Pearlman TM1

[MichaelT]

Chris,

I'm loving the recording environment you've got going on too! I'm glad you've got all those pictures up along with the songs. Btw, which Pearlman mic did you use for the acoustic guitars?

-Michael

[rems]

I would like to report on my tests with the Pearlman TM1 (chain is TM1>GR MP2NV>Lavry Blue>PTLe 7.3):

I only had a chance to record my voice with a backing keyboard track since I'm currently remodeling and all the acoustic treatment is down, so I had to improvise a bit with the mic placement. The sound of my voice thru the mic is awesome, with a lot of low end and a huge image. I compared it to a recording I had made with my NTK and using stereo delay to widen the image, and the TM1 sounds larger and fuller without any delay. I did have to add 5db at 12k for brightness, which is more that I would normally add with other mics. This would imply that this TM1 is warmer (american tube, Tamura transformer)as per Dave owns recommendation, which I prefer. By the way, the hi pass switch was towards the outside of the mic, not the center, which I understand is not cutting the highs. I also had to tame the lows more than with other mics i.e. is has a lot of low end. I was very pleased with the sound coming out of this mic.

I do have some gripes with it, but they do not concern the sound quality, but more with the overall construction and details. For example, the metal posts that connect the top part of the mic with the bottom part (if you open it) are grinded in some places to give space for other components. The grinding is not smooth, and you could cut yourself if you placed your finger over the grinded part. The serial number was etched by hand with a sharp object and looks crooked. Mine came with a polar pattern switch and hi pass switch and the openings made in the mic enclosure for these switches are a little too big for the switch and you could notice places that were retouched with paint . There are two markings made with a goldmarker probably to indicate the (a dot and a line). I painted over them with black, to cover them.

I know it's a handmade mic, but I expected a little better construction and details for $1,600.00. I have nothing bad to say of the sound, but I still have to test it with guitars and other instruments and voices.

[nicolasmasset]

Just ordered my american TM-1, waahoo!

[JMc]

I was going to post a Youtube vid of a movie trailer where the VO was recorded with a Pearlman TM-1, but I can't figure out how to do it. I post the embed tags from Youtube, wrap them in Youtube tags from the forum editor, but it doesn't appear correctly and my searching the FAQ and forums for a little help isn't generating the info I need in order to do it.

[infopimpster]

OT? Pearlman TM-LE all over the vox on this:

24 Bit Wav: http://www.audibus.com/sgse/Call_24bit.wav (56 MB)

320k MP3: http://www.audibus.com/sgse/Call_Electrolic.mp3 (8.5 MB)

Me likes!

[Dean Roddey]

I tracked some more vocals tonight. I'm starting to finally work out how my voice works best with this guy. I used the Great River and that's just such a nice combination.

[MichaelT]

Originally Posted by 529 Pro Audio

We ended up going with the tm1. The tm2 is more workable in a dense mix as it is mostly midrange and doesn't have the huge low end that can cause some boominess on a dreadnought but it couldn't match the three dimensionality of the tm1. The guitar was a rosewood j45 with huge low end. Hogs of heaven was a vintage small body martin.

Chris

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

-Mike

[Bob Vinsick]

I called Ave last week to ask about orderig a TM1. He said he can get one out in a few days, but the big thing is, he is only making TM1's with the American tube now.

He said it is too hard to find good tubes and they are too much money. I don't know what this means as to the sound of the mic, but from what others say, TM1's with the German tube sound better than TM1's with American tubes.

[sctt_stone]

Well S**t. I was stoked about buying the German version after hearing the James Lugo shootout. It sounded Like the u47 but better on the top end. To me anyway.
What would it sound like without the German tube?

Originally Posted by Bob Vinsick

I called Ave last week to ask about orderig a TM1. He said he can get one out in a few days, but the big thing is, he is only making TM1's with the American tube now.

He said it is too hard to find good tubes and they are too much money. I don't know what this means as to the sound of the mic, but from what others say, TM1's with the German tube sound better than TM1's with American tubes.

[mics]

Don't worry guys the american tube version will sound just like the german tube version,just a little quieter. the tubes are very similar in spec and sound.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by mics

Don't worry guys the american tube version will sound just like the german tube version,just a little quieter. the tubes are very similar in spec and sound.

They don't to my ears... Similar? Yes. Different? Yes.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

They don't to my ears... Similar? Yes. Different? Yes.

