Behringer B2 - a "poor man's" U-87?

Tyler: I have had an SP C-1 for a while and really like it. I also have an Oktava 319 and a Rode NTK. I like them all and they are all so different. The deal w/me is that I use these to record my trumpet in a Jazz quartet/quintet setting, and as you may realize, these are more "vocal-type" mics. although, I bought a Beyer M-260 (ribbon) for the trumpet, but after extensive trial, I really prefer the condensers.....what do you think would really excel on trumpet? Perhaps a Neuman 193? any others?

I heard that Lynn Fuston was very happy w/the new AT 4040 and was going to test it on horns.....????
 
Actually the B2 is a poor man's Rode NT2. Well, probably not even a poor man's. It is rumored to be the same mic, so if you consider the NT2 a poor man's U87, which I don't believe to be the case, then so would the B2.

How do you like the Oktava 319, by the way, Claude? I have heard people say it is "dark" sounding. Do you find that to be the case?
 
Shure KSM32 works very well for brass in the live situation. I still haven't tried recording it, but i like the way it sounds live. At 500 bucks its not bad either.

It's an embossed diaphragm condensor instead of a large diaphragm, so it sounds a little different than the ksm27 and ksm 44's.
 
Claude G said:
I bought a Beyer M-260 (ribbon) for the trumpet, but after extensive trial, I really prefer the condensers.....what do you think would really excel on trumpet? Perhaps a Neuman 193? any others?
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The TLM193 is a decent mic, but has no pad. That would make it a questionable choice for a lot of trumpet players that I know.
 
Thanks all for your input. I'll address your queries/thoughts: Chess - I like the 319. I have used it for male vocals and my trumpet. It is "darker" than the other condensers I have, but I have heard that that is because it doesn't have the "typical high-end bump" that others have?? I plug it to my Grace Design 101, to an Audioarts 1200 compressor and thru the Speck EQ; that way, I can alter the mid-highs a bit. It sound good to me (just not GREAT...). Tyler - I have heard much abouth the KSMs, maybe I'll try one, but I'm a bit shy about it because I heard great things about the Bayer M-260, I bought it and I'm not sure I like it...sounds way "duller" than the 319! Little Dog - I can probably get away w/no pad on the mic since the Audioarts 1200 has both input/output volumes. I LOVE my audioarts...it is worlds better IN MY OPINION that the RNC.. which I gave away to someone..way too "clinical sounding."
 
Claude, you know you can have that Beyer re-ribboned by Steven Sank. His dad designed a lot of the RCA ribbon mics and now he restores them and re-ribbons other makes with new-old stock RCA 77 ribbon material, essentially turning that Beyer into something VERY simaler to a RCA 77DX.
http://www.thuntek.net/~bk11/home.htm
Not sure I understand your comment on the RNC. If by clinical you mean invisable, I'd agree but that's exactly what I like about it. When I want color from compression, I reach for something else for sure.
 
Claude G said:
Little Dog - I can probably get away w/no pad on the mic since the Audioarts 1200 has both input/output volumes. I LOVE my audioarts...it is worlds better IN MY OPINION that the RNC.. which I gave away to someone..way too "clinical sounding."
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Usually the mic pad is to keep from over driving the preamp, or even the mic itself. By time the signal gets to the compressor, it's too late to do anything about that. But if your set-up is working, then don't worry about it. I probably just get a lot of the heavy-lung trumpeters compared to you.
 
tyler657recpro said:

It's an embossed diaphragm condensor instead of a large diaphragm, so it sounds a little different than the ksm27 and ksm 44's.
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Hey T:

I actually own a KSM32 and never heard that phrase before. Of course I probably never read the manual either. (You mean you're actually supposed to read those things before tossing them?)

So help me out here - what is an embossed diaphagm? I remember that the KSM32, despite it's looks, was not a true large diaphragm. But I thought that was merely a matter of diameter. Help me out here?
 
tyler657recpro said:
It's an embossed diaphragm condensor instead of a large diaphragm, so it sounds a little different than the ksm27 and ksm 44's.
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Uh oh. What's happening to Tyler?

He kind of sounds like he has a clue sometimes, doesn't he?

Look out (this means you, BB).

What's an embossed diaphragm, Tyler (Wow, dude, I'm asking him a serious question)? And where does it fin in, . . . in the food-chain of condenser sizes?
 
The embossing process creates a 3-dimensional texture and increases the overall surface area of the mylar diaphram. It gives the KSM32 a bigger bass.
 
Ok well, technically I guess it is a large diaphragm mic, because large diaphragm means the diaphragm is at least as big is the highest wavelength that is supposed to reproduce. At 20khz, the wavelength is usually around 0.68 inches. So if a diaphragm is bigger than 0.68 inches, it IS large.

The Shure KSM32/sl has a 0.75 inch diaphragm, which technically is large, though would not normally be considered large diaphragm, and would fit mroe into the small diaphragm category. Then, they "embossed" a pattern into the diaphragm, which would help give it some of the characteristics of larger diaphragm mics, in addition to the flatter, and higher frequency frequency response of the smaller diaphragm.

-Tyler
 
Is the embossing in a pattern or a consistant thickness?? I've used a KSM32 before and did notice the bass response. It's a great mic. I didn't know it was only .75 or whatever... but I did notice it didn't sound like a large diaphragm or a small... make mine a medium I guess....

How hard would it be to shave down a 1" to .75? hmmm... I might have to experiment on a cheap Nady or CAD GXL...
 
"the embossing process causes tiny raised diamond patterns" (from the Shure website)

I have no idea if it's a constant pattern.
 
Wide Awake said:
"the embossing process causes tiny raised diamond patterns" (from the Shure website)

I have no idea if it's a constant pattern.
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I wonder if the shape effects sound? Hmm... I wonder if placement effects sound? I guess at $499, nobody's gonna shave one down for me to test it out, eh?:eek:
 
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