How Does The Behringer B5 Pan Out?

[MISTERQCUE]

Behringer stole nothing. There are dozens of companies making mics from 797 using the same exact tooling. I am not slagging SP in any way at all. But, too many people who don't understand manufacturing and the realted costs are too quick to make an assumtion thay SP is the standard and any "look-a-likes" have stolen designs from SP. Behringer has only filled the market, like SP, like 10 others. The market is flooded with "C4/B5/Etc." mics.

As usual acorec, you have lost your mind again!!

Behringer stole nothing!!?? Better re-think that last phrase b-4 I post 2 particular links disputing what you have just posted...........

 

[acorec]

As usual acorec, you have lost your mind again!!

Behringer stole nothing!!?? Better re-think that last phrase b-4 I post 2 particular links disputing what you have just posted...........

Sorry, MrQ, I meant Behringer stole nothing when it comes to 797 mic design. I KNOW they *liberated* (possibly unknowingly) other well known designs.

 

[acorec]

???????????????????

Besisdes the Studio Projects C4 and Behringer B5... who else is making a C4/B5?

Thanks,
Don

I have to look again (ADK omes to mind), but there are a number of even sub-behringer companies making the same kind of mic.

 

[ausrock]

Out of idle curiousity, does anyone know whether 797 (or for that matter any other Asian manufacturer) was making the C4/B5 style mic with the switching and capsule option, PRIOR to the C4 being released?

 

[DJL]

Out of idle curiousity, does anyone know whether 797 (or for that matter any other Asian manufacturer) was making the C4/B5 style mic with the switching and capsule option, PRIOR to the C4 being released?

IMO, almost everyone barrows something... but, it has been my understanding Brent Casey designed the Studio Projects C4 and 797 Audio in China is making the C4's to Brent's spectificanions for PMI Audio Group. 797 Audio also makes the B5 for Behringer.

Anyway... IMO, you should be asking over on the PMI Audio Group forum instead of this bbs.

 

[DJL]

how similar is the Rode NT5?

The Rode NT5's are nice... but they are not simlar to the C4/B5... for example, both the C4 and B5 have a pad/roll-off switch and interchangeable capsules.

 

[alanhyatt]

Out of idle curiousity, does anyone know whether 797 (or for that matter any other Asian manufacturer) was making the C4/B5 style mic with the switching and capsule option, PRIOR to the C4 being released?

Well, 797 Audio was not making a mic like the C4. They had a mic called the CR1 which was an SD mic, but no switch and the capsule was funky. I started the design and the look of the C4, and then Brent was hired. When he came on board, it became his baby, but the body, switch, dual capsule idea had already been designed and speced by me personally, then Brent worked the electronics.

Acorec made a comment, which was Studio Projects started by using "boiler plate" designs and modifying the electronics and very minor cosmetics.

To set the record straight, he is not correct. The SP body, headstock, top plate, and switch position was designed by me. There was no body style at 797 Audio, Feilo or any other factory that used my shape, size and look. I know, I visitied them all. The SP design was all done fresh, and then tooled up as acorec says.

I have the original 797 catalogs from 1999 and am happy to let anyone look at them. Our mics are not boiler plate.... That was the premise behind SP...We were not just another stamped out mic from China with some brand name on them. That is what set us apart. Now Harvey may disagree, but Brent Casey used to work with Marshall, and Brent can tell you what he did for them.

When SP started, no other US microphone company was doing modifications to the Chinese mics. Brent got Marshall to use a better transformer, but that was about all. Brent is free to chime in. SP designs were fresh, all good components and not boiler plate, while early Marshalls, ADK, Nady, and any other name you can think of was from the catalogs. That is why they all looked alike and you could interchange all the body parts and electronics.

Now many companies have come a long way since then, but that is the way it was.....

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I don't disagree, Alan.

 

[junplugged]

Great thread. Well, I want a less noisy omni than the ecm8000, so I'll look at the b5. acorec said, "are a number of even sub-behringer companies making the same kind of mic." Well, I'd love to know about them too.

I can't worry about spending low amounts for foreign stuff, they shipped jobs in my former field out so I'm gonna have to rely on the cheaper stuff manufactured over there too. (I make 1/2 of former pay) The global economy doesn't give a crap about it. A guy in India can't drive our children to school, however, so I have a job for now...

 

[alanhyatt]

I don't disagree, Alan.

I meant nothing by that Harvey. I just did not know what Brent had told you about the early days...

I appreciate the support on that issue anyway....

 

[Flatpicker]

...Now many companies have come a long way since then, but that is the way it was.....

