I bought a fake Neumann TLM 103 microphone on ebay. I explain how I figured out it was a fake, and I show how others can tell if they purchased one as well.
Thanks so much for this. I just purchased a TLM103 from a local dealer in Malaysia. I checked mine against your check list and fortunately mine looks legit.
Give thanks for the vid man! It actually did as you hoped it would as you stated in the end of it. Help someone identify a counterfeit neumann mic. It did exactly that, as I recently purchased one within the last week from eBay advertised as new "in the box", and being real of course for $925.00. The manual was scuffed and looked identical to the one you have in the vid. The sticker was on top of the box, the mic had no serial number, and the inside molding was different as you showed. I contacted the seller, and even though the transaction stated, "this seller doesn't except refunds", once I told them I knew it was fake and demanded a refund, and if not, threatened to go to eBay with it, they gave me the refund back immediately. Even before getting the fake mic back (that's how they really showed their hand). Truly appreciate your efforts and will share this vid around online to warn others.
@@necrotat2 7 Till thmaps.app.goo.gl/QqGnry3U6qe6Pbkj9ey drop yPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZou28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262 off4605 Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles,PJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZ28225 N 136th St, ScottsdalPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZP28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262JGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZe28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262, AZ 85262PJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZ CA 91602
0 seconds ago I’d consider reporting eBay to Neumann. I know they have very strict policies dealing with counterfeit products. It is a shame but I am glad you were more aware than most and caught the fake!
I bought a fake KM 105. i spoke with neumann and they are trying to stop this but they shut one company down in china then a new one pops up an ebay is not really helping then either I feel sorry for the neumann brand
Sometimes with counterfeit sellers they give the refund and then dont give a address to send back the item because that gives there location to the police who you might have contacted. The loss of one product to save the rest of the operation from being found by police is usually the way.
Thanks for this buddy - also - you might want to check out your settings in either your recording or edit of the audio - because it sounds like you recorded in stereo and it is a pain to listen to with headphones on! respecfully. Have a good one.
just found a counterfeit listed on Sweetwater's used section and reported it. 850 was too low of a price. These things look really good. I wonder how they sound! haha.
I bought a Apple device on eBay, then discovered it to be counterfeit. Received a full refund and then threw item away. What’s the seller going to do, he’s dealing in fraud. Never heard from him again.
@@necrotat2 the Neumann has a ser # but mines came with no wooden box just a silver mount and cardboard box... The spacing is what's concerning me. Going to a guitar center to compare the authentic showcase they have vs mine
Accidentally bought one of these, opened it up but the circuitry looks right. Everything is the same as the schematic. So what gives? Is it a fake or not? I even took it to Guitar Center and ABed one with the serial on the ring and they sound exactly the same. Somebody help me out cuz I got a good deal on this thing and it sounds great
If it's a 103 and doesn't have a serial number it's not a real one. I'm not sure what the quality of the fake ones is, but they have been able to fool a lot of people, and even for a fake mic they're still almost $400 on Alibaba which is really price for Chinese made microphones so it's reasonable to assume they cloned the ckt as well as the look and packaging.
It’s only a problem, if it’s a problem for you. If you like the microphone, like the amount that you paid, and are OK with it being fake and being lied to, then I don’t see a problem. The problem for most people, would be that they are being defrauded. That they aren’t getting what they paid for. Someone might be buying this, expecting that they got a good deal, and that they could sell it at a profit. I do that with gear, on occasion. With it being a fake, it’s resell value is entirely spurious.
@@bennettshapiro7711 I ended up returning mine for the reasons you mentioned. Down the road I couldn't sell it. I ended up getting one from vintage king. Cost a bit more but it is what it is. Didn't even notice it didn't have a serial number until I saw this vid
Yeah. The fact that it is legal to make these clones in China is one thing, but when you buy them from Ali express you know it’s a clone, and that’s OK. They are very well-made, and they use surprisingly good parts and the original schematics - even their U87 AI is really good. But if you are paying for something that you can’t resell honestly, it’s not a good situation obviously. And selling them knowingly while lying about what they are is just a sh*tty thing to do. But yeah. Very accurate clones in every way. If you want an inexpensive one that you can only resell at less than what you bought it for, go for it! Better than Warm Audio, I’ll tell you that right now! (Just know there are other “clones” too, like a $70 U87 or $50 TLM 103 - those are obviously not the same and total garbage. The perfect clones are $255-350 for a 103 and $550-800 for a U87 AI, depending on Ali vendor and sales.
