What Mic Does Juice WRLD Use? (2026)

Vocal Chains · Meshplugins.com

Juice WRLD famously recorded in one take, freestyling whole songs - and his mic setup kept it warm and effortless.

Reported to track on a Neumann U87 into a Neve 1073 - a warm, forgiving front end perfect for one-take, melodic vocals. Here's the mic and how to get close.

Related: how to sound like Juice WRLD, best free autotune plugins and the vocal chain explained.

The mic — a Neumann U87

Reported Neve 1073 pairing with a Neumann U87 - a warm, versatile condenser that flatters melodic, freestyled vocals. Cheap swap: any large-diaphragm condenser.

The preamp — warm & forgiving

Into a Neve 1073. A warm, slightly coloured pre suits his effortless, one-take delivery.

Why it works — forgiving for freestyle

A warm condenser and clean pre keep long, improvised takes consistent and easy to mix.

Budget alternatives — get close for less

A solid condenser into a clean interface gets you most of the way - the tuning and delay do the rest.

The rest of the chain — the melody

Medium Auto-Tune (Antares Auto-Tune) into an 1176, a de-esser and a plate/delay finish the melodic, autotuned tone. Free: Graillon 2.

The chain at a glance

Starting settings (dial these in)

• The mic: Track ~15–20 cm off the mic with a pop filter; set gain so peaks land near −6 dB with no clipping.
• The preamp: A little goes a long way — drive gently for warmth, push hard only on the aggressive lines.
• Why it works: High-pass 80–100 Hz, dip mud around 250–450 Hz, lift presence 3–5 kHz and add air with a high shelf at 10–14 kHz.
• Budget alternatives: High-pass 80–100 Hz, dip mud around 250–450 Hz, lift presence 3–5 kHz and add air with a high shelf at 10–14 kHz.
• The rest of the chain: Set the song's key/scale first. Retune speed fast (0–20 ms) for the obvious effect, slower (40–90 ms) for a natural feel.

Putting it together

1. The mic
2. The preamp
3. Why it works
4. Budget alternatives
5. The rest of the chain

Work top to bottom, commit as you go, and A/B against a reference. The order matters more than owning the exact gear.

Want the exact chains — 88 in one place?

The Vocal Chain Bible has 88 reported vocal chains from 70+ artists — every plugin, the exact order, free + paid alternatives, and the source clip. 5+ years and 100+ Grammy interviews in one 187-page PDF.

Get the Vocal Chain Bible →

FAQ

What microphone did Juice WRLD use?

Reported a Neumann U87 into a Neve 1073 - a warm setup suited to his one-take, freestyled vocals. Full reported chain in the Vocal Chain Bible.

How do I get the Juice WRLD vocal sound?

A warm condenser, medium Auto-Tune, an 1176-style compressor, de-essing and a plate reverb plus delay on sends.

Who's behind this

Ivan Meshcheriakov · IvanFromRnD

5+ years ago I moved to LA with zero connections and started building from nothing — 14-hour days, and every night I'd hit my block, meet people and intern at studios. It took me 5+ years to meet and interview 100+ Grammy-winning engineers — then I sorted every interview and pulled the original vocal chains behind Drake, Beyoncé, Travis Scott & many more into one book.

Read my full story →