caretaker9
New member
Exec... Yes, still reading; still following the thread... Alot of insightful discussion here; thank you all for you input. I'm absorbing it all!
Neumann TLM-103 or AKG Solid Tube?
- Thread starter caretaker9
- Start date
jeap
Banned
please note that this reviewer who probably knows a lot more than the nimrods posting here about microphones considers the tlm103 to be a repackaged u87!
INTRODUCING THE TLM103
A lot of smaller professional and home studios would love to have a mic cupboard full of Neumanns -- but quality always costs, and for many, mics like the U87 are outside their available budgets. The TLM103 has been designed to address this problem by providing what is, in effect, a cut-down U87, but at a much more attractive price -- about a third that of the U87, in fact.
Although the TLM103 is inevitably less flexible than the U87 -- it offers only a fixed cardioid polar pattern -- there are no compromises in its design, which means that its appeal will extend across a very broad range, from professional broadcasters and recording studios to the more demanding home studios. Indeed, in several important areas, the TLM103 actually outperforms the U87 -- even the latest-generation U87Ai version.
At first glance, the new microphone looks just like a U87, but with a stubby little body instead of the large, slightly conical shape of its antecedent. Certainly the archetypal wedge-shaped wire mesh grille is identical to the U87's. To all intents and purposes, the TLM103 really is pretty much a re-boxed U87 with a few of the frills and expensive bits left out.
INTERNAL WORKINGS
The large-diaphragm capsule unit in the TLM103, the K103, is derived directly from the K87, which has been used in U87s and U67s since their inception. As you might expect, given that the U87 and U67 are both multi-polar, the K87 capsule actually comprises a pair of cardioid elements mounted back-to-back, and internal switching is employed to combine the two diaphragm outputs as necessary to produce the required polar responses.
The new TLM103, however, has a fixed cardioid response, because the new K103 capsule which it employs is effectively only the front half of the original K87. The back electrode and a single-diaphragm assembly are retained, a reduction in complexity that enables the manufacturing cost of the new mic to be significantly lower than that of the U87.
this is from sound on sound. since the people posting here are using words of the english language i assume they can read...
maybe if you disagree you can write to sound on sound and tell them how wrong they are!
i didnt explain fully in my original post that the capsules are intended to be as "same" as they could possibly be considering the differences in number of diaphragms and therefore polar pattern capability.
it seems that no matter what detail level one delves into in ones posts here there are always going to be nimrods who will hurry to contradict.
INTRODUCING THE TLM103
A lot of smaller professional and home studios would love to have a mic cupboard full of Neumanns -- but quality always costs, and for many, mics like the U87 are outside their available budgets. The TLM103 has been designed to address this problem by providing what is, in effect, a cut-down U87, but at a much more attractive price -- about a third that of the U87, in fact.
Although the TLM103 is inevitably less flexible than the U87 -- it offers only a fixed cardioid polar pattern -- there are no compromises in its design, which means that its appeal will extend across a very broad range, from professional broadcasters and recording studios to the more demanding home studios. Indeed, in several important areas, the TLM103 actually outperforms the U87 -- even the latest-generation U87Ai version.
At first glance, the new microphone looks just like a U87, but with a stubby little body instead of the large, slightly conical shape of its antecedent. Certainly the archetypal wedge-shaped wire mesh grille is identical to the U87's. To all intents and purposes, the TLM103 really is pretty much a re-boxed U87 with a few of the frills and expensive bits left out.
INTERNAL WORKINGS
The large-diaphragm capsule unit in the TLM103, the K103, is derived directly from the K87, which has been used in U87s and U67s since their inception. As you might expect, given that the U87 and U67 are both multi-polar, the K87 capsule actually comprises a pair of cardioid elements mounted back-to-back, and internal switching is employed to combine the two diaphragm outputs as necessary to produce the required polar responses.
The new TLM103, however, has a fixed cardioid response, because the new K103 capsule which it employs is effectively only the front half of the original K87. The back electrode and a single-diaphragm assembly are retained, a reduction in complexity that enables the manufacturing cost of the new mic to be significantly lower than that of the U87.
this is from sound on sound. since the people posting here are using words of the english language i assume they can read...
maybe if you disagree you can write to sound on sound and tell them how wrong they are!
i didnt explain fully in my original post that the capsules are intended to be as "same" as they could possibly be considering the differences in number of diaphragms and therefore polar pattern capability.
it seems that no matter what detail level one delves into in ones posts here there are always going to be nimrods who will hurry to contradict.
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
I'll leave this one to the, uh, Nimrods, who are mostly a pack of engineers and mic designers. But have you noticed that the release above is scripted, giving no objective performance specs, and no independant review of the mic's performance compared to its much older (and bigger) brother? This is because the mission of a release announcement is to sell you this mic, not to analyze it. Well, have at it, boys...-Richie
Henri Devill
New member
caretaker9 said:
Henri... How is the sound of the KSM44? Dark, bright, or somewhere in between? I've heard good things about it, and the KSM32 as well... Thanks for the tip.