keep it buck, people are bugging. These mics sound phenomenal. News flash EVERYTHING is made in china. its all the same stuff. you buy this one so you can have the neumann in your studio when you want to inspire great recordings out of the artist. the sensitivity of the capacity is near identical. Telefunken and Antelope Audio are guilty too. all made in china. you can get a 200 dollar rode nt2a and compete with a u87 through the right signal chain.... choice is yours...i love my chinese mics
Does this microphone have yo come with that wooden box.. A dealer is selling the tlm 103 studio set and it dorsnt come with this box though. Im so confused
No, it does not have to come with a wooden box. The studio set comes in a cardboard box, with the microphone on the left, and a shock mount on the right. It does not appear to include the hard mount or the wooden case.
I bought mine from Amazon, everything on there is 100% real, people buy off eBay thinking they're spending less money but in the long run the item is not real, I bought from eBay few times in the past & alot of clone items were fantastic tho, it's about quality if it works great it's all good,
Clone items equals counterfit. Even if they work perfectly, and use the exact same parts, clone and counterfit items use clone, counterfit, and recycled parts, so life expectancy is deminished, and the performance may not be within the original engineers specifcations. Plus you're paying to reward someone who is stealing designs and engineering from someone else that did the research and development. Even if clones sounded 100% the exact same as the original, they stole the design, and all of the creativity and trial and error to create said product. If you can't afford the original products, save up and support them by buying used, not counterfit.
I have a question I was going buy one from someone and it have the same case but I do see a serial number on the bottom where the sticker of the mic is I was hesitated because of the box
Check the wooden box and make sure it has dovetail construction. It's also possible that the person purchased a replacement box for a real mic. I would ask if they would let you take the microphone to be verified before purchase.
@@necrotat2 the guy was going to let me take it home to see if I like it but I wasn't auntie sure because of the box but I saw the serial number on the bottom is there a way I can email you I can send you pictures of it and you could tell me what you think I really appreciate
@@Shawn_Keys I'm not confident I could ID a fake through email photos. I would hate to lead you wrong. If I was in your shoes I would ask to take the microphone to Guitar Center or some place similar that has a lot of experience with them.
@@necrotat2 Thank you So Much i was going to buy it but I change my mind about because it look just the same and the guy told be he gout it over overseas.Thank you for taking the time to help me.
Yeah, you need to be careful of these imitations from slippery scammers. But I believe all Neumann products are an imitation of their former glory ever since they joined the Sennheiser group back in 1991.
@@bennettshapiro7711 Wow that's terrible. What microphone models did you get that were cloned? I try not to buy from Ebay anymore. Now I buy used gear from Reverb because they have a better return policy. I also try to research who I'm buying from if possible.
I’m a little mad that you are returning it to him. You are just giving him the chance to sell it to another victim. I understand that you need to get your money back, but there should be someway to be able to do that without giving him back this microphone.
It's all real, just not made at Neumann. Also lots of counterfeit guitars with name brands on them. Yes most are worth what you pay for them or more but very deceiving and criminal to misrepresent any product.
I agree that they are real microphones. They just aren’t real Neumann microphones. And as such, they don’t have the resale value of real Neumann microphones. A used TLM 103 may sell for $600-$800 or so. A clone of a TLM103 may sell for $100 or $150. The clone may not perform exactly like the Neumann. So, if the seller is misrepresenting what the item is, that’s fraud. And the seller should probably have to make restitution, and/or go to prison.
Who buys a genuine Neumann for genuine Neumann prices on ebay? If you buy a mics for a huge difference in price - you know you are buying a non-German mic. To think anythuing different is foolish.
People buy used gear on eBay every day. People buy gear at bargain prices every day. I have seen auctions on the same pieces of gear, used go for as little as 20% of the retail price and as much as 90% of the retail price. Lots of factors can go into what those and prices end up being. Anyone representing some thing for sale on eBay or anywhere else has a responsibility to be truthful and accurate in their sale description. To do otherwise is to commit fraud. If they ship that product over state lines, that fraud becomes a federal crime, punishable with federal prison time. Hopefully, we shouldn’t expect that someone is committing fraud every time we get a decent deal on a piece of gear. That would be crazy. We already have 2.6 million people in prison in the United States. Hopefully we don’t need to add to that.
