Voiceover Mic Shootout: CAD e100s vs Neumann TLM 103

Comparing two popular Mics for voiceover:
Neumann TLM103: geni.us/Tx6AhXk (Amazon)
CAD e100s: geni.us/Ujdw (Amazon)
Zoom H5: geni.us/oWg4g (Amazon) (the audio recorder I used)
For Home studio equipment options check out kit.co/mikedelg...
There you'll find options for home studio setups at a variety of different budgets.
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[@DanHeather]

You were great in The Hangover

[@77Cardinal]

Really enjoyed this. Been doing pro VO for about 35 years. I have a TLM 103 that I love. You do a fine job of explaining the art and the tech. You have a great voice and I like your style too. Anyway, love to hear some of your campfire stories some time. I sent a recent "craft" production to the guy who was the master producer who taught me years ago. He caught a couple of things I want to pass along. When you do (like I do) a lot of rather disposable voice tracks for TV you tend to leave the same settings and just belt it out and press send, etc. He pointed to some minor things where I'd gotten lazy. So I'll pass this along. Re tune your booth and gear now and again. Knobs get moved, digital presets might not be the best choice, mic placement gets tweaked and you might stop paying attention to getting the optimum your gear can deliver. I was reminded to go play in the room now and then just to get focused on making the gear I have sound as good as it should. And final word: like any good musician, keep practicing your technique on the mics you use. Cheers. JQ

[@ToddWhirley]

I had to share with you since you are an E100S evangelist. I finally got one brand new in the box never used. Been looking for one since CAD discontinued the mic. It is everything you said it was. So quiet with fantastic sound quality. Sounds great on my voice. It delivers. I drank the Kool-Aid and am a believer.

[@TerryMalibu]

Alright Mike, I bought my zoom h5, I just bought a used CAD e100 vintage mic. I have an MXL 990 and I know it’s fine but man I think you were spot on in your review, it’s too bright and I hate the higher noise floor, despise it. Once you hear it, you can’t get away from it and it will haunt you, so I had to upgrade to the CAD that you’re always recommending. It’s just better with my voice. I have my headphones, I have my POP filter and I have you to thank. Thank you for making all of these incredibly helpful videos to point me in the right direction man. You have no idea ho much help you’ve been to me and thousands of others, I don’t know, maybe you do but thank you. Just thank you. You’ve been a truly invaluable source of information and insight. I know I’ve said thank you 50 times in this comment but I kind of feel like I have to end it with a thank you. P.S.- I’ll be doing my voice overs in my old 89 conversion van that I’ve hung blankets up inside. Kind of a combo between your car voice booth video and your closet voice booth video. I actually think it’s going to make a pretty good voice booth…so again, thank you my friend.

[@jonnymodena]

i would love the tlm 103 for singing and the e100s for rapping for the extra grit. I love the sound of them both. I need a side hustle so i can afford all this awesome studio gear i want. unfortunately, as a recording artist, ive only lost money on projects. its expensive, but in all honesty i truly do it for the love of creating music and connecting with people through it. so its worth the high costs involved.

[@jettsom]

I like the TLM 103 better in this comparison. Can’t go wrong with Neumann, plug and forget!

[@sounddesign4941]

Man... I really like the e100. Just got an e100/2 delivered today. Played with it for a couple of hours and just love the sound of it.... Much thanks Mike for all your comparisons and work.. Your recommendation is what compelled me to try the CAD... Its now my number 1 voice mic.. My old Shure 565 still gets my Harp action and tomorrow I'll try my trumpet out on the e100... many thank's and cheers..

[@huss03]

Both these mics sound fantastic. It's hard to choose between them. Perhaps the Neumann has slightly less harmonic distortion - which in fact makes it sound slightly smoother and less bright. But the texture of the distortion in e100s is really nice on the ear.

[@jonnymodena]

I was thinking this exact thing. i would love the tlm 103 for singing and the e100s for rapping for the extra grit. I love the sound of them both. I need a side hustle so i can afford all this awesome studio gear i want. unfortunately, as a recording artist, ive only lost money on projects.

