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My New Behringer B-1 Microphone

Sonwatcher

Sonwatcher

Active Member
Apr 6, 2005
3,413
25
48
Colorado
I just received my new ( to me ) Behringer B-1 Mic. with case and accessories

b-1_equipment-99280eee6e50848d0b325bfb9a5aab12.jpg



I have a Behringer DSP110 - Preamp, filter, noisegate, compressor, phantom power

I also have a Behringer DSP-1100 EQ.

I found something out about using a mic that requires 48v phantom power. My other mics I could hook an XLR connector and the other end of the cable was a TRS plug. That doesn't work with these. It requires a balanced cable, XLR connector on both ends of the mic cable, to operate correctly with the phantom power. At least with my setup. I removed the TRS plug (1/4 stereo plug) and soldered on a male 3-pin XLR instead. Before I did this I just had a loud "hum". After doing so it worked like a charm.

I figured out a way to monitor my voice while adjusting the EQ. My EQ nor radio has a monitor jack. But I found out that the amplified computer speakers I just bought plugged into the output of the EQ will allow you to hear the audio. It has to be amplified speakers. I also plugged an audio cable from my EQ output to my computer soundcard "mic" connection and it does the same thing over the computer speakers. No "hum" or groundloop interference.
 

It sounds like you have a pretty good setup there :thumbup: . How much do you think the whole setup would cost new? Since you have the ability to run the audio output to your computer, would you mind recording a few sample audio clips and posting for us to hear? Also can we see some pictures when you get it all set up with your rig?
 
The mic has a 81 db signal to noise ratio range - according to the specs. Should work great for most home applications tho. What were you planning to use it for? It is sensitive and will require a wind screen for any close-up work. Nice acoustic suspension included. For what you got - and especially what you paid for it - I think you got a screamin deal.

Behringer B1 Vocal Condenser Microphone Specifications
•Transducer Type: Condenser, 1 inch single diaphragm
•Operating Principle: Pressure Gradient
•Polar Pattern: Cardioid
•Connection: Gold-plated balanced XLR connector
•Open Circuit Voltage at 1kHz: -34 +/-2 dBV (0 dBV = 1 V/Pa)
•Open Circuit Sensitivity: 20 mV/Pa
•Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20kHz
•Level Attenuation: -10dB (switchable)
•Low-Cut Filter: 6dB/Octave @ 75Hz (switchable)
•Maximum SPL (1% THD @ 1kHz): 138 dB (0dB), 148dB (-10dB)
•Equivalent SPL (IEC 268-4): 13dB-A
•Signal-to-Noise Ratio RE 1 Pa: 81dB A-weighted
•Nominal Impedance: 50 Ohms
•Load Impedance: > 1 kOhm
•Supply Voltage: +48V
•Supply Current: 3 mA
•Dimensions:
◦Diameter: 2.28 inches (58 mm)
◦Length: 6.85 inches (174 mm)
•Weight: 16.26 ounces (461 g)
 
Thanks guys ! Mole if you bought all pieces new - MIC, dsp110, dsp1100 it would be between $300-$400 . As far as pics- Not now LOL ! Do you realize how long it takes to get a shack in shape for a pic ? :D:D:D

The attachment is my first attempt to make and upload an MP3. Hope it came out ok. You have to download it and play it with your media player. I haven't played around much with the EQ settings. This is just using a setting I already had for another mic.
 

Attachments

Smoooooooooooooth audio! I'd love to hear this on the air! Man, that sounds like you really scored on this deal!

