Can anyone comment on the differences between the Studio Projects C1 and B3?

[Eurythmic]

Hello all,

After being out of things for a while due to financial difficulty, I have recently decided that I would like to get back into home recording. I record for my own amateur projects - nothing too big. I definitely want to improve on my old setup though, because I was just starting to find the limitations and become frustrated by them. I'm trying to keep the entire setup, hardware and software, under about $2000 total.

Anyway, I've budgeted around $200-300 for a microphone, and I'm thinking that I would like to give Studio Projects a shot after all the rave reviews I've read around here. The problem is that a few of their mics seem to be marketed similarly, and I'm not really sure what to get.

The mic will be used probably about 95% for vocals, so that's obviously the biggest priority.

Studio Projects' C1 and B3 both seem to be marketed as good all-around vocal mics and are right in the sweet spot of my price range. Is there anyone on the forum who has experience with both and can comment on the tonal differences between the two?

 

[Big Kenny]

If you are sold on Studio Projects call here: http://www.pmiaudio.com/

 

[Fab4ever]

I have used a C1 and own a B1. I've never heard a B3 nor have I used one. But the B3 is the multipattern version of the B1.

I would say the C1 is really more of a vocal mic, pretty colored, pretty bright. The B series is probably flatter and more versatile. The B3, with its three patterns, would be especially versatile and a steal at its price.

Which would do better for your voice? There's really no way of knowing without listening.

FWIW....

 

[mikey@thecave]

what type of music are your vocals on.????You might want a T#3

 

[DJL]

Hello all,

After being out of things for a while due to financial difficulty, I have recently decided that I would like to get back into home recording. I record for my own amateur projects - nothing too big. I definitely want to improve on my old setup though, because I was just starting to find the limitations and become frustrated by them. I'm trying to keep the entire setup, hardware and software, under about $2000 total.

Anyway, I've budgeted around $200-300 for a microphone, and I'm thinking that I would like to give Studio Projects a shot after all the rave reviews I've read around here. The problem is that a few of their mics seem to be marketed similarly, and I'm not really sure what to get.

The mic will be used probably about 95% for vocals, so that's obviously the biggest priority.

Studio Projects' C1 and B3 both seem to be marketed as good all-around vocal mics and are right in the sweet spot of my price range. Is there anyone on the forum who has experience with both and can comment on the tonal differences between the two?

While you're at it you may also want to checkout/audition the Marshall MXL V67G... it sounds similar to the more expensive Studio Projects/797 Audio C1 mic, but it's not quite as bright or harsh as the C1 IMO. Also the Marshall MXL V67G cost less (only about $99.95) that even cheaper than the Studio Projects/797 Audio B3 mic... where as the, Studio Projects/797 Audio C1 mic is $199.95 and their B3 mic is $159.95... but the Marshall MXL V67G is only $99.95.

Anyway, that's my opinion. The marketing team/distributors for Studio Projects and or their internet friends, who are very active on hr.com will most likely give you another opinion of their products. With that said... I wish you the best and good luck.

 

[baekgaard]

For vocals, either may work well -- depending on the exact vocals you record and your style of music. You really need to audition the mics to see how they fit.

The C1 is the more coloured and slightly brighter of the two, and if it fits your music style and vocal it may work well in that budget range. I am not too familiar with the B3, as I have only the B1, but as far as I know both are more "neutral", although still on the bright side. Some vocals sound nice through the B1 (and B3, I assume). Don't diss the B-series for vocals in favour of the C-series just because the latter is more "designed" for vocals.

In addition to the MXL V67 that Don (DJL) pointed you at, there is also the ADK Hamburg (or Vienna), which Dan (Dot) seems to favour now as a more versatile mic than the C1 (he used to recommend the C1). It is probably slightly more tamed than the C1.

Or possibly the CAD M179, which is even more neutral and not as bright as the SP mics you mention.

But you really need to listen to them!

Also have a look here for some ideas of how the mics are designed. Just remember that there is much more to the sound of the mic than this graph can depict:

http://studioforums.com/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/1526095781/m/6776029135


-- Per.

 

[kid klash]

I have used a C1 and own a B1. I've never heard a B3 nor have I used one. But the B3 is the multipattern version of the B1.

I would say the C1 is really more of a vocal mic, pretty colored, pretty bright. The B series is probably flatter and more versatile. The B3, with its three patterns, would be especially versatile and a steal at its price.

Which would do better for your voice? There's really no way of knowing without listening.

FWIW....

+1. I'd say that's spot-on.

 

[noisedude]

How do you like your voice now? Do you want it re-producing or enhancing? The consensus on the B series is that it's going to send you straight through without changing a great deal. The consensus on the C1 is obviously that is has a hyping and colouring sound which may or may not be what you're after. My feeling on listening to it is that I'd come back for it if I was doing female pop vocals, probably quite compressed. Also I reckon that for the right instrument and room it could be killer on acoustic and piano. If listening is not an option, you need to make a decision based on these kinds of thoughts.

There are also a tonne of cheaper dynamics you could think about for vocals - the Shure SM57 is obviously a way different sound to either of these mics (as in it has no top end), but you might get lucky with an old Unidyne III 545 model. Beyer appear to only make good mics, so they're worth a shot. And Richie has some older AKG 3xx series he likes.

 

[Eurythmic]

Thanks very much for all of the repsonses. So by "coloring" the sound, I'm gathering that the consensus seems to be that the C1 pushes the sound a little toward the brighter end of the tonal spectrum, or at least accentuates that portion of it. My voice can definitely stand some "enhancement" just like most people's, but I'm not sure if that's exactly what I'm looking for.