In between, for me its a catch all mic because of that.. The KSM32 is a different mic and if I was going to that mic I'd look at the KSM27 also..Patrick(B) didn't like the 27 in his post but that could have been the vocalist ,the chain or his preference in sound...Hell I didn't like the sound of the 103..Is it a good mic ,sure..Which leads to the phrase..You really got to see/hear for yourself
..Good luck Don
wascal said:please note that this reviewer who probably knows a lot more than the nimrods posting here about microphones considers the tlm103 to be a repackaged u87!
this is from sound on sound. since the people posting here are using words of the english language i assume they can read...
maybe if you disagree you can write to sound on sound and tell them how wrong they are!
i didnt explain fully in my original post that the capsules are intended to be as "same" as they could possibly be considering the differences in number of diaphragms and therefore polar pattern capability.
it seems that no matter what detail level one delves into in ones posts here there are always going to be nimrods who will hurry to contradict.
Thank you for posting the review, wascal. However, after telling us how much more the reviewer knows than any of us, you declined to identify the reviewer.
Shared capsule design does not necessarily make for getting the same sound. In the review you posted, you used the examples of the U67 and U87, certainly two very different mics. But I can give you some far more extreme examples: how about the C12 and the 414-TLII?
Reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. Some reviewers are very knowledgeable, and some are "nimrods", the same can be said for a lot of us here. One of the most hilarious posts I've ever seen was, I think, on ProSoundWebRec, when Fletcher took about three pages to rip about a dozen new assholes in a reviewer who, in Fletcher's opinion, had managed to get just about every significant fact and observation wrong in a MIX magazine review.
Reviewers have a thankless task and are easy targets. I'm sure the majority of them do good jobs and are knowledgeable. But the single fact that a particular pronouncement was made in a particular review in a particular magazine should not be held up as gospel, by any means.
On the issue of the TLM103, I actually happen to like the mic: given the price I think it is a great value. I won't argue how much better or similar the U87 sounds, because I haven't AB'd them in a controlled comparison test. My general feeling about the U87 remains that it is possible to get much more interesting mics for the same money elsewhere. The Soundelux U99 at under $1700, and the Lawson L47mp at around $2000. I haven't priced a Brauner Valvet recently, but maybe throw that one into the mix too. I know there are a lot of big BLUE fans here, so maybe one of theirs as well, although I'm a little wary having been disappointed in the BLUE Mouse. With the price drops in the Neumann line, if i was going to get one of their high end mics, the M149 might be a more attractive option for me, at not a whole lot more money than the 87.
But no one should take my word for it either. After all, as wascal will tell you, i am just one of many ppls here who is a silly chimp. The ONLY way to ultimately evaluate a mic is to work with it yourself.
jeap
Banned
the "poor man's u87" characterization may not be far off.
i used quotation marks around the word same because obviously they wont sound the same. they are meant to sound the same.
i dont remember calling you a nimrod little dog.
i realize i am unclear about who i consider the nimrods to be. if you dont single them out by name then they dont get as angry!
i thought you could go to the sos site and search tlm103 like i did and see the whole article for yourself. i didnt want to post the whole article just a teaser.
to me the brauner line is the most interesting line of all. i saw where the guy devoted his life to tube microphones after an epiphany with a tube mic. i want to have one of each of the brauners.
i could have listed a lot more reviews but that was the one i had seen most recently. i know a lot of posters make fun of those of us who read but i think reading is fun-da-mental!
reviewers get this stuff plopped on their desk and its their job to evaluate it. they get paid to use it!!! its a little different from responses in a forum.
it doesnt hurt to get professional opinions does it?
im just trying to help!
if he buys a tlm103 he probably wont regret it??????????
why are you looking at me that way??????????????????
i used quotation marks around the word same because obviously they wont sound the same. they are meant to sound the same.
i dont remember calling you a nimrod little dog.
i realize i am unclear about who i consider the nimrods to be. if you dont single them out by name then they dont get as angry!
i thought you could go to the sos site and search tlm103 like i did and see the whole article for yourself. i didnt want to post the whole article just a teaser.
to me the brauner line is the most interesting line of all. i saw where the guy devoted his life to tube microphones after an epiphany with a tube mic. i want to have one of each of the brauners.
i could have listed a lot more reviews but that was the one i had seen most recently. i know a lot of posters make fun of those of us who read but i think reading is fun-da-mental!
reviewers get this stuff plopped on their desk and its their job to evaluate it. they get paid to use it!!! its a little different from responses in a forum.
it doesnt hurt to get professional opinions does it?
im just trying to help!
if he buys a tlm103 he probably wont regret it??????????
why are you looking at me that way??????????????????
participant
New member
JuSumPilgrim said:
Thank you, JuSumPilgrim, for that! I've been feeling like somewhat of an ass telling everyone how nice the AT4047 is for vocals, and I was hearing no echo!
