The Aston Stealth, an SM7B And U87 Killer? Microphone Shootout!
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2019
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👆 The Aston Stealth: tinyurl.com/ybyw8td3 is put to the test!
Running against its top competitors, the Shure SM7B: bit.ly/2UJfFWa and the Neumann U87: bit.ly/2UF1IIz How do you think it did? Let us know below.
Find out more about the shootout here: tinyurl.com/yan9bwhr
Neumann U87 Microphone - bit.ly/2UF1IIz
Shure SM7B Dynamic Vocal Microphone - bit.ly/2UJfFWa
Aston Stealth - tinyurl.com/ybyw8td3
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#MultiPurposeMicrophone #AstonStealth #Andertons 
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No it is not.
Podcastage love you bandrew 😂
Agree👍
I really want to like the Stealth. Its built-in gain, rejection of RFI and EMI (supposedly), voicings: make it an enticing mic.
BUT, it simply sounds shrill. Piercing sibilance, a nasty midrange peak right where human hearing is most sensitive, makes it a no-go, to me. I'd consider it for broadcasting perhaps, but not studio-work (where a dynamic can work well for f.e. rapping).
@@Tazmanian_Ninja that's only the V2 setting....... Even though it's recommended for female vocals, not everyone likes is brightness for that application. It's had a totally different sound on other settings.... Like V1.
They all sound great to my ears. A really well respected engineer told me once and quote "No one gives a fuck what a song was recorded on except other engineers" How fucking true is that.
lol
I wish I could double like this statement - it is oh so true - speaking as a sound engineer! :-)
Only the ears give a fuck. Comes down to how it sounds.....
Wow the u87 sounds incredible.
An industry standard for recording vocals (singing, rapping) versus the sm7b (broad/podcasting). The sm7b can be used for singing too but the u87 is a condenser too so more clarity and not as dark as the sm7b.
The Aston is fantastic. People will always say the classic/more expensive is better. Anyone who has seen blind tests on gearslutz knows how this works. People say the more expensive one is better....but what you should have done is a blind test.
Results would have been different.
As for adding the u87 - it’s a completely different kind of mic, so no comparison. I think the Aston stands up wonderfully to the SM7b.
In my opinion, from there it just depends who you are recording, what their voice is like. Either would do the job well.
On the softer passages I preferred the Aston quite a bit. When she was hitting it hard, the sm7b sounded wonderful.
I consider myself a full-blown Aston fanboy, but I definitely can’t say it won anything here. The stealth is an interesting product, but marketing a Dynamic as a replacement for not only a condenser, but THE condenser, is not a good plan. Also, this video just reminded me that even though you don’t need to spend a ton to make good music, there really is just a silky perfection to the U87 that I’ve never seen any other mic touch.
They showed one of 4 different built in voices of the stealth, v1 would have made her voice a lot warmer. The V2 is tailored for female true but to make an apple to apple comparison they would have had to put it into v1 which enriches the warmth.
Honestly, in isolation the Aston seems to lack body etc. But actually, it feels like the one that is most ready to drop in a mix through my monitors.
Stealth sounds like a nice versatile mic for the home studio! Biggest plus is that it won't break the bank.
The interesting part is that these "reviewers" never seem to recall that the Stealth have a cloudlifter built in, something that the SM7b need which makes the price difference between them become quite high.
Stealth 350$
SM7b with cloudlifter 600$
Great comparison but I'm more impressed by the song choice, honestly I would have never expected to hear a Lissie's song in a demo video. Loved it! :D
Damn, I have to admit in this shootout even on youtube the U87 sounds like paying roundabout ~8 times the price is worth it. It sounds amazing.
The Ashton is not bad but I prefer the "honk" of the SM7b on her voice. Great singing, great shootout.
The Stealth is great for the price. Definitely has extra top end on that V2 mode
The U87 is a bit warmer in the low mids but for most of my uses I think those are the frequencies I'd end up EQing out in a mix anyway.
The stealth has a somewhat 58 top end which puts it a bit behind the smooth sm7b top end. The sm7b sounded so good for her voice! Of course the 87 was great but the price.
