-crunchy hi-hats sound.
On top of an incredible mic, you are also getting quite a few extras. A power supply, XLR cable, a super sturdy shockmount, and a lovely wooden box to keep the mic safe.
The mic alone makes the price well worth it. All the extras you get as well is just a very nice cherry on top of an already delicious dessert.
2. Mojave Audio MA-300
Mojave Audio is a brand that I haven’t really seen or heard much about. So, I was very curious to test out their MA-300 tube condenser mic. And my experience with it was nothing short of amazing.
Right off the bat, the design and build quality of the MA-300 stands out. This is a solid, well-made mic. The design also resembles that of the vintage mic it’s modeled after, especially with the very 1950s Mojave logo.
Mojave Audio MA-300
As for the audio, the MA-300 does a fantastic job. There is a lot of warmth and clarity in everything you record with this mic. But the sound is still kept quite natural.
I also didn’t really need to do much in terms of EQ. Everything just sounds clean, smooth, and buttery. At most the high pass filter needed to be switched on.
Along with a fantastic mic, you are also getting some wonderful extras. A sturdy shockmount, cables, the standard for this kind of kit.
The coolest part, though, are the heavy duty cases for both the mic and a larger one to hold the mic case and all the extras. You even get a set of keys to help make sure everything is kept safe. I once had the misfortune of getting almost 70% of my rig stolen during a show, so security is something I never take lightly anymore.
I did notice during my testing that the MA-300 is quite sensitive. If you want to use it to its fullest potential, you are going to want to use a good preamp with it. This sentiment does seem to be shared by a few people from what I can tell, so it isn’t just my ears playing tricks on me.
This is exactly why I love using this mic on instruments when I want to capture the bass particularly well. While the Warm Audio had a lovely silky sheen on top of the sound, the Mojave feels more like the hip-hop counterpart to that mic.
In fact, when I was recently doing a remix for the artist Common, I wanted to get some of that Questlove thump on the kick. I tried several specific kick mics, but none of them really did it, and when I tried the Mojave and MA-300, it was a match made in heaven.
Another area where this mic absolutely blew me away was capturing live bass amps. I'm really picky with live bass tones because I've always been really into Moog bass sounds, and I love the subs that come from synth bass.
So I decided to try the Mojave on bass, rolling off a lot of the top end and getting it almost touching the cloth of the speaker. This mic can take quite a beating.
We cranked the bass up so high that the bass player had to record from another room with a long cable — but the end result was incredible. Not only did we capture the sub frequencies, but there was also a subtle, musical distortion.
That's how I knew they'd captured the spirit of the original U67, which had become famous for exactly that quality.
This mic features Jensen transformers, which is why it captures the bass so beautifully. Jensen transformers are legendary in the industry — they're commonly used in high-end direct boxes because they deliver excellent low-end response, even when bypassing a bass amp.
Transformers boost the low sub-frequencies — sounds normally inaudible without a subwoofer — and enrich the harmonics by raising them an octave. This explains the Mojave's deep, rich sound.
Apart from its high sensitivity, the only real issue with this mic is its price tag. Similar quality mics can be bought for slightly cheaper. But considering the high quality of the mic, plus all the extra that come with it, I still think it is a very worthwhile purchase.
3. MXL V67G
While U67 clones are made to be cheaper versions of the original, they still aren’t exactly what you would call affordable. Many are still sold for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.
That is where the MXL V67G comes in. It is designed to bring the quality of the U67, but at a price that is within reach for any producer.
MXL V67G
I'll admit, at first I was a little bit suspicious about this mic. Not only was it way too cheap to really make me believe that they didn't cut corners in the quality, but it also has the color scheme of an AKG C12, which is a completely different mic and rival of the U67.
But once I read the specs and started reading online about this microphone, I realized that it indeed was a specifically tailored clone of the Neumann, not the AKG. So, I was intrigued, and at that price point I couldn't go wrong, so I bought one at my local Guitar Center and decided to go for it.
I must say, it exceeded my expectations. After recording my own vocals directly into the UAD Apollo interface, I was genuinely impressed with the results.
It captured the essence of the original Neumann U67, featuring a nice round, warm low-mid range that enhanced my voice. The high-end was cleaner, though perhaps a bit too modern to be an exact U67 match.
But here's where modern technology shines — I simply added the Manley pre-UAD plug-in on insert to achieve that beautiful tube high-end I love. Any sterility in the high end or lack of width was easily addressed using a combination of high-end plug-ins. So easy!
Acoustic guitars sound just as great. They are natural and warm, and the mic picks up subtle details with ease. I tried this mic with my Faith (higher-end) and Yamaha (budget-segment) acoustics, and was pleased with the overall quality of recording both times. The way it picks up the nuances and dynamics of playing is really impressive for a mic of its price range.
Once I added a few plug-ins in my DAW, any trace of this being a cheap microphone disappeared.
Here's something really important to keep in mind: your superpower as a producer is being able to blend effects and recordings to create amazing sounds that move people.
