Beesneez K7 capsule survey

[mics]

i have to ask: on which recommodation did you all buy these capsules?

I was in the market for a pair of capsules, there was a group buy on prodigy-pro at 50% discount. I had very good experience with group buys on this forum, so I went for it. I believe it was initiated by Jim50hertz, but I wouldn't blame him at all.

Please don't bring jim into this, if you want to cast blame, blame me.....i made them.

 

[mics]

i have to ask: on which recommodation did you all buy these capsules?

First thing first : I do NOT blame anyone for recommending me this capsule! I am a grown up, I use the web in order to make as much as possible informed decisions, and I blame nobody but myself when I end up buying something that doesn't meet my expectations...

On top of that, I like to try new products. I guess it's part of the quest for the 'ultimate' whatever... I bought one of Dale's M7 when he was still making those, I tried both PVC and mylar M7 from Thiersch, and back then when I bought those, the 'recommendations' were almost the same...
I decided to give Mr Sneesby's products a try  on the same basis.

The group buy played a big part in my decision. There's no way I would risk 500 AU$ in a product that I never heard and had little rep. But 200 AU$ was affordable to me so I jumped in at the last minute...

That leads us to the root of your question Max. What did make me think that I should buy this capsule? Well, I must admit that it is that one single post from Klaus Heyne that praises Ben's work to a superlative level. I'd bet that everybody knows what post I'm talking about, but for reference, it's here: http://repforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,1288.msg6580.html#msg6580

Now, I know that Klaus tested the K47-type, and what I ordered is a K7. But the K7 was made after that famous post, and was supposed to be Ben's best ever capsule. Quote from beesneezmicrophones.com "The BeesNeez K7 Capsule is our best capsule to-date. Through years of development we have come up with, what we think, one of the best capsules ever"

I do not blame Mr Heyne either. I'm willing to believe that the two specimens that Ben sent him were amazingly good.

And that's it. I have yet to read or hear one other person telling that he compared the K7 with a Thiersch or a Geffel, and that the Beesneez was better.

So. Should one single post, even written by a Web Star, be enough to warrant the success of a transaction? Of course not!
It was just too tempting to believe that I could get my hands on the same material than K.H., and for a bargain price at that! So I took the risk, waited 6 months, and so far am stuck with an unusable capsule...

Lesson learned!

Axel

Please contact me so we can fix your problem, my arms are long but they don't reach the other side of the world!
I am happy to fix any issues you may have as long as you send the capsule back to me.  thanks

 

[mics]

I'm sorry to see this thread, but not surprised.  I hope you guys can get your money back or your capsules replaced.

I decided not to participate in this group buy for a few reasons.  For one, I suspected that such a huge group buy at such a deep discount was creating a risk, any seller willing to do that might put themselves in the position where inevitably they'll be pressured and motivated more by quick mass production and maintaining profit, than maintaining QC.  Etc.  Even with the best of intentions, it was putting the seller into a stressful situation...  Then they had the flood, and so on.  I'm not blaming anyone, just saying it was a recipe for potential problems. 

It's not a factory item, where more = cheaper, by just running the machines longer.  This is a hand-made product, it requires time and attention to get it right.  Therefore, shortening time and increasing production with less money creates the potential for issues.

I'm glad you have brought this up so these issues can be known. 

Anyway, I hope it works out and the seller comes through for you, or you guys can make the capsules work.

Let it be known here publicly that we have delivered these capsules to you all at cost, i was trying to do a nice thing for a group of people that i thought could benefit from our product.  As it turns out, our niceness will cause irreparable damage to our company.  Often Forum members wonder why manufacturers are so hesitant to come to the party.  In the future, we too will be hesitant to entertain any group buy efforts.

