11.17Neumann TLM 102 Microphone
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Amazingly BIG sound from a small mic. The Neumann TLM 102.
Just looking at the smallest Neumann of all is a thrill. The mere size of the box made me wonder where the mic was hiding? Opening the box revealed the smallest large diaphragm condenser I have ever held – with that beautiful Neumann label on front. My TLM 102 is black, but Neumanns trademark nickel finish is also available. Weighing in at a mere 9 ounces, I needed to weigh down the boom or it would fly upward.
The magic of the TLM 102 doesn’t stop at the eye. This minuscule wonder was designed with an emphasis on speech and vocals, making it a new favorite as my general purpose voiceover microphone. Perhaps to make up for it’s small stature, the TLM 102 is a strong little mic, able to handle percussion instruments and amps without flinching.
What makes it work? Traditional Neumann quality is a given. The TLM model prefix tells us this is a transformerless design. Starting with a newly designed large-diaphragm pressure gradient element, the TLM 102 includes an excellent internal blast filter. The element is also cradled by an integral shock absorber. Most notable is where Neumann added an articulation bump – at 6kHz. This would appear to be a bit high for speech, but I can’t argue with the results.
Smooth as molasses with a gentle proximity effect, the TLM 102 ignores what might become plosives in other large condensers. I found a sweet spot only 4 inches away from the very top of the grill.
The real surprise with this quality microphone is the price. As I record, the street price is $699 USD. For a Neumann that doesn’t hold back, that is a true bargain.
Big, mature sound in a small package – that’s the TLM 102.
Have a look and listen!
Neumann TLM 102 Street Price at Post Time: $699
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mark at newmediagear dot com
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