Does that mean that the price of TM1's with that edge given by EF 12 and EF 14's will only go up on the second hand market?

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by asagaai

Does that mean that the price of TM1's with that edge given by EF 12 and EF 14's will only go up on the second hand market?

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

I have no idea.

[mics]

of course their will be a small difference in sound, mostly due to the lower noise floor but i am sure that there will be no disapointments.

BTW. Dave will still have the German tube Version available, he just won't be doing as many.

[Daystar]

Originally Posted by asagaai

Does that mean that the price of TM1's with that edge given by EF 12 and EF 14's will only go up on the second hand market?

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

i also wondered that ...will the german tube mic be much more expensive in the future compared to the american ?
will it gain some kind of a speciel status ?

[Daystar]

Originally Posted by Randall

I believe so... when it becomes an endangered species.. or when are so few available that folks begin to think they have become extinct

damn , maybe i should have got the german tube ...oh well ...it's still a great mic !

[Dean Roddey]

I prefer the Italian tube. It gives the mic a sparkling effervescence, with just a hint of elderberries in the attack. A saucy and playful, perhaps almost naughty, follow through that teases the ear but doesn't overwhelm the fruit on the front of the cochlea, with faint overtones of blue cheese and just the slightest flutter of road tar. It dances in the ear and brings one to mind of a barely restrained Bacchanalian excess, and smell of herbs in the sweet country air of the mid-altitudes of the upper Bavarian mountains in late July.

[JMc]

Originally Posted by Dean Roddey

I prefer the Italian tube. It gives the mic a sparkling effervescence, with just a hint of elderberries in the attack. A saucy and playful, perhaps almost naughty, follow through that teases the ear but doesn't overwhelm the fruit on the front of the cochlea, with faint overtones of blue cheese and just the slightest flutter of road tar. It dances in the ear and brings one to mind of a barely restrained Bacchanalian excess, and smell of herbs in the sweet country air of the mid-altitudes of the upper Bavarian mountains in late July.

This is amazing. I'm a half-Italian VO artist and that's almost exactly how I describe my delivery to prospective clients, word for word! Incredible!!

Fortunately, my Italian tube is built-in and guaranteed to last a lifetime.

BTW, the guy selling the TM-1 on fleaBay right now must be loving this thread. He's probably hoping it will drive up the price of the Pearlman with the EF14 that he's selling.

[sctt_stone]

Right, the Italian tube used daily is supposed to be good for high cholesterol as well. I find its best served with smoked Gouda.

Originally Posted by Dean Roddey

I prefer the Italian tube. It gives the mic a sparkling effervescence, with just a hint of elderberries in the attack. A saucy and playful, perhaps almost naughty, follow through that teases the ear but doesn't overwhelm the fruit on the front of the cochlea, with faint overtones of blue cheese and just the slightest flutter of road tar. It dances in the ear and brings one to mind of a barely restrained Bacchanalian excess, and smell of herbs in the sweet country air of the mid-altitudes of the upper Bavarian mountains in late July.

[sctt_stone]

If you look at the receipt for the TM-1 on E bay the price paid was 1600 wich is the price of the American tube version.
Never used MY ASS you know it is at least lightly used.

Originally Posted by JMc

This is amazing. I'm a half-Italian VO artist and that's almost exactly how I describe my delivery to prospective clients, word for word! Incredible!!

Fortunately, my Italian tube is built-in and guaranteed to last a lifetime.

BTW, the guy selling the TM-1 on fleaBay right now must be loving this thread. He's probably hoping it will drive up the price of the Pearlman with the EF14 that he's selling.

[sctt_stone]

I Just wanted to say that I just got my TM-1 about an hour ago.
Plugged it in started singing and I am blown away.

Dave Pearlman rocks!

[JMc]

[James Lugo]

Originally Posted by sctt_stone

I Just wanted to say that I just got my TM-1 about an hour ago.
Plugged it in started singing and I am blown away.

Dave Pearlman rocks!

Life's good when you find a mic that suits you. Congrats!

[sctt_stone]

Thank you. Your demo of made it easy for me.
But no matter how hard I try I still don't sound like you!

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Life's good when you find a mic that suits you. Congrats!