You're the first person I've read on this BBS who recommends that mic and dammit, I agree
Chad
just a suggestion:
when quoting directly from a review, book, or article, it is considered good etiquette to credit the author.
this not only gives credit where credit is due, but may help some of us in how much credence we give the opinion. speaking only for myself, i am much too lazy to do a search and try to find the author on my own every time someone excerpts an article. i spend way too much time here as it is...
as i said, just a suggestion. some of us would appreciate that kind of pertinent information, and the authors deserve credit for their work. hopefully, you wouldn't post a soundfile without crediting the composer or performers or both. this is the same sort of thing.
when quoting directly from a review, book, or article, it is considered good etiquette to credit the author.
this not only gives credit where credit is due, but may help some of us in how much credence we give the opinion. speaking only for myself, i am much too lazy to do a search and try to find the author on my own every time someone excerpts an article. i spend way too much time here as it is...
as i said, just a suggestion. some of us would appreciate that kind of pertinent information, and the authors deserve credit for their work. hopefully, you wouldn't post a soundfile without crediting the composer or performers or both. this is the same sort of thing.
JuSumPilgrim
New member
participant said:
Thank you, JuSumPilgrim, for that! I've been feeling like somewhat of an ass telling everyone how nice the AT4047 is for vocals, and I was hearing no echo!
You're the first person I've read on this BBS who recommends that mic and dammit, I agree
Chad
No need to have the masses jumping all over the AT4047. Its an underground thing, those who know, know. Those who dont will continue to live pathetic unredeemed lives.
The 4047 is all about warm intimacy and maturity, it has its own character, a great balance between the AT midrange definition, quick but nonhyped transients and smoothness on bottom.
participant
New member
No need to have the masses jumping all over the AT4047. Its an underground thing, those who know, know. Those who dont will continue to live pathetic unredeemed lives.
damn straight! Wait, did I say it was a great vocal mic? That was a typo
PS (whispering) sorry!
Chad
damn straight!
Wait, did I say it was a great vocal mic? That was a typo PS (whispering) sorry!
Chad
jeap
Banned
geez this is like school with assignments and everything
NEUMANN TLM103 CARDIOID CONDENSER MICROPHONE
The new TLM103 is, of course, a complete impossibility -- it has supposedly been designed to a project studio price whilst retaining the qualities of Neumann's top-flight, large-diaphragm U87. Studio sleuth HUGH ROBJOHNS pulls on his deerstalker, gets out his venerable U87, and prepares to eliminate the impossible and arrive at the truth.
Ask anyone involved in sound recording to name a mic manufacturer off the top of their head, and the chances are they will say "Neumann". If you then ask for a model number, the reply will probably be "U87". There can be few commercial studios in the world without at least a couple of U87s to their name, along with perhaps several other Neumann models, and it is the one microphone that almost everyone can identify immediately from its slightly conical body and wedge-shaped grille (see the box on the U87 elsewhere in this article for more details).pros & cons
NEUMANN TLM103 £699
pros
Virtually identical in character to the classic U87.
Attractively priced -- around a third that of its bigger brother, the U87.
Distinctive looks.
It's a Neumann!
cons
Should have been supplied with an elastic suspension.
summary
In most respects, this is a re-boxed U87, with the same legendary warmth and character, a fixed cardioid pattern, and significantly improved electronics that give lower noise and greater dynamic range. Priced attractively, and with the cachet associated with the Neumann badge, what's to criticise?
theres more
http://www.sospubs.co.uk/search/query.asp
NEUMANN TLM103 CARDIOID CONDENSER MICROPHONE
The new TLM103 is, of course, a complete impossibility -- it has supposedly been designed to a project studio price whilst retaining the qualities of Neumann's top-flight, large-diaphragm U87. Studio sleuth HUGH ROBJOHNS pulls on his deerstalker, gets out his venerable U87, and prepares to eliminate the impossible and arrive at the truth.
Ask anyone involved in sound recording to name a mic manufacturer off the top of their head, and the chances are they will say "Neumann". If you then ask for a model number, the reply will probably be "U87". There can be few commercial studios in the world without at least a couple of U87s to their name, along with perhaps several other Neumann models, and it is the one microphone that almost everyone can identify immediately from its slightly conical body and wedge-shaped grille (see the box on the U87 elsewhere in this article for more details).pros & cons
NEUMANN TLM103 £699
pros
Virtually identical in character to the classic U87.
Attractively priced -- around a third that of its bigger brother, the U87.