I've had one of the Stealths for a couple of weeks, too cheap not to buy just to have a play with. It great on some vocals, not on some others (as you'd expect with any mic). I'm having some really interesting results when using it on some othere sources though. V2 on a kick drum is outrageous! I'd never have expected that.
I'll have to listen at home, but through my headphones, it sounds very similar to SM7B, but will a little extra sibilance on the V2 mode. Thanks for the shootout - nice to hear a direct comparison.
You need new headphones.
is it possible to know the signal chain please ? did you use the built in preamps of the apollo directly ?
or through the 4-710d ?
I guess the U87 did sound the best through my Focal headphones, but it’s 10x the price once you add suitable quality mic pre, shock mount etc. I recall that you also need a good mic pre for the Shure. So as it sound great and costs less, the Aston Stealth wins. I’m a sensitive soul and prefer not to describe things as ‘killer’ however 😂
The warmth and character of the u87 is simply on a different level (and obviously price bracket). Am delighted Aston have changed the casing from a bean can kicked down an alleyway look, (sorry, but that really put me off buying one), to a sleeker black look. I'd put the Aston slightly ahead of the Shure; but for me... all I could think about was how good that U87 sounded! Think I need a bigger piggy-bank. :)
Is there any processing. Was the recording done straight or through a compressor? The neumann is better across the whole range and is warmer and fuller in lower register but in upper register it's a close call on all 3.
The stealth was a little brighter that the rest, but clean. In modern day music, no voice sounds warm, most of the low mids are cut & top end added. The Stealth is that sound. If the mic has low distortion, you can almost make it sound like any other with EQ. I own a rare U77 which kills any U87, but I still end up using modern mics like the Astons. For Adele type songs/singers, Neumanns.
Everything else can be done with low distortion modern mid priced mics & you'd never know. Good demo..
You're right as to the sound of most modern pop productions. The Stealth is NOT that sound however. It lacks the high frequencies above 8-10 KHz. And it has a midrange harshness that is very unflattering at will need to be dealt with, in post-production.
SM7B sounded best on her voice. Stealth sounds good, clear, upfront/compressed.
Yeah immediately heard the compression
I think the stealth sounded a little compressed to me. Tonally it seemed identical. Maybe a touch clearer, but also seemed compressed. I wonder how it felt for her through them.
Love from Canada :)
its lovely
SM7 sounded pretty great for her.
What workstation/desk is that in your video out of interest?
rly good video
I think manufacturers are beginning to realize that if the mic looks cool, looks 'beefy' and sleek, it doesn't matter what's inside it. I'd be really curious to see the Stealth circuit, It sounds pretty comparable to most $100 - $300 mics from just about any manufacturer these days. But a U87 or SM7b killer? Nah not even close...
U87, Stealth and then the SM7B to my ears.
Well. Considering the U87 has the traditional analog softness and intimacy that is hard to beat. However the Aston mic to me had almost a sm58 bump in the high mids that I personally don’t find pleasing. However this Aston stealth has 4 different voicings. I heard on another channel a gentleman going through the 4 different voicings and the differences are dramatic. And in that listen I didn’t care for the v2 setting (tailored towards female vocals) but the V1 and V4 sounded very pleasant. (Male voice, dark ribbon sound profiles respectively) . To a&b between a U87 (from what I’ve heard) the V1 setting would be most appropriate for comparison. I would love to hear the V1 and V4 settings side by side with the U87.
Also, are they using the built in pre in the Stealth or running it out through an external? I also would like to hear the comparison with V1. There's basically 8 voicings on the Stealth - 4 without and with the built in pre.
Michael Marton didn’t see the purple light indicating the internal mic pre was being used.
Jack,
I got my Stealth today and used it in my music room. The best live dynamic mic I've had thus far is a KSM9. I wanted to try this Aston for the options in sound and I love my Spirit as well for Recording.
My question is this: Is the pic pre designed to be used live? Because my signal even with my signal on my board at -10 db is too hot and distorts my signal when I get on it singing. I am a powerful singer, but I did not have that problem with my KSM9. If I cannot use active mode live, I may return it. Hopefully you can help!
