About to buy a Samson co1..any good?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BrettMckinney
  • Start date Start date
B

BrettMckinney

New member
Hi, im looking at getting this condenser mic so i was wondering if anyone had some feedback on it? I've just bought a mixer with pre-amp and phantom power and using a Shure BG 2.1 and its not real flash for micing up my acoustic or for vocals. I can get this Samson c01 for a good price and it looks real nice, i dont have too much cash to spend so if its not too bad i'll grab it.

Just wanted to check here incase someone says 'steer clear of this one!' and then i get annoyed when its too late!

Cheers
 
I don't know anything about Samson mics, but I just bought a Studio Projects B3 that I'm very happy with. So far, I've used it for acoustic guitar and vocals.

If the B3 is over your budget, then take a look at the Studio Projects B1. The B3 is around $160, the B1 is about $80. I don't have a B1, but I think the main difference between the two is the B3 has omni, cardioid, and figure 8 patterns while the B1 is cardioid.
 
I couldn't get the CO1 to sit in a mix so I took it back and picked up a Marshall V67G. In that price range it turned out to be a much more versatile mic.
 
Thanks for your help. I live in australia in a small town and dont have too many mics to choose from and i know its not a super dopper mic, but compared to my SHure BG 2.1, the CO1 would have to crap all over it wouldnt it? I'll definately bring it home and give it a try, but for micing up acoustic and for vocals im sure it'll make a huge difference. I read some good reviews on this mic, mostly good about its price i guess, but would rather hear what you guys have to say about it. So either of those mics are about the same range hey?
 
Hey, buy the CO1. If it's your first condenser, you'll love it. It has a 19mm 3 micron diaphragm so is a good compromise for voice and instrument. It has a hypercardioid patten, which will help reject extraneous noises. And it has a green LED on the front, which tells you both which side to record into, and that the phantom power is on. Have fun.
 
Cool! You've got me pumped for it now. Its also kinda frightening coz i've done about 8 songs with just the Shure BG 2.1 plugged into the mic-in on my sound card and i just bought an ALTO 6 channel mixer with pre-amps, so when i get the C01 it'll be a whole new experience. Also looking for a better sound card, very hard to find(im in australia) but hoping to find an Audiophile 2496..heard good things. I'm aware all this stuff is pretty budget, but has to tons better than what i was using before hand!
 
Brett,
In some ways, the C01 will "crap all over" your BG2.1. But...
Even in magazines, (which tend to review the products submitted by advertisers in light of their advertising...) the main recommendation for this mic has been -"well, you can say this for it - it's cheap", or "mics like this used to cost a lot more" or "well, if the drummer whacks it really hard and it dies, at least you won't have to get a second mortgage to replace it". This should tell you something! It may be better than the BG at some things (acoustic guitar and detailed sounding vocals come to mind), but it probably won't be great. There are other mics out there at near this price which you will want to keep and will continue to use whatever you go on to upgrade to. The C01 lists for $199AU. For $60 more, you have the list price of the Studio Projects B1, which by all accounts is a hell of a lot more of a mic - just look at the other threads in the mic forum at the moment.

If you just want a condensor for cheap, you could buy it. But if you want a keeper, I think the B1 is likely to fit the bill better for not much more cash.

I know this is obvious, but don't forget that both need phantom power, and you need to budget for something to supply that too if your recorder doesn't.

Steve
 
Hey steve, yeah the mixer i just got has phantom power as i was aware i'd need it. THe main reason i was looking at the Samson was that i just got shown it in my local store and i could have for $165 and looks a heck of a lot better than my BG2.1 so i thought why not? Now i dont have a huge budget as i just got a mixer and will be up for a new soundcard soon too. Thanks heaps for you input though, i will definately look into the Studio Projects B1 though. Do you know of any Aussie online retailers? I dont have much to choose from in my town.
Also, whats the go with the spider shock mount or whatever it is?..whats the use for it?
 