Distinctive looks.
It's a Neumann!
cons
Should have been supplied with an elastic suspension.
summary
In most respects, this is a re-boxed U87, with the same legendary warmth and character, a fixed cardioid pattern, and significantly improved electronics that give lower noise and greater dynamic range. Priced attractively, and with the cachet associated with the Neumann badge, what's to criticise?
theres more
http://www.sospubs.co.uk/search/query.asp
Oh, goody! Yet another uncredited review excerpt, but this time with a link to a magazine's search engine. What is so hard about giving the writer's name when you quote them? Sigh....
Sometimes it's like pissing into the wind around here....
Sorry, Wascal... you only get a C- for the semester.
Sometimes it's like pissing into the wind around here....
Sorry, Wascal... you only get a C- for the semester.
jeap
Banned
look again.
it says hugh robjohns.
i cant help it if the link thing screwed up.
all i get for an address is the search thing.
so...
NEUMANN TLM103 CARDIOID CONDENSER MICROPHONE
The new TLM103 is, of course, a complete impossibility -- it has supposedly been designed to a project studio price whilst retaining the qualities of Neumann's top-flight, large-diaphragm U87. Studio sleuth HUGH ROBJOHNS pulls on his deerstalker, gets out his venerable U87, and prepares to eliminate the impossible and arrive at the truth.
Ask anyone involved in sound recording to name a mic manufacturer off the top of their head, and the chances are they will say "Neumann". If you then ask for a model number, the reply will probably be "U87". There can be few commercial studios in the world without at least a couple of U87s to their name, along with perhaps several other Neumann models, and it is the one microphone that almost everyone can identify immediately from its slightly conical body and wedge-shaped grille (see the box on the U87 elsewhere in this article for more details).pros & cons
NEUMANN TLM103 £699
pros
Virtually identical in character to the classic U87.
Attractively priced -- around a third that of its bigger brother, the U87.
Distinctive looks.
It's a Neumann!
cons
Should have been supplied with an elastic suspension.
summary
In most respects, this is a re-boxed U87, with the same legendary warmth and character, a fixed cardioid pattern, and significantly improved electronics that give lower noise and greater dynamic range. Priced attractively, and with the cachet associated with the Neumann badge, what's to criticise?
So why have Neumann remained at the pinnacle of mic production for so long? Probably because they have always paid such careful attention to detail in the mechanical and electrical design of their capsules, head-amplifiers and packaging. Neumann mics have always been rugged, reliable and, although not totally accurate or transparent, they tend to possess a character which is always musical, and which can be used creatively with a huge range of sound sources.
INTRODUCING THE TLM103
A lot of smaller professional and home studios would love to have a mic cupboard full of Neumanns -- but quality always costs, and for many, mics like the U87 are outside their available budgets. The TLM103 has been designed to address this problem by providing what is, in effect, a cut-down U87, but at a much more attractive price -- about a third that of the U87, in fact.
Although the TLM103 is inevitably less flexible than the U87 -- it offers only a fixed cardioid polar pattern -- there are no compromises in its design, which means that its appeal will extend across a very broad range, from professional broadcasters and recording studios to the more demanding home studios. Indeed, in several important areas, the TLM103 actually outperforms the U87 -- even the latest-generation U87Ai version.
At first glance, the new microphone looks just like a U87, but with a stubby little body instead of the large, slightly conical shape of its antecedent. Certainly the archetypal wedge-shaped wire mesh grille is identical to the U87's. To all intents and purposes, the TLM103 really is pretty much a re-boxed U87 with a few of the frills and expensive bits left out.
INTERNAL WORKINGS
The large-diaphragm capsule unit in the TLM103, the K103, is derived directly from the K87, which has been used in U87s and U67s since their inception. As you might expect, given that the U87 and U67 are both multi-polar, the K87 capsule actually comprises a pair of cardioid elements mounted back-to-back, and internal switching is employed to combine the two diaphragm outputs as necessary to produce the required polar responses.
The new TLM103, however, has a fixed cardioid response, because the new K103 capsule which it employs is effectively only the front half of the original K87. The back electrode and a single-diaphragm assembly are retained, a reduction in complexity that enables the manufacturing cost of the new mic to be significantly lower than that of the U87.
The capsule is fixed on a rubber mount which is, in turn, situated on a small circular circuit board placed horizontally just below the mic's grille. This circuit board is supported by a specially shaped rubber ring that provides further isolation from structural vibrations. The double-sided PCB carries all the head amplifier electronics and, as you might expect, surface-mount components have been employed throughout, so that the complete assembly is extremely compact. Consequently, the new mic does not require the long tubular body of its sibling, and its stubby body is perfectly suited to the compact internals. In fact, apart from the XLR output connector and a short length of ribbon cable, even the bottom 30mm of the minimal casing is completely empty.
