TLM 49

Common name: Neumann TLM 49

Production Status: In production

The TLM 49 is a large diaphragm microphone manufactured by Neumann from 2006. This microphone, belongs to the “fet 100” series (48 V phantom powered microphones) and is engineered with the purpose to reproduce the overall sound features of the original M 49 tube microphone, creating a relatively cheap and very reliable device with tube sound characteristics, without the need for a dedicated PSU or tube maintenance. The microphone uses the same open mesh head grille developed for the M 149 Tube microphone. This features the original M 49 grille geometry that was developed for the purpose of avoiding diffraction and interference produced by cylindrical head grille designs. ( please refer to Stephen Paul’s piece about the effect of the U 47 head grille) The TLM 49 features a K 47 capsule with MCF (Pe/G) diaphragms (that replaced the PVC diaphragms capsules in the U 47, U 48 and M 49 microphones from 1959). The modern transformer-less amplifier is designed to emulate, as close as possible, a tube circuit design with output transformer that usually exhibits smooth and progressive distorsion at higher SPL. This soft saturation design produces, for the TLM 49, a 0.5 % THD for 110 dB SPL that rises slowly to 5 % THD for 129 dB SPL. With its fixed cardioid polar pattern the microphone is designed mainly for vocals but it is also very useful for instrument recordings like acoustics guitars, double bass and strings. The microphone has a vintage look and is available in nickel finish only. the TLM 49 microphone is the receiver of four important awards: the TEC Award 2006, Soundcheck Leser Poll, microphone of the year 2007, Keys Award 2007 and the MIPA Award 2007.