Neumann TLM 102 Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone - Matte Black Reviews

At this price point you can not beat this mic. I'm sorry but you can't. I was skeptical about it when purchasing thinking it might not live up to the Neumann name (I've been a professional music producer for the past 12 years). Wow was I wrong. This thing absolutely sings. Fits perfect in the mix. So little EQing needed. First thing you want to do when u get this mic is to remove the foam in side of it. It will transform it completely into such a better mic.

In a word, this mic is... "cute" being that it quite literally fits in the palm of your hand. YET, it has a warmth of a larger diaphragm which can be of service for any voice talent with a less-than-warm voice. If you're a long-form narrator, this mic will be a great one to have.

Normally, Neumann is regarded for their top tier quality, especially their beautiful high end . The TLM 102 is no different from the rest . With a small size, it comes with a beautiful sound that no mic within the next $500 comparing until you get to the Tlm 103.

Fantastic, just as I expected, again. Had to get another. Just another example of why Neumann is the best.

This mic sounds amazing on anything. It is a sexy piece of equipment and small with big sound. Using my apollo solo with this is incredible.

I haven't fully used it as of yet but just testing it out I was excited about the sound coming out of this glorious mic.

I've used Neumann dynamic mics and km184, so this TLM 102 was a new one for me. That said, people pretty much know what they are getting with any Neumann mic. So far, I've enjoyed using it for vocals and as a room mic for French horn with a Golden Age Ribbon on the bell. It's beautiful and bright and there's just kind of nothing bad about it. That's what you pay for. I assume I'll go my whole life without ever saying "Man, I didn't really like that Neumann." They're just good, and they're always good.

Great all around mic, I have used this mic on guitar cabs, vocals, acoustic, sax, flute, very well balanced over all. Killer mic.

The 102 is from a family with a long line of Mics although it can be considered the baby of the Neumann family, Its provides crystal clear vocals with plenty of presences! It is taylord especially for Vocals! Well worth the Money! Great buy .

So I've known about Neumann for a long time but always believed it was just overpriced hype. So I have been looking for a mic I felt fit my voice so I picked up a Heil ,RE 20 , Earthworks Icon Pro and many more over time and some have worked well but I was not fully happy and felt something was still missing and because I do live sound I eq on the fly. So I finally picked up the Neumann tlm 102 and holy **** what a mic so clear so crisp sounds so good with my eq set up every day when I use it I sit and admire how sweet it sounds. I really wish I would of picked this up a long time ago would of saved me so much money. Don't be a dumb *** like me it's not over priced hype If I could only have one microphone this one would be my pick for recording,live or single person podcasting even YouTube or Twitch.

I've been recording voiceover for ~15 years. So when it was time to buy a new mic I decided to see whether Neumanns were as good as I had heard. WOW what a difference.

This mic is so clean and nuanced, and SMALL. The difference in quality is clear.

Thinking about the TLM-102? Think no more - it's time to get one for yourself!

God is this microphone like a gift from.. well God lol. I haven't done any extensive recording with it yet, primarily just with vocals - where it seriously shines. I've recorded acoustic piano with it once and I'm not convinced that's it's forte. But as long as you mic it around middle c or above it performs well, seems to get muddled in the lower octaves. But I've only had a very short recording session using it to mic a piano, so I'd need more experimenting. But those vocals! This mic is a game changer for me for vocals. Crisp, vivid, intimate, pleasing are all words that embody well it's spirit as a vocal mic. Ever since college i wanted the 103 because they had one and it was a beast. Just happened to get the itch to just see what they were pricing at just before cyber Monday and found the 102 and was taken by other people's reviews and the lower price tag. Got it 200 bucks cheaper yet with cyber Monday and will never look back! It's def small and compact, made me actually say "wtf?!" Out loud LOL but she's got such a deep soul to her, you're sure to fall in love.

Full, rich, warm sound. I can't believe how much better my recording quality has gotten with this microphone.

I was hesitant to get the 102 at first thinking that I should wait and spend the money on the 103. Man am I glad I decided to get this. The mic gave my home studio a great Neumann mic without breaking the bank and allowed me to use the $... difference on other gear. I use this on acoustic guitar, amps, vocals and as a room mic and I am extremely happy with the results. I also purchased the shock mount for this mic so add that into your decision (included with the 103) The only problem I had was the lack of a hard case for the TLM 102. I have purchased less expensive mics and received a case for them would have been nice to have Nevertheless I am very happy with my purchase and look forward to the 102 being a go to in my home studio.

Been using a Baby Blue as my main mic. This one just replaced it. Difference is big. This mic makes vocals stand out in a mix. Using it with a UA Apollo Twin MKll Quad interface. Perfect setup for my home studio.

Can't say enough good things about my experience with Chris Nunley. Prompt, complete explanations/answers to all my questions and great advice. Complete with a follow up email. He will be our next "go to" for future purchases.

