Studio Projects B1 packages- which one?

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ericburnley

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I've got a very small, beginning home setup (SM57, Audiophile, DMP3, ProTools Free) and have decided to get a condenser mic good for vocals and acoustic guitar. After reading up some on condensers, I've decided on the SP B1, as it seems to do both those capacities well for many people at a modest price.

So, in shopping for the B1, I've found a couple places with "bundle" packages. One (8th Street) includes a tripod boom, mic cable, pop filter, and shockmount. Another place includes a Presonus TubePre, mic cable, carrying case for Presonus, and a shockmount. Both are $150.

I do need the boom stand and pop filter (which are about $30-40 each), but can't decide if it'd be better to go with the Presonus package (which is on ebay). 8th Street also has a Presonus/B1 pkg for $200, which puts the ebay deal in perspective).

I've seen some good/bad/mediocre opinions on the Presonus TubePre, and thought it could be a good 2nd preamp for things a little different than the ultra-clean DMP3, but am not sure if the TubePre would sound any better/more interesting thant he DMP3.
Any opinions?

thanks much for reading.
eric
 
I like the B1 but there are better options for acoustic and vocal in the same price range. Just look over the mic posts and you'll find tons of info. The blue tube pre is a really good unit if you want lots of noise on your recordings.
A MXL 67g and a dmp3 should run you about $225 new. That should hold you over till your ready to upgrade.
 
You already have a nice pre -- the DMP3. (Sorry for the rhyme...:-p)
Anyways, I would go with the package from 8thstreet.com.

For what it's worth, I have an MXL v67g, and it's a dark-sounding mic. I'm not sure about the B1...
 
thanks for the replies. i'd heard about the marshall, just thought the studio projects sounded as good for the same price. i've heard the B1 can be a bit brighter. eventually, i'd like to get both, but can't afford that just yet.

i was more interested in seeing if the presonus was worth pursuing even though i have the dmp3.
 
I'd go with the 8thStreet.com package

Drummer4Life05 said:
You already have a nice pre -- the DMP3. (Sorry for the rhyme...:-p)
Anyways, I would go with the package from 8thstreet.com.
Click to expand...

Yeah - me too. I've owned a pair of SP B1's for a year and a half, and I'm still amazed at how good they are for the money. I've used mine for overheads, acoustic guitar and mandolin, vocals, acoustic piano, electric guitar, sampling, as a stereo pair for live recording, and as a room mic for drum kits. :)
 
kid klash said:
Yeah - me too. I've owned a pair of SP B1's for a year and a half, and I'm still amazed at how good they are for the money. I've used mine for overheads, acoustic guitar and mandolin, vocals, acoustic piano, electric guitar, sampling, as a stereo pair for live recording, and as a room mic for drum kits. :)
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Me three! I've owned two B1's and love 'em on the voices I've recorded and on acoustic guitar. Use the pop-filter and try having the mic at the level of about the bridge/tip of the nose, six or seven inches from the vocalist... A little reverb...

Never blow into the mic. Also, keep your B1, and all condensors, dry, especially in humid summer air. That means put it away when not in use, in a case with some silica gel. Bet you'll be very happy.
 
zbert said:
I like the B1 but there are better options for acoustic and vocal in the same price range. Just look over the mic posts and you'll find tons of info. The blue tube pre is a really good unit if you want lots of noise on your recordings.
A MXL 67g and a dmp3 should run you about $225 new. That should hold you over till your ready to upgrade.
Click to expand...

At this price point I doubt if you will get a "better" mic, you may get one that sounds different but that is down to personal choice, one mans meat etc. etc.

Remember perceptions vary as much if not more than Mics.

Tony
 
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Hey, Eric. As you've noticed, choosing a mic and pre is a very personal affair, so opinions will always vary here. When the SP B1 comes up, a few folks (like DJL, a seemingly knowledgeable writer who for some reason goes loco when the SP line comes up) will suggest alternatives while the majority will praise the crap out of its usefulness as a budget mic. I'm in the latter group--I own two SP B1s for recording acoustic guitars and feel that they have been an outstanding value during my past year of recording--and the SP support has been great when I had questions. I think you've made a solid choice in a low-cost general-purpose mic; other brands will certainly sound different, but not necessarily better, IMHO. For under $100, this mic's a winner.

I'd probably go with the offer for mic and stands since you already own a good budget pre. But then again, choosing a mic and pre is a very personal affair and even a marginal new pre might give you some nice options if you're so inclined. I don't expect that you'll use the new pre much, though, if you own the M-Audio, which most folks would agree is far superior.

If you buy a pair of the B1s, be sure to ask for two with the same "color dot"
on the box (not exactly a matched set, but closer than without). In my own meager home tests, my color-coded pair sound quite similar when stereo mic'ing.

