Neumann - TLM 107

Far from evoking vintage or retro nostalgia, the TLM 107 is an impressive and modern studio microphone. Its high-precision reproduction with a wide performance spectrum, very close to the original, makes the TLM 107 universally usable, bringing a creative freedom hitherto unknown in mixing and post-production.

The latest generation capsule, inspired by one of Neumann's high-end microphones, the D-01, impresses with its remarkable impulse fidelity. The high coherence of the five polar patterns: omnidirectional, cardioid and figure-8, plus the intermediate polar patterns of wide cardioid and hypercardioid, is also unusual for a large-diaphragm capsule.

The TLM 107 does not only sound optimal with the cardioid setting; it also ensures maximum precision across the entire frequency range for all other polar patterns. The sound always remains balanced, with a quasi-linear reproduction up to 8 kHz, and a slight bump in the higher frequencies that gives presence and clarity to the voice.

In this context, special attention was paid to the natural reproduction of voice sounds, especially to the sibilants in "s". The grille is acoustically optimized for low sensitivity to plosives. In addition, the transducer is connected by the edge, with both diaphragms to ground. More precisely, this guarantees a considerable reduction in sensitivity to dust and humidity.

The transformerless circuit allows a high level of linearity and a wide dynamic range. The self-noise of only 10 dB-A is practically inaudible while at the same time, the TLM 107 accepts very high sound levels. The maximum admissible sound pressure level of 141 dB SPL can be increased to 153 dB SPL thanks to the pre-attenuation (Pad). This allows the TLM 107 to transmit the sound of even the loudest instruments without distortion. The low-cut filter settings (linear, 40 Hz and 100 Hz) are precisely adapted to the concrete recording situations. Without unwanted phenomena, the 40 Hz filter cuts out unwanted noise below the fundamental range (41 Hz is the frequency of the open E string of a double bass), while the 100 Hz filter is optimized for speech and singing (100 Hz corresponds to the lowest notes of a baritone).

For the first time, all microphone setup functions are intuitively controlled by a navigation button. The illuminated directivity display in the chrome ring is a visual indicator, while the pre-attenuator and low-cut filter settings are indicated by LEDs to the left and right of the button. To avoid distracting singers, the button and display are located on the back of the microphone. After 15 seconds, the displays will turn off automatically.