Behringer B2 Pro mods?

[Icantthinkofaname]

It's not shrink wrap it's definitely a part of the capsules membrane, you know how I know?  I just accidentally tore it lol.  That's ok, I got the thing for free from a friend.  Guess I'll try the k47 capsule unless anyone has some recommendations on condensers that have a bit smoother top end and won't cost a months rent.

iSK BM-600 is about $100 USD, you just have to replace the feedback capacitor (C1 in mine) with a 470pF or 680 pF capacitor to tame the high end more, then it's a passable U87 clone, and it's multipattern.

 

[melodnb]

Went ahead and grabbed a dual k47 capsule, should fit with my voice better and knock out a bit of the top end I don't care for. 

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Went ahead and grabbed a dual k47 capsule, should fit with my voice better and knock out a bit of the top end I don't care for.

Mind doing a measurement after? I'm really interested in those K47s (at the moment my Lewitt is my flat response mic, but I may want to build a cheapo one for travel) and I can't find a frequency response of that capsule aside from the on Mic Parts which looks kind of questionable.

 

[kingkorg]

That k47 is just what you are looking for.

 

[melodnb]

Mind doing a measurement after? I'm really interested in those K47s (at the moment my Lewitt is my flat response mic, but I may want to build a cheapo one for travel) and I can't find a frequency response of that capsule aside from the on Mic Parts which looks kind of questionable.

I will do just that when it arrives and I install it. 

 

[kingkorg]

Black is Neumann u87, Blue is Behringer B2, Green is that same k47.

 

[kingkorg]

Green is the k47 we mention here, Red is Dave Pearlman k47, Blue is Dale's M7.

 

[melodnb]

Cool, dang wish I had that smooth 87 roll off.  Excited to get the k47 capsule.  Why don't more manufacturers toss in that Dr-emphasis circuit? Seems like the cost would be negligible and improve a lot of mics out there. 

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

So how the hell am I supposed to get this thing open? I got all the screws undone from under the headbasket, but I'm having trouble actually removing it. It just sort of wiggles but stays in place and the switches don't seem like they'll be pulled through the holes easily. This is the new version with SMD components.

Cool, dang wish I had that smooth 87 roll off.  Excited to get the k47 capsule.  Why don't more manufacturers toss in that Dr-emphasis circuit? Seems like the cost would be negligible and improve a lot of mics out there.

Who knows? Some budget ones do, like MXL who uses it in the V67G, V87, 2001, and the similar mics. iSK uses it in the BM-600, and probably some other mics too. AKG uses it in the Perception/P 220 and 420.

 

[kingkorg]

Cool, dang wish I had that smooth 87 roll off.  Excited to get the k47 capsule.  Why don't more manufacturers toss in that Dr-emphasis circuit? Seems like the cost would be negligible and improve a lot of mics out there.

It is really matter of taste. A lot of famous mics use k67 style of capsule without any hf attenuation. In the end, you can just use EQ. Using a clean EQ like FabFilter is actually cleaner and "better" way to do it.

On vocals, and other instruments a lot of times you need to add some of the high end back with u87. And often cut in 4-5 range. U87 can be quite sibilant at times.

 

[melodnb]

So how the hell am I supposed to get this thing open? I got all the screws undone from under the headbasket, but I'm having trouble actually removing it. It just sort of wiggles but stays in place and the switches don't seem like they'll be pulled through the holes easily.

You can actually fit the switches through the holes, you have to start with the low cut switch or the pad switch.  Once you've got one of them through the others will come out with much of a fuss. Try pushing the switch from the outside in with a screw driver, should reduce the risk of damage if you instead tried to pull the switch pcb down.  Oh, and you have to unscrew the large PCB board and pull it out of the way so you slide out the board with the switches it on it.

I can totally see the HF of a mic being to taste and the 87 being sibilant sometimes, but I'll take that over a mic that is sibilant ALL the time. 

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

The RK47 looks like it holds it's own against some nicer capsules.

