Neumann KMS 105 Supercardioid Condenser Handheld Vocal Microphone - Nickel Reviews

I have tried a lot of vocal mics and this one is by far my favorite. The sound is perfect.

I bought this for my wife. She loves it, and says it's phenomenal! It is warm, and very nuanced. You can hear every part of her vocals! I may have to get one for myself, too!

I love the sonic detail on my vocals and flute. Even speaking between songs is clear and concise.
The only problem I’m having is adjusting to the sensitivity of the mic. I do a lot of live, real time looping and if I’m not careful it will start feeding back or creating a rumble when I add overdubs to a loop. But....that’s not a problem with the mic, just my mixing skills. I’m confident that with a little more experience I’ll be able to dial in a great mix. Was pricey for sure, but I think this will be my go to mic for the rest of my life.

I have had a decent journey finding a great sounding microphone and accompanying effects. Starting with a Shure SM58, it was okay, but I found that, for my voice (baritone), I lost a lot of the low end that makes a rich (read: more country), baritone vocal sound. Moving on to the Shure Beta 87, I found the clarity increased tremendously and I got a little more low end, but it was still a bit weak. Switched to the Shure SM7B and I got everything I wanted—beautiful lows, clear highs. The only problem was, as a worship leader, I really felt weird interacting between songs with a crowd while this giant SM7B was in my face, but I figured: this is okay, I'll get over it; they'll get over it.

But then I got the Neumann KMS-105 for my wife (also a worship leader/vocalist), and, in the process, got to try it on my own voice. Wow. The lows, the highs, and even a series of tones in the low-mid area were super clear and gorgeous—no preamp necessary to create a warm, clear sound. Immediately, I had Randy (my sales associate) get me a second one, and now my wife and I use them every Sunday. Our vocals cut through the mix beautifully, and when we speak between songs, it's really easy to hear the annunciations and articulations with minimal EQing.

If you're looking for a rich sound (male or female), check out the Neumann KMS-105 or its siblings (KMS-104, KMS-104+). We are both super happy.

This mic is so clean. You can really hear the difference,. The clarity keeps you honest allowing you to adapt your technique accordingly. Highly recommend for serious vocalists

This mic is totally worth the cost (as are all Neumann mics when matched to their appropriate role)! I sing as a worship pastor at my church each week, and I also do side gigs such as weddings etc. So I needed a mic which was 1) Extremely dependable 2) Helping my voice stay sharp at the front of the mix (the congregation needs to hear me over the BGVs to sing along) 3) Delivering high quality representation of my voice. This mic delivers above and beyond. I've used E6 headsets, and this definitely is more helpful in the worship setting. I've used Shure's Beta87, which is wonderful in every way, but this is better. What sets this mic apart is the amount of crystal clear precision. It picks up all the nuances. It is just SO detailed. If your voice is sub-par, you may not want this one because it will make you feel naked with everyone hearing every faltering sustained note, every off-tone, every choke. But if you're a decent singer, this mic somehow presents your voice with unmatched sharpness without sounding harsh to the ears.

Oh and I've had no feedback problems on a crowded stage with a large band and multiple vocalists. The hyper-cardioid pattern works great for acoustic guitar while singing because the sides reject bleed from the acoustic...

A couple notes for users: A) Because it is so sensitive, your plosives and sibilance come out with equal clarity to all the good things and the proximity effect is quite noticeable. This is a GOOD thing. It shows the mic is actually doing it's job. You'll just have to EQ out the plosives and/or rise to the occasion and learn better mic technique. Like a sports car, you can't drive it like a granny or a hack if you really want to explore all its capabilities. This mic demands skill equal to its own.

B) There is no pop filter in it, per se. The head grill is designed to combat the pop somewhat. Again, just learn to live with it.

C) Lastly, you will want to make sure you're using quality XLR ends. Mine was popping, and (with help from Brendan Murphy from Sweetwater) we found that the cheap XLR head was loose, making for a poor connection. If you use cables with Neutrik ends or something of equal quality, the fit will be tight and you will have no problems.

D) The wind screen Neumann sells for this thing is HUGE and way ugly. It's so big that it looks like you're eating a carmel apple on a stick. Granted the wind screen performs really well. I just think it's laughable that the same engineers who can figure out how to make matchless microphones can't figure out a more attractive way to make a simple little windscreen. Haha:) But hey....that's one of the extremely few problems I've found with my Neumann products. Neumann is just so great....I was thinking they could design a drop in windscreen that goes inside the double-layered head grill. I don't know - I'm no engineer...

E) For folks without much money or access to trying out equipment before purchasing, who are almost solely reliant on internet reviews to know if a product is worth it, just know that products like Neumann mics are sometimes only fully appreciated with use over a period of a whole song set, recording session, or tour. I find those mic shootouts and sound sample comparisons virtually useless. These aren't like preamps which color the sound. They are mics which interpret the sound you put into them. And you can only tell how well they do that when you fully explore their potential over the course of many different kinds of songs with many different kinds of dynamics. Once you do, you won't regret, nor will you buy the ridiculous notions folks throw out in online forums that somehow some cheap Made in China mic can replicate the quality of a Neumann or similar product. You can't describe mics in terms of "what sound" they give you; you have to describe mics in terms of how they represent the original sound you put into them. It's about precision and accuracy, not "sound" per se. The sound is a byproduct. So when folks say they replicated a U47 or something like that, don't buy it. It's in the details these high end mics deliver. A print of the Sistine Chapel ceiling looks exactly like the real ceiling, but it lacks the life, depth, minute detail of the real deal. It's no different with mics. This mic and others of its caliber are the Sistine Chapel folks.

