For those interested - my description of the BeesNeez range

[Ben M]

Thankyou Angus.

It's an impressive selection of great aussie mics. I haven't been there yet, but I plan on soon.

I think that Ben should pop this up on his web page for reference. :)

[Ben M]

I might try the Lulu fet kit (pair). 1/2 price if you build it yourself. Sounds like fun.


:)

[Brent]

Yeah, it is good news. I've been able to use my mic a total of once in almost a year thanks to those cheap-arsed psu's.

Brent Punshon

[DrAlienSmith]

Yeah, it is good news. I've been able to use my mic a total of once in almost a year thanks to those cheap-arsed psu's.

Brent Punshon

wonder which one i have for my Jade? do the 2 power supplies look different? mines working fine tho.

[13thbeach]

Yeah, it is good news. I've been able to use my mic a total of once in almost a year thanks to those cheap-arsed psu's.

Brent Punshon

Ouch! I think we've hit a nerve.

[Linear]

Angus,

I'm almost positive that you wouldn't be so bold or galling as to be receiving a kickback for this constant stream of beezneez forum infomercials, but from the outside it sure as hell looks like it.

Your descriptions of the mics told me absolutely nothing, except that they somehow reference a bunch of mics that most people have probably never used.

Here's the summary of my experience with Beezneez stuff. Ben came in once, and was very salesy which I found mildly abrasive (maybe it was that he was a foot taller than me too...!) The guys next-door had a peluso which apparently rarely worked no matter how many times it went back to ben. mr peluso also distanced himself from the local operation here, not sure what happened but it seemed to get nasty at the end.

Ben sold me a shockmount for my U87, which i'm not a huge fan of because you need a pair of pliers to get the mic out (ie no quick release). He also sold me a tube for my Sony C37, which was great.

I'm interested in trying a Beezneez mic, but all the forum antics (including the infamous 'shootout' episode on gearslutz) has a bad wiff about it. I just wished that there was less trolling, and more 'letting the product speak for itself'. In many ways, I wish Beezneez all the good fortune in the world, I love cottage-industry pro audio especially based in Australia. I guess there's just too much signal-to-noise for my liking.

Yes yes, I'm being mr negative again. whatever. no it's not personal. yes, i'm opinionated. no, don't think I should keep these opinons to myself...

Much love,

Chris

[HA_DA_JA]

I have one of Bens mics. Its the james series.
I dont think Bens mics are the best that are out there but here is my short story.
I had a Rode Classic II (RRP $2499) and tried to use it but just could not get the sound I was after on vocals and instruments. I sent it back to Rode to get it checked out and they said there was nothing wrong with it. MY other cheap chinese mics sounded better.
In the end I sold it off as I never used it. I even tried using it in a couple of different studios with the same result.
So with the money I bought a James mic and now I use it all the time for lots of stuff.
Would I say the $1250 I paid for the james is 2 x as good as the Classic - absolutely if not more.

Whether it would stack up against other big mic names I dont know, I just know I would not be interested in using a Rode Classic II again.
Even my NTK got more use than the Classic II.

So that would be my real world story

[Chris H]

I have one of Bens mics. Its the james series.
I dont think Bens mics are the best that are out there but here is my short story.
I had a Rode Classic II (RRP $2499) and tried to use it but just could not get the sound I was after on vocals and instruments. I sent it back to Rode to get it checked out and they said there was nothing wrong with it. MY other cheap chinese mics sounded better.
In the end I sold it off as I never used it. I even tried using it in a couple of different studios with the same result.
So with the money I bought a James mic and now I use it all the time for lots of stuff.
Would I say the $1250 I paid for the james is 2 x as good as the Classic - absolutely if not more.

Whether it would stack up against other big mic names I dont know, I just know I would not be interested in using a Rode Classic II again.
Even my NTK got more use than the Classic II.