The self noise (ie. that of the internal circuitry) of the new mic is stunningly low compared with similar models; presumably this is another benefit of the 103's TLM circuitry (see the 'More On TLM' box for more on this). The equivalent SPL is quoted at just 7dB A-weighted (according to the DIN/IEC 651 measurement specification) whereas the current U87Ai (which is already about 6dB quieter than previous versions) is specified as having a self noise of 12dB (A-weighted) in cardioid mode. The polar response is relevant here because, as the U87 is a multi-polar design, it has higher noise figures in the other two patterns (omni and figure-of-eight) due to the contribution of the rear half of the capsule.
Another very impressive characteristic of the TLM103 is that it can accommodate peak signal levels of up to 135dB SPL at 0.5% distortion. The U87Ai, meanwhile, can only manage 127dB SPL with its 10dB pad switched in! The ability to handle such high volume means that the new mic does not need a pre-attenuator, another factor that has enabled costs to be further reduced; in case you didn't know, a switch is a surprisingly expensive component.
The electrical sensitivity of the TLM103 is very slightly lower than that of a U87Ai, at 21mV/Pa, which means that it should need roughly 3dB more gain. However, the output level is pretty high compared to many other mics, so this is hardly likely to be a problem. The TLM103 can only be powered via a standard 48V phantom supply (there is no provision for internal batteries as on the original U87s) and current coTHE U87
Of all the mics in Neumann's catalogue, the U87 is still the most popular model, even though it was first introduced over 30 years ago. This multi-pattern studio condenser mic tends to be used on almost everything from spoken and singing voice to full orchestras, through pianos, brass sections, percussion and bass strings along the way. The U87 is equipped with a bass rolloff filter (to reduce the proximity effect when used close to a sound source), a 10dB pad, and a choice of omni, cardioid or figure-of-eight patterns, but I would suggest that it tends to be used in cardioid pattern at least 80% of the time.
nsumption is quoted at 3mA.
HANDS ON
The TLM103 is supplied in a wooden case, with a shaped hard foam insert, which should afford a good degree of protection for the mic in storage and transit. A cable is not included, but Neumann claim that the mic is insensitive to capacitive loading and long cable lengths, and you should be able to use any decent cable without problems.
The mic is available with either a satin nickel or a matt black finish, and a simple but elegant plastic swivel stand adaptor comes as standard. This screws onto a thread around the base of the mic, and a locking ring then allows the precise angle of the adaptor to be adjusted to suit any desired mounting arrangement. A wide range of alternative mounting accessories is available, including auditorium hangers and elastic suspensions.
No foam windshield is supplied, but the mic has a strong, dual-layer wire mesh grille which is reasonably effective at reducing plosives and popping; optional foam windshields and pop shields are available separately. The recommended foam windshield, by the way, is the same as that used on the U89.
The front of the cardioid polar pattern is indicated by the familiar red Neumann logo on the side of the mic and, in simple listening tests, it appeared that the pattern is relatively narrow -- certainly when compared to something like the Neumann KM86. The generic polar plot supplied shows the response to be 5dB down by about 80° for frequencies below 1kHz, with very severe narrowing at the upper frequencies -- as you might expect on a large-diaphragm microphone. Interestingly, the plot also shows a distinct hypercardioid tail to the rear for frequencies above about 8kHz.
With simple voice tests, I found that the mic provided very good rejection of rearward sound -- of the order of 25dB or more -- and that off-axis sounds retained much of their natural character. The quality does change, but in a smooth and progressive manner, without any disturbing colorations.
The overall frequency response is very natural and open and, although the TLM103 displays the characteristic warmth associated with the classic U87 and U67, its bass response is in no way overblown. Having said that, care is needed in placing the mic to ensure that the powerful proximity effect does not become a dominant part of the captured sound. Still on the subject of the lower end of the frequency range, the TLM103's internal amplifier is apparently linear well below 20Hz, and although the mic's frequency response tails off gradually below about 60Hz, it remains surprisingly sensitive to structural vibrations and wind noise. (I found, for example, that the mic captured every footfall when it was mounted on a stand with the supplied swivel-mount adaptor.) Consequently, I would strongly recommend the use of the appropriate elastic suspension and a decent foam windshield.