Good luck,

J.
 
jeffree, I don't think many people other than some newbies really think the B1 is the greatest vocal or acoustic guitar mic... it will work, but there a better mics IMO... besides ericburnley wants to know about the Presonus not the B1 so I directed him to the correct board.


And IMO, the real reason for the color dot system was so PMI doesn't have to deal with the QC of the large variations between mic outputs.

Don
 
And we all know where SP are concerned your opinion is worthless. Then again you've proven countless times to be a waste of fucking space, so go right ahead.
 
ausrock said:
And we all know where SP are concerned your opinion is worthless. Then again you've proven countless times to be a waste of fucking space, so go right ahead.
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Let me ask you something... do you really think the B1 is a great vocal and acoustic guitar mic?
 
"Great" or "great value"?

There is a major difference and most opinions we see here usually refer to them as "great value" and while they aren't my "go to" mics for acoustic or vocals I do believe that at their price they do represent great value..............especially at the US prices. Over here there is little or nothing close to them pricewise.........last time I noticed they were around $200, the V67G is approx $550.
 
Don, I don't have the patience to read more of your SP snipes, but do remember that I've generally an avid reader of your other (non-SP) thoughts.

Look at your last two posts here and notice how you've morphed my *qualified* thoughts into your own over-generalizations:

>My words: "a solid choice in a low-cost general-purpose mic"

>Your understanding of my words: "the greatest vocal or acoustic guitar mic"

Do you get my point, Don? Your anti-SP filter is obviously so strong that the mere mention of anything positive seems to light your fuse and blur your vision. Maybe you should see the warning signs and vow to yourself that you'll stay out of future SP threads--I think you're losing credibility, my friend, and I know you have some good (non-SP) knowledge to share.

With best intent,

J.
 
jeffree, I actually liked the B1 on some guitar amps... but I think it sucked as vocal mic and there are better choices for acoustic guitar.

Don
 
DJL said:
Let me ask you something... do you really think the B1 is a great vocal and acoustic guitar mic?
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It may not be the greatest on either, but for $80 it will do an adequate job on both, and better than any other sub $100 single mic that I know of.

You may be independently wealthy and a world renowned AE :rolleyes: and can afford whatever gear you desire, but many of us have other financial responsibilities and can make do with good to excellent qualty gear as opposed to "pro" gear.

After all, this is home recording.

DJL said:
And IMO, the real reason for the color dot system was so PMI doesn't have to deal with the QC of the large variations between mic outputs.
Click to expand...

I'd think you'd be the last one to comment on that. Do we need to revisit your inane comments and complete lack of understanding of the famous "SP B1 color dots." I can always post links to those threads if you wish.

And BTW, weren't you going to post some links to material you've recorded so we could judge your capabilities for ourselves?
 
I'm also a newbietype with a small setup, doing mostly live acoustic gig recording and I went through the same thought process you did. I was looking for best bang for the buck, as there weren't many bucks to spend on the project, and I wanted versatility. I ended up with some dynamics including an SM57, a pair of SP B1s, a pair of MXL603s and a SP C3.

I didn't start using the C3 for over a year; mostly because I tried the B1s and was floored by what I got for the money. I use them all the time for all kinds of things, from recording solo vocals to running little electric / acoustic guitar amps through a PA. When recording acoustic instruments, I try to pair a B1 with a small diaphragm condenser or, in your case, an SM57. These units rock!

I have both the DMP3 and the Blue Tube; I use the Blue Tube as a second unit. It's OK but I prefer the DMP3. I wouldn't see a Blue Tube package as an attraction unless you needed a preamp. The DMP3 really wakes up the SM57.

When I first set up for live work, I bought a 6-pack of mic booms from MF for a hundred bucks. They're cheap, light and do the job as long as you're not expecting anything other than the basics. That freed me up to focus on mics and mounts. I've opted to go with shockmounts at every opportunity and I think it has helped.

But to start - the SP B1 is versatile as the dickens, right out of the box.

I've also found where the SP C3 shines - for me, it has been in doing live / stage recording of acoustic acts in the old Grand Old Opry style; one mic center stage with three or four acoustic instruments / voices gathered around it. The technique requires a lot of communication between musicians, but the C3 is completely capable of the task. I had a guitar player tell me he had finally "found his sound". It was with a C3, the DMP3 and a flat EQ. Not bad.

My two cents.
 
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thanks for the replies! i guess this was actually a preamp question disguised as a mic question; i'd already decided on the mic and just wanted more input on the presonus. sorry about that.

but the replies were all great insight. i'll likely lean toward the 8th street package as it has more i could use at this point (pop filter and boom stand).
Thanks again!
 
ericburnley said:
thanks for the replies! i guess this was actually a preamp question disguised as a mic question; i'd already decided on the mic and just wanted more input on the presonus. sorry about that.

but the replies were all great insight. i'll likely lean toward the 8th street package as it has more i could use at this point (pop filter and boom stand).
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
No, like before... it's still mic spam... lol.
 
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