what are the health risks of using behri microphones every so often?

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PhilGood said:
Did you have any problem with the floor noise of that one? The floor noise in mine are very apparent, but it has to do with the particular Panasonic capsule used. I might try pulling them apartand performing the Linkwitz mod and see if that makes them any better. Stock though they are really only good on louder sources because of the floor noise.
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It hasn't been apparent to me, but I've heard that complaint about them many times. Perhaps my other equipment or recording environment is such that I'm not picking it up.

Is it a really bad, obvious problem? I've even heard that complaint about Earthworks omnis from some as well.

Also, I have an earlier pair of the ecm's, and I read somewhere that more recent mics were worse in the noise department. Don't know if there's any truth to that. But it might explain why some complain about it more than others.
 
I think the big thing with Behringer stuff is the quality control..very low. I mean, if you leave it sitting in one place in a climate controlled room it'll probably be fine for a good long time, but it is very susceptible to wear and tear in less-than-ideal environments (such as live work where things are abused more regularly). Plus, I don't think anybody's seriously making the claim than Behringer knockoff's sound as good as the design they're...ahem..."emulating".

Beisdes, Behringer isn't the only bottom-of-the-barrel dealer...let's not leave Phonic, Alto, Edirol and Tapco out of the fun. All of those brands can be used effectively if nothing else is available, by the way.

Frank
 
Its only a real problem on very soft sources or if you stack a lot of tracks with the same mic. The noise builds up. It can be very apparent on really good gear in a very quiet atmosphere. That Panasonic capsule is very flat, but has that inherent noise issue. Martin could tell you the reason. Either a noisey FET built into the capsule or the fact that it's a very small electret.
 
Weasel9992 said:
I think the big thing with Behringer stuff is the quality control..very low. I mean, if you leave it sitting in one place in a climate controlled room it'll probably be fine for a good long time, but it is very susceptible to wear and tear in less-than-ideal environments (such as live work where things are abused more regularly). Plus, I don't think anybody's seriously making the claim than Behringer knockoff's sound as good as the design they're...ahem..."emulating".

Beisdes, Behringer isn't the only bottom-of-the-barrel dealer...let's not leave Phonic, Alto, Edirol and Tapco out of the fun. All of those brands can be used effectively if nothing else is available, by the way.

Frank
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You forgot Samson.:D

No Berhi stuff has it's purposes. I use a headphone amp they make. But I've tried several pres from them where the sound was not at all useable. I have a T1953 I modified and it sounds good on acoustic with the right mic.

But where talking mics here. Unless you've used a really good mic and should know what a good mic is supposed to sound like, you should never claim that a behringer mic is anywhere near a "good mic". They are what they are: a "budget mic". They'll get you by in a pinch until you can afford something that's decent. You will never get a B1 to sound pro. There are just too many bad qualities that can't be smoothed out without gutting it and starting over.
 
PhilGood said:
That Panasonic capsule is very flat, but has that inherent noise issue. Martin could tell you the reason. Either a noisey FET built into the capsule or the fact that it's a very small electret.
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Exactly, such a small diaphragm will be noisier by nature than one with a large diaphragm area. Swapping the internal FET doesn't help much unfortunately. Electret polarization as such works fine (just look at the DPA microphones).

Interesting topic, have actually been doing some experiments trying to find a way to put these cheap but otherwise healthy sounding capsules to use. Looks like it should be possible to build a pretty good microphone on a very low budget. Will try to post a sample for you guys.

Martin
 
Martin,

Again, really glad you are here and posting.

Those who don't already know, Martin is a microphone designer. World class. His expertise and knowledge will be very valuable here.
 
PhilGood said:
Really? well since you are so keen on sharing your valuable insight and extensive experience on the subject, what high end mics would you compare them to?
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none. I never said they are high end. I said they were just as good as mics "decently" more expensive than them -- and you may or may not have noticed the "wink" at the end of my second post.

in no way are they "pro" or similar to anything much more expensive than them --

but yeah, just like most of their other stuff, great price/performance ratio.

perhaps your reading comprehension needs work.
 
Thanks for the kind words PhilGood, but I feel more like a mike junkie way beyond possible rehab... :-) Have much more passion than knowledge...

Posted the Panasonic experiment I mentioned in a separate thread.

Martin
 
MartinKantola said:
Thanks for the kind words PhilGood, but I feel more like a mike junkie way beyond possible rehab... :-) Have much more passion than knowledge...

Posted the Panasonic experiment I mentioned in a separate thread.

Martin
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Well, then we are cut from the same cloth.

Except...your build of a U47 vs. my build of a U47?

I've seen your version.:)






You win!:D
 
Hey, if a house made of garbage keeps you warm and dry and that's all you need, then that's good enough right?;)
 
BTW, my reading skills are spot on.

You've implied several times that you think Behringer makes decent gear...

...and I thought it was funny...every...single...time!!!:D



Edit: just a joke. Just havin' some fun.
 
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I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so adversarial.;)

I understand what you're saying. If money is tight and you need a certain piece of gear for a certain job, Behringer will fit the bill. It does what it is suppose to do, even if it only does a moderate job of doing it. Like I said in other posts, there are some things they make that are actually pretty good.

I would have to disagree that it's just as good as more "decently" priced gear. I can list at least 5 mics in the exact same price range that will blow the doors off of, say, a B1 condenser. I cannot think of one even slightly higher price mic that sounds as bad as a B1.

I've had good luck with some of their stuff and found others to be completely unacceptable in sound quality and performance. I'd say it's a crap shoot with Behringer. Some is crap, some is OK, and some is good.
 
PhilGood said:
I cannot think of one even slightly higher price mic that sounds as bad as a B1.
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AKG C3000 :eek: Scariest $300 mic around. Yeah.....I bought one a few years ago and am embarassed to admit it.:o

But you're right, the B1 sucks compared to many in its price range today.;)




Dave's Awesome Blog
 
I would say your major health risks are:

1. Lead poisoning
2. Blunt force trauma at the hands of someone from Gearslutz
3. Preceding everything audio related with "Ultra" when speaking, e.g."Is this connection an UltraXLR or UltraTRS? or "I think I have the UltraRelease set too long on the compressor" or "This UltraKick needs a little more Ultra6kHz".
 
up-fiddler said:
AKG C3000 :eek: Scariest $300 mic around. Yeah.....I bought one a few years ago and am embarassed to admit it.:o

But you're right, the B1 sucks compared to many in its price range today.;)




Dave's Awesome Blog
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OMG! I used one of those about 10 years ago. It was bad! I had to EQ the crap out of it to get a usable sound.
 
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