Neumann TLM103 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Mono Set (Black)

I purchased a Neumann Tlm 103 about 2 years ago and I decided to purchase another Tlm 103 to make up a stereo pair. I needed a stereo pair as I am recording a lot of orchestral percussion including five pedal timpani, Vibraphone and a large five octave marimba. The Neumann mics sound superb with the Focusrite isa preamps. I have on back order two ea1 shock mounts for the Neumann’s as the Neumann’s are very sensitive to structural vibrations and wind noise. I really love the sound that I am getting out of the Neumann’s they are absolutely stunning.

Already Noticing a Difference

I would probably be considered 'talent' as opposed to 'tech'. Which is to say, I don't have any sound studies or, at least for me, difficult to understand terms to describe why this mic is better. I can only attest to the finished product. I've used roughly half a dozen mics of varying degrees of quality for voice work over the years and finally decided to give the 103 a try. With other mics I was used to making quite a few tweaks and learning the sweet spots for mic placement and mouth placement. While that is still necessary with the 103, it is far less time consuming. I was instantly aware of the warmness my voice had when I used this mic the first time. Where other mics would strain to come through on delivering the details of my voice the 103 seemed to ... MoreI would probably be considered 'talent' as opposed to 'tech'. Which is to say, I don't have any sound studies or, at least for me, difficult to understand terms to describe why this mic is better. I can only attest to the finished product. I've used roughly half a dozen mics of varying degrees of quality for voice work over the years and finally decided to give the 103 a try. With other mics I was used to making quite a few tweaks and learning the sweet spots for mic placement and mouth placement. While that is still necessary with the 103, it is far less time consuming. I was instantly aware of the warmness my voice had when I used this mic the first time. Where other mics would strain to come through on delivering the details of my voice the 103 seemed to effortlessly convey it. I'm early in the process but my first finished recording is def better with the details. I am one of those folks that doesn't really like the sound of my recorded voice, this mic made me think Wow, this sounds really good. Don't be afraid of the price if you can swing it and are ready to move up. I would def recommend this mic and in fact, this is the first mic I have ever been impressed enough with to review.

Buy this now, on the fence rapper!!!

This is the Mike bros @ gals! Lots of confusing information out here between singers and rappers my .02 Singers are looking for warm tonal quality and a mike to "help" their vocals shine as rappers need a mike that wont distort under yelling @certain frequencies and wont add any character to ones voice, but captures the nuances that make ones vocals unique, cheaper Mikes drop the ball on this. Get information from someone in your genre of music or be confused. I also noticed that this Mike takes eq gates and autotune soooo much better. Believe it or not I could even hear the quality differences between headphones I didn't notice with my nt1! The u87 is NOT worth it if you don't record guitars drums or other instruments. Just be done with it buy this mic pair it with ... MoreThis is the Mike bros @ gals! Lots of confusing information out here between singers and rappers my .02 Singers are looking for warm tonal quality and a mike to "help" their vocals shine as rappers need a mike that wont distort under yelling @certain frequencies and wont add any character to ones voice, but captures the nuances that make ones vocals unique, cheaper Mikes drop the ball on this. Get information from someone in your genre of music or be confused. I also noticed that this Mike takes eq gates and autotune soooo much better. Believe it or not I could even hear the quality differences between headphones I didn't notice with my nt1! The u87 is NOT worth it if you don't record guitars drums or other instruments. Just be done with it buy this mic pair it with a good preamp and record a professional album!!! Snatch this mic!!!

I just purchased the TLM 103 microphone

Overall:It’s a great mic. If the TLM 103 is this good I can’t imagine what the $7K one sounds like. The mic is the exact same price everywhere and they usually throw in the shock absorber or the headphones. Just be careful for counterfeits from China. You really can’t tell because they look identical. It’s great for podcasting or in-studio vocal recording. It blows the deek off my Rodes and lavalier lapel mics. But it’s all relative. If you’re Taylor Swift you can afford a $15,000 mic and throw them in the trash after each use.

Industry standard for a reason

This mic is honest--it captures my exact performance and delivers it perfectly to my DAW--warts and all. Some may want a little help covering up flaws or smoothing high/low end, but when you're in the voice-over industry, honesty is best. We let the engineers play with EQ. This mic is requested by many studios, and will help me stay competitive when working remotely, satisfying everyone involved! I love it!

It really is that good.