At the end of the day though, it's about heart. If you can't afford this mic, but you're a real musician singing form the heart, you'll be just fine. This mic is only a conduit the real you flows through. Garbage in, garbage out folks. Music with no heart is heartless on both ends of the sound system...even if there's a Neumann in the middle.

The one thing I wish about this mic purchase is for a more protective case. The case it comes with would not protect the head grill from dents if you dropped it because the end of the mic is at the end of the thin fabric case. Either some padding at the end of the case or an entirely more protective case is in order if you're a traveling musician. Oh, and you'll need to keep it in a case, because the head grill has no foam in it, so this mic is more perceptible to allowing dust and moisture into the capsule than a typical mic would be.

Before buying the Neumann KMS 105, I was using a Sure SM 58. The first thing that I noticed was that it picked up the resonance in my voice in a way I never heard. It freed me up to enjoy singing the song i was singing for my coach who also said that she noticed the difference even though we were on a Face time call. I would actually like to use this mic now whenever I perform because I know the quality is going to be there.

I have gone thru about six handheld mics in the past two years as I have gotten into singing. Home recordings in regular home surroundings and no desire to set up a home studio--which has lead me to use handheld mics. I use a voice play live to connect to my computer for recording.

I own:
Audio-Technica ATR2100
Blue Yeti
Shure SM58
EV ND 967
Blue Encore 300 (handheld condenser)

I have tried a few other mics as well but not owned them

If you look up reviews of the Encore 300, you will find that they are VERY well reviewed and indeed it is a very good mic. I used it for over a year and was pretty happy with it.

As I have become a bit of a mic geek, I read reviews on this mic and was very tempted...despite the steep price. By comparison, the Encore is around 200....vs 700 for the Neumann. Having had the Neumann for about a month now....I can say that this mic is simply amazing. So much better than the Encore and it is hard to describe how it helps your singing...but you seem to need less effort...you do need a pop filter for certain songs and it probably is not the best for hard rock. For everything else it is amazing. If you can afford it, this has to be among the best if not the best handheld mics available. I have never once felt that I overspent on this sucker! It is really that good! Give it a try and you will be hooked.

Best every! Didn't imagine it would sound this good. Very rich looking too, love the classic retro nickel look. I wish I bought it years ago, worth every penny.

I found a write up that intrigued me a bout this mic. Couldn't find a bad thing written about it. Talk to Ryan and he said go for it.

My wife has used a beta 87 since it first came on the market and this is the best mic I have found for her vocals. Just perfect for someone who really sings and know how to use a good mic. I am using it with the Bose L1 Model 2 and it's a match made in heaven

WIsh I could have found a cheaper alternative, but this mic is well worth the money. I can now tell sound people just to leave the eq on the board flat and it sounds great (using it on a light soprano voice singing jazz and latin jazz). Great intelligibility on spoken word between songs as well (that was always a problem with a soft voice).

This vocal mic is exceptional. We first used it for a Cabaret show. It captured every nuisance in the vocals. It captures the thrill in the voice as well as the smokey low intimate notes. It stands up to both whispers and belts. A good singer can really work this mic and sound great. We have rerecorded some vocal tracks done in the studio using a lesser quality condenser mic. What a difference! This mic is worth every cent and then some. Buy it and try it. You'll love it. The nickel finish looks fantastic on stage too.

Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. This is now my second KMS105. Bought my first one in 2000. Needed another one for back-up. Price has not changed in 17 years. Still worth the price. If you want the best and want to sound your best, get this Mic.

I have had difficulty with mics in the past as I have a very big voice and always had trouble with rattles. I don't have to be right on top of this mic and yet it still sounds amazing. Even untrained parishioners have commented positively.

very, very nice mic. clear and very transparent. a double-edged sword, this mic will bring out your best but will also show you where you are not so good (i.e. intonation). comes with a nice carrying case to pack away for gigs. tight pattern nearly eliminates feedback. this will be a wonderful live vocal mic for years to come.

Absolutely wonderful and useful piece of equipment. I chose the nickel because I don't particularly like the way it looks when someone is performing with a big black mic covering their face plus I'm female and I thought the nickel one looked classier. The KMS105Nickel is durable, great looking and great as a live or studio mic. It captures the voice superbly creating a sound of pure voice quality leaving the singer with confidence when hitting that next note. This mic is a ton of fun and completely worth the price. I give it 4.5 stars only cause in this industry we're always wanting more and better, let's keep it that way. ;)

I hope my 4 stars won't bring the overall rating down, because it does deserve 5. HOWEVER. If you're a gigging musician WITHOUT a sound guy, like me, and/or with a less than stellar PA/monitoring system, there's a chance this mic will stay in its velcro pouch a lot while you practice feedback safety with a less breathtaking mic. That's what has happened to me a lot, especially in smaller venues. Be aware that you are dealing with a very sensitive mic, which will make singing on stage amazing, but also risky. For the same reason, handling noise is a bigger issue than with your 85. Also: There is zero foam included in the basket. This means: a trio of mesh filters, coarse, medium and fine, are trying to do all the plosive control, and, I'm sorry to report, this trio is often failing. That's why you often see this mic used with additional foam pop filters. Again: My 4 stars are almost given ironically, because these shortcomings have more to do with my musical practice than the mic itself. What really makes me want to give one star back, and add another, is this thing's ability in recording. I'm frequently leaving my large diaphragm condenser unused when recording, and using the Neumann, especially when I know I want to go close for soft vocals. Secret sauce tip: It's absolutely stellar on acoustic guitar! Clear, brilliant, detailed, it's almost like you're using a Neumann! Oh, and I also use it for interviews and voice overs in my video work. So, it's super versatile, but shouldn't be the choice of any rock shouters. It's more of a suit and tie kind of mic.