 

[mics]

That sucks. I was surprised I got my capsule pretty quickly since I signed up very late to the group buy. Mr Heyne's recommendation is what motivated me to buy it, too. My capsule arrived in fine condition and sounds great in the MK47 mic, although there isn't as much bass as I would expect. Will get my M7 back from reskinning eventually and do a comparison then. 
Sorry you guys have this much trouble, this clearly isn't how things should be.

hi there.  single backplate capsules are not known for having a big bottom end.  thanks.  ben

 

[mics]

@ Tommypiper
Thanks for your sympathy
I agree with you and I have considered those points before pulling the trigger. But IMO, the 'maintaining profit, rather than maintaining QC' politic is only valid for big companies. Harman for instance can play that game, but a boutique manufacturer can easily ruin his own rep... Therefore I thought that Ben was playing another card; Using our community to increase his reputation. A lot of us are working for, or have access to, big studios. If we tell studio owners that someone is making good capsules, and if we can demonstrate it by showing a working mic, that can only be beneficial to said someone's business... That's a two edged sword tho...
Ben used to be a member here, and that is part of why he could have made us waiting for 6 months. I am surprised by the choices he made...

Axel

Profit.....where?  we did these at cost as we wanted to help.  no good deed goes unpunished.

 

[mics]

Hi Guys, do the math, 3 or 4 people complaining out of 150+ capsules sent.

that's less than 1 percent. 

Man that is crap QC fancy a 1% failure rate!!!

ben

 

[living sounds]

hi there.  single backplate capsules are not known for having a big bottom end.  thanks.  ben

Hi Ben, that clears it up for me, thanks! I just assumed there would be a big bottom for some reasons. But it really sounds great and sits in the mix very well.  8)

Just for the record, I've had a great experience participating in the group buy every step of the way. And complaining in an open forum without contacting the manufacturer first isn't how things should be done.

 

[gemini86]

wow... Ben, I understand that it must be EXTREMELY irritating to have people start a complaint thread before contacting you...STILL, the sarcasm and belittlement in your tone is unprofessional... Simple be polite and explain your points without talking to the group like we're a bunch of whining 3 year old brats. I've seen a couple threads like this in the past, buyer gets frustrated and starts bashing, others join in, manufacturer gets wind and makes a new account just to counter bash, rather than politely correct the issue at hand.

Not impressed by this thread either way.

(btw: I've had to deal with the wrinkled capsule bit as well. Ben is right, it usually is the center screw that causes it. I couldn't tell a difference either way.

 

[mics]

wow... Ben, I understand that it must be EXTREMELY irritating to have people start a complaint thread before contacting you...STILL, the sarcasm and belittlement in your tone is unprofessional... Simple be polite and explain your points without talking to the group like we're a bunch of whining 3 year old brats. I've seen a couple threads like this in the past, buyer gets frustrated and starts bashing, others join in, manufacturer gets wind and makes a new account just to counter bash, rather than politely correct the issue at hand.

Not impressed by this thread either way.

(btw: I've had to deal with the wrinkled capsule bit as well. Ben is right, it usually is the center screw that causes it. I couldn't tell a difference either way.

I realise that my sarcasm may be deemed as unprofessional but this thread isn't an attack on a massive corperation, it is an attack on a company who's owner has 4 children and who has to pay 10 wages each week, threads like this close company's like ours so believe you me, it is personal....especially considering the fact that we did these at cost with only the best intentions.

Any of my posts are not attacks on the group buy, just the poster who's post i am quoting.  please don't read more into it than is needed.  thanks .  ben

ben

 

[gemini86]

My opinion stands, weather you're walmart or mom-n-pops corner store...kill em with kindness...others will see this defensive stance you've taken and think (unrightfully so)that you treat all your customers with this disrespect and disdain. Threads like this CAN kill a business, if you react in the heat of the moment rather than rectifying the issue with a cool head. "keep bitching and your warranty is voided" is NOT something that anyone wants to hear, problems or not.

I agree with you though, Ben. 4 out of 150 is a remarkable QC tolerance especially being hand made. Those who had problems should have brought it to your attention before this thread was started.

 

[mics]

My opinion stands, weather you're walmart or mom-n-pops corner store...kill em with kindness...others will see this defensive stance you've taken and think (unrightfully so)that you treat all your customers with this disrespect and disdain. Threads like this CAN kill a business, if you react in the heat of the moment rather than rectifying the issue with a cool head. "keep bitching and your warranty is voided" is NOT something that anyone wants to hear, problems or not.

I agree with you though, Ben. 4 out of 150 is a remarkable QC tolerance especially being hand made. Those who had problems should have brought it to your attention before this thread was started.

