Recording February 2022 - 26

A FAMILY OF MICROPHONES COMPARED
THE NEUMANN TLM SERIES
CONTINUED: NEUMANN TLM 49
When Paul J. Stamler reviewed the TLM 49 in 2007, he tried it against many
of his favored benchmark mics. He was lucky to test out a pair. The following
comparison alongside a pair of Gefell M930 mics on drums is my favorite:
" Both mic pairs had great tone, imaging and impact, but while the M930s (for
years my favorite overhead mics) gave a very realistic sound of what you'd
hear standing in front of the drums, the TLM 49 gave a bigger, more dramatic
sound, more like what the drummer would hear. I liked both sounds a lot, and
the drummer said the TLM 49 mics gave the most realistic picture he'd ever
heard of what he thinks his drums sound like. "
One thing I know about Mr. Stamler's reviews over the years is that he likes
and trusts what works, and he rarely gushes, so a few of his final thoughts
caught me off guard: " The Neumann TLM 49 is a remarkable microphone... I
tried it on a variety of instruments and didn't find a single one on which it didn't
sound good... very few mics have something elusive that can only be called
magic... AKG C24, Beyer M260, Neumann KM 84 and U 87, Microtech Gefell
M930, on a variety of things. Add to that select number, now, the Neumann
TLM 49. "
So, does it sound like a classic M 49? No, it lacks some of the opulent yet
neutral weight of the one and only fully restored M 49 that I have been able to
try, but it does capture its spirit and effortless use. I have found it to be one of
those rare mics you can simply put up on a source, and it works.
NEUMANN TLM 67; $2150
Brought to market in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Neumann in
2008 complete with a commemorative George Neumann badge, the TLM 67 is
inspired by the classic U 67 (recently reissued and reviewed in May 2019). It is
the third offering from the company to employ newly designed circuitry to impart
tube-like characteristics to the sound. It shares the same body as the U 67 and
U 87 Ai, but is finished in a metallic pearl gray. Its head basket assembly and
K67/K87 capsule is the same as both the U 87Ai and the U 67 reissue.
Like the original, the TLM 67 offers three selectable polar patterns on the capsule
(omni, cardioid, figure 8) as well as a -10dB pad and a low cut filter. Interestingly,
while I find the TLM 67 is a darker-sounding mic, it is not overly bass heavy.
The TLM 67 is neutral from 200 Hz to 4 kHz, with a gentle sloping low end
from 200 Hz on down, and only a slight 2dB peak between 5 and 10 kHz
with a sharp rolloff after that. Omni mode extends the low end down to 40 Hz,
scoops out 5 kHz, and boosts 10 kHz and up by an extra dB or two. Figure 8
bears a resemblance to the TLM 49, cutting the lows down 4dB at 40 Hz and
then sloping upwards evenly to 1.5 kHz followed by a wide sloping 4dB boost
centered at 6 kHz.
The TLM 67 is closest to the TLM 193 in its even, neutral midrange capture
and smooth and round top end. Where the TLM 193 is tighter and more
focused, the TLM 67 is bolder with more upper midrange weight. It exhibits
a very controlled low end, and while rich, rounded, and evenly weighted,
it is not an overly thick-sounding mic. In my 2009 review, I summed it up in
one word: silk! And I repeat: across the board, the TLM 67 is dark-toned,
full-sounding, and smooth.
When it was released, the TLM 67 often faced two questions: Did it sound
like a transformerless U 87 Ai, or a tubeless U 67? I still stand by my original
answers: " Does it sound like a vintage U 67? I doubt it... I do know that U 67
mics were on the darker side of the spectrum compared to a U 47, so it does
share that characteristic. "
26 RECORDING February 2022
Since that review thirteen years ago, I have
used a few vintage U 67 mics and I've reviewed
the excellent Neumann reissue-which Neumann
nailed! Rather than declaring that it's a
solid state U 67, I'm more inclined to say that it
evokes the sound of the 60s. Unlike the modern
mics of today, it is rounder and more neutral than
upfront, sparkly or 3D. If something harsh or sibilant
needs taming, or a present and full source
needs to be exploited, this is a mic to choose.
The TLM 67 lacks the famous U 87 presence
peak. As I previously stated, " The TLM 67 is
thicker and nowhere near as bright as a U 87,
and I would wager that removing the transformer
from a U 87 would do many things to its sound,
and making it darker is not one of them. "
In use, I found the TLM 67 to be a great companion
to the classic and equally neutral KM84,
especially on acoustic guitar, and for when using
the two on percussion instruments in a mid-side
configuration. I still find my past review's ending
statement true as well: " The TLM 67 is perhaps
the most unique-sounding mic in Neumann's current
lineup, with a sound of its own. "
Recording February 2022

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