I originally bought a pair of these for overheads. They are excellent in this application, extremely tough to beat at the price point. Since then I've purchase a Warm Audio WA-273EQ, along with the Klark Teknik 1776 and Pulteq clones. With that chain, I've done acoustic guitars and vocals with that exact signal chain. I am in shock, having recorded on numerous high end chains, from actual 1073's by BAE and AMS, as well as original Pulteqs and 1176's, how well this particular signal chain works together. It is a simple, set and forget and has worked on every vocalist I've tried it on. If you need a great all around chain for voice or acoustic guitar, honestly, I'd give this mic, with the other pieces mentioned, a hard look. Happy recording!

I purchased this mic and have recorded everything from saxophones, to r&b vox, to voice overs, to percussion, to sound design, and it mainly gets used for hip hop vocals.

It's high spl limit allows a broad range of applications, and though some complain that there is no polarity switch, I find these limits on this mic to expand my creativity in use and focus on my room and proper recording technique. I won't be needing another mic until I upgrade the rest of my setup, including my room, and honestly if you can't get a sound out of this workhorse that competes with the studio down the street then its not the mic thats the problem!

If recording is a hobby for you, like it is for me, then this microphone will elevate your home studio one step closer to what the pros use. You cannot go bad with this microphone. Just know that it doesn't have a hi-pass filter switch or PAD. But I guess you don't really need those features.

It's a really great mic. I ise it main on vocals and it hasn't disappointed! If you can go ahead and get the 103.

Neumann quality and sound in a compact housing. The rich, smooth tone of this mic has taken my vocal tracks to the next level.

The TLM 102 was the first microphone I had ever used for a professional recording, and 5 years later it is still my go-to mic for almost any situation. I now work in a professional studio handling up to 4 to 5 sessions a day and with all the mic options for the different artists that come in i still find that the TLM trumps them all in sound , and ability to manipulate the sound in post.

Beautiful-sounding mic sensitive to every nuance voiceover requires. Extremely pleasant experience working with Brad Thomsen too--nice to have his expert advice when selecting the right home studio equipment for my needs and budget.

Finally my project studio has a pro sound all because of this little mic. It reproduces my Martin perfectly and then seems to give it a little edge although that could be the duet preamps. For my voice, it picks up every nuance of expression. Really an incredible mic. I guess all along I wanted that Neumann sound and didn't know it!

Makes my voice sound better than I really sound! What can I say...it's a Neumann.

I borrowed a pair from a friend of mine while I was wrangling up as many mics as I could for a shootout for a new Taylor 812e. I wasn't all that satisfied with my current offerings and knew there was a better fit out there, just didn't know what it was. This went up against 9 different mics, and it really blew the doors off most of them. All the pencils I had sounded OKAY but really lacked the midrange warmth. Almost scooped sounding in comparison the tlm102's. These mics were really well balanced, nothing was wonky, brittle, dull, edgy or boring. The small size makes them insanely easy to position. The super high SPL handling means I can put these up really close to the guitar, which is great so I can keep things nice and dry and up front. And the capsule responds very quickly, plenty of transient detail here. These may be the perfect acoustic guitar mic. I didn't get a chance to try them on anything else, my friend made sure to get them back in a timely manner. But you can bet I'll be picking up a pair of these real soon.

Fun Fact: The headbasket screws off, allowing you to remove the internal foam pop filter. This will open up the mic so it has all the top end sparkle you'd need.

Sounds great on everything I throw at it. As long as you're okay with not having a pad & hp filter built in, then you can't really go wrong with this mic. I use it for voice-overs, vocals, acoustic instruments and amps.

This microphone really accomplishes what I need it to. It has a wonderful sound, and I like that it is tiny enough to fit anywhere I need it to, and it can handle ridiculous SPL. Perfect for me, and I would recommend it highly.

I love the fact that the 102 is an expensive sound for the common man dollar. You don't need a recording studio budget to get recording studio sound out of the 102. I use mine primarily for radio and tv voice over. It subtly beefs up and brings out the best in my reads. Once you dial it in with a mic pre you'll love it.

This is a great sounding mic. Very smooth and silky. Jason recommended them for recording my piano. I was looking for a warm, smooth sound, and these mics have really delivered.

Love it. It's so small, yet solid and sleek. The sound is brutally honest, and its size and decible tolerance is perfect for my "on the road studio."

Bottom line...it does sound like a Neumann (103ish) and it's at a great price point. And it's about the size of the lavs I used when I started in TV 30 years ago. Well, almost.

I have only used it as an announcer mike, but it has done the job very well ...at a very good price. Most of us can't justify buying a mike that is worth more than our computers, so the more expensive Neumanns arn't likely to every find their way into our mike closets.

But the 102 gives you the opportunity to experience and utilize that Neumann magic at a price that will only damage, not break, the bank.

Shock mount or isolation very important for this mike. Ask you sales engineer for advice.