The silver screws on the microphone are a dead give away!!!. An original Matt Black TLM 103 has Matt Black screws as well.
Thanks so much for this. I just purchased a TLM103 from a local dealer in Malaysia. I checked mine against your check list and fortunately mine looks legit.
Where can I verify that mine is not a clone?
@@deig97 Follow the check list in this video or check with your nearest Neuman dealer.
Give thanks for the vid man! It actually did as you hoped it would as you stated in the end of it. Help someone identify a counterfeit neumann mic. It did exactly that, as I recently purchased one within the last week from eBay advertised as new "in the box", and being real of course for $925.00. The manual was scuffed and looked identical to the one you have in the vid. The sticker was on top of the box, the mic had no serial number, and the inside molding was different as you showed. I contacted the seller, and even though the transaction stated, "this seller doesn't except refunds", once I told them I knew it was fake and demanded a refund, and if not, threatened to go to eBay with it, they gave me the refund back immediately. Even before getting the fake mic back (that's how they really showed their hand). Truly appreciate your efforts and will share this vid around online to warn others.
I'm glad I was able to help you and that you were able to get your money back!
so did it arrive and did u return it
@@aaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Yup & Yupz!
Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video, will be weary of all of this before buying mine!
I'm glad it was some help, good luck on your Purchase!
@@necrotat2 7 Till thmaps.app.goo.gl/QqGnry3U6qe6Pbkj9ey drop yPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZou28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262 off4605 Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles,PJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZ28225 N 136th St, ScottsdalPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZPJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZP28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262JGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZe28225 N 136th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85262, AZ 85262PJGD3F33D2DXDPHYCP4PKD2CZ CA 91602
0 seconds ago
I’d consider reporting eBay to Neumann. I know they have very strict policies dealing with counterfeit products. It is a shame but I am glad you were more aware than most and caught the fake!
I bought a fake KM 105. i spoke with neumann and they are trying to stop this but they shut one company down in china then a new one pops up an ebay is not really helping then either I feel sorry for the neumann brand
Thanks for the heads up. Glad you are able to get your money back : D
I was going to buy one Chris but luckily saw your video and realised it's a fake!! Many thanks
I glad I was able to help!
Thank you! Very informative and eye-opening!
im curious on how this fake microphone would sound like.
Great Fun - too bad you did not feel comfortable opening it, but I appreciate your hesitation. Thanks for sharing your experience. TT
Dude thanks! With those details from boxing to inside will be difficult to tell if you haven’t seen the original one.
The XLR connector on a Neumann has a silver recessed flat bar on the flat part on the inside part
Original TLM-103 Studio Set haven’t a wood box. Only TLM-103 in wood box.
Sometimes with counterfeit sellers they give the refund and then dont give a address to send back the item because that gives there location to the police who you might have contacted. The loss of one product to save the rest of the operation from being found by police is usually the way.
Thanks for this buddy - also - you might want to check out your settings in either your recording or edit of the audio - because it sounds like you recorded in stereo and it is a pain to listen to with headphones on! respecfully. Have a good one.
just found a counterfeit listed on Sweetwater's used section and reported it. 850 was too low of a price. These things look really good. I wonder how they sound! haha.
lmfao the silver screws should be an instant giveaway
Thx for sharing
I bought a Apple device on eBay, then discovered it to be counterfeit. Received a full refund and then threw item away. What’s the seller going to do, he’s dealing in fraud. Never heard from him again.
Does it matter about the spacing of the complete words on the black strip? I bought a silver one with the same box
The easiest way to tell is that there won't be a serial number, and the wooden box won't have dovetailed joint construction.
@@necrotat2 the Neumann has a ser # but mines came with no wooden box just a silver mount and cardboard box... The spacing is what's concerning me. Going to a guitar center to compare the authentic showcase they have vs mine
good Video !!!