So that would be my real world story

Did you ever try your classic II against another classic II. It seems from your description that there was something wrong with it. I had one and sold it during one of those "cash flow problem" times, and have regretted it since. Mine was a great mic, much better than any NTK i have used. Like any mic it shone on some voices and others the U87 shone, on others the AKG D19 dynamic was the bees knees for the job. :)

[Linear]

yeah, i used to think my classic ii was shite but it's actually a pretty good and useful mic.

mine lives almost exclusively on outside kick duties, although it's not a bad vocal mic.

i've found that it sounds better a few clicks off the cardioid setting, i have no idea why. it kinda takes the honkiness out of it, and reduces the proximity effect.

gain structure is important for this mic, as well as pre choice. i think there are a few boxy frequencies around, but it's probably to do with the design of the basket around the capsule more than anything. i've had it in my head for a while that a flat top and circular sides is probably far from ideal, but who knows.

Chris

[wez]

I think Chris (Linear) just summed it up... the Rode mics aren't bad, but they are hard work sometimes. whereas the equivalent neumann etc will get you 95% of the way to the sound you're after without having to worry too much about EQ (and to a lesser extent, pre amp choice).

it's like the difference between a drummer that needs 10 takes to get the groove right, and an experienced session guy who's in the pocket from the first beat. both guys will get you a result, but you'd go with the pro guy every time if you can afford him.

[HA_DA_JA]

Sorry I am not living with regrets I have moved on.
Glad to hear that the Classic is working for you both.
Let me tell you that the James works with all my preamps, I dont have to adjust any off cardiod clicks pattern thingies,
I can point it directly at an instrument and sing directly at the mic and always get a good - fantastic result.
Dare I say that my new James is now my Classic III mic

[Aearth]

I'm a huge fan of Ben's mics and I too tell everyone I know how good they are. I appreciate your input Angus..... keep it up.

nIC

[Gian]

I got a James60, which has a longer body than the normal James and has a 60mm diameter, compared to the stock James which is 51mm in diameter. It is on page 3 of Ben's online store. I cost more than the normal James and I never tried the normal James so I was taking a punt (after speaking to Ben on the phone) and I have to say, I just love it. I got it at the start of the year.

I have a Jade as well and both mics complement eachother.

I found the Jade similar to a neumann TLM103 but cheaper, and also with extra body and substance to it. So I sold the TLM130, the Jade just sounded better (to me).

The James is just a lovely mic to use and, to me, sounds just wonderful.

Even my wife commented (positively) on its sound (on her voice)

Do I need to keep saying that things sound good "to me". I am trying to be politically correct so I dont get flamed for giving my opinion, but surely the fact that I am writing this implies that it is what _I_ think.

Same with Angus I suppose. He just loves Ben's mics, and I have to agree with him. I love Joe Molone's stuff too. I have his pres, eqs, and compressors. They are awesome.

I want to get an Arabella now, but I need new monitors and a new AD/DA damn it!

As I dont have many people around me that are as into these things as I am...it is nice to share with you guys.

Thanks for listening.

[Ender]

When did I become such an expert on Ben's mics???

Hey Angus - actually, when I recently hunted around for info on Ben's stuff, it does seem there's barely a post out there you haven't commented on! So that's probably the reason you're getting the PMs :P Plus the fact it sounds like you do own quite a few of them so people probably assume you can actually do a valid comparison between them. I've read other posts around where people suggested you were affiliated with Bees Neez due to your passionate (and numerous) posts, but possibly its an "underdog" Aussie trait we can't shake when we'd like to see Australians do well. Nothing wrong with that, and the world would be a better place if everyone ate Vegemite IMO :)

I did have a serious question though for this thread.. most of the details you posted seem to reflect pretty much what Ben has posted on his site. I'm interested in grabbing a new mic soon (vox/drum room/other), and found it hard to actually choose which model would be best for my needs if I was to take the plunge on a Bees Neez. I spoke to Ben about it and he was really great to chat to, but although he ended up recommending the Arabella as the most all-purpose mic for what I wanted, I still don't really know what it "sounds" like.

If I was looking for details its probably comparing Neez mics themselves; I don't really need a shoot-out to other mics... as a potential buyer I can't even choose which is the right Neez mic! "How much more "inspirational" is the T1 compared to the Arabella?" "What can you do with the Arabella you can't do with a Jade/James?" Edit - Gian added some great comments like this just after I posted, thanks!