And the best part: It's all about training your ears and following your heart — you don't need fancy, expensive gear to create something magical!
There are some unfortunate limitations though, like the fact that this mic only has one polar pattern and it's cardioid. So, chances are you're gonna use it as a vocal or instrument mic primarily.
That's too bad, because the original U67 was always used very successfully as a room mic for everything from strings to drums — but at some point you have to cut costs somewhere, right?
Besides that, the noise rejection is quite good. If you are recording in a room with less than ideal sound treatment, you will still be able to get a fairly decent recording.
The V67G is a good mic that gives you great bang for your buck, even though it might not quite match up to the legendary Neumann. That's what makes it perfect for home recording setups and project studios!
What's really cool is how well it handles background noise — making it a fantastic upgrade for any bedroom producer looking to take their recordings to the next level.
4. JZ Microphones V67
When I read about JZ Microphones, I learned that it's a new company based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded by the same person who founded Blue Microphones back in 2013. If you're familiar with Blue Microphones' early models, like The Bottle and The Kiwi, then you know they made excellent microphones at the time.
The V67 microphone still maintains that high level of quality and more. It features a new type of capsule technology called Golden Drip. This should come as no surprise as the founder is actually a jeweler by trade.
JZ Microphones V67
The new technology makes the capsule lighter, allowing it to move faster and capture cleaner, more natural sound. This microphone, obviously a clone of the U67, has been making big news with top-notch Grammy-winning engineers like Rafa Sardina and Joe Chiccarelli.
As a fan of early Blue Microphones, I had to test this microphone out in my own studio right away. It comes in a beautiful wooden box that's reminiscent of early Neumann vintage mics. The swivel mount is also unique, combining with a built-in shock mount to minimize any vibrational interference.
Just like its Blue predecessors, these microphones are all hand-built with top-notch components, including class A circuitry and genuine, high-quality components.
Seeing as the U67 was initially a bridge between the U47 and the more modern U87, this microphone is extremely versatile. It can be used for drums, bass, and piano, but it also sounds beautiful on vocals.
I tried recording a male vocalist, and it sounded incredibly full with just enough warmth to not sound too modern, but also a lot cleaner than the vintage microphones I've used before. That's a good thing!
Let me share something interesting about vintage gear — while we all love those classic pieces, they weren't always as perfect as we might remember! The Original Neumann U67 could get a bit hot and add some distortion to recordings at times.
Like many vintage pieces, it had its quirks — the noise floor could be a bit much, especially when you had multiple mics working together. I remember this one time with a string section where those U67s were definitely letting the hiss fly!
And when it came to heavy guitars, the old Neumann could get a little woolly. That's why I'm actually quite excited about what JZ has done with their version — they've managed to keep all that vintage magic while adding some really helpful modern touches.
I got to experience these improvements firsthand while recording my studio partner's beautiful cello performance for this article!
So, major respect to JZ microphones for not just copying the original design and making it cheaper.
My only complaint is about the physical appearance of the microphone. It looks more like a broadcast RCA mic than a Neumann, and I'm not fond of the design choices.
What is the Neumann U67?
The Neumann U67 was first introduced in 1960. It was designed to be the successor of the already legendary U47.
The idea behind the U67 was to make a mic that could not only be used closer to a sound source, since that had become more popular at the time, but also a more versatile mic. Most mics were only suited to recording vocals or instruments, etc, but the U67 was designed to be able to recording nearly anything.
The U67 quickly became a legend in its own right. It has been used to record some of the biggest bands and albums in music history.
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, those are just a few of the bands that have recorded with the U67.
How is a Tube Mic Different?
Here's the tricky part about writing about music and music production in general: it's so hard to describe complex scientific processes without it being a snore.
Before I decided on becoming a music producer, ironically, the class I disliked the most in music school was my studio engineering class.
That's because everybody always explained all the scientific and mechanical explanations for why certain incredible pieces of studio gear sounded so great, but they never actually explained it in a musical sense.
So I'm not gonna bore you with all the technicalities on what makes a tube mic different from a solid-state mic, but I'll give you the gist of what I've experienced makes them so special and magical.
As you all probably know, especially if you're guitar players, a tube mic has a valve or vacuum tube inside the body which it uses as the amplifier. A solid-state mic does not. For reference, the U87 is a solid-state microphone and the U67 is a tube microphone.
To cut to the chase, I'll give you a little story that illustrates how I realized why people use tube mics to track vocals. I was in the studio tracking a female vocalist that didn't have a lot of vocal power. Her delivery was meant to be a little bit more sensual and subdued as part of her style.
When we tried a lot of different microphones on her, we realized that they just sounded small because, in reality, her voice sounded small in the room. When the engineer suggested we go with a tube mic and pulled out a U67, that's where things got interesting.
He told the artist to get as close to the grid of the microphone as possible and almost whisper her lyrics, and yet the detail and the air around her vocal made it amazing — think of the artist Sade, for example.
Every person in the room, including the A&R from the label, was sold on the song.
