Serviced by JML Studios Sept 2026 And given a clean bill of health! You simply cannot find a nicer matched pair with the unobtanium original Neumann mic clips and a gorgeous Neumann wooden stereo pair case.

An all around superb listing of a pair of super clean vintage “golden era” KM86’s in Excellent condition. Both mics have been professionally cleaned and serviced in August of 2026. Both mics also sound 100% identical to our ears, proof that they’ve both aged flawlessly and were very well taken care of. Comes from a smoke & pet free climate controlled pro studio where they were almost never even used. This nearly sequential pair of KM86’s were made one month apart in the assembly line at the Neumann factory making this an extremely rare find all in all.

If you’re looking for the best specimen of km86’s you will ever find, look no further.

Serial numbers are 35888 and 34959 placing them roughly 1 month apart. Both units were manufactured in the same era (Neumann produced 3,000-4,000 80 series mics that year) and are in almost identical condition to one another. Finding a matched pair from the same golden era like this, sold together as a set with the included bundle may never come up again for many years.

GOLDEN ERA HERITAGE
This pair sits right at the edge of that classic golden era (late 70’s is specifically known as the best years for KM86’s), giving you the best of both worlds in warmth, value and clarity. This is due to the fact that Neumann introduced minor manufacturing refinements and improvements to the capsule backplates and tensioning methods in the late 70s. The late era KM 86i mics are known to be quite exceptional and engineers often describe them as slightly brighter (more clarity without a shrill hi frequency boost), less boomy and muddy, less “veiled” and noticeably more detailed compared to the early/mid 70s builds. Sitting in the late 1970s window (#34959 and #35888), this matched pair hits the sweet spot for a few key reasons:

- Capsule Era: They still feature original factory-tensioned KK84 dual-capsule assemblies built before Neumann made cost/manufacturing adjustments to small-diaphragm capsule backplates in the early 1980s. You get that signature smooth, open top end without the slight upper-mid peak found in 80s production runs.

- Component Quality: The output transformers and FET circuitry are identical to mid-70s builds, retaining the warm low-end weight and natural figure-8/omni off-axis rejection that made the KM 86 famous.

- Factory XLR Convenience: Being the KM 86i variant, they come standard with factory 3-pin XLR jacks rather than the older obscure Tuchel/DIN connectors, saving you from needing custom adapter cables or re-wiring modern interconnects.

There’s a reason these are more expensive than KM84’s and it’s not just cause of the useful 3 polar pattern options. Yes, it’s like having 3 mics in one, but due to the backplate, foam baffle cube and head baskets effect on the signal, it’s long said that 86’s sound much smoother and fuller than 84’s. The four diaphragms are clean and healthy. The close serial late 70s pair like this deliver that prime, lush vintage Neumann sound everyone is after. More on that here:

KM 86 vs. KM 84 Comparison

- Capsules & Circuitry: Both use identical KK 84 cardioid capsules and FET 80 amp circuits, but the KM 86 uses two capsules back-to-back and a unique foam baffle mounted on a needle (these have been upgraded to avoid foam rot).

- Low-End & Depth: The KM 86 delivers richer low-end extension and a wider soundstage because the rear capsule acts as an acoustic baffle even in cardioid mode.

- Top-End & Housing: The KM 86’s rectangular side-address headbasket diffuses upper-mid transients, creating a warmer, smoother sound than the punchier, end-address KM 84.

 Pattern Control: The KM 86 offers vastly superior off-axis phase linearity and pattern accuracy across its 3 polar patterns (Cardioid, Omni, Fig-8).

 Placement: The KM 86's side-address form factor allows easier positioning in tight spots, though its heavier dual-capsule assembly is more sensitive to stand vibrations.

 Rarity: The KM 84 became more famous due to mass production, while the costlier, double-capsule KM 86 was built in far smaller quantities.

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Comes with original 70’s Nuemann clips and a wooden case only. Thanks for looking. Open to trades for anything as/more cool than this. take care - JML