[@AutomaticBadger]

Excellent review, really informative. In my opinion, the TLM 103 sounds like the better microphone. The hiss on the e100s is always faintly audible, but you may be right that something is wrong with the mic. The e100s also seemed to distort more at high SPL when you where up close on it. Both microphones reject plosives really well, and your voice sounds great on both. Thanks again for the great video.

[@coffeebreakcomedy]

Both are perfect. I have a Vintage e100 with the gold grill and no S in the model name, man...that thing is right up there with classics like the Nuemann U87 and AKG 414. It's such a little-known gem that people selling it sometimes don't know what they have, I got it for a steal on ebay for $135. I like what I'm hearing from your e100S, but man, the original I have is seriously top shelf professional grade studio quality stuff. It definitely stands out in my collection and even sounds silky smooth on my cheap $100 ART usb preamp...let alone my $350 and $800 pro level 2-channel preamps. I hope this thing lasts forever

[@gamingultracheap-budgetgam8541]

Another fun microphone comparison video. It's also fun to learn you're part of a podcast. I love podcasts.

[@scottthrower7637]

Love your videos. I have the CAD e100 -- and love it. Bought it to replace a Shure sm7b, which was great, but tended to make me sound a little too ''radio'' (since radio stations often use the Shure) and with my big pipes, I want to sound as un-radio as possible (since clients usually want a guy next door sound). The CAD is better toward that end. After seeing how much YOU like it, and getting the recommendation for it from an audio engineer who did a tweak on my studio settings, I got the CAD ........and it's f'ing killer!!

[@quailstudios]

Yes Mike, the e100 S has a louder noise floor. Self noise.

[@EarlHallStudio]

Hey Mike. Loving your channel dude. thanks for the great info. keepbit up 👊

[@modernwize]

in my studio phones....the e100s makes the mids in his voice sound a bit robotic/metallic/gritty. TLM is very smooth.

[@childrensmuseum]

I'd like a review of the Ocean Way RMB-1. So far, after two months, it is the best voiceover mic I've ever used! Compared to others in my locker -- U87, P-67, TM1, Senn. 416, Schoepps, etc.

[@BoothJunkie]

That mic looks really intriguing, but I haven't had the chance to test it yet. I would love to try it.

[@MrBlackPasta]

Holy shit I didn't know you were with No Sleep. Ive been watching you a while now. I was contemplating asking if you ever did any horror voice acting.

[@duffharris9295]

The e100s' nickel capsule makes it very midrange-y. It's very unusual to have a mic made nowadays with nickel. Personally, I think it'd be better for guitars than vocals though. I'd probably just go with the shotgun mic as it's got that nice proximity effect from more of a distance.

[@SkitzoTendancies]

You know I've seen several of your shootouts and currently own all seasons of nsp. Didn't put two and two together, easily in my top 3 favorite narrators

[@phil_metal_jacket]

I'd be very interested in a comparison between the 416 and the new Aputure Deity shotgun mic from a voiceover perspective. The manufacturer claims it's designed to compete with the 416, but at something like a third the price I wouldn't expect quite that much. But if it's at all comparable, and it sounds pretty good in the few reviews there have been, then it could be a viable budget alternative to 416.

[@rock962000]

TLM has like no background hiss at all. Sounds amazing. A shame that the e100s has that hiss.

[@martinkulik9466]

isnt CAD supposed to be quitest mic with 3.7dba noise? so it's not true then?

[@JRaze]

@@martinkulik9466 it was defective in this vid, he made updates on the mic

[@GalaxyNexus1]

@@JRaze he sent it back to them and they said nothing was wrong

[@JRaze]

@@GalaxyNexus1 yeah he sent it back and afterwards they contacted him again... there was an issue. I believe he made a video regarding that named "what a difference"

[@GalaxyNexus1]

@@JRaze yes, thanks...just saw that video. That makes me uneasy, though, that they basically brushed him off the 1st time and sent it back to him within a week, and didn't actually fix it until they learned he was trashing it on KZbin. Thee are others who have the same problem and who have also been brushed off. How can I trust that company?