I didn't quite put it that way; it's better to quote rather than paraphrase but i realise what you are saying, point noted and changed.

 

[Rybow]

I have been watching this group buy ever since I missed out on it. Kicked myself. Hard. After all that has happened, still kicking myself. It was a ridiculous deal. Absolutely ridiculous. 25% discount would have been awesome, even 15% is pretty sweet. You guys got 50% off, and didn't Ben pick up the tab on the shipping? May have gotten that wrong.

How many of you had the first impulse to jump on the forum and post something negative before trying to get a hold of Ben. I read several posts in the group buy thread about problems. Calling Ben was suggested and rejected. If I have a problem with any piece of equipment, I connect customer service before I rip them to shreds on the internet. I pick up the phone when I want answers. Ben has had his business described as shameful and unprofessional. I'm sorry but where is the gratitude? Negative comments are outweighing the positives despite a 1% failure rate, and you guys got a 50% discount! I agree that email communications seemed to be slow, and shipping got screwed up. I understand that you guys waited a long time for your capsules. I understand how frustrating it is to wait all that time and have it show up damaged, but unless you called Ben and he told you to f-off, there is no reason for this strong of a response.

I'm just a bit surprised by the response, and I understand and support Ben's comments. I manage a cinema that is part of a small 3 cinema independent art house chain. I compete with a multi million dollar chain everyday. I do my best to make sure that my customers are happy. When there is a problem, I do my best to fix it. When customers get aggressive with me, I show them the door. Sometimes just as aggressively. We are all just human beings here, and I think that businesses deserve the same courtesy as their customers.

Just 2 cents from an outside party. Not meant to offend.

Edit: Too be fair, some of you guys did post issues here in a respectful and calm manner, so good on you.

 

[mics]

I have been watching this group buy ever since I missed out on it. Kicked myself. Hard. After all that has happened, still kicking myself. It was a ridiculous deal. Absolutely ridiculous. 25% discount would have been awesome, even 15% is pretty sweet. You guys got 50% off, and didn't Ben pick up the tab on the shipping? May have gotten that wrong.

How many of you had the first impulse to jump on the forum and post something negative before trying to get a hold of Ben. I read several posts in the group buy thread about problems. Calling Ben was suggested and rejected. If I have a problem with any piece of equipment, I connect customer service before I rip them to shreds on the internet. I pick up the phone when I want answers. Ben has had his business described as shameful and unprofessional. I'm sorry but where is the gratitude? Negative comments are outweighing the positives despite a 1% failure rate, and you guys got a 50% discount! I agree that email communications seemed to be slow, and shipping got screwed up. I understand that you guys waited a long time for your capsules. I understand how frustrating it is to wait all that time and have it show up damaged, but unless you called Ben and he told you to f-off, there is no reason for this strong of a response.

I'm just a bit surprised by the response, and I understand and support Ben's comments. I manage a cinema that is part of a small 3 cinema independent art house chain. I compete with a multi million dollar chain everyday. I do my best to make sure that my customers are happy. When there is a problem, I do my best to fix it. When customers get aggressive with me, I show them the door. Sometimes just as aggressively. We are all just human beings here, and I think that businesses deserve the same courtesy as their customers.

Just 2 cents from an outside party. Not meant to offend.

Edit: Too be fair, some of you guys did post issues here in a respectful and calm manner, so good on you.

hi there, thanks for your support.  I do agree as i start to cool that i may have been harsh but i stand by the point that this is a small business that made a capsule at cost and has now been slagged on an open forum.

that is why i am upset

 

[pH]

Since this is a "survey" I thought I should chime in since it seems like the satisfied customers have been largely mute. Count me among them, as I was fortunate enough to be among the first to get their capsule. I put it in the G7 I was finishing and I've been extremely impressed with it (as well as Jakob's circuit design). Off-axis response is excellent. I don't find it at all bass-deficient, as someone here mentioned. It has been getting raves from the other engineers and clients in our studio.