Brett,
Great - you've go phantom sorted out, so that's a start. I'm from NZ, and read the Aussie mag Audio Technology - I'm at work so don't have a copy with me, but if you can get your hands on it, it's a great resource, and has addresses (and ads) for a number of Aussie online stores.

Aussie online stores I know of... Hmmm

www.musiclab.net.au - list B1 for $259
www.musiclab.com.au
www.derringers.com.au
www.melmusic.com.au

Other Aussies here (ausrock and co) will be more help than I am most likely about the best places to buy. Don't discount buying from overseas also - I recently got a pair of MXL603 small diaphragm condensors for around $300 Au with cables and shipping included, and the lowest Australian price I've seen is $269 Au a piece!!!

The shock-mount is a good idea, but is not essential. It reduces pickup of low freq noise transmitted via vibrations of the stand py isolating the mic from the stand. Important if you stomp your feet a lot while singing etc!!! But not essential

Steve
 
Sweet, thanks heaps for that. The shock mount might be a good option actually!...my mic at the moment picks up vibration from my computer...a nice humm..and fan noise! I'll have to do some moving i think :) Does the B1 need phantom power too? Im guessing all condensers do?..i've never played with one so im a bit naive. I need to find a new soundcard i think, before i get the mic though..i'm thinking i blew the line-in on it...im getting heaps of distortion and theres hardly any volume :( I'll keep playing round. Ah..better start my shopping!
 
OK, Brett.
A few things to think about here. The BG 2.1 is a dynamic mic, and thus has much lower sensitivity (ie. picks up less detail and ambient noise) than a condensor like the C01 or B1. So your fan noise will only get worse with a condensor.

B1 does need phantom power, but not all condensors do. Some run on batteries instead (examples include AKGc1000, rode NT3 (can run on either) and MXL1006BP. Others do need phantom.

I'd suggest reading "the big thread" (permanently at the top of the mic forum) for more info on this type of thing. Dauntingly huge, but worth the read.

What soundcard are you using? What about other gear, and software? The distortion you're getting may be a blown line in, or your signal may be too hot for it, or it may just not be a decent soundcard. Is it a Soundblaster type? If so, needs an upgrade for decent music-making. Soundcard recommendations are hard to make as I have little experience with them, but the Audiophile 2496 by m-audio is popular (2 in 2 out, 1 midi in and out). musiclab.com.au had them for $399Au recently.

Good luck anyway,
Steve
 
Ok, im using a Soundblaster Audigy(yes crap) and just got a mixer. So i got 2 phono jacks going from the main mix outputs to the line-in on the soundcard..the plug is a stereo 3.5mm. I turned up the windows volume on the line-in. Now i set the channel gain to 0 and the main mix to 0 and adjusted the trim so that it comes through clearly. If i plug my headphones in the mixer jack now it sounds very nice..clear and low noise. Now if i plug my headphones into my soundcard headphones jack, and then sing through the mic, it sounds much lower in volume but seems to distort, the signal i read in Sonar is almost reaching reds, but isnt even showing up on the mixer.

SO then i tried puting 2 rca outs to the mic-in on the sound card using a 3.5mm mono and listened. THe volume was as loud now as it sounds when i put the headphones through the mixer. It has me confused coz i know i should be using the Line-in! THe mic-in gives more noise though too. A long time ago i pluged my amp to the line-in from its output..didnt like the sound so i stopped..maybe i blew it? Also, i dont have speakers..do all my recording and mixing on a good set of headphones, so should i leave my headphones in the soundcard, or plug the line-out of my sound card back to the mixer and then put my headphones in the mixer?

Thanks for all your help Steve, I feel hindered from being able to record.
 
I don't think the Audigy is crap, but the audiophile is likely to be a step up from my reading. But it should be servicable for starting out.

