Warm Audio WA87 vs Neumann TLM-103 Mic Shootout!

The very talented singer/songwriter Cathia known as the little girl with a big voice rose to fame when she came in 13-16th place on the fourth season of NBC's "The Voice" and fourth-place winner on Telemundo's "Yo soy el artista" becoming the second Salvadoran American ever to advance to the final stages of Telemundo. She recently came to our facility to perform a mic shootout with the Neumann TLM-103 mic vs Warm Audio's new WA-87 mic going through an Avalon 737 into an Antelope Audio Orion Studio. No EQ, No Compression and No effects!
For more info on Cathia, please visit: en.wikipedia.o...
For more info on our studio, please visit: caelumproductio...

[@pavmx703]

This sounds like the audio from the camera is being used. I'm going to guess it's because the room sounds bad and the preamp wasn't dialed in well. These mics should not sound like this with her being this close to them.

[@Qerenne]

i felt the same way, i was like - what is everybody talking about? both these mics sounded strangely distant and "roomy", and they are both real good mics.

[@2ndAveScents]

That's just how bad the booth is. That foam doesn't do shit. Need real absorption.

[@_evolj]

Comb filtering is literally cancelling her voice out.

[@DeadMansPartyFilms]

I think they both sound awesome! The WA87 has a midrange peak, but I think it sounds nice. For a studio on a budget...get the Warm Audio!

[@matthewray5343]

prefered the tlm on her voice. The wa87 adds a character too a voice filled with it's own character while the tlm 103 is more neutral in the midrange which compliments her voice very well. Not an issue of better or worse, just different mics and one just so happens to work better on this specific vocal.

[@caelummusicproduction]

Hi Matthew! Thank you for your feedback!

[@Mr13allin]

103 sounds better but i believe the wa87 would be more of a joy in the mix.

[@starman5754]

Really close. The WA has a SLIGHTLY rounder bottom end, TLM SLIGHTLY heavier in the upper mids. Contrary to other comments, neither were shrill or cheap sounding or had sibilant problems. Both highly usable in the hands of a competent engineer. Actually I would take the buttery-er sound of the WA on her voice.

[@k_watts]

Facts. If you can't get a great sound from either one of these microphones, you need to learn how to mix properly.

[@Thoracius]

hard to tell. TLM is a little more airy on the breath sound. otherwise very close. I guess it depends on what you want and what the track sounds like, but I can't imagine it would be hard to EQ to match one to the other either.

[@marioandsonicandfriendscha1953]

Maaaaan that 103 is amazing!

[@delmixedit]

Here voice is lovely.

[@analienundercover8207]

What a beast is this girl

[@ashavari]

LOOOOVE THE WA87

[@sunahura]

i like her, forget the mics. but anyway the warm worked better for me, it seems the tlm was a bit harse for her voice.

[@MrMaateox]

The TLM 103 is always harshy. It's #1 irritating mic ever built.

[@sunahura]

crazy for a $1000

[@mikewalker3337]

Is "harshy" an engineering term or something.?

[@mikewalker3337]

Notice how the room dissapears. also, if you listen closely to the bass strings of an acoustic guitar, the notes recede to the background. They definetely got the midrange cloned though. And you've got to love the look.

[@maldonadocorrea]

Al WA87 ante mucho volumen se nota cierta vibración, el tlm 103 más nitidez . Ambos son excelentes igual

[@mclevit]

They are both great mics but the TLM 103 sounded just a little better!!it has a very complete and smooth frequency range,the warm audio lacks the fullness of the TLM,check the difference in this phrase from 0:34"it is ok not to be ok" and the same phrase from 1:18,you can notice a little bit of harshness on her voice,for me the TML 103 is smoother on the higher frequency ranger compared to the a little bit harsh WA87,the TLM is generally warmer than the WA87,i will give the value for what you get to the WA87

[@caelummusicproduction]

mclevit appreciate the feedback!!

[@joshuatracey9826]

yup. I heard it. its like theres this distortion in it. this really pisses me off

[@joshuatracey9826]

but listen to 0:37 and 1:24 when she belts on "sometimes its hard" I think that the distortion/harshnmes from before is the extra sizzle on the top end of the wa87. The 103 doesn't have that and I think on high strong notes like the one she just sung is where it will either bless u or kill u

[@30kb112]

Joshua Tracey the 103 is more controlled

[@akbarishmael3551]

xXxK ! The Neumann TLM is a better mic. In terms of volume, you’ll have to bring it up on the WA87 to match the TLM 103, which means bringing up the noise floor too! And the TLM 103 just has a better sound to it!

[@EandVEntertainment]

It's hard to make a judgement between two similar microphones without the context of a mix. IMHO.

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

Wut!?

[@tigresen5660]

@@kensmechanicalaffair it’s rather clear what was said here, my dude. There’s no context to these vocals. No instrumental track and post processing. This is just raw vocal takes which don’t really mean anything to anyone.

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

@@tigresen5660 Actually it's the best way to test microphones. I'm more of a purist.

[@tigresen5660]

@@kensmechanicalaffair Its a step in testing microphones. Its certainly important, but hearing a microphone in context is equally important. Why not have both? You're making zero sense

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

@@tigresen5660 If you agree it's a step, then your sentiment is contradictory about me making "zero sense"

[@siriusfun]

As always, the 103 was a bit shrill and strident on a 'shouty' female vocal. The vintage circuit in the WA87 seemed the better choice for her style.

[@tecno8335]

Wheres the mix? That was camera audio not mic audio?

[@Mjo742]

Wa87 sounded better but not very natural. Tlm103 is a more accurate starting point. While the high end of the 103 might be harsh to some I find the wa87 high end to be too sparkly and fake and almost cheap sounding. Both sound very good.

[@krissheehy]

My ear hears this as well and I'm often alone on the opinion. The WA almost gives a little too much of a high ring to the voice. Some may be looking for that but I'd probably EQ it out.

[@user-ru5pv8ix7l]

0:17 1:04

[@arshiayr]

warm audio is better

[@MOSHAEMUSIC]

wa87

[@ironmatic1]

I like the WA-87 more because the TLM 103 is so damn harsh!

[@georgyj111111]

Way too much room sound for a serious comparison.

[@officalj2productions290]

she can sing good

[@Rancochannel]

WA7 WARM...TLM 103 ICE....

[@lavers_1]

Warm WA87 sounds cheap and eq'd to make it sound unnatural in the end

[@EsoteriKOfficial]

Ya the wa 87 sibilance is harsh like all the other mid priced mics

[@mikewalker3337]

I hope I'm wrong but alarm bells are ringing on this one..all the evidence is that these mics are a marketing stratedgy. This mic is'nt going to happen. Nuemann knows that and sure as hell warm audio must know it. None of them have hit the stores. They say you can special order them. The salesman are clueless,,never even tried them yet. And yet there are reviews going back to and even before 2016!!! Obviously there are some. My guess?? a very limited number..just enough to get the buzz. Nuemann stomps them...they become the mics "so good and so close to the real thing that they had to be shutdown". Nuemann's efforts to protect their patent is going to be free advertisement for Warm audio. Whether they're a good mic or not is starting to mean less. The search for info always leads in a straigt line to other Warm audio products that are available. This company does'nt seem to demonstrate the slightest shreds of creativity or innovation. Sorry but I had to put it out there...like I said, I hope I'm wrong.

[@ironmatic1]

It's on the top audio store websites and at the Sam Ash near me.

[@mattchimes]

What are you even talking about? These have been available, and are super easy to find. I own one, and many people do.

[@coolrick7139]

0:18 1:05