[@whitecoastmob3252]

Good video! What do you think about tlm 49 for rap vocals? Should i get it or better go for the 103 or 107?

[@Calandra81]

You are married but I can't help loving your charm! LOL Thank you for all the helpful videos, it's given me a lot of information to help add to being a great radio and talk show personality. Keep them coming! Be careful of bumping those mics. ::Laughs::

[@sevenblak8496]

TLM is deep and luscious but the 100s is still very smooth

[@Daegarn]

Is there any processing you do to prevent 'wet mouth sounds' like smacking or any kind of salliva sounds? if you know what I mean, or is it mostly technique? if so, can you do a video on proper technique or tips to prevent this? Maybe also proper technique for preventing pops from plosives? Thanks a lot!

[@Hable]

Eat a green apple before recording. It helps a ton! :)

[@danbolivar3564]

Green applesauce, not kidding.

[@metrazol]

Practice. Keep your mouth moist. Avoid sugar. Practice more. I don't love apples for this, but people reaaaalllllyyy swear by 'em.

[@danbolivar3564]

Very true, PLENTY of water... Because once you're feeling thirsty that means you're already dehydrated. And dry-mouth is the culprit... Well that and loose fitting dentures. ;)

[@alexrain2194]

Izotope RX mouth declick. Worth every Penney.

[@wall_k]

They are so different I feel so strange right now Nothing is really better than other, but so different!

[@tommytwaddle8601]

Great video! :) I'm currently using a RODE NT2-a for voice over.. I don't know if you've used it or not but if so i'd love to hear your opinions on the mic and whether you think other microphones around the same price or cheaper may be better suited to voice work :)

[@sourcefor]

wow your voice sounds great on both of those mics, what eq/compressionb settings are you using in mixing?

[@lelouchlamperouge8286]

I keep a laptop inside of my " studio " , and it's fan is pretty noisy. However, it's always BEHIND the mic, so it's never been on a recording being very loud at all. It would be great if you could record using the TLM103 and have a laptop fan going off behind it, to see if one would need to take care of that sound.

[@DenisUspeshny]

One thing you need to know about Tlm 103 is it’s cardioid pattern is very wide, in an untreated room it’s a bitch. Pics up everything

[@ChrisPFuchs]

Out of curiosity I pulled your audio and opened it up into Izotope to look at it with a Spectral Analyzer, and I noticed that when you raise the signal by 7dB and compare the noise floor, the noise floor of TLM 103 is QUIETER than any other point in your audio, especially noticeable in the low end, yet when comparing the E100s to the room tone during pauses from other parts of your audio, it actually is about 7dB louder, as you would expect. Why is this the case? I mean It visually stands out as a lot DARKER (which means quieter in the analyzer), than ANY other part of the audio when your aren't speaking/breathing, yet it was suppose to be boosted. You even have a 60Hz hum going through most of the entire audio, that is consistent no matter what microphone you are using, but during the 'comparison' segment where you listen to just the room tone, the hum gets A LOT QUIETER for the TLM 103. If it was boosted 7dB, the hum would have gotten louder. I'm not saying you purposely skewed the test at all, but something isn't right. So for example at 6:31 you completely pause, allowing us to hear just the noise floor of the TLM 103, and the Total RMS level is about -65dB, but during the later test of the noise floor where it's suppose to be boosted, it's sitting at about -81dB, which makes no sense to me.

[@BoothJunkie]

Shoot Chris I just checked my original file... You're right! I goofed. Damn. I had a bass roll-off eq engaged on that clip and forgot to take it out! I had initially eq'ed out the sound of my furnace which I could hear rumbling, then turned it all off, and forgot to deactivate the plugin on that section, because I had split the clip it earlier. Shoot. Now, do I delete this and re-upload it. Or rerecord it with my furnace off. Man, I hate when that happens.

