The TLM 103 was introduced by Neumann in 1997  to try to grab a piece of the budget mic craze occurring as a result of price busting mic manufacturers such as Rode and Audio Technica.  It features balanced output with no output transformer, hence the "TLM" designation.  This mic seems to have a love-it-hate-it relationship with the buying public that probably has less to do with the actual sound of the mic, and more to do with the circuitry design.  In other words, mic aficionados who pine for the good old days of Neumann tube and FET mics, who drool over mic mods, or which transformers sound good, and which sound bad, etc give the mic a bad rap with barely a listen.  On the other hand, new users who have finally upgraded to their first Neumann, and who are absolutely thrilled to at last joined the "elite" ranks of Neumann users, love the mic.  I wonder, however, how many in either camp are at a point of being truly objective, without listening with either their retro snob nostalgia, or their new found enthusiasm, and just simply listen.

 

I am going to do my best to fill the shoes of objectivity.

 

I've owned a lot of mics.  Starting with the budget ones, moving up the ranks, trading, selling, buying, and bartering until I settled upon my current collection. I owned a U-87 (ai) for years before buying the TLM 103.  In fact, I may even rock a few retro/price snobs on their heels by suggesting that, stock, the TLM 103 is the better sounding mic.  Keep in mind, though, that stock U87's have a couple of unfortunate factory circuitry quirks designed to cater to the broadcasting industry, but causing a loss of musicality to the mic.  This contributes to the infamous "honk" of the U-87. Also bear in mind,. however,  that the capsule for the U87 is a better capsule, and a simple mod will let the U87 shine like it should.   and I can guarantee you, when you hear of how the U87 has been used on "more hit records than any other mic", in many cases, it is not a stock U87. 

 

Back to the TLM 103.  I considered purchasing one many times in the past , and each time I chose other mics such as the Rode NTK (my first tube mic), the AKG C414 TLII (more patterns) etc.  All the while I was doing consulting with smaller home studios in the area.  Some were really impressive, some less than impressive, but I soon noticed a pattern:   the ones who were using a TLM 103 were getting consistently good recordings.   

 

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