Beesneez Microphones

[anguswoodhead]

Originally Posted by jon_waite

I'm thinking about a Tribute 1

Best damn mic I have ever owned or even used - period.
Buy one - you won't regret it - I got number 47

[anguswoodhead]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

If you say so...
So do you have frequency response measurements or not?
It's just impossible to construct and produce microphones within reasonable tolerances without measuring them. How do you quality control your microphones to be within tolerances?

I call BS on the engineering competence of an operation that manages to have an online store, but is unable to put even the most basic engineering facts about its products online.

You my friend seem to have a big problem with Mr Sneesby and I am not sure why.
Perhaps there is some underlying agenda that causes you to be so aggressively negative.
If you don't like the man or his mics then stay away from BeesNeez related threads.

[laddie.music2]

Originally Posted by anguswoodhead

You my friend seem to have a big problem with Mr Sneesby and I am not sure why.
Perhaps there is some underlying agenda that causes you to be so aggressively negative.
If you don't like the man or his mics then stay away from BeesNeez related threads.

good is good, the point is, all of bens mic's are good, brilliant,

audio ergo would use a Project studios C1 so long as it 'looked geat' on his frequency printout,

bens an artist, and he paints incredible mics...

[laddie.music2]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

You have a point regarding graphs, but Brauner does publish specs for their mics, which makes a major difference for being accountable for your products.
And graphs are published of several tests. Also in my eyes Brauner is not really comparable here. Of course that is all said without knowing any of the people personally. Which from a professional perspective is secondary. I don't care if someone is a good dad of sweet kids in order to judge his ability to build good microphones. Actually if someone constantly emphasizes on his personality, I get a little suspicious. Maybe just a matter of personal style how to keep business and personal life separated.

That's exactly why I like to learn without going through an online store first.

Do you own a Brauner?,
I do, a KHE, $10k,

our Frank (custom mic by Ben based on 6072a) is being used next to it without any worries, sounds incredible,

I own a Phelicity and a Arabella as well,
The Phelicity is a hidden treasure, that thing with my Pultec retro 2a3 smokes man... absolutely smokes.

audio ergo... I know who you are... and you know who I am... your intentions here have ill intentions, you should try a Bees mic some day, they have something that i've not heard in any other mic, they truly impress me on a daily basis.

I like your signature... you should learn to practice what you so called preach...

[Magic Alex]

Hey Ben, I just noticed some changes to your product line....the Jade, James and Arabella are now available in 'Studio Series', with some hefty price cutting. What is the difference between the Studio and Producer Series.

Please don't say, "one is made in China"!

[Clive Banks]

Actually if someone constantly emphasizes on his personality, I get a little suspicious.

i think if Ben were an arsehole and his mics were great i still would be interested
but if the 'nice guy' personality test were a cover up for sloppy workmanship or badly matched equipment then i would be a little worried.

microphone manufacturing should be consistent so the consumer knows what he's getting. posting up samples when there is a wide tolerance of spec. accepted in quality control makes them (the samples) rather redundant.
that's why spec sheets and data publication are so important with microphones.

[anguswoodhead]

I don't get why people harp on so much about freq response sheets.
The ones that I have seen in microphone boxes by company's like Shure etc don't really mean a pinch of s**t.
I have used many SM58's that sound very different from each other.

Surely if Ben uses the same internal layout and components for a certain mic then they will sound similar.

The point is that he doesn't agree with nice looking response sheets equalling a nice sounding mic, from what I can tell.

Did Neumann release response graphs with there U47 and M49? (honest question)
And these mics are known as some of the best ever made.
Now I have heard stories about some of them sounding a little different from each other and I'm sure there will be subtle differences between each of Ben's mics also.
But isn't that one of the positives from having a hand made mic.

What I do know is that the mics I have had have all been glorious sounding and the world is full of VERY happy BeesNeez owners - go figure.
Just my .02c worth.

[didier.brest]

Originally Posted by anguswoodhead

Did Neumann release response graphs with there U47 and M49? (honest question)

Yes they did. They are still available from here .

[anguswoodhead]

Originally Posted by didier.brest

Yes they did. They are still available from here .

Cool thanks.
Look I honestly don't know why Ben doesn't want to release graphs of his mics but it is his perogative as the designer and manufacturer.
I must say that I rarely take any notice of the graphs that do come with certain mics.
I bet the graphs on the Neumann website are not accurate for every mic they ever made - LOL.

[didier.brest]

FLEA don't publish graphs. But they deliver each mic with an individual graph. It's an interesting information especially for a matched pair.

[cheu78]

Originally Posted by didier.brest

FLEA don't publish graphs. But they deliver each mic with an individual graph. It's an interesting information especially for a matched pair.

I agree with you, but honestly with the stuff I'm doing (I'm mr. Nobody here, I know), it's not a graph that will place the mic in a correct way nor it does make me a better engineer.
If the mic sounds great to my ears it's enough for me.