[@ChrisPFuchs]

Booth Junkie Oh, Sorry! I don't mean to be a nuisance, I just wanted to compare my CAD to yours, but that kinda stuck out to me so I thought I'd mention it. Maybe just record the room tone of both mics and put that over this video just for that segment? Otherwise it's not a big deal, and I think it's audibly noticeable that the TLM is a bit quieter anyways.

[@BoothJunkie]

Nah man, I SO appreciate you finding it. I just finished a corrected version of the noise floor, and will upload it as a new video in a few minutes. Really, Thanks for noiticing it!

[@ChrisPFuchs]

Thanks for uploading the other noise floor comparison so quickly! The kind of impression I got was that the CAD is suitable for most stuff, but another mic might be suited slightly better if needing to record a really quiet passage. One thing I did notice that intrigued me in the other test, is that while the CAD's self noise sounds louder, and on the spectrogram it looks louder, the RMS value is actually quieter for the CAD by about 4 dB because the TLM has more energy in the low end. I wonder if this is just the TLM being extra efficient at picking up your furnace than the CAD, or if the TLM's self noise is just extra loud in the low end? Maybe this is how CAD get's away by saying it's quieter. Either way, if one applies a basic 100 Hz High Pass filter to both and measure the self noise again, the TLM all of a sudden is the mic that is about 4 dB quieter (but I think it actually sounds a lot more than 4dB quieter). It's kind of insignificant, but I thought it was interesting. Thanks for doing the test!

[@Lebuss-nv8xp]

Random question from a noob: You're switching between multiple mics. Does it make sense to have multiple mics recording (esp. from a single source?). If you're producing, should we put it all toward a certain mic, or does it make sense to do multiple mics?

[@peterosipov400]

Hi! Man, how does CAD E100S compares to Sennheiser MKH-416? I'm a long and happy (it's true!) owner of CAD and I thought that I would never need another mic for my voiceovers. But someone sells an MKH-416 for $416 (oh, irony!) in my area. So GAS, especially for the price. :) So should I bother? $420 is still money, you know... How do they compare to each other? I should add that I'm in an untreated room, because I move from room to room (especially after my 1 yo daughter started crawling and walking around, haha), so quiteness of CAD was a crucial factor for me (I've tried a few mics before) and CAD turned out to be an amazing sounding mic! I know that MKH-416 has the same characteristics in terms of quiteness and noise rejection. That's why I consider buying it too. But maybe I shouldn't bother having CAD E100S. Thanks :) Excuse my poor English, I'm not a native speaker.

[@Dallen9]

it's weird.... The Neuman you can hear the fan blowing into the booth when you crank it up but the CAD e100s you can't hear the Fan.... That's amazing.

[@mageprostudios4334]

Where your CAD has a hiss, does using the Pad alter that? Could you also do a video about the Kaotica Eyeball on the Rode NT1-A you have?

[@lsquail7752]

I have a super budget right now. I've seen reviews for the TLM102 at $700 and they say it's pretty good with a pop-filter. What do you think? Have you tried it out?

[@SheldonCharron]

I've read that people compare the Aston Origin to the Neumann TLM 103. Have you tested the Aston Origin? I was about to order a CAD e100s from BH Photo but they were trying to swing me to the Aston Origin. Thoughts?

[@dend1138]

You're the man Mike..thank you so much for this video! It was very helpful. I went with the tlm and this video helped confirm I chose the right one for my voice. Keep up the great work!

[@richardparrington8636]

Excellent demo. Thankyou.

[@BenneWill]

Neumann, night and day difference!

[@paigewilliams6919]

Thanks for the breakdown :)

[@FAMEAcademyNY]

Dang!!! Now u need to put the Vintage E-100 vs the TLM 103...

