The Universal Audio Bock 187 is a large-diaphragm FET condenser microphone with a fixed cardioid pattern, designed by David Bock and built by hand at the UA Custom Shop in Santa Cruz, California. It starts from the classic U87 and adds a larger Cinemag output transformer and refined Class A FET circuitry, which give it more low-frequency headroom and a more natural sound on vocals and guitars. It runs on standard 48 V phantom power.

Fat Mode, Low Cut and Pad

The Mode switch picks Normal, a nominally flat response with a slight lift at the top, or Fat, which adds a low-end boost between 10 Hz and 400 Hz and drops the high lift. Fat mode adds weight to thin sources and higher vocals, and it keeps the low end when a singer stands back from the mic. The 120 Hz low cut controls rumble, and the -10 dB pad uses a voltage divider circuit for drums, guitar amps and other loud sources.

Features

• Large-diaphragm FET condenser, handmade at the UA Custom Shop in Santa Cruz, California
• Fixed cardioid pattern, side address
• Class A FET circuitry with a large Cinemag output transformer
• Dual-diaphragm K67-type capsule with dual symmetrical backplate
• Fat mode adds a low-end boost between 10 Hz and 400 Hz
• 120 Hz low cut and -10 dB pad
• Apollo Channel Strip presets available through UA Connect

Specifications

• Type: Large-diaphragm FET condenser, side address
• Polar pattern: Cardioid
• Capsule: 1" dual-diaphragm K67 type, dual symmetrical backplate
• Frequency range: 20 Hz to 16 kHz, ±2 dB
• Sensitivity: -42 dB (8 mV) re 1 V at 1 Pa, 1 kHz
• Self-noise: 12 dBA
• Maximum SPL: 125 dB SPL at 1% THD
• Dynamic range: 113 dB
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 82 dB
• Output impedance: 200 ohms (recommended load above 2 kohms)
• Controls: Pad (-10 dB), Mode (Fat, Normal), Low cut (120 Hz)
• Phantom power: 48 V DC, 0.5 mA
• Output connector: 3-pin XLR male
• Dimensions: 7.7" (195 mm) long, 2" (50 mm) diameter
• Microphone weight: 1.6 lbs (725 g)
• Shipping weight: 2 lbs (907 g)

In the Box

• UA Bock 187 microphone
• Shock mount
• Wood storage case