Accidentally bought one of these, opened it up but the circuitry looks right. Everything is the same as the schematic. So what gives? Is it a fake or not? I even took it to Guitar Center and ABed one with the serial on the ring and they sound exactly the same. Somebody help me out cuz I got a good deal on this thing and it sounds great
If it's a 103 and doesn't have a serial number it's not a real one. I'm not sure what the quality of the fake ones is, but they have been able to fool a lot of people, and even for a fake mic they're still almost $400 on Alibaba which is really price for Chinese made microphones so it's reasonable to assume they cloned the ckt as well as the look and packaging.
It’s only a problem, if it’s a problem for you. If you like the microphone, like the amount that you paid, and are OK with it being fake and being lied to, then I don’t see a problem. The problem for most people, would be that they are being defrauded. That they aren’t getting what they paid for. Someone might be buying this, expecting that they got a good deal, and that they could sell it at a profit. I do that with gear, on occasion. With it being a fake, it’s resell value is entirely spurious.
@@bennettshapiro7711 I ended up returning mine for the reasons you mentioned. Down the road I couldn't sell it. I ended up getting one from vintage king. Cost a bit more but it is what it is. Didn't even notice it didn't have a serial number until I saw this vid
Yeah. The fact that it is legal to make these clones in China is one thing, but when you buy them from Ali express you know it’s a clone, and that’s OK. They are very well-made, and they use surprisingly good parts and the original schematics - even their U87 AI is really good.
But if you are paying for something that you can’t resell honestly, it’s not a good situation obviously. And selling them knowingly while lying about what they are is just a sh*tty thing to do. But yeah. Very accurate clones in every way. If you want an inexpensive one that you can only resell at less than what you bought it for, go for it! Better than Warm Audio, I’ll tell you that right now!
(Just know there are other “clones” too, like a $70 U87 or $50 TLM 103 - those are obviously not the same and total garbage. The perfect clones are $255-350 for a 103 and $550-800 for a U87 AI, depending on Ali vendor and sales.
keep it buck, people are bugging. These mics sound phenomenal. News flash EVERYTHING is made in china. its all the same stuff. you buy this one so you can have the neumann in your studio when you want to inspire great recordings out of the artist. the sensitivity of the capacity is near identical. Telefunken and Antelope Audio are guilty too. all made in china. you can get a 200 dollar rode nt2a and compete with a u87 through the right signal chain.... choice is yours...i love my chinese mics
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
This is exactly why I don't buy used equipment.
They got me with one of these on Reverb. Sounds decent but definitely a fake. Thanks for making this video.
Dang, that sucks you got took on Reverb. I was kinda hoping it was just an Ebay scam.
what was the giveaway?
Are Amazon Neumanns reliable? An Amazon choice Tlm 102 sold by Amazon?
Wondering the same... They're selling the TLM 102 at around $444 USD...
Does this microphone have yo come with that wooden box.. A dealer is selling the tlm 103 studio set and it dorsnt come with this box though. Im so confused
No, it does not have to come with a wooden box. The studio set comes in a cardboard box, with the microphone on the left, and a shock mount on the right. It does not appear to include the hard mount or the wooden case.
I've just bought one of GAK for £887 i love it .I didn't realise I was buying a clone off Facebookt got it for £ 265
Where did u buy that mic what site if u don’t mind me asking
I bought it on Ebay.
I bought mine from Amazon, everything on there is 100% real, people buy off eBay thinking they're spending less money but in the long run the item is not real, I bought from eBay few times in the past & alot of clone items were fantastic tho, it's about quality if it works great it's all good,
Clone items equals counterfit. Even if they work perfectly, and use the exact same parts, clone and counterfit items use clone, counterfit, and recycled parts, so life expectancy is deminished, and the performance may not be within the original engineers specifcations. Plus you're paying to reward someone who is stealing designs and engineering from someone else that did the research and development. Even if clones sounded 100% the exact same as the original, they stole the design, and all of the creativity and trial and error to create said product. If you can't afford the original products, save up and support them by buying used, not counterfit.
Have you tried how it works? How is the sound quality?
I returned it and got my money refunded.
I have a question I was going buy one from someone and it have the same case but I do see a serial number on the bottom where the sticker of the mic is I was hesitated because of the box
Check the wooden box and make sure it has dovetail construction. It's also possible that the person purchased a replacement box for a real mic. I would ask if they would let you take the microphone to be verified before purchase.
