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Our video demo of the new little Neumann TLM 102 drew quite a response – and for good reason. All of the elements for a great mic just came together. Quality, legendary precision and a sound that could only be described as smooth & sweet. All, for under $700USD?

Like many, I can’t help but compare that already famous ’102′ sound to another Neumann, albeit more costly. The U87 is arguably the most popular contemporary Neumann. However, I found a sweet spot myself for the TLM 49. The 49 is an excellent large diaphragm condenser inspired by the decades old M 49 and M 50. Optimized for speech, the TLM 49 appears in much of my work.

Ok – before I get confused myself, we’ll concentrate on the TLM 49. Many people asked for comparisons to the 102. I’ll apply a little phantom power and let you decide just how the TLM 49 looks and sounds…

Street Price at Post Time: $1599

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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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Drop me a line with comments, thoughts and suggestions:
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