Thanks,
Kody
Hey,
I think it's meant to be used in passive mode for live situations, more like a dynamic mic. (To which active mode would be the condenser mic equivalent)
.. you could Try To Pad Your Input gain and make sure phantom power is off
How does the Stealth compare to the Spirit?
@@petarpavasovic6333 in my opinion, the Spirit by itself in its one configuration sounds better than the Stealth in any configuration. I think they tried to do too much with the stealth. They say its supposed to be tailored towards specific sources, but I tried it recording, live in all formats, and my spirit is hands down better!
@@kodybryantmusic7357 Thank you very much for the information! My needs are simple - a solid microphone to record rap vocals (as I'm currently only recording rap artists in my studio). Getting a Spirit was the first choice, but after I saw the title "Aston Stealth, the Sm7b killer" or something like that, I immediately leaned towards the Stealth, as Sm7b is kind of a standard for recording rap vocals, but a little overpriced in my opinion... Do you think the Spirit will be of use in my case scenario? I appreciate your time to read this. Thanks in advance!
I like the meat of the Shure, the silk of the U87, but the Stealth is a very respectable mic for less money than both, and you can choose from 4 switched variation settings. Not really a fair comparison without a 'blind' test, quite enjoyable, though.
Honestly thought the stealth was very crisp and not demanding as much highpass filtering and compression as the u87 or sm7b.
U87 really suits her voice
clarity is the main thing for the listener, tube pres can give warmth or harmonic grit or fat, any mic that can do it without spitty 103 bite is good for me
its not as nasal as the 7b on small speakers, yip kiils that, the 87 has clearer low mids but in a mixready state the stealth has pipped it
The U87 sounded best on her voice, although in this case it appeared to be picking up a little something from the room which I didn't like - fairly minor, though. I actually preferred the SM7b on her voice to the Stealth although that battle is close. So, no, the Stealth is not a U87 or SM7b killer, but it's very good for the price.
You're not terrible, Jack...
For this particular voice i will choose the sure sm7b.
Not a pro, so for those who are: aside from, X has more top, Y is “warmer,” in your opinion, would one of these, by its nature require *less* processing in an average modern pop vocal mix? And therefore would that make it a better choice? (Regardless of which one sounds better a capella)
I'm not a pro, but I've had some experience in recording and also possess some fundamental knowledge from a music recording course. Based on the reputation of the mics, the samples we hear (like the tests from this video and other comparisons), and the specs identified (which determine those X and Y values you mentioned, as they greatly correlate to the type of sound you want depending on the genre or musical archetype), the U 87 is definitely the most complete in its raw sound than either the sm7b or the stealth by a LONG shot - especially to be put on a pop record. Moreover the U 87 is a renowned condenser mic, the Sm7b and Stealth are both great dynamic mics (sm7b still having the edge on detail and a fuller sound than the Stealth imo), the amount of processing to be done could also depend on factors that affect the raw recording (e.g. room treatment and acoustics, correct mic technique and placement, etc.). In a treated room (which is where you'd most likely find these mics), under the same circumstances, the U 87 takes the cake in how it is able to capture the most detail without any harsh coloration. It has a pure and refined sound. Condensers also by nature simply capture more detail vs. dynamic mics so it's a given in that kind of environment for it to win. But say you are recording in your bedroom untreated, without a recording shield or a filter etc., dynamic mics such as the Sm7b are much better since processing noise out of a recording reduces the detail of the sound by very much (even if using very expensive software), and dynamic mics are far better at handling room noise than condensers due to the latter's high sensitivity. So in a studio, the u 87 by far, but in an untreated room, the sm7b will be a stronger ally
U87 🖤
Unfortunately Aston has normal cheap mic broblems: Abit thin bottom and several resonances at top end.
Im wondering about the v2 setting. Aston sounded terrible. Maybe v2 was not a fair shake for it.
Honestly, I think both the SM7 and U87 sound better. The U87 sounds way better. I own the SM7B and I have to say it's one of the most versatile mics I've ever used. But no, I wouldn't say it would kill the need for having those two mics based on what I've heard here.
U87 incredible.
Am i the only one who thinks the aston sounds tonally totally different then the other two mics? No body and some sort of shrill highend?