When I spoke to the engineer afterward, he explained that tube mics have their own form of compression, so you get this larger-than-life, soft vocal, but you also get a really sweet distortion when they sing a little bit louder.
Therefore, you can have an artist very close to the microphone without the danger of getting those horrible distortion peaks that you can get from solid-state mics.
When Should I Use a Tube Mic?
A question I get a lot of the time is: how do you know when to use a tube mic or regular solid-state mic? Well, if you have the option of testing several mics out with the artist in the room, it's always good to see what fits them the best.
I remember I had a session with the legendary Stevie Wonder once where I was helping out a big record label with a song, and I was in charge of tracking the vocals. By this time, I had already had experience with a lot of microphones, so I went for two particular microphones. To our surprise, neither of them sounded very good on Stevie.
They were a bit noisier, and because he has a lot of power, they were starting to thin out whenever he went into his high range.
One of those mics was the Neumann U67, and we swapped it out for a Neumann U87, and everyone liked it better.
I thought about this mystery on the way back home after the session, and I realized that using a tube mic is usually better in a very controlled environment like a professional studio. Stevie likes to track in his home living room or wherever is most convenient for his busy schedule.
Tracking with tube microphones where there are a lot of external noises — like electrical hum from kitchen equipment, computer fans, traffic noise from outside, etc. — can really bring down the overall quality of the microphone signal.
Therefore, tube microphones really are at their best when they're in an isolated vocal booth or controlled, treated acoustic environment.
Another discovery after the Stevie session was that tube microphones also need to be powered individually. They don't use phantom power from preamps, so if you're going to use them in a home or an apartment project studio, make absolutely sure that you have good grounded power. The easiest way to tell something’s off is if there is a hum in the signal when you power up the mic.
Why Go with a Clone?
So, why buy a clone of the U67 instead of the real thing? The answer is quite simple, original U67s are not only hard to come by, but very expensive.
Even the U67 Reissue sells for $7,000. And that is without getting into the argument of original versus reissue.
That is the major advantage of buying a clone instead. They give you a similar quality to the mic they are based on, but at a much more affordable price.
Clones aren’t the Original
Even though clones are based on the same design as the original, many even using similar parts, keep in mind that they still aren’t the original.
The simple fact for this is that they just aren’t made the same way. This is especially true for Neumann mics.
These mics were made by hand, and often by only a few people. That means that every mic was unique, but also had the specific touch of the person who made it.
Clones are made with more machining involved. This is so that they can be made in higher volumes, but they also lose a lot of that personal touch.
Another thing to consider is that, while these are made to recreate the sound, the companies that make them also want them to be their own thing to an extent. These companies also often try to improve on the original. Even though the originals are incredible, they aren’t perfect.
It’s Possible a Clone Might Be Better (In Some Cases)?
Wait, what? A clone can be better than the expensive original version — are you nuts? Well, in some ways, yes.
Remember when I was recounting the session with Stevie Wonder? The reason the tube microphone didn't work out so well was that we were tracking in a relaxed, informal environment.
Well, that sounds a lot like most project studios I've been to. As a songwriter, I've tracked vocals in apartment bedrooms, in parks outside, in office buildings — you name it.
Clones, in a sense, are more of a hybrid version of the original. When you start trimming costs by taking down some of the circuitry, you are also making the microphone slightly less sensitive, which can actually be great for versatility.
I always say microphones are like soulmates: it's not one size fits all. Some very rich, legendary artists have figured out that they sound better on cheaper mics, while some artists who are starting out go through great lengths to either rent or procure very expensive mics because it elevates their sound.
For most people though nowadays, where the rulebook of how to record proper vocals has been thrown out, I actually think middle-of-the-road to cheaper mics are the way to go.
Many of these clones, especially the ones that I've compiled in this article, are extremely well-made in their own right. Even if you didn't have a point of comparison to a real U67, you might sound fantastic off the bat on any of these microphones. So why not spend that extra cash on other more important things for your music?
Don’t Just Rely on the Mic
On that note, one of the best things you can do to take your microphone sound to the next level is invest in a good preamp and a good interface to record that mic.
I've heard $10,000 vintage mics sound absolutely terrible when going through a mismatched preamp in an untreated environment, and I've heard $80 dynamic mics sound incredible when matched with the right singer and a great preamp, so it's not just about the mic either.
What's great about the current state of music production technology is that many times the preamp and the interface are one, like in the case of the Universal Audio Volt interfaces.
You get a high-definition preamp with vintage emulation paired with a high-resolution sound card to go clean and direct into your DAW. When a lot of these vintage mics were created, no one had even thought that the way we record nowadays (192kHz, etc.) would even be possible.
So, keep in mind that many of the cheaper equipment we have today is still far more advanced than some of the vintage gear. Just because something is old doesn't mean it's better for YOU.
Final Word
If you are looking for a mic with the quality of sound on par with a classic like the U67, then look no further than the ones on this list.
The Warm Audio WA-67 is one of the most popular U67 clones today, with the Mojave Audio MA-300 and the JZ V67 being strong new contenders. And for home studios, the MXL V67G is a superb and affordable option.