Are there any existing PCBs (Schoeps circuit!, or for flat transformer coupled ones) that would fit the new B2 Pro? I feel like the SMD parts could be a huge bottleneck in modding/upgrading.

 

[melodnb]

here's the 47 capsule, came in today, was easy to swap. 

I've only tracked a few things, acoustic and drums with it as a single mic and I love it.  It's got a really fat and warm sound to it, kinda wooly sounding if that makes sense.  No harsh highs to be found.  Sounds really good on our drum kit just as a single mic, threw vulf comp on it and loved the results.  Feels like it needs a tad bit more gain to match the original capsules volume.  I may buy another b2 and k47 capsule to have stereo overheads with this tone.  The stock b2 was super harsh on OH, didn't matter the placement those cymbals just tore your head off.  I generally try to focus my kits sound on the snare and the mid range hump on this really helps it stand out. 

Couldn't be more satisfied with the new capsule, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[melodnb]

here's the 47 capsule, came in today, was easy to swap. 

I've only tracked a few things, acoustic and drums with it as a single mic and I love it.  It's got a really fat and warm sound to it, kinda wooly sounding if that makes sense.  No harsh highs to be found.  Sounds really good on our drum kit just as a single mic, threw vulf comp on it and loved the results.  Feels like it needs a tad bit more gain to match the original capsules volume.  I may buy another b2 and k47 capsule to have stereo overheads with this tone.  The stock b2 was super harsh on OH, didn't matter the placement those cymbals just tore your head off.  I generally try to focus my kits sound on the snare and the mid range hump on this really helps it stand out. 

Works on my voice really well, the dip at around 2k basically does what I already do in EQ, there's a lot of nasally nastiness around that region for me.

One thing I thought when listening to some of the recordings was that is almost sounds like a typical dynamic mic but with more sensitivity and less honk. 

Couldn't be more satisfied with the new capsule, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[kingkorg]

Reflects what i measure with mine, compared to 796 k67. Even though we obviously have different measurement setup.

Thanks for posting results!

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

My Maiku CK12 came in today. Won't be installing it until Sunday, busy with work right now.

 

[melodnb]

Reflects what i measure with mine, compared to 796 k67. Even though we obviously have different measurement setup.

Thanks for posting results!

I'm just using REW sweeps through some nuemann kh120's.

 

[melodnb]

Hey guys, I've been doing some tracking and notice that the mic is considerably quieter with the new capsule.  I'm using a behringer umc1820.  I can turn the gain all the way up and not clip the mic with a strummed acoustic from about 2 feet away, the same settings would've clipped the crap out of the stock b2.  The amount of gain I have to use for the signal level I'm getting doesn't quite feel right.  Any ideas?

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

I might just build the D87 circuit if that'll fit in the new B2 Pro bodies. I'll just have to leave out the corrective EQ part.

Hey guys, I've been doing some tracking and notice that the mic is considerably quieter with the new capsule.  I'm using a behringer umc1820.  I can turn the gain all the way up and not clip the mic with a strummed acoustic from about 2 feet away, the same settings would've clipped the crap out of the stock b2.  The amount of gain I have to use for the signal level I'm getting doesn't quite feel right.  Any ideas?

I can't think of anything other than maybe the DC converter isn't giving the capsule it's required voltage. I might just make one of the D87 kits in the Behringer body honestly and just forego the corrective EQ part of the circuit so I have all through hole parts.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Is there anything I need to be careful of to avoid getting the output of the mic lowered?

Hey guys, I've been doing some tracking and notice that the mic is considerably quieter with the new capsule.  I'm using a behringer umc1820.  I can turn the gain all the way up and not clip the mic with a strummed acoustic from about 2 feet away, the same settings would've clipped the crap out of the stock b2.  The amount of gain I have to use for the signal level I'm getting doesn't quite feel right.  Any ideas?

Did you fix this yet? Try putting the old capsule in if you can and see if it returns to the previous sensitivity. If not it might be an issue with the RK47 capsule, the DC converter in the mic, or maybe you wired something wrong. Or there could be some other issue, these are just the things that come to mind.