studio projects b1 and c1

[dgatwood]

Hmmm. It's beginning to seem that the B1 may not be very consistent. Different listeners are making very different claims about what they hear. That might be just due to different ears, but it might also be due to a lack of consistency in the mics themselves.

More likely, a lack of consistency in the pres used. There's a significant boost from about 2k or so up.

http://www.audioforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=51&d=1129725843

 

[Gilliland]

There's a significant boost from about 2k or so up.

That's certainly true, I don't think anyone is disputing that. But some of the best regarded mics in the world have response curves that show that sort of gradual rise in the high end. And you're right that the choice of mic pre may tame that rise to some degree. But that nasty tizziness of some inexpensive mics isn't generally due to a smooth rise in the treble, but rather due to a bumpy, inconsistent response curve with peaks and dips at various points in the treble region. The graph that you posted doesn't look significantly different from some of the highly regarded Neumanns and other well-respected mics.

Take a look, for example, at the response graph of the TLM103:

http://www.neumann.com/zoom.php?zoomimg=./assets/diagrams/tlm103_diagrams.htm

 

[scottfisher]

So to do vocals and acoustic guitar and micing amps, the B1 would be better? Eventually, Im going to get a C1 (or equivilent) for vocals if I want that better quality.

 

[kid klash]

So to do vocals and acoustic guitar and micing amps, the B1 would be better? Eventually, Im going to get a C1 (or equivilent) for vocals if I want that better quality.

I think you're on the right track.

ALL LDC's tend to make things sound "bigger than life", and the SP B1 is no exception. What I'm getting from my B1's is an excellent translation of what the mic is listening to, including a smooth clarity and focus in the top end. I think the preamps used with any mic can have a big influence on the clarity of the signal, be it vocals or instruments.

I've used my two B1's to do a live stereo recording mix of a somewhat well-known 60's band from the NW reunion. The B1's went into an M-Audio Octane, which went into a Tascam DA-30II DAT recorder. The Octane eight channel preamp has very clean preamps, with a HUGE amount of dynamic range, due to the robust power supply. The mics were arranged as a wide stereo pair, aboyt 30' back; this was an outdoor gig, and the band really sounded good. I also ran a stereo mix to the video people (it was a four camera shoot). The result was an excellent sounding live CD and DVD for the reunion band members.

I've also used a B1 and a B3 in an M-S configuration, about two feet back from the front of the kit, and about 6' up, to do "overhead" duty on drum kits. Again using the Octane preamp, but using the built-in M-S encoder, then through lightpipe into a stack of ADATs. I LOVE this stereo overhead technique... the stereo soundstage is very big and clean. As you can tell, I've been very pleased with my SP LDCs. That's me. YMMV.