T-Bone microphones??

We do allow commercial links in signatures, but this is nothing to do with music and the near-identical multiple accounts is annoying too.

Band from the bored.
 
We do allow commercial links in signatures, but this is nothing to do with music and the near-identical multiple accounts is annoying too.

Band from the bored.

I know we do--but given how absolutely random the posts were (and in dead threads) and how absolutely random those commercial links were--this was clearly someone sprinkling the web with links for some cheap SEO attempt.
 
I know this is an old thread, but rather than start a new thread I thought I`d post expriences with these mics.

I recently purchased a second sc300 to use as in a pair as drum OH`s, a couple of their SM57 copies and their SCT2000 tube mic for vocals and acoustic guitar.

I recorded for the first time with the MB75s the other night.
I used a Shure SM58 and the MB75 for a guitar cab and you know what?

The T.bone sounded far better than the real thing.
The copy was crisper and clearer - the Shure seemed muddy in comparison.

The SC300`s are fantastic as close mic-ed OH`s - far better sounding than the generic small capsule condensors I had been using.

I have yet to use the SCT2000 in anger, but it is a thing of considerable quality.

I`ve bought a ton of stuff from Thomann.
I stopped for a while when the exchange rate was poor, but stuff is competitive again.
I have to say their delivery and customer service is excellent.

All in all, I`m happy with the t.bone gear - I own two of their PA amps as well.
Its cheap, functional, takes abuse and seems designed with the gigging musician in mind.


Most things are "made in China" these days - it doesnt have to mean they are rubbish.
 
Can't be bad.

Well- here we are in 2018 and the t.bone SC 1100 studio large diaphragm microphone is still available and selling.
I'll consider that a good endorsement and buy one.
 
Here we are in 2021. I´ve just been gifted a pair of the SC1100s and will test them out thoroughly.
My MicLockers got Antelope Edge, StellarX2, Rode NT-USB, NT1, Procaster, Podmic, M2, SM57, SM58, a couple china crackers and an old EV Broadcaster.
My Neumann BCM 904 was stolen while in repair, and I will most probably never see it again.

I preamp with a Presonus Studio Channel with a 1930 NOS Telefunken ECC83 ribbed Diamond as driver.
That baby needs a nifty half to an hour to fully warm up, but once it does it provides silky-smooth tube sound.
I override the compressor stage with a DBX 160.

So I would say I have a pretty usable home recording setup.
 
I've bought gear from Thomann for years now - they're totally reliable and all their products have a warranty for long enough to make you not worry. I know the sources they use in China and I've had mics from them direct - but I can buy from Thomann cheaper than direct! My experience is that any dodgy product that they have trouble with vanishes very quickly. I've just come across some T-Bone large condensers in two flight cases and they're great mics. Never had a duff one. They even sell 57 copies that are really hard to distinguish from Shures - apart from the T-bone label. They're just very good at seeking out foreign decent products and avoiding rubbish. Their Harley Benton guitars are the same - repeatable decent quality - but all Chinese.
 
I've bought gear from Thomann for years now - they're totally reliable and all their products have a warranty for long enough to make you not worry. I know the sources they use in China and I've had mics from them direct - but I can buy from Thomann cheaper than direct! My experience is that any dodgy product that they have trouble with vanishes very quickly. I've just come across some T-Bone large condensers in two flight cases and they're great mics. Never had a duff one. They even sell 57 copies that are really hard to distinguish from Shures - apart from the T-bone label. They're just very good at seeking out foreign decent products and avoiding rubbish. Their Harley Benton guitars are the same - repeatable decent quality - but all Chinese.
Absolutely, I´m a bit on the edge about Thomann though, because I have been a sponsored artist for Music Store International for years now, but generally their t.Bone series is just a tat better than the Fame products. On the other hand, I prefer Jack&Danny over Harley Benton.

Had a chance to take the SC1100 on a spin, it compares well with the Rode NT, although it´s a bit warmer and fuller, just as silent, not overly bright. Which is really astonishing knowing, that the mic was rumored to be too harsh and too heavy on the highs. It sounds really well with a low tenor voice, gives nice body to a Tenor-Uke when used to assist the pickup. On cardioid, it´s the tiniest bit weaker than the Stellar X², which is an amazing mid-budget microphone, and I might even skip ordering the Stellar X³ which would set me back another 400$. (with tax and customs).

Now compared to the Antelope Edge for 850$ it gets interesting. The Edge is in my opinion a sidegrade to the X² even at double the price, but it distinguishes itself in the mid-highs and adding a bit of shimmer that just isn´t there in the SC1100. Now comparing the Edge against the X² that difference does not hit you, at all. But if you got all three on an untreated channel at about the same levels, the SC1100 dulls out against the Edge, but not against the X² in a way, that you cannot hear between the other two mics. It definitely has to do with some kind of psychoacoustics, probably in the harmonics.