Just like that of the U87, the TLM103's K103 capsule has a flat frequency response up to around 5kHz, and it then shows a mild 4dB presence boost up to about 15kHz where its sensitivity starts to fall quite steeply. This provides the perfect amount of 'cut' and presence for most sources, and helps sources to retain their clarity in a mix without standing out too much. Again, careful placement is the key, but the mic has such a well-balanced nature that it should always be possible, with a little experimentationMORE ON TLM
Neumann have in recent years released several mics with the TLM prefix, an acronym that stands for Transformerless Microphone. Traditionally, mic outputs were balanced with a transformer which was also used to extract the phantom powering needed by the head amplifier. Unfortunately, transformers tend to be expensive and heavy, and they can restrict the transient performance of a mic quite significantly. Neumann's TLM models employ an electronic circuit to drive the output directly, whilst a second circuit extracts phantom power from the balanced line. This arrangement has been carefully designed and tested to ensure that it retains all the desirable characteristics of transformer balancing, such as high common mode rejection to suppress RF interference, but at greatly reduced cost and with better overall performance.
, to achieve just the sound you want. In terms of the overall sound quality and usability, the TLM103 is virtually indistinguishable from a good U87, except that it is quieter and has a greater dynamic range.
Compared side-by-side with a standard U87, which had enjoyed a typically varied life, I preferred the brand-new TLM103 with its slight edge in terms of clarity and subtlety. However, the two mics exhibited very similar characters indeed, and I would be inclined to put the few small differences down to the age gap between them rather than anything more fundamental.
FINAL OPINION
Essentially, the TLM103 has a big, open, natural character, which has a tendency to sound warm and full rather than thin and clinical. It may not be completely accurate, but it is certainly musical and can easily be used to the advantage of the recording. The polar pattern is as accurate as it can be with a large-diaphragm capsule, and provides good front-back rejection combined with clean-sounding off-axis pickup. The mic is prone to mechanical rumbles and wind noise, and these should be tamed by using an appropriate elastic suspension. However, high-pass filtering on your mixer can be used effectively, and although the mic does not incorporate its own switchable filter, the internal amplifier showed no signs of distress from excessive (but deliberately induced) low frequency signals.
If you are looking for a very high-quality, general-purpose mic, this has to be one to add to your list -- no matter at what level you are operating. It has the instant visual advantage of the Neumann badge, the aural signature of the classic large-diaphragm U87/U67 mics, and a price which, although not affordable to everyone, must be said to offer excellent value. If you look at the TLM103 as a quieter and more dynamic U87, which just happens to have been left in cardioid mode, the price of the TLM103 represents something of a bargain at about a third that of the U87Ai!
There are many, many other perfectly respectable large-diaphragm condenser mics on the market, but few that sound as good (or better) than the classic Neumanns, and very few indeed that can compete with the price of this latest addition to the family.
it says hugh robjohns.
i cant help it if the link thing screwed up.
all i get for an address is the search thing.
so...
NEUMANN TLM103 CARDIOID CONDENSER MICROPHONE
The new TLM103 is, of course, a complete impossibility -- it has supposedly been designed to a project studio price whilst retaining the qualities of Neumann's top-flight, large-diaphragm U87. Studio sleuth HUGH ROBJOHNS pulls on his deerstalker, gets out his venerable U87, and prepares to eliminate the impossible and arrive at the truth.
Ask anyone involved in sound recording to name a mic manufacturer off the top of their head, and the chances are they will say "Neumann". If you then ask for a model number, the reply will probably be "U87". There can be few commercial studios in the world without at least a couple of U87s to their name, along with perhaps several other Neumann models, and it is the one microphone that almost everyone can identify immediately from its slightly conical body and wedge-shaped grille (see the box on the U87 elsewhere in this article for more details).pros & cons
NEUMANN TLM103 £699
pros
Virtually identical in character to the classic U87.
Attractively priced -- around a third that of its bigger brother, the U87.
Distinctive looks.
It's a Neumann!
cons
Should have been supplied with an elastic suspension.
summary
In most respects, this is a re-boxed U87, with the same legendary warmth and character, a fixed cardioid pattern, and significantly improved electronics that give lower noise and greater dynamic range. Priced attractively, and with the cachet associated with the Neumann badge, what's to criticise?
So why have Neumann remained at the pinnacle of mic production for so long? Probably because they have always paid such careful attention to detail in the mechanical and electrical design of their capsules, head-amplifiers and packaging. Neumann mics have always been rugged, reliable and, although not totally accurate or transparent, they tend to possess a character which is always musical, and which can be used creatively with a huge range of sound sources.
INTRODUCING THE TLM103
A lot of smaller professional and home studios would love to have a mic cupboard full of Neumanns -- but quality always costs, and for many, mics like the U87 are outside their available budgets. The TLM103 has been designed to address this problem by providing what is, in effect, a cut-down U87, but at a much more attractive price -- about a third that of the U87, in fact.
Although the TLM103 is inevitably less flexible than the U87 -- it offers only a fixed cardioid polar pattern -- there are no compromises in its design, which means that its appeal will extend across a very broad range, from professional broadcasters and recording studios to the more demanding home studios. Indeed, in several important areas, the TLM103 actually outperforms the U87 -- even the latest-generation U87Ai version.
