How Does The Behringer B5 Pan Out?

[Vikki]

I noticed in a couple of threads that the sp c4 was perhaps very similar to the Behringer B5. Just as a matter of interest how does the behringer sound for acoustic guitar?
Vikki(uk)

[darrin_h2000]

Dont take my word for it...because I have no experience with the Behringer B5...but the other SDC by them I have has too high self noise....you may be happier throwing $30 more into the pile and get the Mxl603s.

[wilkee]

I would have to disagree about the noise they are much much quieter than the ECM8000's as far as I am concerned they are pretty quiet. I have had good results with the pair that I have.

On acoustic they are fine. If U live anywhere the west mids U can borrow mine and give them a go.

Tony

[Paj]

Vikki,

(1) Much quieter than the ECM8000 and the two capsules and pad-or-filter make it much more flexible. Self-noise is on par with an MXL603, 991, or a stock Octava MK012---and all of those are quite usable for guitar.

(2) The signal is not as hot as an MXL603 or C4---more like the levels of an MK012.

(3) I ended up having to return a defective one because the output was almost nonexistant. Out of curiosity, I normalized the ridiculously weak signal and it sounded good and compared well with my other functioning B5. I don't know what that tells me but I was surprised.

(4) I like the SP C4 and I don't really know if you can beat a matched stereo pair of dual capsule mics, mounts, and case for the price/performance. So far, I think the B5 overall sound is closer to the sound of a C4 than the MXL.

(5) To paraphrase the old real estate saw: "Placement, placement, placement."

Good luck,
Paj
8^)

[Richard Monroe]

I don't think very many people can give you much real experience with B5. It's fairly new, and there are very few people with enough real knowledge to give you a useful review who would buy a pair of bottom feeder mics that are a blatant ripoff of an honest mic designer's work. Yes, I don't doubt they sound somewhat similar to C-4's. They closely resemble them, and are manufactured by the same firm, 797 Audio. How similar they really are (or not) has been a subject of considerable speculation, with more allegations than facts. Personally, if I wanted mics like that, I'd buy some C-4's instead of supporting Chinese design thieves.-Richie

[wilkee]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

I don't think very many people can give you much real experience with B5. It's fairly new, and there are very few people with enough real knowledge to give you a useful review who would buy a pair of bottom feeder mics that are a blatant ripoff of an honest mic designer's work. Yes, I don't doubt they sound somewhat similar to C-4's. They closely resemble them, and are manufactured by the same firm, 797 Audio. How similar they really are (or not) has been a subject of considerable speculation, with more allegations than facts. Personally, if I wanted mics like that, I'd buy some C-4's instead of supporting Chinese design thieves.-Richie

If 20 years experience is not good enough for you then, Oh well why bother you are right a clever Yank beats a limey dim-wit every time.

I will just sulk and drink me warm beer.

And anyhow how come Harvey and others bought the "Bottom Feeder ECM8000" ?

[giles117]

Hey Rich I feel you. Here in the Motor City we have to combat the chinese cloning entire cars now. Not just parts. So much for all of our R&D and the State over there allowing them to just copy everything with no regard to patent laws and the like.

[christiaan]

I've used a pair of B5's along with a SP B3 on a tango quartet last February. They're decent to say the least. Self-noise is not an issue. But I'm still a newbie in the recording field so I don't feel qualified to rate them. They're the first and only sdc's that I've ever used.

[Richard Monroe]

Wilkee, you may have overinterpreted what I posted. It's not personal, but *one* does qualify as "very few". Most of the big time engineers simply don't use many mics that cheap. (except Harvey). As to the ECM8000's, although they may have some similarities to mics by T.H.E. and Earthworks, they are by no means in direct competition. I don't think the guy who is looking at Earthworks is going to switch to the Behringers to save a few (thousand) bucks. There is no doubt in my mind, though, that Behringer is trying to sell the B-5's to a guy who wants SP C-4's but wants to spend less money. That Behringer would do that does not surprise me. That 797 Audio would, does, a little. Why they would want to piss off Alan Hyatt, I have no idea, except that I'm sure it is measured in Yuan.
My point is that I have yet to read a comprehensive review of the B-5 anywhere, or a comparison against its logical competitors, which includes not just Studio Projects, but Audio-Technica, AKG, Oktava, Marshall Electronics, Rode, and others. From a purely practical viewpoint, it is almost impossible to buy anything in the U.S.A. that doesn't have Chinese components, and I own a couple of items made partly or completely in China. I am also aware that those dollars pay for nuclear tipped missles that are pointed at *me*.-Richie

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

Most of the big time engineers simply don't use many mics that cheap. (except Harvey). As to the ECM8000's, although they may have some similarities to mics by T.H.E. and Earthworks, they are by no means in direct competition. I don't think the guy who is looking at Earthworks is going to switch to the Behringers to save a few (thousand) bucks.
-Richie

Absolutely true. The only reason I brought up the Behringer ECM8000's in the first place is because most people here were only thinking in terms of "what's the best LDC under $XXX?" terms. There were very few people who had even heard an omni and the price had just been cut drastically to around $35 (street price).

As many people found out, like any other mic, it's great on some stuff and terrible on other stuff, but it's a whole new way to think about how to mic something, and anything that makes people think about what they're doing is a good thing. At $70 a pair, it's a great tool to keep in your arsenal.

[wilkee]

Er Excuse me guys, "Homerecording.com" Its in the name.

