Studio Projects mics

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Han

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I went to the music shop and bought a second B1, I already had one.

I know the guy, so he gave me a B3 and a C1, just for testing in the studio.

I have tried them briefly on my own voice, my wife's (who is a vocalist) and my son, who's a singer too.

Tomorrow I'm gonna try the C1 next to the Neumann M149, on a male singer.

So far the three of us think there isn't much difference between the B1 and the C1, the C1 sounds a tad brighter, but has an almost equal character of sound as the B1.

The C1 however, costs exactly three times as much as the B1 and I can let the B1 sound a little brighter very easely with my DDA EQ.

The B3 sounds equal to the B1, but I really like the omni and figure eight settings. I think the B1 and a B3 pair is a great MS stereo pair.

I'm gonna buy the B3.

Any comments?
 
Han said:
So far the three of us think there isn't much difference between the B1 and the C1,
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I think the B1, B3, C1, and C3 sound different... what preamp are you using and tell us about your monitor system/room?
 
The difference is very subtle, like I said the C1 sounds a tad brighter. But I haven't used them on instruments, only our own voices.

I don't see why to buy a C1 if I can get three B1's for that price.

The pre is a DDA-AMR 44 board and my 'monitor' was a Sennheiser HD580 headphone.

I'll test the C1 further tomorrow.
 
Ahhhh, there it is. Its very very hard to distinguish subtle things like the differences in these microphones through headphone tests. If you can, try it on real speakers -- even if you have to record a few tracks, then put it on a CD and take it to a store or something like that.

-lee-
 
I've been wanting a figure 8. I might have to try the B3 to go with my C1. You should try them on electric guitar amps. I really like the C1 on mine. It seems to give a nice edgy duplication of the real cab sound. I've never liked 57s on cabs.
 
Han said:
The Sennheiser HD 580/600 headphones are extremely accurate.
I can hear much more detail on them than with NS10. Genelec or whatever monitors.
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You might want to let some pro studios in on that tidbit.
 
The B1 and C1 are similar in sound but the C1 seems to have a “scoop” in the mids that’s not as noticeable with the B1.
 
I have a pair of SP B1s and a C3. I end up using the B1s for everything and still have to learn about the C3... You'd think it would be the other way around, but these little mics are the SM57s of the condenser world as far as I can see. I've come to use them for live acoustic / vocal sets as well, and through a DMP3 preamp - for the money they rock.
 
Han, I read a review last summer--in the September EQ magazine, I believe--that compared the B1 and B3. The reviewer had expected the B3 to sound like a B1 with additional patterns available, but that wasn't the case. In his tests, all three of the B1 patterns sounded different than the single B1 pattern, which he prefered. The old moral: more expensive doesn't always mean better, especially when subjective listening is the test.

J.
 
jeffree said:
Han, The old moral: more expensive doesn't always mean better, especially when subjective listening is the test.

J.
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agreed!... they say that even small changes to circuitry due to the different patterns effects the B-3. sometimes a company just gets it right far above there own plans or ideas. even they have trouble improving/expanding on there own dumb luck!


BTW, anybody else experience how absolutely worthless the mic clip is that comes with the B-1? its internal plastic threads dont allow you to tighten it on a mic stand without popping off in your hand and theres no way to keep the clip from flopping down when trying to position it due to the lack of a tightening screw!

anyone else experience this?
 
I'm going to try the C1 tomorrow next to the M149, like I said earlier.

The joke is that we are jabbering about the sound quality of our gear. But last week I tried the B1 on vocals next to the Neumann and although I could hear the significant difference, three out of the four bandmembers didn't here any difference and the fourth guy only when I pointed him to the differences.

So, like we say in Holland: "lekker belangrijk", which means " pretty important".:D

I'm not gonna post the results tomorrow, for I will be on a Country Awards Gala tomorrow night.
 
Bobalou said:
agreed!... they say that even small changes to circuitry due to the different patterns effects the B-3. sometimes a company just gets it right far above there own plans or ideas. even they have trouble improving/expanding on there own dumb luck!


BTW, anybody else experience how absolutely worthless the mic clip is that comes with the B-1? its internal plastic threads dont allow you to tighten it on a mic stand without popping off in your hand and theres no way to keep the clip from flopping down when trying to position it due to the lack of a tightening screw!

anyone else experience this?
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I had a similar problem with the threads on the mic clip, and discovered that it fits much better on European-made mic stands (AKG as an example), as well as Atlas stands... the less expensive stands seem to use a smaller diameter tubing which means the threaded end of the stand is a bit too small for the clip.

Regarding the tension adjustment of the clip, go to this thread :

http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/sh...highlight=Studio+Projects+mic+clip+adjustment
 
kid,

thanks brotha! that was the tip I needed. I really appreciate you diggen that up.
 
I've used the C1 on two male vocalists yesterday, next to the Neumann M149.

I'm sorry, but this was not good. The B1 sounds better to my ears, more neutral.

The C1 may sound good on acoustic guitar I suppose, but on those voices it sounds way too bright.

There's a difference between a 'silky' high end and a brittle high end. The Neumann sounds very clear, but has that silky thing, plus an incredably nice mid. But I know, it costs 14 times as much as the C1.

The C1 sounds a tad shrill, I miss the warmth that many condensers have.

Just my 0.02 euro :D
 
Han said:
So, like we say in Holland
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Question. Where in Holland do they sell SP mics and for how much? I've yet to find a store here that carries them. I ordered a B3 from the UK a while back.
 
christiaan said:
Question. Where in Holland do they sell SP mics and for how much? I've yet to find a store here that carries them. I ordered a B3 from the UK a while back.
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Chris, go to www.helios.nl
You will find a list of music stores and dealers there.

Cheers, Han
 
Han said:
Chris, go to www.helios.nl
You will find a list of music stores and dealers there.

Cheers, Han
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Ok, found it. Still the question: Where did YOU buy them and for how much? :)
I just want to know if ordering from the UK again is worthwhile.
 
Chris, like you can see at Helios', the B1 is 100 euro and the C1 300 euro.

I bought the B 1 in a music store in Hoorn and paid exactly the same price.

In the USA the B1 is aprox. $80.

For me it's more important to know from whom I buy things than how much I pay for it. (of course there are limits)

Cheers, Han
 
Han said:
Chris, like you can see at Helios', the B1 is 100 euro and the C1 300 euro.
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I know that. But usually there is a difference between dealer prices (tax not included!) and street prices, that's why I asked.

For me it's more important to know from whom I buy things than how much I pay for it. (of course there are limits)
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Fair enough. Being able to try them out first is worth something. (Although 300 for a C1 would be too much in my book).
 
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