Neumann TLM 102 Studio Set - Nickel Reviews

This mic sounded great. Preamped it with the Neve 5211 and it sounded like the guy singing/speaking in the mic was sitting next to me. In fact, during playback, after the song was done the singer asked should we do it again on the recording and I turned around to answer him but he wasn't there. Can't make that up!

I'm a decent singer but nowhere near professional. I had almost zero experience recording vocals and it took a lot of trial and error to figure out the best placement, amplitude, etc. Once I did, however, WOW! The TLM 102 captured the "gravel" in my voice, without sounding "froggy." I could really go after the high notes and the TLM 102 smoothed them out beautifully.

Paired w/ a super-clean Camden EC1 preamp, the Neumann TLM 102 allowed me to get the exact "vintage" tone I was after. Previously, I tried an AKG P420 (sounds like a megaphone in comparison) and a Lewitt LCT 540S (too harsh / bright for vocals).

I'm glad I spent the money - very happy with the end result!

Bought this mic for personal recording and wow! Small but powerful!you need a quiet room or shield because it'll pick up all noise. I LOVE this mic

I grew up in the days of analog recording and early dynamic mics (the 1960s when SM58s were 'new' and condenser mics were out of most home-musician's affordability). Since the digital era began I have been trying to duplicate/capture the subtle warmth and intimacy of recordings that I made in my living room (which was not 'soundproof' but had great acoustics for...acoustics!), without satisfactory success. Recently, I decided to invest in the Neumann TLM 102 because the profile of the mic - by description - seemed to present the possibility of getting the kind of sound that I wanted to capture both in my recordings and in my online presentations. When I was in my early 20s (and was on the tech/audio-visual team at Mansfield U) I had gotten used to using the 'good' mics -the Neumann U87s - which were ones that we used to record vocal and orchestral music concerts onto to 2" tape. In my recent search for a mic that could capture the sound that I could hear in my head (that I recalled from my early analog days), I found that today's U87s were at the outside of my spending limit but WERE on my list as possibilities for my current recording projects and Zoom presentations (because I knew what they could do). When considering the 102 as a less expensive alternative, I thought that I would be giving up some aspects of quality because I wasn't spending the extra cash. I also didn't need the switchable polar patterns of the more expensive mic. After reading review after review and listening to other's recordings, the 102 was beginning to make more sense as a logical choice for my needs (singer/songwriter, vocal and acoustic guitar). And, with Sweetwater's generous and easy return policy I decided to try it. I was VERY pleased with the results that I was getting 'right out of the box'! I called Bill Sears, my Sweetwater rep (regarding the value of adding a free-standing pre-amp to my sound chain - asking whether it would be worth the investment) to ask him for his opinion, based upon his expertise. Bill listened to me explain what I was trying to achieve and suggested the possibility of getting even more of the sound that I was looking for by adding a Pre-73 MKIII (pre-amp), which I did. Was he 'up-selling'? Of course! That's part of his job. But I NEVER felt pressured to purchase the pre-amp from Sweetwater. Again, because of the return policy, I ordered the pre-amp (after doing my own research on the Pre-73) and Bill was 100% right! This was the right addition to the sound chain that I need to take full advantage of what the Neumann had to offer. Thank you, Bill! For the first time since I recorded songs in my living room on a Teac 4000D reel-to-reel tape recorder in the early 1970s, I was hearing the full, rich, warm, acoustically accurate sound that complimented my baritone voice and Martin D121 12 string acoustic! Minor 'tweaks' from my EQ (based upon my specific 'less-than-ideal' recording environment) also enhanced my sound and experience with this mic. It's response is subtle and rewarding and I found it much more versatile than I had imagined, capturing nuances in my voice and guitar that I was previously unaware of. The 102 does benefit by the added boost of clean dbs from a good pre-amp but the mic can stand on it's own without it (providing that you have useable, 'clean' gain from whatever built-in pre-amps you may have in your mixer or digital interface). For me, the 102 has made my recording process a true pleasure and has 're-created' the sound that I have been looking for (and, yes, if you haven't already guessed my age range, I will turn 70 in January of 2023). I absolutely recommend this mic for acoustic players of all kinds. If you do have the extra cash (or a Sweetwater Card!), and you're looking to enhance and add some subtle 'color' to your sound, a good pre-amp will be another beneficial addition to your process. Different pre-amps will deliver different results. Once you've heard (or, more accurately, when you've NOT heard!) a mic like this with such a low noise floor (nearly non-existent noise floor in this Neumann!), it's hard to go back to using others. Your mic choice does depend upon your individual needs, room acoustics, and desired sound, but this one is worth considering if you're looking to capture an accurate profile of the acoustic character of your voice or instrument. We are blessed in this time to have so many pro-quality, affordable choices of mics that are designed for specific purposes. This Neumann stands as another in the Neumann line that 'holds up' the Neumann name and reputation as the standard against which almost all other mics are compared. In addition to sounding great, it looks great, and is just plain fun to record with! (One piece of advice from an 'old timer' who took decades to learn this - you can make almost any mic sound great if you're recording in a great sounding room. But, even the best mic will not 'fix' a poor recording environment. Happy Recording!) Great mic!!