Studio Projects B1

I have had my Studio Projects B1 for a little over a few months now, using it often in my home studio and for location recordings. For the price this is probably one of the best large-diaphragm condenser mics available. I've never heard the kind of low- or mid-range muddiness that seems to plague some comparably-priced condensers. The mic sounds clear and accurate through the pre-amps in my M Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R.

I've been using the B1 primarily for vocals (singing), but it works for a lot of things: acoustic guitar, hand percussion, and as a room/ambience mic. I've also used it on a guitar amp with satisfying results. To my ears the mids and highs have pretty good clarity and detail without getting harsh; and the pads and high-pass filter switches are handy things, offering more options for getting a better sound at the source rather than trying to "fix" things in the mix with EQ

While there are certainly microphones on the market that have better overall clarity and presence, they tend to cost much, much more than this.

In my opinion

- You will need/benefit from a pop filter if you will be using it for vocals. The B1 ships with a foam windscreen, but it won't be any good for recording vocals.
- The included shockmount has some shortcomings. At times it is difficult to insert and remove the microphone - you have to pry the plastic open then grunt and cuss at it for a while before it finally works. With all that rough treatment the little bungee things get stretched out, although SP gives you a replacement set. Finally, the hinge is somewhat flimsy.
- The faux leather zippered case is okay (but unpadded), so you may want to think about buying a cheap flightcase, or other suitable protection, if you plan to move it around, or just keep it very safe and secure.
That said, if you are purchasing this mic, you are at a certain level, and i think for hobbyist-semi pro, with care taken to prepare instruments, rooms, performers, you should get good results. If you don't its not the mics' fault........

This was my only LDC microphone for about five years since i started recording in my home studio for clients, friends, and my own projects.
Unfortuantelly they stole it, so i don't have it anymore.

I recorded mostly vocals, some acoustic guitars, and sometimes other acoustic instruments.

The sound is ok, even in my not so perfect room acoustics.
But I always felt that something was missing from its spectrum.
With some post processing though, i could make it sound better.
I found it to be better on female vocalists.
Its sound got better when i bougt a GAP pre 73 preamp, but it was not a day and night difference.

When i bought it, a really nice and elegant wooden case was included, but i am not sure if it is the case now.

Overall, i think it is a nice all-around clean condenser mic for the budget.
And quite neutral to help you start learning recording and mic technique.
Although i upgraded, i think i would still use it if i had it in my hands.

This is a good first condenser for the home studio (as it was for me), or as a secondary mic if you've got something else already. I got a lot of use out of it for a few years although now that I have a selection of pricier (and multi-pattern) mics, this usually gets relegated to less-critical duties. That said, I used it for recording a number of very varied singers recently, from young children up to baritone adult males, and was pleasantly surprised at how well the recordings came out.

My only reservation is it can be quite bright sounding, but in practice that's nothing a bit of careful EQ can't sort out.

If you've got the budget, spend more. If not, or you're only dipping your toe into this recording lark, you should still be able to get excellent results with this, and you won't have broken the bank. I've had mine 6 years and it still works perfectly. My 4 star overall rating is in the context of the low cost, and the added pad switch.

This microphone is part of my home studio setup, so it's mostly used for demoing or messing around. The microphone is well built and actually had to survive a few drops to the ground so far - which it did without any problems. It doesn't offer many additional features besides a low cut filter at 70 or 150 Hz and a gain adjustemnt of -10dB or -20dB. It produces a rather flat sound, recording less highs than similar microphones in the same price range, so you have to do some EQing to get good results. I actually prefer shaping the sound myself over having it dictated by the microphone, so that's no problem for me. All in all, I'm pretty happy with this microphone and would recommend it if you're just starting out or need a basic but reliable microphone for your home studio.

I was advised to buy this microphone by a friend. I read numerous reports and it got a good write up. In Ireland the mic was 118.00 mail order, however Thomann had it for 115.00. It was bundled with a pop shield (which is very good quality - a Tbone one) and a cheap but very serviceable mic lead > this would add about 30.00 euro to the price. So it's a bit of a bargain.

The mic is well made and certainly looks every bit as expensive as a big name mic. I'd not expect it out perform a Neumann but I dont have a great studio space. In the context of a home studio it turns in remarkable results. I have recorded a very expensive Lowden acoustic with it and I can really tell much difference between this and mics costing 3 times the price. Where vocals are concerned the vocalist cannot match the quality of this mic so the result are very good.

All in all i'm really happy with this choice.

Studio projects B1 is one of the best low budget microphones out there. With decent preamp this mic can really surprise anyone... Frequency response is very similar to Neumann U87... We can't expect Neumann for 100E, but this mic sounds great on vocals - male, female, acoustic guitar, violin and more.......
B1 has pad, metal construction, low self noise, slectable filters and pads....it's truly amazing piece of gear.
Many studios still own this mic next to much more expensive microphones....
You can't wish more. This mic and decent preamp will make you happy :)
You can record almost anything - vocals, guitars, drums, percussions, strings, pino.... and whatever you wish for... Just like me.
For this price - Studio projects B1 is no brainer. And all musicians forums will confirmed that.
The package contains shock mount, zipped bag, foam windscreen.....