As I said, soundcards and computer stuff is not my forte, so I'm not sure what to advise about your hookup woes (maybe try the computers and music forum). BUt I do know that not all headphone amps are created equal... Have you considered running the mixer's direct or insert outs to the soundcard line ins, and then running the soundcard outs back into the mixer, and monitoring via the mixer's headphone amp? That's what I do with my roland VS840, cause its headphone amp sucks ass! Just be careful you don't set up a feedback loop doing this!

I have to head off now (home time!!!) so I won't be able to check the forum until tomorrow. Any more questions and I'll try to help then.

Steve

P.S. what's your mixer?
P.P.S. what style of music, what are you micing and what other gear do you have???
 
HahHA! I have done some damage to my Audigy!...i just set up my mixer and mic on my friends computer. I put the mains from the mixer to his Line-in and put my headphones in the soundcard and it was fine!...everything sounded as clear and loud as it does when i have the headphones in the mixer. So this means my line-in jack is stuffed :( Bugger it. Oh Well, atleast i know it not the new mixer. Which as a ALTO by the way, its just a basic 6 channel,3 band eq on each, pre-amp and phantom power. Definately makes a difference to my mic, which was just in the mic jack on the soundcard.

I've been recording my Seagul Acoustic like that and micing up my amp, which is a Hughs and Ketner Triplex. I have a Gibson Les Paul Standard..not very original but i wanted one since i can remember. The amp is great, very good sounds for my style i guess. I've been a guitarist for about 12 years and try to sing :) coz i only play originals and they would be boring without vocals. I guess i mainly play the acoustic as i love the sounds and i can do more intrumental kinda stuff. The songs i've recorded are very different to when i write them. THey all start out on just the acoustic, but then i do a fruity loops track and just keep adding..anything to take attention away from vocals..which im hoping a new mic..and this mixer should help!

I guess my main style is kinda like a mix between blues,rock and alternative. I learnt to play all styles as a guiarist and they all come together. Some of the stuff i've done is like everlast, acoustic with beats..some like moby..piano and strings. No 2 are alike. I'd be happy to send you some mp3's if you want a listen.

So how about you!
 
Good that you know what the trouble is now, bad that you have to replace the card.

I have to say, if you're recording anything on acoustic, pretty much and condensor is going to be an improvement over your current mic. But you should still buy the best you can afford, (ie. I'd still recommed the B1) otherwise it's false economy 'cause you'll want to upgrade it sooner or later, rather than bring able to spend that cash on another needed piece of gear.

The Alto stuff seems to be a ripoff of behringer. I haven't tried any of it, but it should be good enough for what you need. I have a small mackie which I use for the pre's into my VS840.

My style is kind-of guitar pop-rock, but I am in the middle of producing and engineering an album of stuff from a bunch of people from my church, and the syles range from soft jazz to piano ballads to Ray Charles soul to Soundgarden-style rock. So pretty diverse. My main gear is SP C1/NT1/MXL 603's/SM57 into mackie into VS840 (digital 8-track). I have numerous guitars, all relatively cheap, main ones are Ibanez RG570, home-made tele with duncans and Yairi acoustic. Washburn status-designed bass.
Music is for fun for me. I'm not good enough and don't have the time for it to be otherwise.

Anyway, back to the subject of this forum - mics. I seriously think that after you replace your soundcard, a B1 is likely to do you better than a C01. If you want to save some cash, you could try ordering from the US. US $79 plus about $30US for shipping (which is what the MXL 603's cost me) =$109US, = about $200Aus, ie cheaper than the Aussie shops are advertising. The other thing you could try is hitting the stores with this fact, and threaten to buy via ebay etc, and see if they'll price-match. After you get the B1, the next thing I'd recommend is a hardware compressor (eg. FMR RNC), then maybe some monitors. I know they cost a lot, but mixing on headphones can give you real problems in the bass region (there's some major-league physics involved in that which I can't remember offhand. This is an expensive hobby!!!

If you wanna know more, please feel free to PM me, as I'm sure the others on the board are getting a wee bit tired of our little personal conversation here!!!

Steve
underwateruniversity@hotmail.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top