Admittedly I guess its tough to describe mics.. unless you're blatently copying a classic and can say "hey it sounds like a <insert classic model here>", saying its a great versatile and neutral mic is about as good as it gets for something that is meant to be an original. I saw Ben is putting up soundclips soon, so they will be at least another way to help the decisions. I'd love to just jump in, but finances don't allow it atm :(

Either way, they do look to be a great product and I'lll keep hunting for new reviews from guys using them around the globe. I just might have to bother Ben some more for more details ;)

[Aearth]

I think a great positive about BeesNeez mics is that you don't have to spend $4k to get a great sounding mic.


nIC

[13thbeach]

I think a great positive about BeesNeez mics is that you don't have to spend $4k to get a great sounding mic.


nIC

Unless you want a T1.

[Aearth]

I think a great positive about BeesNeez mics is that you don't have to spend $4k to get a great sounding mic.


nIC

Unless you want a T1.

Well....... yeah

nIC

[Howard Jones]

I don't buy NOS claims anymore. The number of manufacturers making this claim would lead you to think that Philips, Mullard etc made valves in the 60s and 70s purely for the express purpose of stockpiling them so that they would be available to microphone manufacturers in the 21st century.

Pure bullshit. Those companies made valves to sell them way back then. Sure, they had excess stock and sure the military horded them, but not so many as to fulfil all the claims that are now made from all corners of the globe about "our mics are supplied with NOS valves". NOS is right up there with "warm analogue sound". Give me a break.

[rick]

:lol:
good to hear from you howard you have been missing for a while
and such a cheery post too:)

I am right inside the world of nos tube
I assure you of the usual suspects there are in fact millions of them stock piled
it's all about finding out who had them

most mic manufactur are now engaged in finding " unused in this application"
tubes typically things that were designed or international telephony
were the stock piles are huge and the manufactering stopped in the eighties not the 50's

Maybe you misunderstanding the actual number of tubes being used in pro audio
it's very small
a guy like ben is still in the hundreds ( if you believe him )
in his mic runs and thats of 5 different mics

if your looking for the kinds of tubes he uses and claims nos
you can buy as many as you like for around $20 each

this exludes of course the vf14 m and the ac701
which are really rare

I went on a mic tube nos hunt maybe 6 months ago
and came up good on 3 vf14 m and 70 ac701
I bought the vf14 but left the 70 ac701 where they stood for later purchase

But I did find 25,000 ec 92
and 100,000 c3gm

ben is using a little ac 701 type nos Jan tube
he bought boxes of em for a couple of bucks each

and as for the millions I mentioned
well there is a guy on this list that has a barn in wagga
he has millions and claims to have the largest collection in the world
that claim is highley dispute by several other tube collecters ( is that the word?)
world over

good to see you back on the board though Howard:)

[Howard Jones]

My post wasn't aimed particularly at Ben Sneesby or anyone else. I am aware that quantities in audio are small by manufacturer standards but, when all the claims from all the world about NOS are added up, I remain deeply suspicious.

These claims are made in marketing & promotion but no proof is ever offered. There is also, of course, the implication that non-NOS valves are less good in the role; something I'd like to see a manufacturer address. Do they believe this? If so, why? If not, why not?

NOS has become a marketing shibboleth, hence my comparison with "warm analogue sound". As ever, let's put aside the marketing BS and consider what a product does, how well it does it and what it sounds like. And whether the valve is NOS or not is a very small part of that.

[rick]

in normal application , ie gain
i feel most audio tube in the newly made market are probably ok
when the use must also include "tone, dynamics noise and longevity"

i cannot find and simply will not bother to look for anything other then a nos tube ever again.
and sure there are lots of justs reprinted tubes with dodgy logos and selling them as something they are not

that said i know my needs are magnified but a "rick" factor and i am just not your average - "err where can i get a new tube from guy"

oh but of course the tubes in the tube stage of the new master transfer console are 300b tubes running class a at line level !
and they are a new custom made run of 500 from a specalist company made just last year ,
and made with a little less power but lower noise
so they are new new stock , also very very expensive .
this is not normal behaviour and may be seem by some as proof i have lost my marbles
but i think not - i think i know what i am doing .