MIC Shootout: Shure KSM32 vs Neumann TLM103 

My KSM32 is 22 years old. It travelled the world. Still my main microphone, never had a problem except at customs.

That KSM32 sounds really nice. It's not a microphone I had really thought about before, but it could easily go on my list.

I bought the KSM32 because of this video. Thank you MIke!

I am listening to this through a rare pair of Adam SV5 Monitors at close to $15,000 a pair for two 12" monitors and I can say I give the edge to the Shure KSM32's. They sound dead silent with a realistic tone that is pleasant on the ear and easier to listen to long term whereas the TLM-103 sound a bit bright and harsh with noticeable sibilance. This isn't as noticeable in the beginning which makes most people prefer the 103's but the KSM32's sound more appropriate for a lack of a better term. You have an amazing voice which I can hear all day long on the KSM32's whereas I can feel a bit fatigued with the 103. Shocked right now as I also have a 103 but not the KSM32's. A word of caution, brighter doesn't always mean better.

This is the video that convinced me to get the KSM 32 over a year ago. Still want to get a Neumann (U87) someday, but loving this mic! Thanks for the video!

I'm shoked how the KSM32 manage the high frequencies without producing that jumping "sizzz" or "shh" tipical in most microphones and in TLM103 too, I like the way it release middle frequences and body without becoming muddie or booming, the overall texture is alive without unwanted crispness. The KSM32 was the first love in 1999 and today I'm seriously thinking to buy it again. Thanks for this review ;)

I´m a KSM 32-Fan since nearly 25 years!!

I had a KSM32 for years. It's a very well-rounded mic. Not overly bright and well suited for rock vocals without too much harsh highs.

Owned the KSM 32 for years. WHAT a killer, sleeper mic...one of my fav's over a lot of more expensive mics. Never thought i would have said that

I got them both. KSM is more flat. TLM has more shine on top. Hard to say which one is best. Usually I think KSM is the winner for my voice, but I’m sure Neumann is better for others. I’m glad I have them both but if I could only keep one it would be the KSM.

I have never even heard/read that mic being discussed anywhere on forums or RU-vid, but it sounds fantastic! I couldn't tell any difference between them, and being $500 cheaper and having the utility of a bass roll off makes it a very attractive offering.

Roger Nichols, probably if not the greatest, than certainly one of the greatest audio engineers since the late 70's had access to every mic in the world, and he said time and time again that the only mics he used daily outof all his Sony's, C12's, U47's, U87's etc was the Shure KSM32. He had four of them, and they were used for almost everything he did. Lead vocals, overheads, horns, piano... you name it. Great mic that EASILY rivals any u87 I've ever heard.

KSM32 Been on those since they came out.. my Swiss army knives... Drums, Vocals, Ac. Instruments, Anything...

Great comparison I think I'll buy the KSM 32

I've been using a KSM32 for years and I absolutely love it. I'm upgrading to a TLM 103 shortly because it just has a *little* more of a shimmer in the high end and a smoother proximity effect (in my opinion). HOWEVER, if you're on a budget or you just want an all around workhorse mic for a great price then the KSM is perfect - solid build and just really reliable.

I'm not even a voice over guy, but these videos are amazing. Thanks for these awesome videos. :)

I love my KSM32 so much! It is the first one I used when I got into voiceover. Thank you for this video! It really helped me understand how to use the settings on my mic better!

Depending on the manufacturing processing, parts used, country of manufacturing, et al... the same "class" of microphones will be priced within about 35-50% of each other. The Neumann brand is known as a standard for VO microphones so it'll have a bit of a premium price associated with that too pushing the upper end of the price point. Shure is known for it's affordability so they'll push the lower end of the price point. Both make great microphones but for microphones of the same "quality", they'll be a price difference. In this case, two different microphone manufacturers at two different extremes of the price point assuming that the average price of a mic at this quality is around $800. RU-vid isn't a high enough quality environment to really hear the differences between capacitors inside of similar microphones much less different brands. I can't hear the difference either, if you're wondering. A nearly identical component could carry with it a much higher price on Neumann than Shure but because one manufacturer tweaks to the finest detail and the other goes for affordability.