I debated this purchase for weeks, but I was tired of messing around with other mics for years, and spending so much time EQ'ing and post processing them to get professional results. I am now extremely glad I bought it and would do so again.Pros:- Jaw-dropping clear and detailed sound.- Dead-quiet, practically zero self-noise.- Very sensitive, but somehow it rejects stray background noise better than my other cheaper condenser. With the levels set properly, and getting somewhat close to this mic (but where it still sounds great), it rejects stray background noise almost as well as my SM7B.- Vocals in particular sound amazing through this mic. I was reluctant because some reviews said it was too bright or sibilant. Not at all for my voice. The tonality has a ... MoreI debated this purchase for weeks, but I was tired of messing around with other mics for years, and spending so much time EQ'ing and post processing them to get professional results. I am now extremely glad I bought it and would do so again.Pros:- Jaw-dropping clear and detailed sound.- Dead-quiet, practically zero self-noise.- Very sensitive, but somehow it rejects stray background noise better than my other cheaper condenser. With the levels set properly, and getting somewhat close to this mic (but where it still sounds great), it rejects stray background noise almost as well as my SM7B.- Vocals in particular sound amazing through this mic. I was reluctant because some reviews said it was too bright or sibilant. Not at all for my voice. The tonality has a similar richness and warmth as my SM7B, but with a lot more high-frequency detail, and smooth but crisp transients. Simply put, this sounds every bit like a pro studio mic.- The presence lift in the highest frequencies gives the mic a beautiful "air"/sparkle, which makes EQ'ing it for a mix a breeze. It's very typical to boost those frequencies with EQ after the fact to make a vocal pop, but this mic does it on its own straight from the source. You can always EQ out detail if you don't want/need it... but it's hard to add back if it's not there.- It's a beautiful mic and the build quality is everything you'd expect from a Neumann. Comes in a nice wooden case and has a solid heft to it.- It sounds fantastic for singing vocals, but if you're into VO work, it also has a beautiful proximity effect warmth when you get in close to it. The sound thickens up without any boominess or muddiness. It just gets fatter and warmer but retains all the crispness and sparkle.Cons:- Price. But you get what you pay for in this case. If you're tired of messing around trying to get your vocal recordings sounding professional and polished, even after you've already got a good pre-amp and lots of experience with compression, EQ, reverb, etc... this mic will likely get you the rest of the way there. And, it's an investment you will use for many years.

It's great and so is B&H

First a comment about B&H - this was my first purchase with them and I couldn't be happier with their professionalism and excellent customer service. Now as for the mic - it wins my WOW factor award. I was flip flopping between the 102 and the 103. I read reviews and watched comparison videos. I mainly was in the market for a great vocal mic for recording. I first opted for the 102 mainly to save some money. I thought it was real good but I was still curious about the 103 so I called B&H and asked about their return policy. Based on that discussion, I bought a 103. When it arrived, I still had the 102 and was able to compare the two mics myself. Hands down winner - the 103. Richer and vibrant. So I returned the 102. If I was in a position to keep both, I would have ... MoreFirst a comment about B&H - this was my first purchase with them and I couldn't be happier with their professionalism and excellent customer service. Now as for the mic - it wins my WOW factor award. I was flip flopping between the 102 and the 103. I read reviews and watched comparison videos. I mainly was in the market for a great vocal mic for recording. I first opted for the 102 mainly to save some money. I thought it was real good but I was still curious about the 103 so I called B&H and asked about their return policy. Based on that discussion, I bought a 103. When it arrived, I still had the 102 and was able to compare the two mics myself. Hands down winner - the 103. Richer and vibrant. So I returned the 102. If I was in a position to keep both, I would have because I would use the 102 for recording guitar amps among other things. Some day, I'll buy a 102. But for vocal recording, OMG, the 103!!! And like I said at the beginning, B&H has awesome customer service. Plus the payboo card saves sales tax. I'll be a repeat customer for sure.

Quality Shines

I ran across this mic awhile back and glanced over it largely because I had never heard of KAM and I had it mistaken for a CAD. But I was looking for a new mic awhile back and ran across this B stock. Was cheap enough to give it a shot and there were not that many reviews for it but their website compared it in sound to a Neumann TLM103. Well I don't have a TLM to compare it with but I have owned an Avantone CV-12 and did the tube mods and was a good mic but I had to sell. I also hand built a mic with special modded circuit and a AKG CV-12 type capsule. and is a very good mic. But as for something that is tailored to the male voice at my voice this KAM kills it on every level. Very crisp articulate and brings that magic mojo. Hook it up to a good mic pre set your ... MoreI ran across this mic awhile back and glanced over it largely because I had never heard of KAM and I had it mistaken for a CAD. But I was looking for a new mic awhile back and ran across this B stock. Was cheap enough to give it a shot and there were not that many reviews for it but their website compared it in sound to a Neumann TLM103. Well I don't have a TLM to compare it with but I have owned an Avantone CV-12 and did the tube mods and was a good mic but I had to sell. I also hand built a mic with special modded circuit and a AKG CV-12 type capsule. and is a very good mic. But as for something that is tailored to the male voice at my voice this KAM kills it on every level. Very crisp articulate and brings that magic mojo. Hook it up to a good mic pre set your gain stage and if you have some DSP you can lay down an awesome track that very little to no EQ.These mics are probably the best kept secret in the industry. Based out of Illinois and with stellar performance. Got me to looking at their other mics. I highly recommend this and if can't get your vocals to shine it isn't because of the mic

The Perfect Mic for Voice-Over

This is the perfect mic for voice-over. It's crystal clear and warm for female voices. At least with my tonal voice, it fits me just right. I was debating about going cheaper when it came down to choosing my first XLR mic but these days if you want to be competitive in this crowded industry - there's nothing wrong with upgrading to one of the best mics in the voice-over industry. You won't be disappointed when you buy this mic. I certainly have no regrets! I love my TLM 103 and I'm never going back to my old USB mic ever again.

The same capsule as the legendary Neumann U 87 at a more app

Neumann microphones sound absolutely stellar, and the TLM-103 is no exception. I use it through a Neve 511 preamp and a Universal Audio Apollo Solo interface, and my baritone voice sounds killer every time. It's a perfect fit for a wide variety of artists-whether singing, rapping, recording voiceover or playing an acoustic. It's such a clean, clear-sounding mic, capturing audio to suit any purpose-it's the jack of all trades, and master of all of them.