OK, Disease. Actually, Darrin has quite a bit of experience. Is he rude? Not really. There are some really rude people around here, and he's not one of them. If you want to learn anything around here (and there are some people around here who have forgotten more about recording than I will ever know), you need to lighten up a bit. Darrin is expressing his opinion, and it is not without merit. As I read what he is saying (and it isn't the first time he's expressed this opinion), he's saying that the Chinese don't just save money by paying their labor shit, but they also do it by cutting corners on components, build quality, quality control, and customer service. He's quite aware that AKG Perception series mics are made in China, and he would most likely advise anyone not to buy them. Shure mics are not made in China, for the record. They are made in the USA, except the cheapest ones, which are made in Mexico, and the quality control is done in the USA.
That's the part where I think Darrin is right. I can also tell you that when a piece of Behringer gear breaks, they are pretty useless on customer service. I find your statement about how you would rather get a piece of gear that is different from the mainstream, rather than the proven stuff that the other studios use to be flat confused. Personally, I own only one Chinese mic, and I don't use it, because I have better mics, made in the USA, Austria, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Latvia.. I do own several pieces of Behringer gear, and I guarantee it was all made in China. None of it is my front-line studio gear, it's mostly backup gear or just toys where I didn't want to shell out the big bucks.
Darrin is expressing an opinion which I share in many ways. No one can tell you what mics will sound good to you and get your job done. All we can do is recommend respected pieces of gear that are used in studios, including ours. That way, it is easier to re-sell if it doesn't work out for you, and because quality control is better, you don't have to worry about whether you got the one that sucks. I agree with you that Darrin's sweeping rejection of Behringer gear is not based on a comprehensive, piece-by-piece, examination of their gear, and is sometimes a little over the top. However, it *is* based on experience, his and others. And he's a long way from the biggest Behringer hater on this board, he's just the one that will take the time to actually tell you what he thinks, and take the time to type it.
In this case, although I'm not as black and white about it, my actions are the same. I wouldn't spend my money on a reverse engineered Chinese copy of a real valve mic, whether it be Behringer, T-Bone, Nady, or anything else. I'd probably get
an Audio-Technica AT4060, Rode NTK or K-2, and start saving up for a Lawson or a Brauner. Behringer gear isn't dirt cheap because they love you, and all those mean German engineers are price gouging you, and a Kia isn't a less expensive version of a Mercedes-Benz. And- all of that doesn't even address the fact that the profits from that Chinese mic don't go to feed the guy (kid) who made it. They go to pay for the nuclear-tipped missiles that are pointed at *you*. That's a whole different issue.
You two just got off on the wrong foot, because your attitudes rubbed each other the wrong way. Stick around, and you'll find that Darrin has some positive contributions to make. You will also have to accept that he is *never* going to advise anyone to buy a piece of Behringer gear, because he doesn't believe it's a good investment of your money.
Like I said, I'm a moderate. If I am going to buy a piece of Behringer gear, I'm going to check out its track record, and if I can afford it, I'll probably get the real thing of which it is a cheap copy.-Richie