I have one.. and cannot go back to anything else. This thing is Awesome!

OOOOhhhhhh they are both nice. I have a TLM103 but want to get the Shure.

Got a Shure KSM32 over the summer used from Guitar Center for $200. I have been using it for mostly Acoustic Guitar recording and it has been amazing for that.

In my opinion, both sound NEAR perfect. Very natural, balanced, clear sound across the whole frequency spectrum. The only difference really is a tiny bit of EQ.

TLM has a contour sound to it and silky top end... KSM is warmer ( less boost on the top end )... Just so you know.. Mics are pre-EQd sometimes.

I have a pair of KSM32 mics, which I bought after LOTS of research. The KSM32 might be the best mic there is if you can only have one mic. They're medium (3/4 inch) capsule condensers-but I use them every place that is the traditional domain of large capsule mics. I also use them in place of small capsule mics-for acoustic instruments, etc. They don't just sound good-they have really low self-noise and other high end characteristics.

You can hear a better presence and clarity in the Neumann.... It's not huge but the highs and the clarity beat out the Shure, and on the proximity effect test, the Neumann had a better low end response. It would be interesting to see the Neumann TLM 103 and Neumann TLM 49 in a head to head comparison with your voice Mike. I wish I had an extra TLM 49 to send you. That being said, the Shure is certainly no slouch and surprised me. 6:20 vs. 8:54 for the proximity test between the 2 mics. With some really good speakers or headphones you can hear the clarity and articulation go to the Neumann.

If it makes you feel any better Mikey D I hadn't heard of that mic either even after nearly 40 years in this industry. Mate it sounds great even up against your beloved Neumann. Food 4 thought.

I have always loved the KSM32! It and the AKG 414 are two of my favorites in the studio. Because they are not to bright and they seem to work on everything.

The TLM 103 sounds brighter and more crisp. I think the KSM32 sounds great, but it sounds more like the TLM 102 which I really don't like as much as the 103. I'd say pay the $500 extra and get the 103 for sure. I just ordered one today. 👍

Not that I'm feeling buyer's remorse, since the differences are slight, but considering they go on ebay for about the same price, I think I shoulda gotten a KSM32 instead of an E100S. Integrated pop filter and smoother blooming bass even at a distance. C'est la vie!

WOW they sound so similar but yet so different. I think the Neumann still has that tad warmth to it and more crisp! Maybe its just me psychologically thinking. They are both excellent mics!! Great vid again. Im liking these vids you create.

Find it funny i have watch on your video for some time to learn and i know alot about ksm32 and i thougt all pepole in studio rec world knew this mic but i have use it alot and for me it is one of the best mic you can buy for your studio.!

great review! Shure mics has always lived up to it's name.

They both sound great .. The Neumann sounds sweeter on the extended highs.

I love KSM32!!!!

Good comparison. Years ago I wanted a good mic for home and went with the AT2035. Then I wanted to compare it to my 103 at work. So did a comparison recording same sentence on Pro tools. The sound was almost identical except the AT mic had slightly less bottom end but waveform was identical. Played for multiple people whose ears I trust and they couldn't tell the difference. Best $150 I ever spent, it is my daily driver for VO.

The TLM is softer to the ear, while the Ksm32 has little more bass

The KSM32 and KSM42 are more for voiceovers, speech and backing vocals with great proximity effect control. I own a KSM42 and it does not do well as a lead singing mic except female vocals may be. The TLM103 is aimed as an allround musical studio mic and so definitely not worth the extra price for voiceovers and speech compared to a KSM32 or a KSM42. Cheers.

I've got a pair of KSM32s so I can use them as stereo drum overheads. They're freaking great

The KSM32 is ever so slightly warmer (more bass?), but it's not something I would ever notice outside of a direct comparison situation like this.

Btw, 2:00 NPR does use some processing on its microphones. They have a bass rolloff at about 140 HZ. This is, of course, just the network shows. Local stations do whatever they want with their studios.

