The NEUMANN TLM102

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Frusciantefan

New member
Greetings to all!

I'm setting up my first studio and I'm looking for microphones - as for now I've decided to go for a Shure Beta 52A for the kick drum,
four Shure SM57 LC's (snare top'n'bottom, tomtom, floor tom, guitar cabs)
and a pair of RODE NT5 for overheads

Now I'm looking for a middle price ranged LDM for vocals and acoustics - what do you think about the NEUMANN TLM102 - is it a good investment and value for the buck, or is there something better in that price range (550 EUR - 720 $)

Thank you!
 
AT 4050, Brauner Valvet, Mojave MA-201, JZ Microphones Vintage 11, Violet Black Knight or the Wedge, there are a lot of other mics you should check, see the Sound Cloud link in the Youtube info bar, there are few ab test sound samples from the mics I mentioned

 
Frusciantefan said:
Now I'm looking for a middle price ranged LDM for vocals and acoustics - what do you think about the NEUMANN TLM102 - is it a good investment and value for the buck, or is there something better in that price range (550 EUR - 720 $)

Thank you!
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I just got a TLM 103 (which sounds really good to me) used for 650$ on ebay. I believe the TLM 103 is better than the 102.
 
Olijanovi said:
I believe the TLM 103 is better than the 102.
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Yes and no - the TLM 103 is a very different mic. from the TLM 102 and sound quite different.

I would not like to say that one is "better" than the other and many people far prefer the 102 over the 103.

You choose the one that is right for your purposes.


If I wanted to be cheeky I would throw the Gefell M930 into the mix as well ;)

M930EH93PP110.jpg
 
The TLM 102 can sound very nice indeed on certain things but if was going to only have one LDC I'm not sure it would be my first choice. It's a bit fussy about what it performs best on. Some male voices stand out really nicely but some can get a bit woolly. Similarly, on a "smokey" female voice the TLM 102 is brilliant but it can be a bit over the top on a more pop/rock style. On acoustics you have to be very careful...proximity effect can make it a bit boomy if you get anywhere near the sound hole--a high pass filter is very necessary. I'd certainly want to audition it before laying out that amount of money.

In the same range, I'd certainly consider the Rode K2 (a tube mic with a lovely sound) or perhaps the SE4400A which has the advantage of switchable pattern choice. I'd say both are more forgiving when they'll be used for a wide range of sources.
 
Before buying (and even knowing about the TLM 103) I went and tried all the Blue mics + Rode... and at some point we tried a TLM 103 and to me, it simply sounded much more natural. No coloration to the sound. You should reallt try them at your local store. I own a Rode NT1-A and compared it to the Neumann and it's night and day.
 
The TLM103 is a very different--and much more expensive--mic than the TLM102 the original poster asked about. I agree it's a very nice mic but at around $1200 it ought to be.

The Road NT1A certainly is very different than the TLM103. It's good value for what it costs--but that cost is about 1/6th the TLM103.

FYI, the mics I suggested are in a similar price range to what the OP asked about.
 
Bobbsy said:
The TLM103 is a very different--and much more expensive--mic than the TLM102 the original poster asked about. I agree it's a very nice mic but at around $1200 it ought to be.
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Yes I agree with you, but as I have previously posted... on ebay you can get a used one for about 650$ to 700$ Which is why I recommended a TLM 103 instead of a TLM 102
 
I'm sure ya'll know this. The owner of Rode mics used to work for Neumann mics. When you buy a Rode you are buying a less expensive Neumann. The rest is just psychological...
 
TheChikenMaster said:
I'm sure ya'll know this. The owner of Rode mics used to work for Neumann mics. When you buy a Rode you are buying a less expensive Neumann. The rest is just psychological...
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What a load of utter rubbish!

Even if he did used to work for Neumann at some time it was certainly not in the design department in Berlin and Røde are certainly not "less expensive Neumanns".

Working for a company does not, in any way, imply the insight and expertise to design a mic. of the same quality - for example, a top salesman could not necessarily go out and design a mic. of the same quality he sells.

Even Neumann in Berlin cannot, for example, make a Nickel diaphragm mic. that they can still make in the original Neumann factory in Gefell in Germany - despite trying.

Yes, Røde do certainly make some good value mics and the omni capsule for the NT55 I have heard is quite excellent in its own right, but to imply that because someone worked for a company in the past (without saying what his job was) automatically means that what he does now is equal to his old company is just bulls**t.

Sorry - rant over.
 
John Willett said:
What a load of utter rubbish!

Even if he did used to work for Neumann at some time it was certainly not in the design department in Berlin and Røde are certainly not "less expensive Neumanns".

Working for a company does not, in any way, imply the insight and expertise to design a mic. of the same quality - for example, a top salesman could not necessarily go out and design a mic. of the same quality he sells.

Even Neumann in Berlin cannot, for example, make a Nickel diaphragm mic. that they can still make in the original Neumann factory in Gefell in Germany - despite trying.

Yes, Røde do certainly make some good value mics and the omni capsule for the NT55 I have heard is quite excellent in its own right, but to imply that because someone worked for a company in the past (without saying what his job was) automatically means that what he does now is equal to his old company is just bulls**t.

Sorry - rant over.
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Figured I would get a response like that.
 
John Willett said:
What a load of utter rubbish!

Even if he did used to work for Neumann at some time it was certainly not in the design department in Berlin and Røde are certainly not "less expensive Neumanns".

Working for a company does not, in any way, imply the insight and expertise to design a mic. of the same quality - for example, a top salesman could not necessarily go out and design a mic. of the same quality he sells.

Even Neumann in Berlin cannot, for example, make a Nickel diaphragm mic. that they can still make in the original Neumann factory in Gefell in Germany - despite trying.

Yes, Røde do certainly make some good value mics and the omni capsule for the NT55 I have heard is quite excellent in its own right, but to imply that because someone worked for a company in the past (without saying what his job was) automatically means that what he does now is equal to his old company is just bulls**t.

Sorry - rant over.
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I second that. The Rode I have is nowhere close to the TLM 103
 
Let's be clear. Rode make all sorts of mics, from an entry level NT1A up to some very expensive (and very good) mics that (to my ear) can compete with a lot of Neumann offerings.

Neumann make a lot of great mics--but not all are perfect. This topic was about the TLM102 which is a good mic for some applications. However, the TLM102 is not in the same league as it's big brother the 103 (which, in turn, is not in the same league as some top of the line Neumanns).

Any post which talks about Neumann vs. Rode will probably be ignored by me. You need to talk about the various mics individually. Comparing an NT1A to a TLM 103 (or even a 102) is silly though. On the other hand assuming a TLM102 is superior to anything Rode builds (just because of the Neumann name) is equally silly.
 
Bobbsy said:
Let's be clear. Rode make all sorts of mics, from an entry level NT1A up to some very expensive (and very good) mics that (to my ear) can compete with a lot of Neumann offerings.

Neumann make a lot of great mics--but not all are perfect. This topic was about the TLM102 which is a good mic for some applications. However, the TLM102 is not in the same league as it's big brother the 103 (which, in turn, is not in the same league as some top of the line Neumanns).

Any post which talks about Neumann vs. Rode will probably be ignored by me. You need to talk about the various mics individually. Comparing an NT1A to a TLM 103 (or even a 102) is silly though. On the other hand assuming a TLM102 is superior to anything Rode builds (just because of the Neumann name) is equally silly.
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Agreed.
 
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