What can I say........it's a Neumann

I guess this mic is one of the most underestimated Neumanns

No matter what preamp I put it thru.......it's sweet sound prevails. Versatile, multiple uses, various applications, excellent sensitivity and SPL

The Neumann to start with when you're on a budget.

Great Mic. Nice Sound

I picked one of these up the other day and the second i used it i was blown away. My first session was a hip hop session with 2 very different singers. One had a bright voice and one midsy. For the bright voice it really warmed it up and made it rich. For lower vocals I just added a little high in the eq and it sounded amazing without picking up a bunch of air. I will be giving this mic ALOT of use and would recommend everyone have this in your locker. Can't wait to try it on acoustic guitars

You get more of what you paid for...TLM 193 Nuemann

I was blown away with this microphone, This is a serious condenser mic with a fine silky sound. I like it on vocals since the TLM 193 is darker and more natural-sounding. I prefer to have a warmer source signal. Anyway, I can always hype those highs with eq on my Avalon if I want it. Good for almost any application, but wonderful on vocals any instruments specially saxophone and acoustic guitars. It is my primary condenser mic going through my Avalon 737 mic pre. I consider the Neumann TLM-193 to be overlooked and Under-Rated by many who think only of the TLM-103 or higher priced models such as U67, U87, U89 etc... I say that this mic has turned into THE sound of my studio and my productions. I'm very happy I made this investment...

neumann tlm193

when i was putting my first 'real' project studio together, i went on a search for the best large diaphraghm condenser i could find for the money. thanks to sweetwater's great 'return if not satisfied' policy, i had the opportunity to try some great mics without fear of getting saddled with one i didn't really want.



i already had a pair of at4033's, and a rode nt1, as well as a 'bargain' (NOT) chinese mic. the 4033's were fine for drum overhead, acoustic guitar, ect, and the rode found some uses too... but i had purchased both a langevin dvc and a neve 9098, and i wanted a mic that could really match the quality of those preamps. another consideration was that i was (and still am) working with a group of exceptional male and female vocalists, and i needed a mic that was flattering to many different voices. both the 4033 and nt1 tended to sound overly harsh on the girls voices, tho on male vox they were fine. i set my upper dollar amount at $1,000 and started looking (and listening!).



obviously, the tlm193 was my final selection, so i'll get down to the reasons why.



the neumann moniker sure was part of my reason for auditioning it in the first place! it never hurts to have a potential client know you have that kind of quality on hand. but the name doesn't mean squat unless it performs, and it does that far beyond my expectations.



it doesn't have the presence bump most large neumann's have (and most cheap mics copy)- it's a very neutral mic. on the female vox, it sounds big and lush, w/out any hint of harshness. on the male vox, it easily blew away the other condensers i have- the resulting tracks always seem to enhance the best qualities of the singer!



vocals are just the tip of the iceberg where this mic's capability is concerned tho... it's my first-call mic for electric bass and guitar amps... if you close your eyes in the control room, you'd swear the amp was in the room with you! it also shines on kick drum- i like to use two mics on the kick, a '57 aimed at the beater, and the 193 a couple of feet in front of it... talk about BIG!



the 193 isn't one of neumann's more 'famous' mics, tho i don't know why- that feeling seems to be shared by many of the reviews of the mic i've found on the web. perhaps it's because it only has a cardioid pattern, or maybe because it lacks a pad and lo-cut filter? hey, my preamps have those things! i had never even considered the 193 (i guess due to it's lack of hype) 'til i asked my sweetwater rep if he had any demo/refurb mics available. the 193 was mentioned, and i was told it was a demo and it had some wear on it, so it was being sold rather cheaply. well, the 'wear' turned out to be some scratches on the wooden case! the mic itself was pristine.



i'm saving up to purchase a second tlm193, and i hope to use them as my main drum overheads. of course i wouldn't turn down a free u87, but i don't feel like it would give me anything i don't already have from the 193. my mic collection has grown huge since i bought the 193- i have high-end mics from BLUE, shure, gefell, AKG, ect.... and i use them all the time when i'm tracking full bands. when it's time to lay down overdubs tho, the 193 pretty much gets used for the rest of that sessions, and that's the highest compliment i can give it.