Beyer Mics?

[Flatpicker]

I was looking for prices on a couple of Beyer ribbons a few days ago and could not find anyone who sells them in the US. What's the deal with this, anyone know? (They could be out of business for all I know )

 

[Beezoboy]

They just aren't sold in the US except by Sweetwater and maybe a couple others, but their prices are high. Check ebay.

Beez

 

[chessparov]

There are a couple Beyer ribbons on e-bay right now.

Chris

 

[Giganova]

there are tons of German dealers who sell Beyer ribbons and ship them into the US. I'd be happy to assist you in translating if needed. I sometimes get German mics off the German Ebay site (mostly Neumann & Sennheiser coz they are way cheaper there) and get them shipped to my German friends who forward them to my address in the US. Saves a bunch of money (and import tax Let me know if I can help you.

 

[Flatpicker]

there are tons of German dealers who sell Beyer ribbons and ship them into the US. I'd be happy to assist you in translating if needed. I sometimes get German mics off the German Ebay site (mostly Neumann & Sennheiser coz they are way cheaper there) and get them shipped to my German friends who forward them to my address in the US. Saves a bunch of money (and import tax Let me know if I can help you.

Thanks, Giganova! That's extremely kind of you and I might take you up on that in a month or so.

I was interested in the M160 (couldn't find one on Ebay). If you get a chance to find the cost of having your friend ship one over, that'd be great! No hurry, though, just when ever it's convenient.

I wonder why only Sweetwater sells them here?

 

[Giganova]

just drop me an email or PM me if I can help you. Shipping them over is not expensive (maybe $20 for 3day FedEx). I also have a lot of friends travelling back and forth Germay<->US all the time who could just bring it with them. I am hopping over the Atlantic quite often myself coz I live both in the US and Germany.

 

[zer0sig]

giganova, any idea how the sennheiser 441s would go for in the countries' ebay setups you mention?

flatpicker, one word: lisencing. presumedly, beyer is quite happy offering their products at one controlled price through one dealer.

 

[Giganova]

zer0sig -- funny that you ask about the MD441. I just recently got one off the German Ebay site for $200 in absolutly mint condition with the original transparent mic clip and three different mic cables. There are other German web sites than Ebay, too, hardly anyone is aware off. I am regularly checking the local ads in online editions of the biggest Munich newspapers where a lot of folks from the German radio/tv stations are trading their used stuff (they almost exclusively use Sennheiser & Neumanns). I can check that for all of you in case you are interested.

 

[Giganova]

P.S.: I just checked the German version of Ebay: there are currently three 441's for under $150 ending in less than a day. My guess is that they will sell for around US-$200. Plz let me know if u r interested so I can monitor the auctions. I didn't find any Beyer ribbons on Ebay, though.

 

[Giganova]

... I was interested in the M160 (couldn't find one on Ebay)...

I just checked and it seems that the M160 retails for US-$395.- in Germany (converted from EUR) + s/h. That's siginificantly less than at sweetwaters.com ($595.97).

 

[mixmkr]

I've got a m160, that I hardly ever use, but then again, I can't bring myself to parting with it either. If someone said; "here's $400"...I might have to squirm a little...but would probably refuse. Not much use in selling decent equipment at this point in time for me.

It [typically of some ribbons] has a VERY low output. Additionally, it is kinda a "dark" sounding mic...if that means anything descriptively or not to you. If I had a pair, I know I would hang on to them indefinately for sure, but what I need is a really good QUIET preamp with some gain for the sucker ....something I'm not really up for shucking out the $$$ for at this point.

I just got this wild-assed banjo as of late, and I gotta shove this sucker up on that and see how it sounds. On paper, seems like it ought to be a perfect match.

 

[mixmkr]

you know...I haven't used or seen these guys in a long time, but the m500, and I believe there is a m260 were both kinda in the same ballpark but for a fair amount less, cashwize. The m500 may have been more a vocal mic... I don't really know. I remember sticking them on sax sections...but then we were running out of mics too at this particular studio. Shit, for all I know, we could have been blowing out the ribbons in these suckers, ...but they're supposed to be pretty tuff....like snare drum tuff. If someone knew more about these mics, I'd appreciate hearing more about them (as I am a nit-wit with the search engines)

 

[DJL]

Giganova, I want to tell you that I admire you for offering to help everyone... that's very kind and nice of you to do that for them.

 

[Giganova]

the thing is, DJL, that I learned SO much from this forum that the least thing I should do is help others with my limited experience/possibilities. I wish I had more to offer.

 

[DJL]

Everyone pretty much has something to offer, some more than others, but even the little things add up when we put them all together and we all learn from each other... and I think that's one of the things that makes this BBS so neat.

 

[Flatpicker]

I just checked and it seems that the M160 retails for US-$395.- in Germany (converted from EUR) + s/h. That's siginificantly less than at sweetwaters.com ($595.97).

Thanks a bunch! I'll pm you about that when the funds are in order.

 

[Flatpicker]

I just got this wild-assed banjo as of late, and I gotta shove this sucker up on that and see how it sounds. On paper, seems like it ought to be a perfect match.

That's primarily my goal - accurate instrument micing. Let me know how it works on the banjo!

 

[Flatpicker]

you know...I haven't used or seen these guys in a long time, but the m500, and I believe there is a m260 were both kinda in the same ballpark but for a fair amount less, cashwize. The m500 may have been more a vocal mic... I don't really know.

I'm wondering about these other Beyer mics too. I think the M500 is discontinued. Don't know about the M260. Anyone use them or compared them to the M160?

 

[Tomcat]

I was told by a Beyer rep that both the M260 and the M500 have been discontinued. He gave no reason about why.

Tom

 

[eeldip]

also be aware that their are two kinds of m260s... the "m260" and the "m260.80". the difference is pretty big, the ".80" version has a big bass roll off. otherwise both the m160 and the m260 are pretty flat.

the m500 is a vocal mic with a presence peak. never used one myself, but it is supposed to be really good for voice and certain instruments (i think people like it for high pitched acoustic instruments, or anything screechy).

the m160 is the most hi fi of the models. it sounds pretty close to a more higher priced ribbons, and is a great mic for a project studio... good vocal mic (there is some famous bowie song where he used one). great drum and guitar mic...

anyway, these beyer mics are a good way to get a ribbon mic without blowing a bunch of money. personally, i love them. i would rather have a coles or an aea... but i dont have the money. they have a very distinct sound that some people dont like. basically they make guitars sound very thick and they give drums a bit more shell sound, and are super smooth on the cymbals.