As far as pics- Not now LOL ! Do you realize how long it takes to get a shack in shape for a pic ?
Click to expand...
Aww..C'mon. I never let MY mess keep me from showing off equipment :tongue_smilie:
 
Thanks ! One thing I wanted to add about the DSP-1100 EQ is that it doesn't have an XLR input or output on the back. Just TRS (stereo plug) . I found an adapter as I needed an XLR fitting to connect to the output for my Heil Yaesu XLR to 8 pin cable. This cable connects to the radio mic connector from the EQ "out" . Here is the adapter that makes that possible-

213br0a7b%2BL._SL500_AA250_.jpg


As I said I used a balanced cable ( XLR on both ends , male and female ends, from the mic to the DSP-110 "mic in" . Then I used a balanced TRS cable (1/4 stereo plugs on both ends not a mono plug) from the "line" out from the DSP-110 to the input on the EQ .
Here is the front view of the DSP-110 -

DSP110_P0079_FrontTopPerspective_web.jpg


Here is the rear view-

DSP110_P0079_Rear_XL.jpg


On the input above you want the button pushed "in" for "mic" . On the output with the cable I used the button is in the "out" position.

Here is where I got some settings for the DSP-1100 EQ-

NU9N - Behringer DSP-1100 DSP-1124 ESSB SSB Hi-fi Audio Setup
 
Sonwatcher said:
I figured out a way to monitor my voice while adjusting the EQ. My EQ nor radio has a monitor jack. But I found out that the amplified computer speakers I just bought plugged into the output of the EQ will allow you to hear the audio.
Click to expand...
Audio you hear that way is completly different than in the air while passing through the radio.
Best and only way is to listen yourself on another radio while transmit to dummy load.
Mike
 
That's what I did when I first set it up back when I first got the EQ a couple years ago. The EQ setting I recorded came from doing just as you described for another mic at that time. I'll have to try it again with this mic. Thanks for reminding me of that :)
 
Well, so far so good between radios. I fooled around with some EQ settings this morning. It's pretty cool to experiment with the settings. sp5it, I see you have some audio equipment. What all are you using ?
 
Fun to play with all this stuff, isn't it?

I tried several mics a couple of years ago since I happened to have a bunch in the kit from bands I've been in and recording I've done. Also just happened to have an Alesis compressor/limiter. Even with all that, my favorite mic for my little Icom is an old D-104 on which I replaced the dead ceramic element with $3 electret element from Radio Shack and whipped up a simple one stage preamp. I had some issues with RF feedback with it despite the liberal use of ferrite beads, and when getting back on the air for the first time in months at a new shack location this weekend, I wimped out and just used my Heil ICM-- which is my least favorite mic. Just straight into the radio, no processing, EQ, nothin'.

Much to my surprise I had several (7 or 8) unsolicited comments on how nice the audio was (during freakin' Field Day, no less), and had three DX stations do the same yesterday. I sure didn't expect that, and to my ears the ICM sounds pretty dull and lifeless to me when I have listened to it through the receiver of my Kenwood and from the off the air recordings I've made. Go figure...

As for condensers, I have a few, and I recently recorded a podcast for a famous NY Times bestselling author who is a friend of mine (I’ll post the link if anybody’s interested, it’s not directly radio-related). I had planned to use an Oktava MK-319 for her spoken word part, but had to record her in her hotel suite when she was in town, and the huge A/C units outside were pumping out a lot of noise, even though we were on the 11th floor, too much to be able to use the large condenser. So I thought about it for a minute and grabbed an SM-58, removed the ball pop filter and placed a pop screen 4” in front of it and went with it. I still had to use noise reduction during production, but it worked really well. I recall reading a shootout online between an SM-58 and an SM-7, and the recorded results were very, very close.

Here’s that setup, but taken when I was experimenting with mics for some voice over work a bit earlier:

SM-58.jpg


Believe it or not, the old SM-58 can do quite well for this kind of work, but if you’ve used one you know you can’t get right in them. The proximity effect is really noticeable on them.

Some guys sound really good with ESSB. Some don't, though they may be very enthusiastic about their equipment. I have heard more boom and mush and hum on the amateur bands in recent years than I ever recall hearing before at the hands of people who either didn't understand their equipment or just thought that since they had spent the money and had this nice audio chain it was somehow automatically going to be great. It's not hard to tell the difference between those who have done their homework and have their stuff set up properly and those who have not.

Rick
 

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