Lastly, I have to mention, I got the two SC1100 for free, from a friend, so it didn´t set me back a cent. But if I have to think.
  1. SC11000 currently going for 129€
    (Multipattern)
  2. Rode NT1a currently going for 169€
    (Single Pattern)
  3. Rode NT1 currently going for 209€
    (Single Pattern)
  4. Stellar X² currently going for 218€
    (Single Pattern)
  5. Rode NT2 currently going for 277€
    (Multipattern)
  6. Antelope Audio Edge Solo currently going for 719€
    (single Pattern)

All prices are Thomann and Amazon Germany.

It is
  • The only multi-pattern mic other than the NT2. At roughly 150€ cheaper.
  • Beating the NT1a and NT1 (At roughly 50€ cheaper -and- multi-pattern)
  • On par with the Stellar X² (less shimmer) (90€ cheaper -and- multi-pattern)
  • A bit weaker than the Antelope (roughly 600€ cheaper -and- multi-pattern)
So, on punch by punch basis, it is really selling its fur.

Is it the best Mic in my locker? Definitely not.
I love my Stellar X² and the ability of the Antelope to believably emulate certain Microphones.
Both are incredible tools, and the Stellar X² was a real head-turner when I brought it to the Recording Department of the Music Store International.
They just would not believe the value-for-money it brings to the table.

BUT

It is a multi-polar-pattern Microphone that can hold its own against many low to mid-budget competitors and doesn't have to hide from more professional mics like the Antelope. So its usability combined with a reliably decent sound makes it a good workhorse-microphone for everyday use. If you have the gear to maximize its performance, it may even work in more demanding scenarios due to its crazy low noise-floor.

Is it worth the calling price? Yes, 100% yes.

To add to the rumour mill:
My Friend at Musicstore told me, that they were offered the "Overstock" from sE/Feilo in the early 2000´s for rebranding but declined for unknown reasons. It´s not unreasonable to think that Thomann got the same offer. How much truth is in this? I don´t know but this whole sE/Feilo/T.Bone thing seems to have made quite the rounds.
 
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I was bringing in smallish quantities of a condenser - I really liked them and back when there were few cheap decent condensers, I had them with my own brand and sold I think just over 100 in nearly 4 years. They actually looked like a side fire SDC in the Shure style - but the body was grey polycarbinate, not metal - and the capsule was an SDC - so they looked big but had the SDC sound. People liked them. Then one day my sales suddenly stopped. Thomann had found the factory and that was that. hey also sold them for £20 less than I was selling them for. Bums!
 
I was bringing in smallish quantities of a condenser - I really liked them and back when there were few cheap decent condensers, I had them with my own brand and sold I think just over 100 in nearly 4 years. They actually looked like a side fire SDC in the Shure style - but the body was grey polycarbinate, not metal - and the capsule was an SDC - so they looked big but had the SDC sound. People liked them. Then one day my sales suddenly stopped. Thomann had found the factory and that was that. hey also sold them for £20 less than I was selling them for. Bums!
I´ve heard that story before. I´ve seen a similar process happen with other musical gear. In my vicinity there is a Cajon manufacturer who builts super high quality and high priced Cajons. They go by the name of "Tres Lados" which, as far as I remember simply means 3 guys. Now those 3 guys developed an accessory to Cajons called "Tac Tic" It was essentially a shaker, with heavy grain, and light grain, castanuelas, taps and cymbals all into one. I got one of 20 Prototypes. They were a real insider tool, and when you had one, you were "special". At some point SELA came across them, bought them out and started mass producing them.

I know I got my Proto for free, but they sold them for roughly 80-100 Bucks. Now you can order them for 39,- from Amazon.

If you wouldn´t mind, what type of SDC did you sell and do you have an example of the sound?
I am currently using a Rode M2 for stage, and love it. but I am always curious to see and know more ^^.
 
This is the one - and there are some audio samples.
Thomann

I've also just spotted some other stuff too - what looks like a copy of the Shure SM7B for less than a hundred quid!

EDIT - I imported these too - really nice condensers and rather heavy - they have a sort of rubberised outer coating. The Chinese supplier is called Yoga - now Thomann buy lots of their products their minimum order quantity has gone up from 25 when I was buying them to over a hundred - I can't tie up that sort of money on stock that makes Thomann's price give me such a tiny profit.
nice condenser
 
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Thank you!
A friend of mine does a lot of importing with things like electronics and vinyls for cars. He says that the right approach can really work out well for you, especially if you -work- with the stuff. Selling is usually not that good as profit margins are really not that scaleable, but he says, if you need the "right tools" you can get a lot of them much more affordably than EUDM.
 
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