Just bought a B1..got some questions

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BrettMckinney

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I just picked it up today but i have some problems. The clip that comes with it doesnt fit my stand. The thread is much too small..can you get converters or will i have to get a new stand? Also, its my first time with a condensor so i'm a bit green. I know i have to use the Phantom power on my mixer..which works fine, but i would like to know what i should or shouldnt do. For example, i accidentally flicked it off again..and it went dead so i turned it back on and it made a strange noise.I dont want to damage it! From first impressions it sounds great..very happy. Just wish i could mount it somwhere! Also wondering about the foam that came with it..is it worth using?

Thanks
 
Brett, the mic clip (like all good ones) has a slotted adaptor in it to fit European hardware, which is also used in South America. I've got some Sabrasom stuff that actually uses it. Just take a dime and put it into the slot and it will screw out. Use pliars if it's real tight. You will then find it will fit your mic hardware just fine. The foam windscreen is for outside use. Wind gusts can destroy your diaphragm. It is not designed as a pop filter, so get a good one. The wind screen is useful for remote location recording, for which a pair of B-1's works very well. There is little or no use for it in the studio. Enjoy your new mic. -Richie
 
Ahah! Thanks heaps! Came straight out...here i was thinking i had to spend more money..phew. THanks for the info on the windscreen, so by pop filter do you mean the ones that are round and sit in front of the mic? I'll have to check some out. Do they just connect to the stand? I've also seen pics of the shock mount thingy..is that for sitting it in or does it hang in it? Oh and lastly...which way is best to have the mic..upside down or facing upwards..seen lots of pics of condensers upside down.

Cheers
 
Brett- You've basically got it. Yep, that's a pop filter. If money is tight, go to a sewing store and buy a 6" or 8" embroidery hoop, and stretch 1 or 2 layers of pantyhose (getting them can involve added bonuses!) real tight over the hoop. Commercial ones can either clip to the mic stand or can be mounted on an extension or gooseneck from their own mic stand, which I often find more convenient. For cheap, judicious use of coathanger wire and duct tape will get the job done. Shock mounts are designed to isolate the mic from low frequency vibrations transmitted by the mic stand, such as drums, foot tapping, etc. They usually hold the mic in a clamp that secures the mic in any position.
The upside down thing- In the good old days, all mics had vacuum tubes in them, and the diaphragm was made of gold. the heat from the tube could damage the diaphragm by warping it, or just distort it's shape, causing distortion, so they hung them upside down, with the tube on top. With a solid state mic with a mylar diaphragm, it doesn't make a rat's ass bit of difference how you hang it, but if you hang it upside down in a good shock mount, you'll look really cool and female singers will be impressed, which is a good thing.-Richie
 
Thanks champ...i'll bang up a quick filter for the meantime i think but would indeed like to impress some females..once i lure them to my studio of course :) So i'll investigate a shockmount ...as it'll prob help stop the mic from picking up vibrations from my computer! Thats my next big mission..trying to get it away from my recording.
 
Just a quick tip about phantom power and your new mic.

You should plug the mic in before you turn on the Phantom power... and turn the phantom power off before you unplug the mic. Plus, after you trun off the phantom power, you should wait a few minutes to let the power supply drain before unplugging the mic. It's also a good idea to warm your mic up with phantom power some before you use it. Your new mic also doesn't like dust, moisture, air blast, fast temperature changes, or being dropped.

One other note. To tighten the B series mic clip swivel joint, just pop the round plastic covers off the clip to get to the bolt.
 
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Thanks mate..it is a bit loose. Also very heavy, my desktop stand has a metal base but on the wrong angle it really wants to fall forward. Good tips on the phantom power too...really appreciate it!
 
Richard Monroe said:
The upside down thing- In the good old days, all mics had vacuum tubes in them, and the diaphragm was made of gold. the heat from the tube could damage the diaphragm by warping it, or just distort it's shape, causing distortion, so they hung them upside down, with the tube on top. With a solid state mic with a mylar diaphragm, it doesn't make a rat's ass bit of difference how you hang it, but if you hang it upside down in a good shock mount, you'll look really cool and female singers will be impressed, which is a good thing.-Richie
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Umm, that sounds plausible, but might the real reason (or another good reason, anyway) for the upside-down mike be to keep it above the level of the singer's mouth, and thus avoid hitting the diaphragm or ribbon with blasts from "explosive" consonants? These blasts tend to go down rather than up. Also, having the mike hang from above allows the singer to see music that's on a stand in front of him/her, without any obstructions.

At any rate, one must admit that it does look cooler that way. :D

DonF
 
Brett, the B1 is internally shockmounted, so you probably won't need an extra shockmount.

Don, that is correct regarding mike placement.
Generally pointing the microphone down also helps create a warmer/less harsh vocal sound than "straight down the barrel" on a condenser too. Normally a "softer" tone is accentuated by pointing the microphone at the same level as the singer's mouth and to the side as an alternate placement.

Chris
 
The comments regarding mic placement above are correct, but you can place the diaphragm of the mic in any place you want, pointed in any direction you want, whether it's upside down or not. So what's the point? You get to look like the pictures in Recording magazine. Of course, if you're using an end-addressed mic, you don't get the updside down style points.-Richie-Richie
 
Don't forget to turn all input and output gains down before you turn phantom power on, and do the same when you turn it off. Always turn the gains down...
 
Thanks heaps for your help guys. I'm really enjoying the mic..being my first i cant really compare it to others but it sounds great to me. Getting use to all the background noise is going to be the hardest thing for me. I really need to work on cutting that down. Also, i notice when i turn the trim up i can hear a low buzz sound that is constant...i checked around the house and there isnt anything..does the mic make it?

chessparov, what do you mean by the mic being internally shock mounted? I've only seen those spider shock things i guess they call them that the mic sits in. THey look sweet...and even more with the mic upside down
 
BrettMckinney said:
Thanks heaps for your help guys. I'm really enjoying the mic..being my first i cant really compare it to others but it sounds great to me. Getting use to all the background noise is going to be the hardest thing for me. I really need to work on cutting that down. Also, i notice when i turn the trim up i can hear a low buzz sound that is constant...i checked around the house and there isnt anything..does the mic make it?

chessparov, what do you mean by the mic being internally shock mounted? I've only seen those spider shock things i guess they call them that the mic sits in. THey look sweet...and even more with the mic upside down
Click to expand...

Yeah, the B1 is a nice mic. The low buzz is most likey coming from your system somewhere and not the mic. You may want to look in to building an isolation both. The B1 is internally shock mounted... meaning the B1 capsule has a built-in shockmount, so you may not need to buy an external shock mount, but if you do... they don't cost that much.
 
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