(If anyone really wants to dig, I have updated my profile with the address of my current website - gosh, it's been a long time since I've posted. Self-promotion is not the purpose of this thread, though.)

I do own a Shure SM57, and it's the only professional microphone that I have a great deal of experience with.

I'm not good at describing sounds verbally, but I would call my voice high-timbred and airy. My voice lacks the, I dunno, harmonics or overtones (or "thickness") that so many great singers have (although I like to think that I'm a slightly better singer than this description makes me sound).

I found that when I was recording myself with this mic, the result sounded very "distant", like the basic 80% of my vocal tone came through, but not the remaining 20% which actually makes me sound like myself and not a generic voice. Also, unless I exaggerated my vibrato, the mic didn't pick it up at all. I had the exact same problem when I recorded female friends.

My understanding is that the SM57 works best as a vocal mic when you are recording people who have louder or lower-timbred voices, and that seemed to me to be true because when I recorded male friends, all of them lower-voiced than myself, I was really happy with the results.

Knowing this, what would you suggest? I definitely want to capture the high-end harmonics of my voice, but I don't want to make it sound tinnier than it already is. ;-)

 

[noisedude]

I would think you'd want something that exploits your voice. I don't think the guy from Snow Patrol would be found using a 57. But you're going to have to really try to find something that suits. All the suggestions in this thread are worthwhile, and I think a condenser may well be the sensible route for you, but you have to make an informed decision if at all possible. I certainly wouldn't rule out the C1 for you, but you need to try it for yourself. My guess would be that the B1 or B3 route is not what you're after ... but as has been said, it's all guesswork til you get to hear for yourself.

 

[DJL]

Or possibly the CAD M179, which is even more neutral and not as bright as the SP mics you mention.

Eurythmic, I agree with Per... also checkout/audition the CAD M179. I use to own both the Studio Projects/797 Audio C1, and B3.... before I upgraded my mics.

By the way... please note noisedude's signature... "One of the things I like most about HR.com is reading what ordinary people with brains like you and I have experienced whilst making music, as opposed to reading what the trolls want us to about the products." noisedude is a PMI Audio Group forum moderator and is just doing what he does best... making noise. PMI Audio Group is the marketing team/distributors for Studio Projects. So pay no attention to noisedude... he's just making noise and trying to win brownie buttons.

PS... just the other day someone (I can't remember who) was trying to sell their C1 cheap... checkout the "Free Ads for Music / Recording Equipment" board... maybe he reposted it there.

Anyway... best wishes, have fun, and good luck with your mic search.

 

[noisedude]

I make no secrets about who I am. I'm a music teacher, a student and a recording enthusiast. My income comes from instrument teaching solely. My name is Nik Keefe, I live in Horsforth, Leeds, England, UK and my email address is noisedude@hotmail.com.

So I guess I'm fairly transparent. I'm looking forward to 'DJL' providing us with some details about himself, but the problem is that he can't as he's never made a recording in his life. Sadly he spends his time trolling this forum because it's the only one without appropriate moderation to remove him. When he starts an argument, he gets embarrassed and huffs off for a couple of days, before coming back and starting over. I don't know whether it's autism, downs syndrome, severe dyslexia or what, but it's sad all the same.

 

[tryptophan]

listen to me, i'm the smart one! ....don't listen to him, listen to me, I'M the smart one!! no way are you smarter than me! am too! nuh uh! i'm mysterious! yeah, well i'm transparent! shut up! no YOU shut up

 

[noisedude]

Hiya newbie. Thanks for the feedback. Get what you need from this website - but if you don't want to join in the arguments, just leave us to it!!

 

[mikey@thecave]

Brother i would consider a tube mic to give your voice another demension.When i got my T#3 i had to set aside my C#1 for back ground voices.I have been using T3 on lead vocaland C1 on backup nice combo

 

[mikey@thecave]

another thing--I have not EQ'ed either of these mics yet

 

[noisedude]

I was going to say T3, but it seemed out of his price range. Malcolm Toft played me some really good tracks off his studio demo reel done with T3s, unEQ'd through a Toft ATC-2. My own T3 will be heading into the post very shortly ... as soon as this month's pay clears into my current account, in fact.

 

[DJL]

Pay no attention to my little noisedude shadow... he just trying to make brownie points with the PMI Audio Group by trying to annoy me by mocking my signature... also, you might want to ask noisedude if he has any real hands on experance with equipment he recommends... because most of the time he is just repeating what he has read on the internet or basing everything on some MP3 file he heard. As usual, noisedude is just doing what he does best... making noise.

 

[DJL]

Thanks very much for all of the repsonses. So by "coloring" the sound, I'm gathering that the consensus seems to be that the C1 pushes the sound a little toward the brighter end of the tonal spectrum, or at least accentuates that portion of it. My voice can definitely stand some "enhancement" just like most people's, but I'm not sure if that's exactly what I'm looking for.

Yeah, the Studio Projects/797 Audio C1 mic is kind of a bright and sometimes harsh sounding mic... but if that's the sound you're looking for... you could save yourself a bunch of money by getting the Marshall MXL V67G instead.

 

[noisedude]

blah blah blah blah blah also, you might want to ask DJLif he has any real hands on experance with equipment he recommends... because most of the time he is just repeating what he has read on the internet or basing everything on some MP3 file he heard.

It would be ironic if you were to accuse me of copying your tactics, eh? If you had any credibility left I'd be worried.