[World Studios]

I am going to order a tm-1, but I would be very happy for more input on the various options available. There is the german tube, for instance. Seems people think it is superior, yet everybody seems to have ordered the us tube ones... How come? Also, I have been emailing with Dave a lot and he tells me the newer transformers he has are closer to the original neumann transformer sound. Has anybody heard them and compared to a "regular" tm-1? Lastly, and most importantly, should I go the whole hog and get a m7 or k47 capsule? It is a 50% price increase. Is it worth it? Which one is the nicest? The mic already sounds really good from the get go, from what the shootout tells me. I like a mic to be bright, but I think the HF resonance peak I hear in the shootout on the Pearlmann is coming from the transformer, because I hear the same "noise" in the Neumann vs Pearlman transformer shootout linked from the Pearlman site. Does the peak annoy you after some time, or is it just the samples? Thanks for any and all input!

[CK9]

i'm thinking of getting a TM-1 to record myself, i've got an Avalon pre. i'm not blessed with great tones but I think the 'character' of my voice should be ok in my music. Somebody mentioned on this site that the TM-1 has an 'already mixed' sound, is this accurate?. This would be good for me because I'm recording my bass, vocals, guitar at home and maybe mixing at home too with limited tools. Also, would you say the TM-1 has more warmth than most mics? Someone also mentioned clarity, this actually sounds problematic for me - I dont think every noise I make should be in there because my tones aren't perfect.

I guess my main question is this: 'Does the TM-1 suit a singer who doesn't have naturally good, clear, perfect tones?

P.S. does it have good bottom end when you're singing loudly at a fair distance away from the mic?

[NoEgo]

Originally Posted by CK9

i'm thinking of getting a TM-1 to record myself, i've got an Avalon pre. i'm not blessed with great tones but I think the 'character' of my voice should be ok in my music. Somebody mentioned on this site that the TM-1 has an 'already mixed' sound, is this accurate?. This would be good for me because I'm recording my bass, vocals, guitar at home and maybe mixing at home too with limited tools. Also, would you say the TM-1 has more warmth than most mics? Someone also mentioned clarity, this actually sounds problematic for me - I dont think every noise I make should be in there because my tones aren't perfect.

I guess my main question is this: 'Does the TM-1 suit a singer who doesn't have naturally good, clear, perfect tones?

P.S. does it have good bottom end when you're singing loudly at a fair distance away from the mic?

Firstly I revisted my TM1 the other night. I have the EF12 tube.
It is really a beautiful piece. I have many including tube mics and it has clarity but that is never a bad thing. I am not sure what you are asking above... You want the source in this case your vocal to sound good going to the mic. Or else maybe try a lousy mic. Or something like an SM7 dynamic that won't bring out your performance as much. That you can scream in if that is your thing..It suits strong rock vocals where you don't want to be intimate like this piece of class.
This mic is just a sweet documenting instrument. Will it provide lows if you scream from far away...well will the lows be there when they get to the mic? Then yes. If not it won't fabricate them no. No mic will.. Eq will but to me that is detrimental to it's ability. If you don't have perfect tones....again I am lost here. It will give a sweet and low and feathery delivery as long as you don't abuse it. It is just beautiful on beautiful vocals...like any great vocal mic will do. I also use the high cut off that is on board...at first I thought the switch was a bass roll off till Dave told me what it was...Of course the little diagram curve is opposite. I just love it on that setting because it gives me the Nat King Cole kind of thing depending on what pre it is going through. My favorite is through the Brent Averill 1073.. Mother's milk. I assume the Pacifica is close but I don't own one. It's not going to make a bad vocal good though. No mic will do that. Maybe a Beta 52 kick drum mic ...just kidding. This is a personality mic but not an eq.
Just my two cents.
Lou .

[CK9]

Yeah sorry, I realise its not completely clear what I'm asking but I cant find the right words today. There is a store where I live in Western Australia where they've got a few mics lined up to try, I'll go see what they've got but I'm not optimistic, our stores dont seem to have the good stuff. Only one of each type of guitar at some of the best stores.

Maybe it will help if I get an idea of how good mics can vary in sound.

[Sonik31]

Does someone knows the price for TM-1 in Europe €?

[Odey]

Originally Posted by Sonik31

Does someone knows the price for TM-1 in Europe €?

PEARLMAN TM1 Röhrenmic, NEW, full warranty on eBay (end time 20-Aug-09 06:38:06 BST)

The guy selling this one is the Official Pearlman salesmen for Europe. I bought one directly from him a couple of months ago with no problems what so ever. Sounds great too. His details are on the Pearlman website as well...