It would be interesting to hear the off-axis sound of each to make a judgement on how it would colour room sound. Each mic would probably have to be hand held and rotated while trying to keep it at a constant distance from your mouth as you spoke. I find the high frequencies of the TLM 103 to be a little coarse and splashy.

My neighbor down the street got the ksm32 mic and I borrowed it. I cried comparing it to my cheap mics. It's a real flat sounding mic. No harsh highs which I hate and found out my mics have it. I learned a lesson that day. The TLM103 I'll take also but it does appear to color the highs a little. Ksm32 all day because I can easy get the same sound with the TLM103 mic with an eq.

I have 3! I use them as Tom mics and a mono over head on drums They have a very natural sound , it almost sounds boring in a good way. I often find myself preferring this mic over a lot of others

Incredible how much better the KSM sounds to me. The TLM sounds boxy after hearing the KSM. I just ordered the SM7B , but would contemplate the KSM if i had found about it earlier. Actually, im contemplating even before having received the sm7b!

Man I Thank you for that video, I got that KSM32 and I really like it. But was also a bit interested, how my voice recording would sound with a Neumann. So I'm really appreciate and more than happy to own it :)

Definitely prefer the sound of the Shure, the Neumann sounds a little sibilant, little too bright for my liking, and a little heavier in the bass which scoops the mids a bit too much, the Shure just sits exactly right to me, I just wish it LOOKED as good as the Neumann!

My two favorite microphones right now are the Neumann TLM49 and Shure KSM44A.

*Just bought my first Neumann TLM103 on Ebay today !!! I can't wait to get it. I got it used for $650 !!!*

Everyone needs to know about this channel

32 is warmer. Not as shrill as the nueman as well. Glad i bought a pair

I used to provide PA and mix my local symphony orchestra. I was offered the job and THEN had to go research and buy a bunch of mics. They had requested area mixing, but really a few as possible. I did a ton of research, and was about to spend money that I did not have. One little gem for the toolbox is the AT Pro 37. Very comparable to mics 4 times as expensive, takes a beating(kind of), very forgiving, never harsh, never muddy, full range. I ordered 10 of those as utility. They were about $100 apiece wholesale at the time. Then I was determined to NOT use Shure 81’s. I had used them for rock n roll overheads for years, and sometimes for utility. They just never sounded, .......good. So I got the modern and far superior version with a much more modern and trim design and absolutely killer sound. They can do anything. And I mean anything. I got 4. Then the KSM 32, It seemed like the nicest big Shure for a reasonable price, and I have never been let down. I used them for 1st violins, aimed over their shoulder behind and between each pair of musicians. But I started with 2 and even though pretty much a bit of an expense, and hard to justify, they have paid for themselves many times over. I’ll use two KSM 32s with Latin. Percussion Claws in a grand piano, Awesome. Full. One (1!) for a drum OH placed oh so just right for jazz drums is the stuff of beauty. I have claimed that no one with no matter how many mics they used could equal the sound of ONE beautiful OH mic on an excellent drummers kit. Then I got two AT 4033. Very nice. Used them on basses, one on a short floor stand between two double basses, about an equilateral triangle form the front edges of the two basses. Phasing is important with bass. Cellos got whatever was laying around, and later on I used extra Pro 37s on the cellos, but believe it or not, I had an excess of Sennheiser 609 mics. I placed those on short stands between each pair of cellos, a cranked them up, and since they were supercardioid, they hated to feedback, and then off axis rejection of the harsh highs of the bow of a cello up close were naturally negated. It was fun. I talk too much. They folded. KSM 32 are awesome and incredible bang for the buck. I have never had them do things I hated. AT 4033 is right behind them, albeit a little warmer and less glassy top end, which I ultimately wanted for the double basses.

Ksm32 sounds best to me. Very very similar though. The KSM is alot warmer than a 102 and just about the same as a 103 just with more bass and warmth. I'd take the 32 anyday. No brand snob here. Use your ears.

This was a super helpful comparison. Thanks for much for pairing these together.

I had I a ksm32 and sold it, regretted it. So I bought ksm 42, and it also is a great no frills microphone. I put it through a Daking micpre one, and a little compression. Sounds great. Thanks for the video, you have a new subscriber.

