Bought this mic in 1998 and it came in a nice wooden box with the Neuman Logo and a adapter for the stands. I love these nice details, nothing like a wooden box to impale a sense of greatness to a mic
The only thing I miss is that it didnt include a shock mount, but for the price of this mic its understandable.
I was using at the time an U87 I had as a loan. The TLM 103 was brighter, had more output and way less noise that the U87.
Actually the singer I was recording back then sounded better through the TLM103 that through the U87
By all accounts this is a really incredible mic... if you happen to have one of the early units. I dont have any experience in the newer ones but I have seen several reports about vocals sounding thin and harsh.
The old unit I have sounds bright and forward but not sounding harsh at all. It is really good in my opinion for the modern in your face vocals that you are currently listening in pop/rock productions these days.
What the mics lacks a bit is in the mids specially bass-mid.
But for the price it allows for really pro-sounding recordings with the use of and EQ to compensate a bit for the lack of body.
I have one of the early units from the 90s it sounds great even when compared to much more expensive mics.