TLM 170 with a K67 Capsule?

[jmikeperkins]

NEUMANN TLM170 MICROPHONE *Special *PRISTINE-NEAR MINT* - eBay (item 110397538799 end time Jul-01-09 12:52:07 PDT)

This dealer is selling a Neumann TLM 170 (older one, purple badge) which has been modified and had a K67 capsule installed in it. I have seen this dealer around for a long time and I know they are fairly legitimate, so its not a mistake in the listing. The dealer claims this (swapping a K67 capsule for the stock K89 in a TLM 170) is a "well kept secret in the business." Has anyone ever heard of this being done? Does anyone have a clue what this would sound like?


J. Mike Perkins

[klaukholm]

Neumann had this mic on the market (or out for beta users) for a brief period of time named tlm171.

As for how it sounds there are not many that have heard the 171.
I believe it is a rather bright mic, but I have no first hand knowledge of the 171.

[Trp]

I have used a TLM 171 a few years ago and I wasn´t impressed. It sounded thin. The mic was in bad shape, though, maybe that was part of the experience.

If I wanted a neutral, well balanced LDC, I would much rather grab a TLM 170, which I really like and own. If I wanted the character of a K67 I would much prefer the U67 or U87.

If the combination of K67 and TLM circuitry would have been a real winner I am sure Neumann would have produced more than the 60 (?) they built.

[klaukholm]

If my info is correct, they developed the idea futher, but in to the prosumer range with the tlm103. Not quite the same capsule and probably not the same electronics.

[mics]

hi all, installing a k67 cap into a 170 without an eq mod to change the top end would be nasty bright. hence the reason why neumann don't use it in many other models.

cheers

[thenoiseflower]

the stock TLM 170 itself is "bright" but it isn't "hard bright", I'd say (and have heard others say) it is a "soft bright" I don't even consider the brightness, its just a sweet sounding mic. The great off axis rejection in fig 8 lends me to go right to it for vocal + acoustic guitar combos....and also for drum rooms, among other things.

I'd buy a stock one in a heartbeat if I needed a very versitile multi-pattern LDC.

great mic.

[WunderBro Flo]

Originally Posted by mics

hence the reason why neumann don't use it in many other models.

Funny I actually was told why they did not continue to produce the TLM171 into a standard model and the reason is way different from what you would expect, definitely not that they thought it sounded bad. Unfortunately I am not allowed to quote it ;-( btw they also made an even smaller number of TLM172 which is using a K47 capsule instead.

About the K67 without filters....I do not think it is a nasty bright tone (maybe the cheap clones but not the original K67 imho), I think it is a beautiful bright tone. For guys who do not like bright mics, forget it, but if you can hear beuty in a vintage C12 or a C800G you will definitely like an unfiltered Neumann K67. After all, removing the filters is one of the biggest aspects of most U87 modifications, the innertube electronics for the 87 don´t have any deemphasis filter either. Afaik the Sony C800G is also based on a K67 copy. I like my U87ai better with opened filters....it does not have the highs of a U87 anymore, it sounds like the lowmids of a U87 with bright but natural highs. Remember tha line "A U87 never sounds great but never bad on anything either"? After opening the filters it can sound great on many things - the highs that you get without the filter are simply much more natural&alive sounding than boosting the highs of a filtered U87 imho.

Best,
Pat