Neumann TLM 102 MT Condenser Microphone, Cardioid

I've been a performance/recording musician for over 40 yrs. and recorded on really expensive studio mics, but never in my home studio...musicians can't afford those things. The best sounding vocal/all around mic I've owned up to this point is a Sennheiser MD 421. It always puts everything else under $700 to shame, especially for vocals and snare...dynamic or condenser...so that's what I compared the Neumann 102 to yesterday when it arrived.I kinda expected it to sound a lot like the 421, maybe more airy and bright because it's a condenser mic (especially after reading the snippety comment about not being any better than a $200 mic; although I do agree about Sam Ash being horrible to deal with)...anyway, I was not expecting such a huge difference in sound quality. I think I've finally found the open/airy/pin-drop-yet ballsy/reasonably priced mic I've been looking for all these years.I tested both mics with vocals and acoustic guitar and according to my ears, the Nueman just blew the Sennheiser out of the water on both accounts. I don't really expect it to outdo the 421 on snare drum, but I bet the 102 would be great along with it for double miking.I'm sure some may disagree and say I shouldn't have used the Sennheiser for comparison...but then again lots of people still think they can get away with a Shure 58 for vocals and 57 for snare...or that a Porsche is the best car. Please don't even think about using a Shure under $2,000 or Rode (at any price) for comparison....maybe one of AKG's $1,500+ mics.Just based on quick ear tests, which is what matters to me, the Neumann 102 is by far the best microphone I've ever used under $1,000. Just make sure it's sold and fulfilled by Amazon so you can return it if it shows up pre-opened/used/box beat to hell; which has become so common with all online music stores

During a weak moment I clicked on Amazon's magic button and a week later found a Neumann TLM 102 MT on my doorstep. After an initial test recording, I knew I had hit on something good. Since then I’ve recorded classical guitar and ukulele with the 102 for months in my home studio and found it accurate, responsive, tonally balanced but significantly warmer than my KM184. Neumann specs indicate a slight presence peak at 6KHz but, to my ears, is significantly less pronounced than the KM184 presence boost. Although 102 mids are warm and sweet, higher pitches like artificial and natural harmonics still have plenty of sparkle and air. In fact, for natural classical guitar and ukulele tone, the 102 sounds perfect flat, i.e., no EQ or other post processing required. A touch of reverb and I'm done.Signal output is strong enough for soft instruments, so no need to crank gain. While the before mentioned may not seem like a big deal to most musicians, finger-picked instruments like the classical guitar are relatively soft and many mics fall short, requiring the gain sliders to be buried just to twitch the meters! Plus, the ultra low noise of the 102 allow delicate tones like harmonics to shine in the track without a hint of background noise.Finally, in a pinch, the 102 makes a great stage mic for acoustic and classical guitar. Unlike many recording mics, the 102 is small (5"/116mm length), robust and has plenty of output. Bring your own clip as the 102 won't fit most stage mic clips.I'm extremely pleased with my of Neumann MTL 102 MT: impeccable fit and finish, sweet, natural and balanced sound and clean output. For recording classical guitar and ukulele, the 102 is my new favorite. Now I need to buy another one so I can record stereo!

The original box came without security tapes, but well packaged and very well cared for.However, this is the most important purchase I have ever made. I have worked in radio and professional VO for many years. I have used Newman microphones on a few occasions in different studios and media, but I never owned my own. Today, I have professional microphones like Shure, AKJ, MK, etc. But when I did the comparison using A. Audition and my own presets, I was absolutely amazed by the clarity and quality of this microphone. Maybe there may be some differences between Newman models, but today I can say that I listened to my recording with disbelief and a big wow! and that I will exploit my voice 100%.

Vocals sound fantastic! I’ve bought a bunch microphones from $100 to $300 range and this is by far the best but had to go to $500. I used to not be able to stand listening to my voice. I use EZ mix 3 to finish off the track and the result is most professional I’ve been able to achieve. Just sounds accurate, pleasing and easy to use.

I couldn't be happier with this microphone. I have a Shure SM7B that I do heavier/screaming vocals on. This microphone is suited for more traditional styles of singing. It has such a beautiful EQ response to it already. I barely have to do any post-production on it (minus a basic high pass and a little compression that I do on every vocal). It picks up nuances that are true to the voice. The highs are not harsh, and that was a major plus. Spend your money on room treatment first, then buy something like this. It will pick up everything.

I was going to return it but I heard the clear different between this one and my other mic. I love it!

The payment plan came in handy for this item, worth the buy and still going strong

After recording my music with the Neumann TLM 102 I felt like Muddy Waters in the movie Cadillac Records. I truly met myself for the first time. With crystal clear recordings on both vocals and instrumental, this Neumann is an amazing microphone. Even when you hear it, you might have to listen to it a few times to belive how great your recordings turned out.