They sound exactly the same to me to be honest. Been trying to hear some differences with my good headphones on. MAYBE there is a bit more bass on the Shure and a little more treble on the Neumann. But i could be imagining that.

This is insane! I truly cannot hear a big difference, at least like you said not a $500 difference. Great video!

The KLSM 32 is the best, most versatile, most cost efficient, most robust all around dynamic microphone ever built. That's the only microphone we use.

In the uk the current price difference is £580 for the ksm or £699 for the TLM so an easier choice to go for Neumann. But the Shure sound close. Looking and the data sheet it has a low bump in the eq but other than that the frequency responses are very similar so i can see a compelling reason to get the Shure for the extra features although the TLM will hold it’s value down the road and may even increase in price depending on the market. Thanks for the vid.

The ksm to me had more low end and more pleasing to my ears for voiceover. The tlm might be better for singing and will cut through a mix better.

Thank for telling me what that roll off button does, Ksm32 anyday heck buy a pair.

Don't feel bad Mike, I had not heard of this mic before this video either! Great comparison video! Thank you!!! This KSM32 is on my "mics that make me go hmmm" list! (my CAD e100s arrives Friday!!!! Hope I get a quiet one!) ;)

As far as self noise goes, The spec sheets for the two mics do not use the same standard to measure the noise, so it makes it a little hard. The Shure Noise figure is at 13dB. The Neumenn noise is measured two different ways, the results being 7dB the other 17dB. The lower the number the better. Either way both of these microphones are VERY quiet, anything below 20 is very good. Anything below that, the noise of your pre-amp is the major contributor of noise in the system. Just for reference, The CAD E100s Says its self noise is 3.7dB, however it does not list what standard was used for testing. This can mean they didn't use a standard measuring technique and the results really can't be compared. But it is also a very quiet mic. All 3 of these are quieter than even the quietest Pre-Amps.

The ksm32 is the most underrated mic in history!!!!🤣...

This Shure mic absolutely is worthy of being compared and used with $3k+ Neumann mics. IMO, it outclasses lower cost Neumann’s like the 103. Sounds far more refined and natural while still delivering the musical beauty of various instruments and voice.

I've also enjoyed listening to the t12 Mic Parts as well. It might just be my next microphone for 699 that's for the Platinum edition, which does have that extra low-end we are talking of

both useable for sure. 103 is thinner with more top end. 32 is more low mid or what some think as being the "Neumann Sound". does it matter... nope

They give your voice absolutely different balance between low, mid, high frequencies. Not sure which mic I like more. Probably because it's 5:00 AM and I'm tired. :)

I've had both the TLM is much better IMO. This is probably because of the frequency response of both mics. The Shure is pretty flat while the TLM has a nice curve especially in the high end. Both are good though. But for (my) voice, TLM hands-down.

The KSM32 is a wonderful mic. It's a medium capsule mic (3/4") but has a better "large capsule" sound than many actual large capsule mics. Great for vocals, instruments, anything-and it's only a hundred bucks or so more expensive than the average Chinese prison factory mic.

i can def tell one is louder than the other in texture. they are both good. i can tell the neumann is warmer and probably better for louder sounds.

I can hear a slight difference in my headphones. I still prefer the Newmann. More detailed and clear sound. :)

Great comparison... KSM32 really gives the Neumann a run for it's money.

The 103 is colored...the 32 is more flat and lower self noise...allows you to pile on more tracks...was used on all tracks on a Steely Dan record (2 Against Nature)...and they stick their noses up to everything...

was expecting the change at 11:02 but alas...would have been good to hear it at that point

I heard a significant difference, both the high and the low sounds smoother on the TLM 103. The KSM 32 sounds muddy somewhere between 300-500hz. More work when mixing unless that's the sound youre going for.

TLM102 would be a closer comparison soundwise and I might still prefer the Shure personally. Good video thanks.

difference isnt always just in the immidiate sound!

Awesome, There's definitely a difference but it's not a negative difference. In fact, I think I prefer the tone/quality of the Shure!

