Neumann U87 vs Aim Inspire — Do They Sound Similar for Voice Over?

-Today we’re taking a tight-shot, no-nonsense, real-time look at the legendary Neumann U87 versus the new Aim Audio Inspire — a $1,000 German-built microphone with a K87-style capsule, transformer, and features that seem they were built specifically for modern voiceover work.

AIM AUDIO INSPIRE from ‪@aimaudioberlin‬: https://aimaudio.com/inspire-plus-pack/

In this video I switch live between both microphones, with no EQ, no tricks, and identical gain staging through the Neumann MT48. You’ll hear differences in:

-Brightness & harmonic saturation
-Low-mid weight
-Frequency centroid and “pivot point”
-High-end rolloff
-Proximity response
-Width vs tightness of the sound
-How each responds with and without high-pass filters

You’ll hear it exactly as I hear it — unedited, real.
And yes: the shot is pulled in tight specifically so you always know which mic I'm speaking into.

Key questions we explore:
• Does the Aim Inspire actually sound more finished right out of the box?
• Does the Neumann U87’s low-mid weight help or hurt modern commercial voiceover?
• Does the Inspire’s 80 Hz onboard high-pass filter create a more mid-forward, broadcast-ready tone?
• How different are the mics… and how similar are they really?
• Is the U87 still worth $4,000? Or would you rather own four Inspires for the same price?

If you’re a voice actor, engineer, or producer comparing mics for your home studio or booth, this side-by-side will give you the information you cannot hear from marketing text — only from real-world usage.

Let me know in the comments what you hear, and whether the Inspire surprised you.
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#NeumannU87 #U87 #AIMAudio #AIMInspire #MicReview #MicrophoneShootout #VoiceOverGear #VoiceActor #StudioMicrophone #NeumannMT48 #K87Capsule #VoiceOverMicrophone #ProAudio #HomeStudio

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