Thanks for explaining that, Alan. I knew most of this and tried to explain it to folks over the past year or so, but they keep assuming you guys are just another cookie-cutter mic company.

I remember being really surprised when I removed the cover from my C1 and found nothing but quality components there, something I could never say about it’s Shanghai brethren.

Funny, just last week a very well know mic manufacture (which shall remain nameless) told me that they just discovered that their mic’s could be greatly improved by using better capacitors. I was like “Well duuuuuuuh!”

Let me try to put this in perspective… This company has always been a major competitor of Studio Projects (many folks here have argued that they are equal or better mics) and they’re just now learning to do what SP did from the beginning. Are you with me now?

I’m kind of like the guy that works at the meat factory – I know what they’ve been putting in the hambuger!

 

[junplugged]

Well, actually, if a c4 is better than a b5, and it's only really a few bucks more, then I guess it would be a better deal, but I'm only seeing them sold in pairs. Got links for singles anyone?

One place I searched, came up w/ a C451B, I don't really wanna open up a can of worms here, but of course, I just have to wonder about that mic, can you blame me? My wonder is in the form of: ist it worth $400? how much better, etc. Hey, it happens.

 

[sdelsolray]

Well, actually, if a c4 is better than a b5, and it's only really a few bucks more, then I guess it would be a better deal, but I'm only seeing them sold in pairs. Got links for singles anyone?

One place I searched, came up w/ a C451B, I don't really wanna open up a can of worms here, but of course, I just have to wonder about that mic, can you blame me? My wonder is in the form of: ist it worth $400? how much better, etc. Hey, it happens.

Yeah, I can blame you. Quit worrying about the cost. Get some decent mics and do some recording. WTF's the difference between $260 or $320 for a pair of mics? This is America. Come on. The C4 set is perhaps the best bang for the buck in SD condensers. Just get 'em and be done with it. You'll need a pair anyway.

Sorry for the rant, but geez...

 

[wilkee]

I remember being really surprised when I removed the cover from my C1 and found nothing but quality components there, something I could never say about it’s Shanghai brethren.

Open up a Berry B1 then and get another surprise.

Note that I am not in anyway suggesting that people buy Berry instead of SP, just putting the record straight.

I have just bought an SP B1 for a particular duty and it it doing me fine.

Tony

 

[Han]

Usually I'm not very curious, but what I really wanna know: Is there any significant difference between a C4 and a B5?

If I were Alan or Brent, I would have bought a couple of B5's and have taken them apart.

Why I wanna know this is because I refuse to buy any stolen design and almost any engineer must know by now that Behringer simply copies designs, using cheaper components and sell them for half the price, which IMHO is nothing less than criminal behaviour.

So let's have it, make it clear for everybody here, or do I have to buy a C4 and a B5 and take them apart myself?

 

[Flatpicker]

Open up a Berry B1 then and get another surprise...

Ture - I know that several companies are using good components now, but you seem to miss my point which is that Studio Projects was one of the first break the mold. The other companies are simply following suit.

Another thing folks usually don’t catch is the microphone’s grille design, which can have as much to do with the sound as the electronics and capsule. That’s what’s making me chuckle about this B5-C4 debate - everyone ignores the vast grille differences and just wants to see inside. I can tell they’re not going to sound alike just by seeing the grilles.

Also, has anyone bothered to check the frequency graphs? I know in reality graphs will vary all over the place from the actual mic, but it’s still interesting that the B5 and C4’s are noticeably different.

 

[crazydoc]

So let's have it, make it clear for everybody here, or do I have to buy a C4 and a B5 and take them apart myself?

This has been discussed in at least one nasty thread in the past, which I won't link to here. It seems there are folks here with the C4, and others with the B5. Just open up the mics, shoot some pics, and post them here - problem solved.

 

[DJL]

This has been discussed in at least one nasty thread in the past, which I won't link to here. It seems there are folks here with the C4, and others with the B5. Just open up the mics, shoot some pics, and post them here - problem solved.

I think one of the reasons why this hasn't been done yet is because many people don't want to take there mics apart... you know the old saying, "if it's not broke don't mess with it"... and good luck trying to get Behringer or PMI Audio to post the pictures... lol.

 

[Flatpicker]

...because many people don't want to take there mics apart...

Not only that, but seems like I remember someone saying that they were difficult to take apart as well.

 

[DJL]

Not only that, but seems like I remember someone saying that they were difficult to take apart as well.

Yeah, I seem to remember reading that too... anyway, which C4/B5 type mic do you have? I have some B5's.