For the past decade, I've been happily using a matched pair of Neumann KM184 mics for recording classical guitar and ukulele. But then, you can never have too many mics so one day a Neumann TLM 102 appeared on my doorstep.
Neumann TLM 102 | Available in nickel or matte black with impeccable fit and finish. Fingerprint resistant too. | Image courtesy Neumann
Why the TLM 102 instead of the TLM 103? I listened to Neumann corporate's acoustic guitar recording of the TLM 102 and 103 and, to my ears, the 102 sounded smoother and warmer than the 103. For vocal use it may be a different story, but I'm not a singer so guitar tone is the main thing that matters to me.
Build Quality and Features
The TLM 102 is a large-diaphragm side-address condenser microphone with cardioid pattern. Neumann markets it as a starter model for home recordists. Starter models usually come as a kit so novices can plug 'n play. This one only comes with the mic and a clip.
Styling is classic Neumann and is handsome on the clip or shock mount. It looks like a precision tool. At 116mm in length, it is petite—a little over half the length of a Rode NT1. Albeit small, it packs some heft and feels like quality. The small size is easy to pack and ideal for cramped spaces.
There are no external switches for polar pattern, pad or high cut.
Instrumental Sound Quality
I mainly use the TLM 102 for multi-track recording of classical guitar and ukulele. The warm sweet tone with full bass and silky highs are flattering to classical guitar and 'ukulele. With that said, the TLM 102 seems to be an all-arounder and sounded good with anything I threw at it.
As a music professor, I record demonstration and practice tracks for students, so the 102 has gotten a workout over the years. I love how it renders guitar and 'ukulele tone, but it also does well with small percussion like finger cymbals, cabasa, temple blocks, shakers, etc. Below are samples I recorded using the TLM 102 through a Tascam US 2x2 or 4x4 audio interface.
Shalom Chaverim | Neumann TLM 102, Tascam US 2x2 and Logic Pro X | Cordoba Mini SM-CE (guitalele) and small percussion.
Accidental Blues | Neumann TLM 102, Tascam US 2x2 and Logic Pro X | Hirade TH90 classical guitar in a multi-track recording (mic pointed at 12th fret).
Now is the Month of Maying | Tascam US 2x2, Neumann TLM 102 and Logic Pro X | Kremona Fiesta CW-7 7-string classical guitar.
On The Avignon Bridge | Tascam US 4x4, Neumann TLM 102 and Logic Pro X | Hirade TH90 (chords), Cordoba Mini R (melody) and small percussion.
Banks of the Ohio (folk song) | Neumann TLM 102, Tascam US 4x4 and Logic Pro X | Cordoba Mini SM-CE (melody and strummed chords | Hirade TH90 classical guitar (melodic fills) | hand percussion
I record with the TLM 102 mostly at home and in my office. I mic guitars and ukuleles 6 to 10 inches from the middle of the bridge. A few inches of difference in placement makes a big difference in the tone, so I always do a sound test before commencing serious tracking.
An optimal mic position works best, but the TLM 102 sounds decent almost anywhere on the instrument, save for the sound hole. I found it accurate, responsive, tonally balanced and slightly warmer than the KM184. Neumann specs indicate a slight presence peak at 6KHz but, to my ears, is less pronounced than the KM184 presence boost.
Although TLM 102 mids are warm and fat, higher pitches like artificial and natural harmonics still have plenty of sparkle. In fact, for natural classical guitar and ukulele tone, the 102 sounds great unprocessed: little or no EQ is required for solo classical guitar. A touch of reverb and I'm usually done.
Gain
Signal output is ample for soft instruments, so no need to crank gain wide open. 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 allows delicate tones like harmonics to shine in the track without a hint of background noise. Bravo Neumann!
Vocal Sound Quality
I can't sing worth a darn, but I can talk okay and have recorded many voiceovers for my YouTube channel. I recorded a short sample of spoken word with the Neumann TLM 102 and included samples from other mics to compare with. All mics were on a boom arm clamped to my desk. All test mics were jacked into the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X audio interface and tracked in TwistedWave at 48 kHz and 24 bits. No normalization or processing applied.
Neumann TLM 102
I set gain to 46dB in the Rode Streamer X to achieve an average level of -12dB.
While great sounding for voice—smooth and natural in character and flattering to my voice—it is extremely sensitive to mouth sounds and puffs of air. I used a foam filter from the Deity VO-7U to help control plosives. That wasn't enough so I added a clamp-on pop filter but still had to be careful while speaking.
It's also more sensitive than average to vibrations from the floor, computer fans and off-axis sounds! I used a clone of Neumann's shock mount to help nix vibrations. It is unusable without a shock mount.