If I was a full time Pro I would be NOT be using Berry gear but for the majority of uses that I put them too they are fine. I use my ears to determine good from bad not my bank balance or Gear-snobbery.

As a matter of interest I have just changed my 3 main stage vocal mics to Senn E865's because these will do the job better, price was not an issue.

[wilkee]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

Wilkee, you may have overinterpreted what I posted.

Ignoring politics (which you or I can do "F-ck All" about anyway) writing down ones own opinions as per the rights and wrongs of a companies ethics was not going to help Vikki to choose a mic.

I offered her the loan of my pair of B'5s so that she could make her own mind up without having to put up with the mindless dross that eminates on this forum whenever Behringer is mentioned.

We had better get used to China, within 10 years they will be battling with USA as a world power.

[Paj]

Vikki,

While I also await some professional reviews on the B5 mic, I have 'em (and at least one pair each of the other mics I mentioned) and I was happy to share my limited, but hands-on, impressions of the B5 with you.

Paj
8^)

[DJL]

Originally Posted by wilkee

We had better get used to China, within 10 years they will be battling with USA as a world power.

With missiles made from the money that USA spends on China made products.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

posted. "....There is no doubt in my mind, though, that Behringer is trying to sell the B-5's to a guy who wants SP C-4's but wants to spend less money. That Behringer would do that does not surprise me. That 797 Audio would, does, a little. Why they would want to piss off Alan Hyattat..." Richie

I think there is much misinformation about how 797 works. Alan Hyatt is not a standard to be measured here. No one "stole" anything from him. The manufacturing plant known as 797 made mics waaay before Alan even thought about it. The main mic bodies are made with tooling. Anyone can walk into 797 and choose any mic body they want to build a mic. To design tooling to build a entirely proprietary mic from scratch would cost more than $100,000. Our company has designed a product that will be released next month. The tooling *alone* for a single *cable clamp* is $20,000. This is a small example of tooling costs. The cast body alone (top and bottom cover) is over $50,000.

Studio Projects started by using "boiler plate" designs and modifying the electronics and very minor cosmetics. People here seem to think that SP is the originator of all the designs when I would bet a small fortune it is the other way around. Behringer stole nothing. There are dozens of companies making mics from 797 using the same exact tooling. I am not slagging SP in any way at all. But, too many people who don't understand manufacturing and the realted costs are too quick to make an assumtion thay SP is the standard and any "look-a-likes" have stolen designs from SP. Behringer has only filled the market, like SP, like 10 others. The market is flooded with "C4/B5/Etc." mics.

[cominginsecond]

Originally Posted by DJL

With missiles made from the money that USA spends on China made products.

I'm pretty sure they'd have those missiles whether or not we bought anything from them.

[DJL]

Originally Posted by cominginsecond

I'm pretty sure they'd have those missiles whether or not we bought anything from them.

Yeah, they have them and keep making more... it's almost like a hobby.

Anyway... Vikki, I have a pair of Behringer B5's and although I haven't tried them on enough sound sources to post a reivew I think they sound pretty good and are worth the money.

[wilkee]

Originally Posted by acorec

I think there is much misinformation about how 797 works. .Behringer has only filled the market, like SP, like 10 others. The market is flooded with "C4/B5/Etc." mics.

Thank you acorec you put it way better than I could.

[DJL]

Originally Posted by acorec

The market is flooded with "C4/B5/Etc." mics.

???????????????????

Besisdes the Studio Projects C4 and Behringer B5... who else is making a C4/B5?

Thanks,
Don

[imissthewar]

how similar is the Rode NT5?

[MISTERQCUE]

Originally Posted by acorec

Behringer stole nothing. There are dozens of companies making mics from 797 using the same exact tooling. I am not slagging SP in any way at all. But, too many people who don't understand manufacturing and the realted costs are too quick to make an assumtion thay SP is the standard and any "look-a-likes" have stolen designs from SP. Behringer has only filled the market, like SP, like 10 others. The market is flooded with "C4/B5/Etc." mics.

As usual acorec, you have lost your mind again!!

Behringer stole nothing!!?? Better re-think that last phrase b-4 I post 2 particular links disputing what you have just posted...........

[acorec]

Originally Posted by MISTERQCUE

As usual acorec, you have lost your mind again!!

Behringer stole nothing!!?? Better re-think that last phrase b-4 I post 2 particular links disputing what you have just posted...........

Sorry, MrQ, I meant Behringer stole nothing when it comes to 797 mic design. I KNOW they *liberated* (possibly unknowingly) other well known designs.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by DJL

???????????????????

Besisdes the Studio Projects C4 and Behringer B5... who else is making a C4/B5?

Thanks,
Don

I have to look again (ADK omes to mind), but there are a number of even sub-behringer companies making the same kind of mic.

[ausrock]

Out of idle curiousity, does anyone know whether 797 (or for that matter any other Asian manufacturer) was making the C4/B5 style mic with the switching and capsule option, PRIOR to the C4 being released?

[DJL]

Originally Posted by ausrock

Out of idle curiousity, does anyone know whether 797 (or for that matter any other Asian manufacturer) was making the C4/B5 style mic with the switching and capsule option, PRIOR to the C4 being released?

IMO, almost everyone barrows something... but, it has been my understanding Brent Casey designed the Studio Projects C4 and 797 Audio in China is making the C4's to Brent's spectificanions for PMI Audio Group. 797 Audio also makes the B5 for Behringer.

Anyway... IMO, you should be asking over on the PMI Audio Group forum instead of this bbs.