Neumann KM86 - The MOTOWN microphone

Today we're going to take a look at yet another classic microphone - The Neumann KM86. Dual KK84 capsules, 3 different polar patterns and it was the IT microphone back in the glory days of Motown in the 1960's.

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00:00 Introduction
00:02 Full Demo song
01:30 Intro talk
03:23 Cardiod
03:52 Fig. 8
04:20 Omni
04:49 Drums OH in Omni
05:29 Km84 vs Km86
06:26 Conclusion

[stupendousmusic]

Nice demo.
Motown began using the KM86 as standard on everything in 1968. prior to this, the primary microphone was the U67 supplemented by the RCA BX44, and the the EV 666.

[FFOGHORN]

Beautiful voice and song! The mic doesn’t matter.

[Wazio]

Thank you! This was so helpful and encouraged me to pick up a KM86. Just like your video showed the top end of the mic is very different from the KM84 despite them using the same capsule.

[roberthunt]

OMG, Christian, I'm certain you could capture your performance with a pair of SM 58s and the impact would still be there. I think this is a perfect example of taking a near perfect performance and simply putting the icing on the cake with the Neumann mics and your processing. Bravo!

[LosFicosMusic]

You are the Man bro! Best comparison vids

[fasttrax]

Excellent comparison video of these two mics. Thanks for doing this!

[alaricmusic]

The KM 86 worked extremely well on your vocals. It might be my fav on your voice and I’ve watched all your Neumann videos.

[juanbrievaluthier]

Great video!!!!
I wished for this video a couple of years before. When I was biying vintage neumann mics .But still i enjoyed a lot now!
I have both km86 and km84 (three units) and the Km86 is just great for hard strumming (like Neil young on harvests "heart of gold").
It sounds better than 84 on hard hitting players.
Usually I go for 84, but the 86 is there for ocasions.

[sporadicambientdiaries]

Finally someone made a proper video on KM86. I have a few KM76 and KM84 and there is a difference in the highend between these, KM76 sounding more extended in the airy freqs. In a way I prefer the rounder sound of KM84 a tiny bit more. Here (just listening to youtube audio) I don't hear that difference, so maybe it's the transformerless nature of the KM7x series doing its thing.

That sound difference between the patterns on the ac. guitar is pretty interesting, even after more than 10 years of owning KM76 I never used the patterns to get a different tone like this. Thanks for the tip ;).

Just be aware of a spike in the highs at 90 degrees (of the polar pattern) when in fig8. Some people were complaining about it when doing location recording in bloomlein. It was never a problem for me though.

[catface]

Looked up this mic as it's used on acoustic guitar and overheads on Neil Young's records. Didn't think Figure 8 on guitar could sound so good!

[billa]

Thank you for this beautiful demonstration! I was surprised to discover your video after failing to find much at all about these microphones during seemingly countless earlier searches. I "inherited" two KM 86 i microphones last year. After having Tom Onofrio (a former Neumann technician) refurbish them, they displaced my microphone inventory in my modest home music studio. My matched set of Rode NT5 microphones and my Shure SM 81 are benchwarmers . As you demonstrated, the KM 86's are truly amazing microphones. Although the three modes are switchable, Tom cautioned me to be very careful with the switch because it is the one item on these microphones that cannot be replaced. So mine stays in the cardiod pattern since I use it primarily for acoustic guitar and some vocals. I may need to send my microphones back to Tom, however, because no matter how hard I try, they can't get my singing my voice to sound as beautiful as yours--guitar yes; voice no. 🤓 Thanks, again!

[davidpeters]

If you love your KM84’s, you can also put a true Omni capsule on those and they get really sweet for acoustic instruments, rooms, etc. True Omni capsules have something special beyond the Omni setting on a multi pattern mic. …and it’s an affordable way to get more flexibility out of your 84’s!

[ben_tyreman]

km86 is my desert island mic, hopefully will own one they sound so good on so many sources, it's a great piano mic too if you get the chance.

[domonickwilliams]

Good vid I like the 86 mic it sounds rich full and chimey if that’s a word of course I do think u can get this sound for much cheaper by using a good ribbon mic and condenser mic in tandem but if you have the budget the 86 is a great mic 👌🏾

[hekhopop]

Congrats and thanks for the test. That's the only one videp I know for the KM86. I've been hunting that mic for years but they were always overpriced and in bad shape. They sounds really full.