However, that sweet timbre I love for guitar is also voice flattering and less fatiguing compared to mics with a presence bump typical of the AKG C3000B and many dynamic mics.
AKG C3000B
The AKG C3000B, circa 2009, is a large diaphragm side-address condenser mic. It remains in production as the AKG C3000 and sells for $350 USD. The lower treble frequency bump makes it too bright for classical guitar. On the other hand, that bump makes it a good mic for spoken word, exhibiting clarity, detail and a bit more treble bite than the PodMic USB.
The C3000B was recorded through the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X with gain set at 46 dB.
Lewitt LCT 240 Pro
The Lewitt LCT 240 Pro was plugged into the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X. Gain was set to 47 dB. This is a small diaphragm side-address condenser mic designed for home studios. It's an attractive and compact design, especially the effective yet space saving magnetic drop-in pop filter.
The 240 Pro flatters my voice with a pleasing but somewhat bright timbre and above average clarity and legibility of words. With the pop filter, plosives and sibilance were well controlled. Without the pop filter, the 240 Pro sounds like a wind storm. Wear protection!
While the bright character makes for clear and understandable words, it also makes the 240 Pro more prone to picking up background sounds than many of the mics here, save for the Neumann TLM 102.
Without accessories, the 240 Pro is priced at $100 USD. The shock mount and pop filter kit clock in at $159.
Neumann KM 184
Obviously, the KM 184 is not designed for close miking of spoken word: no protection from plosives and moving air. That doesn't mean the KM 184 won't sound good for spoken word, but use of a pop filter is mandatory.
The KM 184 is a sensitive and dynamic mic—why I like it for instruments—but with only a foam windscreen, plosives were out of control. I nixed plosives by speaking offset about 30 degrees but didn't like the duller sound. Finally, I added an external pop filter and that worked well enough to squeeze out a test track. The KM 184 is flattering for my voice: smooth, clear and very clean. As I experienced with guitar, off-axis rejection of sound is excellent.
Would I use this mic for voiceovers? Probably not. It is extremely sensitive and requires good vocal technique to keep plosives and dynamics under control. Somebody with better voice technique may find it doable but the KM 184 cramped my style. With that said, the KM 184 is my pick for best spoken word sound among my mics. My favorite for solo guitar tracks as well.
For this recording, the KM 184 was plugged into the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X. Output from the KM 184 is robust: gain was set to only 36 dB, lower than my other condenser mics.
Music track recorded with two KM 184 in a X-Y stereo configuration aimed at the bridge. "Through the Eyes of Love" played on a Romero Creations 'ukulele by yours truly:
Rode PodMic USB
I plugged the XLR output of the Rode PodMic USB into the Rode Streamer X and set gain to 63 dB. The Rode PodMic, along with the Shure SM7B, rule over the video blogging and podcast kingdoms. Of course, they sound good and offer excellent isolation but also are large and visually impressive status mics.
Although vocal tone sounds nice, I struggled with plosives and sibilance when using the PodMic USB. Somehow the Shure SM57 and 849 have fewer problems in this area. An external pop filter and 30 to 45 degree mouth angle were required to keep plosives and sibilance under control. I prefer the tone speaking straight into the mic but suffered too many do-overs.
The PodMic USB retails for $200 USD.
Sennheiser MKE 600
That was the unprocessed sound of the Sennheiser MKE 600 recorded into an iMac Pro using the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X. I spoke directly into the MKE 600—no offset—from 10 cm (4 inches) away. At that distance the proximity effect is apparent but still sounds good, similar in character to the MKE 400 but with more bass. Offset speaking of 25 to 45 degrees at close distance rolls off highs a little but not as severely as the MKE 400.
Spoken word on the MKE 600 sounds best at 30 cm (12") or closer. For me, the sweet spot is from 10 to 15 cm. At about 12 cm (5 inches) it yields a noticeably clearer, brighter and less bassy sound. For this sample, I used the high pass filter to reduce the rumble of a nearby AC unit and spoke from 12 cm away:
It helped reduced the rumble but ate too much of the bass in my voice.
While the MKE 600 has excellent off-axis rejection, it is extremely sensitive and picks up distant sounds directly in front of the capsule more readily than the MKE 400 and other mics I own. Careful mic placement is critical. The MKE 600 behaves like a traditional shotgun mic rather than an arm's length video blogger mic, and sounds good boomed 25 or 30 cm above a talking head.
The MKE 600 lacks the integral blimp-like housing used on the MKE 400 and 440. It needs a foam windscreen if speaking at close distances. With windscreen installed, the MKE 600 demonstrates excellent control of plosives and sibilance.
This mic retails for about $330 USD but is often discounted.