I expected a lot of this mic but this dissapointed a little bit
All good mics, all sound a little different. It's just personal prefference in the end. One things for sure though, no way am I going to pay £2K+ for a mic when the Stealth is that comparable
i have the u87 and the sm7b and not saying this just cause i have them but they are both much better the the stealth. extra 100d bucks and you got a sm7b. buy rite the first time u wont have to buy again. good luck.
Might have something to do with this V2 setting, but this mic sounds noticeably worse to my ears than the SM7B. Also obviously nowhere near the U87, even the SM7B doesn't come close to that thing.
I believe most people are biased towards microphones they have listened to all their life vs something designed to fit into mixes with less processing.
Wich mic do you mean with the one that fits better in a mix?
@@pellejaspers4854 the Stealth, obviously. That high end presence is awesome.
Compare high end condenser with "budjet" dynamic? Stealth = 4 voice = 4 mics = €90 each. The winner.
Shootout without a Reverb would be great !
U87, SM7 then Aston particular for her voice. Listening thru my phone speakers.
nice comparison but please no treatment..
After that video, I bought a Stealth.... Very pleased with it... The only thing I have to complain about is this ridiculous clip to mount on your stand... It's wobbly, and I personally don't trust it...
Really curious about Aston's new Element but this thing sounds like a typical cheap condenser to me. thin, screechy, shallow
Jack your the Swiss Army knife of Andertons!!!
The u87 really did the trick! Rich, smooth articulate and clear....
That Stealth is good though; on a limited budget it's a really great option.
The Stealth sounded like a nice mic, but, I preferred both the SM7 and the U87. Yes, I listened with a good set of headphones. Aston's marketing strategy for the Stealth is not clear to me; why would I want this mic and what makes it special? Comparing it to a U87 will never be a winning strategy. I have a pair of Origins that I love as drum overheads, so no dis on Aston.
The price of those mics is 60% higher than the Stealth, is there really a 60% worth sound difference? Not really
For those of you who don't open up the list at the top... Hear Meg sing a whole track here.... bit.ly/2Pwj7PT
the fact that the comment section is a tossup just proves that the best mic is subjective
Of course the U87 sounds better. 50 years later and still, no one can manage to clone the damn thing proper.
and its a condenser and the other two are dynamic mics of about a ninth of the cost
Check out a shootout with the Stam SA-87
I highly doubt it.
el sm7b hermoso suena como si ya le pusieron un compresor caro
With her singing makes no difference... WOW.
The Aston and Sm7b sound very similar, but neither sound anywhere near as good as the U87
U87
No pop filter ???????
Stealth was better than the SM7B but not the U87 imo.
1. U87 > 2. SM7B > 3. Stealth
The price is about the same too,
2000$ > 600$ > 350$
Let's face it, they did not a apple to apple review. The V2 true is tailored for female voices but the v1 makes voices a lot warmer and closer in sound to the SM7b
Steath provides much more 'bang' for the buck dudes!!! The U87 is ridiculously priced! Come on: It does not sound that much better!!! But what do I know!? They are all very good mics and choice becomes more personal than global!!! BTW: If you know anything about today's electronic components, you will see those in the U87 are like post WWII by comparison (well...not that bad!). It's just DATED!!! No SMD's. Totally obsolete doo-dah!! Hm....so is a B3 Hammond but folks LOVE EM!!!! .............ah...never mind!
Thanks for confirming the U87 still can't be beat by some chump, low end mic. Let's just be honest here.
U87 wins... hence the price. Stealth has no low end at all. SM7B kills it.
The Stealth is the worst peforming microphone of the three
And by far the cheapest, with a cloudlifter the SM7b lands at 600$ the other microphone is what 2000$ and the Stealth which already have a cloudlifter built in costs 350$.
The Stealth lacks SOUL. It is the most soul-less sounding mic I've heard in the long time.
Even the various Sontronics mics (which I find are all sounding remarkably horrible vs their immediate competitors) at least have more SOUL / charm / character. The Stealth is just... Cold. Shrill. Piercing. Hard.
Blasphemous click-baity title and I hate you for it, Andertons.
Every Brit female singer tries to sound like she grew up in Atlanta Georgia going to the Baptist Church.
SM7B smoked it here. Killer? LMAO no.