[@mihaelachiscovici]

*First off, **do7.pl/NMicrophone2** this microphone looks “itty bitty”, but it handles an incredible amount of sound without overriding the headroom/becoming gainy.I tested it with an entire drum set, and it began to break up a little; but the overall sound was pretty amazing (plus I had the preamp turned up a bit too high). I decided to move to acoustic and voice simultaneously and independently. The results were nothing short of amazing. The mic is extremely powerful, which I suppose could be a drawback, being that I could hear a car driving a good distance from where I’m recording. But as long as you set your levels correctly and put this in a soundproofed area, then you are going to be in sonic heaven! This will change your home studio sound drastically. Enjoy!*

[@penutpls]

Is there any chance that you can make a Behringer B1 review? I am thinking of getting one, since it looks like a nice budget bundle :D

[@RichardHaynie]

What would you recommend for field interviews, where you're using the mic on a boom? TLM103 or TLM170 with its multipattern?

[@MidNovemberKid]

What about 103 compared to 102 for voicover?

[@EsefosseDublado]

Martin Herink worked a lot with both. It depends from what do you like most and the chain the mic is connected. For example, ir you gonna plug your mic directly into an simple interface (like focusrite scarletts), the 103 works better. But, if you have an good preamp(like and UA twin finity or an Focusrite Isa or even an Neve) I prefer the TLM 102

[@MezmerizedCA]

what do you think about ribbon microphones?

[@MelroyvandenBerg]

There is no shipping to Netherlands from Amazon US, furthermore buying stuff via Massdrop will likely end to a high tax bill / customs. So Massdrop is no option. What now??

[@ma3refangy863]

Neuman is amazing

[@sideoutside]

The CAD jumped up $100 since you posted this. Unfuckingreal what they're doing to music gear prices now..

[@metrazol]

Love my TLM, but you're talking me into an E100...

[@Coffeeratgaming]

hey mike it would be greate to see a comparson between rode nt1 ve tlm103

[@OCUBOX]

Hey, would you upgrade to the TLM107?

[@kishorekumarsoundarapandia1802]

Hey Mike, Can u advise which to be buy audio technica or MXL for karaoke plzzz

[@cela1687]

but the cad e100s frequenty range is till 18khz and not 20khz will that affect the vocals when u record?

[@aber00all]

Is there any validity to the suggestion of placing the mic perpendicular to the voice direction? Don't speak into the mic but across it's direction of sensitivity. Would that work instead of pop filtering the TLM 103?

[@AnthonyMartinsRock]

That would definitely reduce plosives as it is one of the mic techniques through a pop filter will be a better option in either case. I do both. A slight angle for the mic and a pop filter. The best thing you can do is record the three options reading/performing the same line with plosives like "Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers on St Patrick's day" one version with the pop shield in place with regular angled mic, the next take with mic behind on a very slight angle (not too much or you will notice a big drop off in sound) then the third take no pop filter with angle then the fourth take with no pop filter no angle. then listen to the takes and see which one suits your vocal best.

[@ifaanuur9649]

TLM 103 is good for your voice.

[@MikeG-js1jt]

Turns out there WAS something wrong with his E-100s, as this was from 2017.....mine is thankfully dead quiet

[@AoSora4758]

This gonna be a running gag, hitting microphones xD

[@stephenericwalsh]

103 for me.

[@systematic-sound]

Your Zoom recorder might have too much pre-amp noise...

[@amressamTV]

zoom h5 has a very nice and clean preamp

[@E58-t7u]

Only 399??

[@Crushercorp]

I am jalous of your deep voice.... =/ wish mine was lower...

[@หนึ่งมาร์ทชา]

why do you play sing a song

[@iguessme]

e100 has more selfnoise than the 103

[@SKY_DWELLER333]

Just in case you weren’t aware there was actually an issue with his E 100 S. He has another video comparing before it was repaired and after.

[@andrewr4792]

CAD mics suck. Too much noise and poor engineering.

[@tridave294]

Ur review is so confusing cog ur dibble tong.seems U f hesitate,uncomfortable or Straight u fear to say straight I respect who gives true reviews