First impressions; dripping with quality, from the dark stain pine box to the microphone itself and the beautifully engineered clip.

First surprise was the weight of such a relatively small object. Much heavier than my Røde NT1a, which is heading on for being twice as large. Once I got the thing installed in the shock mount I found that the settings on the pre-amp and processing devices were exactly the same, so that was a bit handy.

Now that I've just completed a first mix using the Neumann for vocals, I'm even more impressed. Apart from a bit of roll off below 80Hz, the mixer EQ was completely flat, and the vocals - double tracking and a harmony track - just sit in there perfectly.

OK, there's a bit of compression too, but that was the same with the Røde, which routinely requiring a bit of top roll off and lift at 2.5kHz and had nowhere near the same presence.

I'd expected the Neumann to impress in the longer term, rather than anything immediate and obvious, and this certainly seems to have been borne out.

I guess the bottom line is the investment required (around £765 from Thomann depending on the exchange rate) and whether you think it's worth it. Based on the above limited experience, I would say yes, but it's a lot if you're merely indulging in a hobby when you would really have to make this mike work for its living.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun98/articles/neumann.html

I guess your review summarises my experiences quite well. I can relate to what you're saying about the 'compression' going on; this is not Neumann's lushest sounding mic. If you'd compare it to a, say, U87 or one of the more expensive TLM models you'll probably find that these have more depth and a more refined sound though the differences may be subtle depending on the vocalist or the instrument being recorded.

A Neumann mic is a great investment, an instrument that should last many years if'd you take proper care of it. Enjoy your new mic

Cheers,
Frank

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Imagination is more important than knowledge - A. Einstein

Thanks for that, Frank.

If I understand you correctly, I should point out that the compression referred to was applied via a 19" rack unit. I'm slightly mystified by the comments regarding the TLM 103 not being 'as lush' as more expensive Neumanns, which directly contradicts Hugh Robjohns' review linked in my first post. Everyone has their own views, I guess.

Quote hejog:

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I guess the bottom line is the investment required (around £765 from Thomann depending on the exchange rate) and whether you think it's worth it.

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It's only £779 from dv247.com and you get a proper UK guarantee, no exchange rate problems, no foreign currency credit card charges and you don't have to send it back to Germany if you have a problem. Worth the extra £14 I think.

If you are in the UK, DV prices are normally lower or a good competition to Thomann now that the €uro is so high.

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John - Sound-Link ProAudio
President - Federation Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

It just keeps getting better and better, John. ;o)

Now that I have a little time, I can add to my comment above.

Thomann's prices are not always the least expensive these days, but on this microphone they were (at the time of posting the price of the TLM 103 has dropped again and is now £757, plus three or four quid for currency conversion).

I've bought a considerable number of items from them, and on the one occasion there was a problem, Thomann arranged to pick up from my UK address and paid for shipping it back to Germany (they had to be requested to do this though). They also offer a three year guarantee on every item and provide a 30 day, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

Another reason I prefer to buy from them is that, unlike some UK suppliers - one of whom is named on this thread, the stock is absolutely guaranteed to be new, and when it's not, it's clearly marked so.

We live in a small world these days and, all in all, I can think of no reason not to, at least, consider Thomann as a supplier, and, more often than not, that is where my order goes.

Quote hejog:

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I'm slightly mystified by the comments regarding the TLM 103 not being 'as lush' as more expensive Neumanns, which directly contradicts Hugh Robjohns' review linked in my first post. Everyone has their own views, I guess.

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Definitely. Given the choice between a U87 and a TLM103, I usually stick to the former. There's a difference, a minimal one, but I feel the top end of the U87 is a bit more silky than that of the TLM103. On top of that, a TLM103 doesn't seem to work as well on some voices as does the U87. But then this might just me.

I don't do a lot of recording and mixing work these days, and when I do, it's always under time pressure so I usually stick to a known plan to save time and nail the job.

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Imagination is more important than knowledge - A. Einstein

Yes, I've been giving this a bit more thought and there is a distinct probability that you're right, Frank.

It's been a while since I was around U87s so I certainly can't do any A/B tests, but the TLM 103, being a cardioid only mike, put up against a U87 in non-cardioid mode is likely to come off second best. There again, the TLM 103 has quieter electronics and a greater dynamic range, so I guess it really does ultimately come down to preferences and particular circumstances.