Maybe Ben should have chimed in here earlier before it got to the point of damage control, however he isn't Behringer and may have gotten a bit over his head in this offering, being a small company and all. Unfortunately it now seems like there are those who are ready to slander his product even before testing the capsules, simply because they took so long. I'd guess that if you take your dirty laundry offline Ben will deal with any real problems that you have.

Many thanks to Ben for his very generous offer to the forum.

 

[Davo]

+1
I'm extremely pleased with mine as well... wish I bought more than one

Thanks Ben!!

 

[baadc0de]

Ben, I apologize for my rash decision to post here before thinking it through and getting an answer from you first. I did send an email in parallel, but I should raher do it in series. I'll be sending the damaged capsule in asap, thank you. My future plans for the development of our studio include some microphones and capsules from your company, so at least some of us will, regardless of QC issues, initiate other business hopefully not done at a loss for you as you intended.

 

[mics]

+1
I'm extremely pleased with mine as well... wish I bought more than one

Thanks Ben!!

hi mate, i am happy to provide you with another out of the latest batch if you wish.  same price for being nice (man i should write song lyrics).

ben

 

[zayance]

My capsule doesn't sit flat on the stand, picture doesn't show that much, but it looks like yours, saw that when i had it, and i have a small winkle on the membrane on one side as well, saw that as well..
And as you said maybe a color or volume difference in OMNI, well that's on me.
The Leg seems more straight than yours tough.
All in all mine looks "ok" compared to yours i guess....
I didn't tested the Capsule, yet, but i was a little "flipped out" at the same time, for if beeing one of the "damaged ones as well", can't think about that, got to stay positive...


The winkle makes the top of the Camera  difformed

If you are not happy with it then send it back i will fix it for you rather then joining in the slaughter....

First i'll have to try it out, for now it was just some "observations" and "To Compare" because that's what they were posted for, and as you know i had the capsule for some time now, even if i noticed those slight things on mine i didn't bother sending Email or "observations", want to try first.

But i can understand the frustration of mad.ax, he wanted to have some updates as others wanted them, you know that, and i believe you can loose your "cool" and don't even want to call nor get in touch if you have tried and failed, and time passes etc....
I know the guy and he is the very opposite of what he is reffered to, and he would have praised your work if he have had the luck of getting one "good" one, that was his luck  :-\ ....
Of course those threads don't do no good of any company, but that's what makes todays company to be even more carefull these days, quality control is a MUST, the defaults he shows are actually not minimal, (compared to mine), so that's very surprising also, can't say no?
And last, got to understand that after 6 months, thinking of sending back right away is a rough one....

(btw: I've had to deal with the wrinkled capsule bit as well. Ben is right, it usually is the center screw that causes it. I couldn't tell a difference either way.

Cool, good to have posted than, that would answer my "observation", and save me and you of sending it back. Time will tell.

Cheers

 

[pasarski]

I feel little bad about posting about the wrinkle issue in this thread, should have contacted Ben first. Didn't think of the possible harm that this kind of thread could cause to the company. I really hope and believe that's not the case. But I'm happy to know that there is a fix and I'm also happy that there is communication going on and I understand completely Ben heating up a bit. I also understand the irritation of the forum members who waited so long and didn't get 100% perfect capsules.

Like others have said this has been a great deal for us, the capsules are world class and they were dirt cheap. I've tracked couple of vocals with mine and these tracks are the best sounding ones on the album I'm working on. Nice usable proximity effect, and very sophisticated top end. But the thing that's most outstanding for me is the lower mids that you normally want to get rid of. You don't want to do it with this capsule because it sounds sweet and thick, not muddy. I've had a Thiersch red line SWT7 in the mic before and it sounded also great, maybe a little softer. Can't say yet which one I prefer in this circuit.

I hope all the best for Ben and his company and I also hope others with issues about the capsules get them fixed soon so they can also start to record some music with them. And I hope to hear some comments from others who have tracked with these and compared to other same type capsules. Ben wouldn't probably mind a little analytical feedback from the end users.

 

[Davo]

hi mate, i am happy to provide you with another out of the latest batch if you wish.  same price for being nice (man i should write song lyrics).

ben

Wow!  I'd been kicking myself for only getting one.  Absolute no brainer... thanks Ben, I'll shoot an email your way

Cheers,
Dave