I am currently using a tlm 103 as my main vocal mic through a buzz audio mic pre. I am looking at selling the neumann for something a little better. I am currently looking at the geffel m 930, the aea r84 and the soundeluxe u195. The ribbon mic seems the most interesting at the moment. Am interested in opinions on these mics as the main vocal mic of a project studio. I record mainly jazz,folk and some rock.
Thanks for your time.

several ideas come to mind...but one is....

If you're set on selling the 103 for a 'more versatile' mic....

Get an AKG C4000...a very good (underappreciated) mic for the money(market ~$350-400 used), and put the savings towards a good versatile mic pre like foc red 8.

Thats one of a few bazillion ideas.

What you don't like about it?

What sound are you looking for?

Insomnio

well I find it a little hard sounding and boring. Plus it gets ragged on an awful lot on these forums.

I wouldn't worry about that!
Just try those mics out and make your OWN concolusions!

Strauss is right.. What sounds good period.. ? No one is gonna pickup a record and listen to vox recording and go "Oh my God they used the a TLM 103" Im not listening to that.

Try a diffrent pre with that mic...

We just got a Great river Mp2nv and it kicks that mic up a few notches.

Use your ears...

I've used the TLM103 on many records and had 2 of those singers demand to use that mic from now on.

That said, I did replace mine with a Brauner Valvet which is clearly better.

Good Luck.

The Soundelux U195 is a way fatter nicer mic than the TLM 103. You should also check out the Peluso 2247 which is even nicer

The Great River and TLM103 is a very good match.

The Great River and an M-930 is one of my favorite matches.

We have a TLM-103 around here, it's mainly used for testing purposes when new mic-pre's roll through the door for us to try... as it's one of the hardest, most nasal sounding mics in the building we find it to be a good bench mark for new pre-amps we're considering adding to the M-A roster.

As for use in the studio... well, there are occasions when it's actually a workable tool, but I'd say about 92 times out of 100 it gets it's ass handed to it by the M-930.

The R-84 and U-195 are in constant use around here... but they're so different on a tonal and textural level that it's not what I would consider a fair comparison. IMO, no studio is complete without a couple 930's, a couple of R-84's and a U-195. Now obviously most folk can't afford to nail them all down at the same time... so I reckon it's a matter of priority... which directly leads to the individual user's goals and the individual user's sense of aesthetic to determine which mics should be added to their collection in what order.

i would go with a gefell m-930 pretty much any day over a tlm-103 (in fact, i've never picked the tlm-103 over any of my mics). its definitely worth a listen.
joshua

No one is doubting that a Gefell isnt going to rise up and beat down the TLM 103, but again mic pre's like the Great river can really smooth out that Neumann.

PS- I have been to Mercenary and have seen that TLM 103 hanging out in the wind.. That thing gets no respect...

Another negative vote for the TLM103...sorry, I was very unimpressed when I had it in here for a week about a year ago...talk about boring!!!

The M930 gets a lot of good press, but the only time I have actually heard one was a stereo pair on a grand piano...it was AMAZING!

A positive vote for the 103 here.

some people have different prefferences.

Jason

Yeah, the 103 is a strange mic. It's like they took the "Neumann sound" and made a cartoon out of it - you know what it is, but it's not quite real, is it?

I've used it a few times for a room mic, etc., with some success, but it has never won for a vocal. Actually, it's a candidate for the Ebay list right now....

Yikes!I heard the M930 on piano and acoustic guitar and it was anything but amazing to me. In fact the TLM 103s had a much deeper sounding bass clarity than the M930. This was a dark sounding Stienway grand though and the 103s were so much better sounding than the M930s. This was due to the richer bass and less muffled highs that the M930 has.

This furthers my point. Pair it with the wrong Preamp and you are not gonna like it.

I tried the tlm 103 with the UA 610 and was not too impressed. But a great pre like the GRiver can really work wonders...

My issue with the 103 is that it's really hard sounding and pretty bright and scratchy up top...but it really depends on the mic amp. Going into something thick and meaty like a VMP2 or V72 the 103 sounds like a real mic and is pretty usable IMHO. But going into something that's clear and open the 103 is like nails on a chaulkboard unless the source is really really dark.

I don't know if this helps, but I do really like my TLM 103 on vocals in quite a few situations. Not all, mind you, but enough to warrant keeping 'em.

Just my $.02.

Thanks for all the comments. I can get an even trade to a m930 and there is a place down the road that will let me borrow one for a few days.I'll a-b the tlm 103 and the m930 threw the buzz and might even see if I can post some results.

What are your favorite preamp matches with those, esp. the 195?

My favorite with the 195 is (at James Lugo's Vocal Asylum) Chandler LTD-1 into Distressor with Brit mod. James is responsible for turning half of Hollywood onto Soundelux mics. The E49 into that chain is the s&^t for warm vocals (i.e.: not necessarily bright & hyped/airy).

That sounds like a fair deal. I would go for it. If you don't like it you will have an easier time selling the Gefell than the 103. If you do trade, let us know how you like it compared to the 103.

I actually got rid of a tlm103 and tlm127(which I like better than the 103) and am using a Soundelux ifet7 in it's place. In "I" mode you get that clearer Nuemann 'esq' sound but with better detail and in 'V' mode you get a much wider sound, suitable for Vox. I sometimes use 'I' mode for vox too - depending on the sound I want.

Anyhow, I'm throwing that in there as a good alternative where you can get a better version of the sounds your familiar with from your Neumann plus the flexability of having a good vocal mic that works with alot of singers.

The u195 is a good mic, utilitarian, but if your going to "step up" might as well take the plunge.

The AT 4047 sounds better to me than the TLM103 and is much cheaper than the M930.

For the same price a Brauner Phantom C is clearly better...

Hi Benjah,

You mentioned that you had arranged do an even swap of your TLM-103 for an M930. I would like to do that too. Is your deal with a dealer or distributor? If so, would you mind telling me who it is and how he/she can be reached? PM would be fine.

Many thanks, and I look forward to your comments about the M930.

Joe

I find the 103 is a real useful workhorse on all kinds of hand percussion-claves, shakers, tambourine, bongos, djembe, etc...

And that is where that mic seems to truly shine, acoustic and percussive instrument use...

War

I second that, very underrated. I think I paid about 450 new a few years ago. I wonder why the price has gone up on the new units? Hummm