Neumann TLM 103 Long Term Review

Introduction
The sound makes up 50% of any video. Wanting to improve mine, I purchased a Neumann TLM 103 (about) three years ago. Coupling it with an Apollo Twin Duo, I got the mic for my thirtieth birthday. Praised as one of the best, the TLM 103 is also one of the most expensive (by any standard). I was okay with that as I planned to use it for all my content and (potentially) books. Nevertheless, I am selling it now. So let me share my experience to help you make the right choice when searching for a mic for voiceovers and content.

Personal Experience

Right off the bat, the Neumann TLM 103 is incredible. Probably the most excellent one I’ll ever use. It’s so detailed (I feel like) I can hear my saliva moving as I edit my work. It has incredibly low noise. And according to some reviewers, that’s lower than the legendary U87, the industry standard globally. Whether that’s the case, the TLM 103 barely needs any gain to produce a crystal clear signal. It’s very compact, coming in a beautiful wooden box. 

Too Much of A Good Thing

While all of this is undeniable, there can be too much of a good thing. The TLM 103 is an exceptional mic. It is meant to be used in a well-treated environment. If that’s not the case, you won’t be able to appreciate all its glory. It will pick up all sorts of echo and ambient room noise. As a matter of fact, it picks sounds from the neighbors and (even) the boulevard across. Another I particularly don’t enjoy is the hissing tones that it adds to my voice. Sure, I can EQ those. I can also use a denoiser and de-esser and work on the reverb. But that messes up other frequencies, lowering the richness and beauty the mic captures. 

Why I Am Selling It

For these reasons, and considering the cost of content creation, I decided to sell the mic and use my Rode Procaster instead. Being a dynamic mic, the Procaster doesn’t have the richness of the Neumann nor the pristine low noise. Nonetheless, that’s easily fixable, and I prefer it for my voice. The main reason is that it emphasizes the best parts of it, which are the lows and mids. It also omits the highs where the hisses are. I like that and plan to get a cloud lifter, as the Pro caster is gain-hungry.

Final Words

To sum up, the Neumann TLM 103 is one of the best mics money can buy. It’s an incredible combo with the Apollo interfaces. I cannot recommend it more to those wanting all the detail and richness and have an adequately treated room. If that’s the case, you’ll be happy with the 103. If it isn’t, then maybe consider the SM7b, Re20, or the Rode, which is one-fifth of the price. But that’s just my opinion on selling the mic. Let me know what yours is, such as what mic you use and why.