Shure 849
For this recording, I plugged the Shure 849 into the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X interface. Gain was set to 54 dB.
I bought a pair of Shure 849 condenser mics in the late 1990s to record classical guitar. This is an instrument mic—looks and sounds similar to the current SM137—with small diaphragm and minimal windscreen protection. It was too bright in the lower highs for classical guitar and is better suited for miking guitar amps and percussion.
The Shure 849 was surprisingly flattering for my voice: smooth, warm, clear and very clean. With a foam windscreen or pop filter, it is extremely forgiving of plosives and small puffs of air. Because it was designed for isolating and miking stage instruments, off-axis sound rejection is excellent.
Among the mics I tested, the 849, SM137 and the Beta 57A were the only mics that picked up no vibrations my hard drives and nearby AC units. These mics were designed for hand held use and, thus, have internal pneumatic shock mounts.
Shure Beta 27
That was the sound of the Shure Beta 27, a large diaphragm side-address FET condenser mic with multiple high pass filters and pad. It differs from other 27 series due to a supercardioid polar pattern, rather than cardioid, and a nearly flat frequency response instead of the typical Shure treble EQ bump.
That flat frequency contour makes it ideal for instruments. Indeed, it sounds natural and smooth for guitar and ukulele. I found it natural and balanced for spoken word. The Beta 27 has more going on in the deep bass than most mics. Indeed, it picks up bass guitar, low brass and kick drums extremely well.
While mounted on a desk boom arm, vibrations and hum from my six external hard drives leaked on to the tracks. Shure claims that the Beta 27 has an internal shock mount but it is not as effective at nixing vibrations as their stage mics. Like the PodMic USB and the Neumann TLM 102, I had to unplug my backup drives to get a clean track. The Beta 27 needs a shock mount for desktop use.
Shure Beta 27 with High Pass Filter
For my speaking voice, not much is going on below 80 Hz and, set flat, the Beta 27 has a bit of the "big bottom" sound. Clarity of my voice increased slightly by using the built-in 80 Hz high pass filter:
The Beta 27 was recorded through the Rode Streamer X with preamp gain at 50 dB. I spoke straight into the capsule from about 15 cm (6 inches). The mic’s 3-layer mesh grille did a good job of nixing plosives and mouth noise. An external pop filter was not used. Sibilance was well controlled.
For this sample, I used the Shure A27SM - ShureLock Rubber Isolated Suspension Shock Mount. And it made a major improvement in isolating the Beta 27 from my six external hard drives. Shure should have included the A27SM with the Beta 27 (they do with its near twin, the SM27).
The tight supercardioid polar pattern made for above average off-axis rejection of sound, besting most of my mics. Unlike the similar SM27, the Beta 27 is ideal for recording on stages and untreated rooms.
Shure Beta 27 with Guitar
Here's a guitar solo I played on a 1990 Jose Ramirez 1A. The Beta 27 is positioned about 20 cm from the treble side of the bridge and does a great job. However, I prefer the sound of small condenser mics—well, the Neumann KM 184—for classical guitar. Plus, I'd need two Beta 27 for stereo recordings! Here's my "Thoughts for Monday" (improvisation):
This mic retails for about $400.
Shure Beta 57A
You just heard the sound of the Shure Beta 57A plugged into the XLR input of the Rode Streamer X.
Beta 57A isolation from off-axis sound is excellent: better than the Rode PodMic USB, Neumann TLM 102 and AKG C3000B, and on par with the Shure 849 and SM137. Like the 849 and SM137, the Beta 57A features Shure's internal pneumatic shock mount to smooth away handling noise and minor vibrations.
With the Shure A57AWS - Locking Foam Windscreen installed, resistance to plosives is highly effective, easily besting the Rode PodMic USB and Neumann TLM 102 in this regard. Without the A57AWS, it is plosives galore albeit a little better than a bare SM57.
The sound is smooth, clear and surprisingly sensitive for a dynamic mic—dare I say almost condenser like? Clarity and legibility of words is above average—can cut through a busy sound track without cranking gain too much. The Beta 57A has a brighter character and more extended frequency range compared to the darker voiced SM57. Although they share two digits in their names, the SM57 and Beta 57A have little in common in terms of tonal character.
Although the Beta 57A is small and traditional in appearance, the faded matte blue finish and matte silver grill are more upscale in appearance compared to the industrial look of the SM57.
The Beta 57A retails for $150 USD.
Shure SM57
The iconic Shure SM57 was recorded through the XLR port of the Rode Streamer X with gain at 67dB. It requires more gain than most mics, albeit not as gain hungry as the SM7B. Like the SM58, the SM57 sports an internal pneumatic shock mount to smooth away minor vibrations. It has excellent rejection of off-axis sound.
