Most likely,the answer is- other. But here's my $.02 worth. First, many people will jump on both of them as junk just because they say "Behringer" on them, a company known for making ultra-cheap reverse engineered copies of other people's gear. I am a moderate on that score. I use some Behringer gear, and avoid other pieces like the plague. But this is a case where there are better pieces of gear at or near the same price. Given that you are new to this, and legitimately clueless, I'll contrast their design differences, and suggest some alternatives.
First, they are both studio condenser mics, which is not necessarily better than a dynamic mic,they just employ a different operating principle, like a gas engine and a diesel. They require power, called "phantom" power, to be delivered back up the mic cable. This requires an interface, mixer, or preamp that provides phantom power. This in usually, but not always, 48 volts, so there will be a switch that says "48v" or "phantom".
Next, in case you don't already know this, understand that real microphones, whether dynamics or condensers, are *not* compatible with the 1/8" "mic" jack on the sound card of a computer. So if that's your plan, understand that you will first need a preamplifier with analog to digital conversion, and digital output, usually by USB or firewire, or a specialized soundcard with the preamp and A-D conversion built in. They start at about $50, and can run up to thousands of dollars, depending on their quality and features.
Here are some entry-level examples:
dirt cheap:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=42882&Category=Audio_Interfaces
better:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=12031&Category=Audio_Interfaces
Note that if you are plugging the mic into a device, such as a mixer, that doesn't produce phantom power, but is meant to receive a mic (in other words, has a 3 pin XLR mic input), it is possible to get a device that just provides phantom power, such as :
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=8170&Category=Recording_Accessories
OK, that aside, these are condenser mics. What does that mean in the real world, when you get past the technobabble? They will tend to be more sensitive, and more detailed, than the handheld stage dynamic mics you are likely familiar with. Of course, there are also handheld stage condenser mics. In a studio, condenser mics are likely to pick up the fine details of sound, which can be a good thing on a delicate source, such as an acoustic guitar. This can also be a bad thing, as they tend to pick up reflections from a bad room, and ambient (background) noise. This is a very general statement, however. Some very good dynamics can have the same issues. Condensers are sometimes used on stage, especially for instuments, but you'd better have very sophisticated feedback control, and a sound guy who knows what he's doing.
Both dynamics and condensers are used for vocals, including big time studio recording. Mics are like shoes. They either fit, or they don't, and no one can tell you what vocal mics will work best for you until you actually use them. Both of the mics you have asked about are large diaphrgm mics, usually about 1". They are often used for vocals, and can work just fine on acoustic instruments as well. Many people favor small diaphragm mics (usually about 1/2") for acoustic instruments and as drum overheads, because the smaller, lighter diaphragm responds very quickly to "fast transients"- things that go from quiet to loud and back to quiet very quickly. Small diaphragms are rarely used for vocals (with some exceptions), as the lighter diaphragm is more susceptible to "popping", caused by aspirated consonants, like the letter "P", and can also be oversensitive, recording every mouth noise, and what you ate for lunch.
Mics also have different pickup, or "polar" patterns. The B-1 is a cardioid mic, and has a polar pattern shaped a little like a heart symbol. It picks up sound more from the front. and less from the sides and back. The C3 can be switched from cardioid to 2 other patterns, figure-of eight, and omnidirectional, or just omni. Figure 8 mics pick up mainly in 2 directions 180 degrees apart, and very little from the sides. This is good for 2 sources facing each other, such as 2 singers using the same mic, or when there is something you *don't* want to pickup, because they seriously reject input from the sides. This is common when you have one mic on a guitar and another for vocals, using both mics simultaneously, and you want to reduce "bleed", where the vocal mic is picking up the guitar, and vice versa. Figure 8 mics are also used with another cardioid mic in a combination called "mid-side" or MS stereo mic'ing, a more advanced application. Omni mics are useful for picking up a lot of stuff from a single point, such as a vocal ensemble or orchestra. Of course, they will also pick up the room, whatever it is like. Note that all directional mics produce "proximity effect". This means that when the source gets real close to them, the bass is boosted. Comedians, radio broadcasters, and singers use this as a tool, moving in and out of the proximity field, or flirting with it, to change the tone and emphasis of certain words or sounds. Modern beat-boxing is all about using proximity. Omnis are sometimes useful because they *don't* produce proximity effect. So for instance, an omni can be placed real close to an
acoustic guitar without producing unpleasant excessive bass boost, known as "boom".
OK, those are the basics, and there is quite a lot more in the sticky at the top of this thread, about diaphragm size and polar patterns. It was written by Mr. Harvey Gerst, a regular on this board, who has forgotten more about mics than I am ever likely to know.
Now that I have all that out of the way, you are looking at 2 cheap Chinese mics. They are $100 or less. Some condenser mics that look almost the same cost literally thousands of dollars. Why? Why does a Ferrari cost more than a Kia? They will both get you to work. If somebody asked me about buying their first car, I wouldn't suggest a Ferrari, or a Kia. I'd probably recommend a Honda Civic, a Toyota Corolla, etc. These are cars from respected manufacturers with a proven track record of performance and reliability, and proven customer service. They also don't cost that much more than a Kia. So you have asked about some cheap Chinese mics, and I will recommend *other* cheap Chinese mics.
First, for a basic cardioid mic- (note that although multi-patterns are cool, cardioid is what you'll use 95% of the time). I would recommend this:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=6458&Category=Microphones
or this:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=10142&Category=Microphones
or this:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=40688&Category=Microphones
For a multipattern mic, the only relatively inexpensive one I could recommend is this:
http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=7732&Category=Microphones
The CAD is not Chinese, but actually Canadian, and you can draw whatever conclusion you want from that. Sorry if I have told you stuff you already know, but I've been reading the questions of beginners long enough to sometimes anticipate the *other* stuff they don't know. For a starter, I'd probably just get a V67 or a B1 and never look back. I personally prefer the V67 on most vocals, and the B1 on acoustic guitar, but either one will work fine. Best of luck-Richie
