RODE NT-1 vs SP-B1...............battle to the death

[SittinIdol]

The rode is a bit more expensive...but I've heard a lot good about the B1,

So what's good for what?

 

[Flatpicker]

They sound similar to me. I'd save some bucks and get the B1. At least with it I trust Studio projects to not sneak off and put a cheaper capsule in it without telling anyone like Rode did with the later NT1s. But that's just me...

Oh, and DJL will tell you to forget them both and get the MXL V67G.

(...and you never know, he might be right sometimes...)

 

[DJL]

LOL

No, I was thinking he could try using both of those two mic's on just about the same sound sources and one may excel over the other in one area and not in another... my advice would be to audition both before buying either.

And it wouldn't hurt him to checkout the MXLV67G among other mic's either.

 

[Gidge]

forget them both and get the Marshall MXLv67G

 

[Han]

No! get a V69, which sounds a lot bigger. Ehhh.......no, better get a V77.

Having that said, a Sennheiser MKH is also very nice, or a MD441, or maybe you will like a Beyer ribbon more.

A Neumann U67 is very nice too, or maybe you will love a Telefunken Elam 251, or a Neumann U47...........a M49 perhaps.

The AKG C12 is very nice too.

You know what? Start with the B1, you won't regret it.

 

[DJL]

You know what? Start with the B1, you won't regret it.

I wish I could be as sure as you are about recommending a mic to someone when we don't even know what they want to use it for the most... hell, in the studio I almost never know what mic is giong to work best with a vocalist on a project until after we've tried a few.

 

[Han]

Well DJL bro, I just come from the studio where we recorded a grand piano with an ORTF pair of B1's.

Nothing wrong with them, a very nice warm sound and they're not critical for placement.

For the price they cost there's no better mic, period.

 

[DJL]

Did you try any other mic's also, and if so, which ones?

 

[lumbago]

The Rode NT-1A is a lot warmer, to my ears. The AT 3035 would also be a possibility at this price point (US $200)

 

[Lambo]

So why not the C-1?

 

[Han]

Did you try any other mic's also, and if so, which ones?

Neumann KM184's, Neumann M149's, AKG C3000's, AKG C1000's AKG C451's, Sennheiser MD441's, RS PZM's MXL V69/V77, DPA 4006, DPA 4011 and now the SP B1's. All on the same Grand, which is a Zimmermann.

Cheers, Han

 

[DJL]

Neumann KM184's, Neumann M149's, AKG C3000's, AKG C1000's AKG C451's, Sennheiser MD441's, RS PZM's MXL V69/V77, DPA 4006, DPA 4011 and now the SP B1's. All on the same Grand, which is a Zimmermann.

Cheers, Han

Which mic's do you like the best on your Zimmerman?

 

[Han]

Depends on the sound the pianist wants. The B1's are quite warm sounding, kind of neutral but full and warm. It also depends where you place them, but like I said they're not very critical, like the AKG C451's which are very bright sounding. Nice for pop/rock music that has piano.

For a classical sound I prefer the DPA's, the 4006 for A-B and the 4011 for an ORTF or NOS placement.

The M149's are nice for an MS placement in a very good sounding room.

The MXL's are not bad at all (V69 and V77), but you know they're tube mics.

The RS PZM's did a very good job when recording a band together with the grand, lid closed.

The KM184 are also great mics.

I just recorded a nice acoustic guitar with a B1 and again it surprised me.

I'm beginning to wonder, is the SP B1 a stroke of luck? A fluke?

It is a very versatile cheap microphone.

 

[Dot]

In quite a few applications we've found that the B1 pretty much stomps all over the NT-1.

Dan Richards
Digital Pro Sound
The Listening Sessions