At last week’s Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention, Neumann announced its newest studio microphone, the TLM 107 large diaphragm microphone. The microphone’s newly developed double diaphragm capsule is inspired by one of Neumann’s top models, the D-01.
Wolfgang Fraissinet, president of Neumann, Berlin, said of the release, “The TLM 107 is a modern, high resolution sound transducer with excellent reproduction characteristics that enable it to capture the original sound without any colouration, thus ensuring unlimited design freedom in mixing and post production.”
For the first time, all of the microphone switch functions are controlled through a single navigation switch. The controls include an illuminated pattern display in the chrome ring, with the Pad and Low Cut status LEDs positioned to the left and right. The switch and display are located on the rear of the microphone so as to not distract singers. After 15 seconds, the display is turned off automatically, allowing the TLM 107 to be positioned discreetly onstage.
The TLM 107 is claimed to be particularly suitable for percussion and the overtones of stringed instruments and delivers balanced sound for all five directional characteristics – omnidirectional, cardioid and figure-8, with the intermediate patterns wide-angle cardioid and hypercardioid.
For all polar patterns, up to 8 kHz, the sound reproduction is almost linear, while a slight high frequency boost lends brilliance and freshness to recordings. Particular attention has been paid to the natural reproduction of the human voice, especially the critical “s” sound. Low sensitivity to pop sounds is ensured by an acoustically optimised grille. The capsule is also designed to minimise sensitivity to humidity and other environmental influences. For example, the front and rear diaphragms are at ground voltage, thus preventing the electrostatic attraction of dust particles.