At first glance, the new microphone looks just like a U87, but with a stubby little body instead of the large, slightly conical shape of its antecedent. Certainly the archetypal wedge-shaped wire mesh grille is identical to the U87's. To all intents and purposes, the TLM103 really is pretty much a re-boxed U87 with a few of the frills and expensive bits left out.
INTERNAL WORKINGS
The large-diaphragm capsule unit in the TLM103, the K103, is derived directly from the K87, which has been used in U87s and U67s since their inception. As you might expect, given that the U87 and U67 are both multi-polar, the K87 capsule actually comprises a pair of cardioid elements mounted back-to-back, and internal switching is employed to combine the two diaphragm outputs as necessary to produce the required polar responses.
The new TLM103, however, has a fixed cardioid response, because the new K103 capsule which it employs is effectively only the front half of the original K87. The back electrode and a single-diaphragm assembly are retained, a reduction in complexity that enables the manufacturing cost of the new mic to be significantly lower than that of the U87.
The capsule is fixed on a rubber mount which is, in turn, situated on a small circular circuit board placed horizontally just below the mic's grille. This circuit board is supported by a specially shaped rubber ring that provides further isolation from structural vibrations. The double-sided PCB carries all the head amplifier electronics and, as you might expect, surface-mount components have been employed throughout, so that the complete assembly is extremely compact. Consequently, the new mic does not require the long tubular body of its sibling, and its stubby body is perfectly suited to the compact internals. In fact, apart from the XLR output connector and a short length of ribbon cable, even the bottom 30mm of the minimal casing is completely empty.
The self noise (ie. that of the internal circuitry) of the new mic is stunningly low compared with similar models; presumably this is another benefit of the 103's TLM circuitry (see the 'More On TLM' box for more on this). The equivalent SPL is quoted at just 7dB A-weighted (according to the DIN/IEC 651 measurement specification) whereas the current U87Ai (which is already about 6dB quieter than previous versions) is specified as having a self noise of 12dB (A-weighted) in cardioid mode. The polar response is relevant here because, as the U87 is a multi-polar design, it has higher noise figures in the other two patterns (omni and figure-of-eight) due to the contribution of the rear half of the capsule.
Another very impressive characteristic of the TLM103 is that it can accommodate peak signal levels of up to 135dB SPL at 0.5% distortion. The U87Ai, meanwhile, can only manage 127dB SPL with its 10dB pad switched in! The ability to handle such high volume means that the new mic does not need a pre-attenuator, another factor that has enabled costs to be further reduced; in case you didn't know, a switch is a surprisingly expensive component.
The electrical sensitivity of the TLM103 is very slightly lower than that of a U87Ai, at 21mV/Pa, which means that it should need roughly 3dB more gain. However, the output level is pretty high compared to many other mics, so this is hardly likely to be a problem. The TLM103 can only be powered via a standard 48V phantom supply (there is no provision for internal batteries as on the original U87s) and current coTHE U87
Of all the mics in Neumann's catalogue, the U87 is still the most popular model, even though it was first introduced over 30 years ago. This multi-pattern studio condenser mic tends to be used on almost everything from spoken and singing voice to full orchestras, through pianos, brass sections, percussion and bass strings along the way. The U87 is equipped with a bass rolloff filter (to reduce the proximity effect when used close to a sound source), a 10dB pad, and a choice of omni, cardioid or figure-of-eight patterns, but I would suggest that it tends to be used in cardioid pattern at least 80% of the time.
nsumption is quoted at 3mA.
HANDS ON
The TLM103 is supplied in a wooden case, with a shaped hard foam insert, which should afford a good degree of protection for the mic in storage and transit. A cable is not included, but Neumann claim that the mic is insensitive to capacitive loading and long cable lengths, and you should be able to use any decent cable without problems.
The mic is available with either a satin nickel or a matt black finish, and a simple but elegant plastic swivel stand adaptor comes as standard. This screws onto a thread around the base of the mic, and a locking ring then allows the precise angle of the adaptor to be adjusted to suit any desired mounting arrangement. A wide range of alternative mounting accessories is available, including auditorium hangers and elastic suspensions.
No foam windshield is supplied, but the mic has a strong, dual-layer wire mesh grille which is reasonably effective at reducing plosives and popping; optional foam windshields and pop shields are available separately. The recommended foam windshield, by the way, is the same as that used on the U89.
The front of the cardioid polar pattern is indicated by the familiar red Neumann logo on the side of the mic and, in simple listening tests, it appeared that the pattern is relatively narrow -- certainly when compared to something like the Neumann KM86. The generic polar plot supplied shows the response to be 5dB down by about 80° for frequencies below 1kHz, with very severe narrowing at the upper frequencies -- as you might expect on a large-diaphragm microphone. Interestingly, the plot also shows a distinct hypercardioid tail to the rear for frequencies above about 8kHz.