TLN 103 low noise and more headroom KSM is little bit noisy when compare with TLM with little less headroom ... 103 sounds very clean without any background noise

Way sweet vid my man! Never heard of that sure before today. Its great! I need a set for overheads!

Listened in KRK5 monitors, and Senheiser HD280 PRO headphones, and I can tell the difference, the TLM103 stills sounds warmer. I feel the KSM32 is a bit more present in the mid range, perhaps. Overall, great sounding mic.

As seen/heard on VOBS: Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy, uses the Shure KSM32. Disney selected it for his voice rather than a more expensive mic. To my ears I can't hear much difference between the TLM103 and the Shure.

Shure KSM32 have more bass in voice if your singing depends on bass vocal, Neumann TML103 less bass, but more hight and middle to hight range. So again which one depends on what you need to get from your voice for record.

Actually, the NPR sound is the Neumann U87 _with the high pass on._

For just talking .. No! .. it is not worth the $500 difference. But for studio musical application .. and depending on the sound you are after for the relevant subject, Yes! it may well be worth the difference! Have you tried the KSM42 ? Would be interested in your thoughts on that one!

You are really good at controlling your plossives! Nice job! I mean, that comes will your role and TONS of practice - but really tho, nice job!

Thanks for this one, Booth Junkie

Both sound great, but the TLM103 has more detail and more of a presence boost than the KSM102. The U87 is thought to be better because it has the same detail (and capsule) as the TLM103, but less of a presence boost so it sounds less harsh..

Hi Mike! Thanks for your reviews, they are very useful, I've learned empirically very much with your review and comparison videos, well done and keep up the excellent work! Now, I don't know if you have made a review about this mic, (if you have please send the link, thanks in advance!!), but if you haven't I would be grateful if you could review 2 mics of the same brand which are inexpensive and seem to be good (low self noise), they are the STUDIO PROJECTS B1 and the B3. All My Best

There are lots of great inexpensive microphones (under $500) that are perfectly fine for voiceovers. You don't need to shell out big bucks for Neumann mics if all you're recording is voiceovers. You don't need expensive mics unless you are recording singers and musical instruments.

You should try the Studio Projects C1 to compare with the TLM103. It's a /quarter/ of the price and it's got quite the following, so it'd be a very interesting match up.

Both mics sound very similar, the KSM32 sounds like it has a bit more bass, the roll off switch makes it sound better on your voice to my ear, the TLM sounds a little smoother to me with crisper highs but not a big difference, just some subtle differences.

Funny how people in the comments say the TLM is better or the ksm is better. I doubt anyone will be able to close their eyes and tell when the mic is switching. so much bull in this industry

KSM32 has great low end

At first I though the TLM-103 sounded ever so slightly creamier while the KSM-32 sounded ever so slightly brighter. BUT-later in the shootout, I heard the Shure being slightly creamier and the Neumann being slightly brighter. So I’m going to say they sound virtually identical. Now...I’m going shopping. 😁

One thing that strikes me as notable on the KSM32 is, that - to Mike - it seems to be pretty much quiet. At least, this seems to be quiet enough to not mention it’s noise. But with a noise of 15dB (unweighted) and especially 13dB when A-weighted, it certainly isn’t quiet. For that price, it certainly isn’t a quiet microphone. And nobody, who ever reviewed it, seemed to mind it. Since I cannot believe Shure would somehow buy good reviews from everyone, I can only come to the conclusion, that noise levels are not as important as people may believe.

wow! they are soooo similar. I can't really tell any difference on my mackie monitors

Quite different, 500 definitely worth! tlm 103 sounds more smooth! And sounds like U87.especially the mid!

The Neumann has a little bit more in the sort of sibilant register, but other than that they sound identical. That said I'm extraordinarily bad at telling the difference between mics in shootouts and vintage U87s sound pretty much the same to me as cheapo mics, so.. yeah

Another great video Mike thanks ^_^ I think we need a test for the self noise produced by the ksm32 as you always do in the comparisons and IF you can do a comparison between ksm32 and CAD e100s that would just be awesome