Designed as an instrument mic, the SM57 is legendary in the rock world for miking guitar amps and drums. It lacks a pop grill, so I installed the Shure A2WS Popper Stopper Locking Windscreen.
For this track, I spoke straight into the mic from 10 cm away. If you prefer less brightness, speak offset to the capsule. This nearly indestructible mic sounds great: warm, smooth and easy on plosives. SM57 tone is more flattering for my voice than the Rode PodMic USB.
The SM57 retails for $99 USD.
Shure SM137
For this recording, I plugged the Shure SM137 into the XLR socket of the Rode Streamer X and set gain to 47dB. The Shure A3WS Foam Windscreen was installed. Like the Beta 57A and 849, the SM137 has excellent rejection of background and handling noise. Indeed, Shure's pneumatic shock mount system smooths away minor vibrations and makes hand held use practical. Albeit slightly brighter, it sounds similar and looks like the Shure 849. The SM137 retails for $190 USD.
Comparison Thoughts
I'm surprised these mics sound as different as they do. The AKG C3000B is my least favorite—too bright and boxy. The Shure 849 sounds great—almost as smooth as the Neumann—and, along with the Shure Beta 57A, has the best background rejection and vibration and handling resistance of the group. The Rode PodMic USB is smooth, clear and has excellent rejection of background noise, but a notch below the Shure 849.
I've owned the Shure Beta 57A for a few weeks as of this writing, but thus far I've been pleased: sound isolation at least as good as the 849 (maybe slightly better), the internal shock mount nixes vibrations from my desk and hard drives, has a smooth and clear sound, and output is noticeably hotter than any dynamic mic I've owned. The Shure SM57 also sounds excellent if don't mind a hint of radio announcer sound in your spoken word.
Finally, the Neumann is lovely—deep and smooth in character—and to my ears the best of the bunch. Well, the most flattering to my voice, albeit rejection of background noise is the worse of the bunch. It is at its best in a soundproof room with acoustic treatment. As much as I love the sound of the TLM 102 for voiceovers, it is too fussy for my voice and will remain on guitar and ukulele duty.
RFI Resistance
Here in RFI infested downtown Honolulu, I encountered no static, clicks or rogue radio stations while using the TLM 102 on my Tascam audio recorder and audio interfaces.
Musings
The TLM 102 sounds great partially because so sensitive to sonic nuance. However, unlike professional studios, home studios are crazy prone to noise and vibration. For example, my floor mic stand transmits vibrations from my neighbor's AC into the TLM 102! I initially solved that problem by mounting it on an upside down AKG shock mount. More so than professional spaces, shock mounts are essential for recording in home studios. Sadly, anybody buying this mic for a home studio probably can't afford Neumann's $300 shock mount.
The market Neumann is addressing needs a plug 'n plug kit: mic, shock mount, pop filter, bag and cable. Include offshore accessories to keep it affordable for home use. Okay, Neumann gives a rat's tail about this matter. However, there is good news: I bought a $35 clone of Neumann's $300 shock mount and it works and looks great!
Final Blurb
I'm pleased with this the TLM 102: impeccable fit and finish, sweet, natural and balanced sound and clean output. It's one of my favorites for recording classical guitar and 'ukulele. Pointed at the bridge, it renders a beautifully sweet plucked string tone. Little or no EQ is needed. However, this mic is ultra sensitive and unforgiving of poor recording technique and background noise. It's at its best in an acoustically treated room.
For voiceovers it imparts a warm and voice flattering timbre. However, it is fussy takes more effort than I'm comfortable with for home use. For voiceovers, I'll stick to my Shure 849 and Rode PodMic. These mics are more forgiving of my room and rough vocal technique.
I recommend the TLM 102 highly for guitar and 'ukulele. Just know that it needs a quiet room and accessories—at least a shock mount and cable—to be useful in a home studio. You should consider buying a padded bag to help protect it during transport or storage.
Greensleeves | Neumann TLM 102 MT, Tascam US 4x4 and Logic Pro X | Hirade TH8SS, Cordoba Mini R (guitalele) and small percussion in a multi-track recording.
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Koi Rampage | Canon EOS 77D and EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM
Major Features
• Cardioid pattern
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Large-diaphragm (1")
• 20 Hz to 20 kHz response
• 50 ohms impedance
• SPL of 144 dB
• Signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted (rel. 94 dB SPL): 82 dB
• Transformerless circuitry
• 48v
phantom power
• 210 g | 52 mm diameter | 116 mm length
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Build Quality and Features
Instrumental Sound Quality
RFI Resistance 
Major Features