With simple voice tests, I found that the mic provided very good rejection of rearward sound -- of the order of 25dB or more -- and that off-axis sounds retained much of their natural character. The quality does change, but in a smooth and progressive manner, without any disturbing colorations.
The overall frequency response is very natural and open and, although the TLM103 displays the characteristic warmth associated with the classic U87 and U67, its bass response is in no way overblown. Having said that, care is needed in placing the mic to ensure that the powerful proximity effect does not become a dominant part of the captured sound. Still on the subject of the lower end of the frequency range, the TLM103's internal amplifier is apparently linear well below 20Hz, and although the mic's frequency response tails off gradually below about 60Hz, it remains surprisingly sensitive to structural vibrations and wind noise. (I found, for example, that the mic captured every footfall when it was mounted on a stand with the supplied swivel-mount adaptor.) Consequently, I would strongly recommend the use of the appropriate elastic suspension and a decent foam windshield.
Just like that of the U87, the TLM103's K103 capsule has a flat frequency response up to around 5kHz, and it then shows a mild 4dB presence boost up to about 15kHz where its sensitivity starts to fall quite steeply. This provides the perfect amount of 'cut' and presence for most sources, and helps sources to retain their clarity in a mix without standing out too much. Again, careful placement is the key, but the mic has such a well-balanced nature that it should always be possible, with a little experimentationMORE ON TLM
Neumann have in recent years released several mics with the TLM prefix, an acronym that stands for Transformerless Microphone. Traditionally, mic outputs were balanced with a transformer which was also used to extract the phantom powering needed by the head amplifier. Unfortunately, transformers tend to be expensive and heavy, and they can restrict the transient performance of a mic quite significantly. Neumann's TLM models employ an electronic circuit to drive the output directly, whilst a second circuit extracts phantom power from the balanced line. This arrangement has been carefully designed and tested to ensure that it retains all the desirable characteristics of transformer balancing, such as high common mode rejection to suppress RF interference, but at greatly reduced cost and with better overall performance.
, to achieve just the sound you want. In terms of the overall sound quality and usability, the TLM103 is virtually indistinguishable from a good U87, except that it is quieter and has a greater dynamic range.
Compared side-by-side with a standard U87, which had enjoyed a typically varied life, I preferred the brand-new TLM103 with its slight edge in terms of clarity and subtlety. However, the two mics exhibited very similar characters indeed, and I would be inclined to put the few small differences down to the age gap between them rather than anything more fundamental.
FINAL OPINION
Essentially, the TLM103 has a big, open, natural character, which has a tendency to sound warm and full rather than thin and clinical. It may not be completely accurate, but it is certainly musical and can easily be used to the advantage of the recording. The polar pattern is as accurate as it can be with a large-diaphragm capsule, and provides good front-back rejection combined with clean-sounding off-axis pickup. The mic is prone to mechanical rumbles and wind noise, and these should be tamed by using an appropriate elastic suspension. However, high-pass filtering on your mixer can be used effectively, and although the mic does not incorporate its own switchable filter, the internal amplifier showed no signs of distress from excessive (but deliberately induced) low frequency signals.
If you are looking for a very high-quality, general-purpose mic, this has to be one to add to your list -- no matter at what level you are operating. It has the instant visual advantage of the Neumann badge, the aural signature of the classic large-diaphragm U87/U67 mics, and a price which, although not affordable to everyone, must be said to offer excellent value. If you look at the TLM103 as a quieter and more dynamic U87, which just happens to have been left in cardioid mode, the price of the TLM103 represents something of a bargain at about a third that of the U87Ai!
There are many, many other perfectly respectable large-diaphragm condenser mics on the market, but few that sound as good (or better) than the classic Neumanns, and very few indeed that can compete with the price of this latest addition to the family.
crazydoc
Master Baiter
jeap said:
http://www.neumann.com/infopool/mics/produkte.php?ProdID=tlm103
click on Diagrams
http://www.neumann.com/infopool/mics/produkte.php?ProdID=u87ai
click on Diagrams, then cardoid
Don't look like the "same" sound to me. Unfortunately, I can't afford to hear if they have the "same" sound. There appears to be a significant difference in frequency response above 4k, and some differences in the polar response also.
CyanJaguar
New member
jeap,
I feel you my man.
When reviewers say that a tlm 103 has the character of a u87, they probably mean "it sounds more like a u87 than another mic(eg akg c12) sounds like a u87.
You truly have to listen to both mics to hear the differences. Its like night and day.
I feel you my man.
When reviewers say that a tlm 103 has the character of a u87, they probably mean "it sounds more like a u87 than another mic(eg akg c12) sounds like a u87.
You truly have to listen to both mics to hear the differences. Its like night and day.