@@necrotat2 the guy was going to let me take it home to see if I like it but I wasn't auntie sure because of the box but I saw the serial number on the bottom is there a way I can email you I can send you pictures of it and you could tell me what you think I really appreciate
@@Shawn_Keys I'm not confident I could ID a fake through email photos. I would hate to lead you wrong. If I was in your shoes I would ask to take the microphone to Guitar Center or some place similar that has a lot of experience with them.
@@necrotat2 Thank you So Much i was going to buy it but I change my mind about because it look just the same and the guy told be he gout it over overseas.Thank you for taking the time to help me.
The real box is a box joint; not a dovetail.
Thanks for the clarification! My mistake.
where are you ? near niagara falls ?
Virginia.
How do they sound?
i heard they are similar but the fake is quieter. but that's only rumors
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
lol almost bought a replica, thank you so much!!
EDIT: lmao you just saved my ass
I'm glad I could help!@@Champ593
Check the address on the pkg's label, Garmany instead of Germany. 😂
Yeah, you need to be careful of these imitations from slippery scammers. But I believe all Neumann products are an imitation of their former glory ever since they joined the Sennheiser group back in 1991.
were buy this?
I bought mine on Ebay, but they're up for sale all over. Aliexpress I think is the place all the scammers are buying them from originally.
Quisiera haber visto este video a tiempo 😞
¡Oh, no!
ya i came across a chinese youtube channel where he demoes chinese neumann knockoffs. they probably respect those knockoffs in china as a legit clone.
What does it sound like though?
Sorry, I was in a hurry to return it and get my money back so I never tried it out.
@OfficialElliscan you send me the seller?
more of the mic on ebay are fake
To late for some us can't return it
Dang, I'm sorry to hear that :(
This will absolutely destroy the used microphone market.
I hope not. I buy a lot of my Microphones second hand.
@@necrotat2 Historically, I have as well. But I have been burned now several times on cloned versions of mics. It’s becoming a serious issue.
@@bennettshapiro7711 Wow that's terrible. What microphone models did you get that were cloned? I try not to buy from Ebay anymore. Now I buy used gear from Reverb because they have a better return policy. I also try to research who I'm buying from if possible.
@@necrotat2 Shure Beta 57a, Sennheiser e935
@@bennettshapiro7711 Thanks for the heads up!
I’m a little mad that you are returning it to him. You are just giving him the chance to sell it to another victim. I understand that you need to get your money back, but there should be someway to be able to do that without giving him back this microphone.
It's all real, just not made at Neumann. Also lots of counterfeit guitars with name brands on them. Yes most are worth what you pay for them or more but very deceiving and criminal to misrepresent any product.
I agree that they are real microphones. They just aren’t real Neumann microphones. And as such, they don’t have the resale value of real Neumann microphones. A used TLM 103 may sell for $600-$800 or so. A clone of a TLM103 may sell for $100 or $150. The clone may not perform exactly like the Neumann. So, if the seller is misrepresenting what the item is, that’s fraud. And the seller should probably have to make restitution, and/or go to prison.
Its not real if its not made by Neumann and you sell it as a Neumann.
Who buys a genuine Neumann for genuine Neumann prices on ebay? If you buy a mics for a huge difference in price - you know you are buying a non-German mic. To think anythuing different is foolish.
People buy used gear on eBay every day. People buy gear at bargain prices every day. I have seen auctions on the same pieces of gear, used go for as little as 20% of the retail price and as much as 90% of the retail price. Lots of factors can go into what those and prices end up being. Anyone representing some thing for sale on eBay or anywhere else has a responsibility to be truthful and accurate in their sale description. To do otherwise is to commit fraud. If they ship that product over state lines, that fraud becomes a federal crime, punishable with federal prison time. Hopefully, we shouldn’t expect that someone is committing fraud every time we get a decent deal on a piece of gear. That would be crazy. We already have 2.6 million people in prison in the United States. Hopefully we don’t need to add to that.
Play it x2 speed. Get to the point man, you are super slow.
Yeah, sorry my bad, lol!
@@necrotat2 I might have been a little harsh there man. You really helped me with your video regardless. Thank you!
Why couldn't you play it double the speed instead of commenting lol. You know you can do that in YT.
Спасибо мужик
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