I'm pretty sure that the electronics tolerances in the components are reached, to my ears and eyes Ben knows what he's doing, he's very serious about his job. I personally like his mics.

Just my 0.02$,


Cheu


Genius is the fire that lights itself.

[pianokeys]

Like any boutique mics, although difficult to do (I do understand), it is always best to hear them for yourselves first.

One person's 'great' mic can sound just wrong to soneone else and vise versa.

Sorry for stating the obvious...and I know well how hard it can be to have what you want to hear somewhere you can hear it...

[audio ergo sum]

Originally Posted by anguswoodhead

...
The point is that he doesn't agree with nice looking response sheets equalling a nice sounding mic, from what I can tell.
...

That's not the point.
Nobody said or thinks that a nice looking response graph equals a nice sounding mic.
I personally would just never buy a mic who's manufacturer does not publish ANY specs of the mic. Maybe if I lived close to his place and knew him personally to trust him both as an engineer and as a business man, but certainly not from another continent.

BTW, do you guys know any independent tests or reviews of these mics? I couldn't find anything in the internet, nothing that could be considered a test with engineering expertise.

[tapehiss]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

That's not the point.
Nobody said or thinks that a nice looking response graph equals a nice sounding mic.
I personally would just never buy a mic who's manufacturer does not publish ANY specs of the mic.

strange that you say a graph spec has no bearing on sound quality, yet you feel it is essential for you to have one before purchase.

i guess i could understand your point, that you have explained several times over now.......... but i personally could never use paper specs to determine sound.

thats like listening to your steak to find out if it tastes good.

[audio ergo sum]

Originally Posted by tapehiss

strange that you say a graph spec has no bearing on sound quality,

I didn't say that either. There is something between black and white.

thats like listening to your steak to find out if it tastes good.

Really?
And how do you explain to a blind person, what color is?
I wouldn't try, it probably yields not much success.

[Suda Badri]

audio ergo sum, descrates would be ashamed... you should just worry about yourself.... I do agree about measurements but seriously if you can hear a mic and the draw a frequency chart you would be the man... to that extent plots are pretty useless but i still like to stare at something, going in an endless circle here... also if you order your parts from a very good company, you can be hopeful most parts would be to a high standard/tolerance...

[audio ergo sum]

Descartes was a very wise man.

"It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well."

"The senses deceive from time to time, and it is prudent never to trust wholly those who have deceived us even once."

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

I personally would just never buy a mic who's manufacturer does not publish ANY specs of the mic. Maybe if I lived close to his place and knew him personally, but certainly not from another continent.

BTW, do you guys know any independent tests or reviews of these mics? I couldn't find anything in the internet, nothing that could be considered a test with engineering expertise.

Your perogative (Britney anyone) to not buy the mikes given your position. But your posts and views can be construed as insulting to those persons who use their ears and purchased the Beez Neez mikes when living outside Oz.

Oh- and as to independent tests - the Australian magazine Audio Technology did a reasonably comprehensive review of the mikes by an experienced engineer. Also Rick O'Neil heard the mikes firsthand and was pretty complimentary (aside from their looks) and Gunter Wagner also conceded that the mikes sounded great.

Now I would take Rick O'Neill's and Gunter Wagner's views and the Audio Technology review over your uhh what seems to be "agenda driven" anonymous viewpoint.

GJ
Newcastle/OZ- A dum aussie redneck who bought 3 Beez Neez Mikes without specs because I am a dum schluck who relies on my ears

[mics]

Hi All.

I realise that some may feel more confortable if i publish graphs and specs on my site but if i did, what would it tell you? It would be 1 response graph from 1 Mic. Would it make me a better manufacturer? No. Would it gain me more respect amongst my peers? I doubt it.

At the end of the day, my posting or not posting analysis information on my site is up to myself and the other directors of BeesNeez.

Just because we don't publish test results, doesn't mean we can't or don't test each microphone; one would be arrogant to assume such.

[a.beck]

This is maybe a daft question, but is there somewhere with more information on which model does what? I'm looking at a mic purchase soon, and the Beesneez stuff looks great, but I'm not enough of a boffin to know what to expect of the various different tube, tranny and capsule combinations. This seems to be the only solid info on the site.

Is there somewhere in Sydney that I can hear a few of these? Or is there someone around that might be kind enough to give a basic rundown of what the various "names" sound like? (really subjective stuff, admittedly, but anything to put me in the ballpark would be great)

I've used enough 47s, C12s, M49s (and the beautiful 251 at Universal Music Publishing in L.A.) etc. to know what I want - just hoping I can get near the sound I'm after without going the full AU$10k monty for the "real deal".

Thanks in advance.
-a.

[anguswoodhead]

If you're chasing that U47 sound buy the Tribute 1 for $4000 - EF14 Telefunken Steel Tube (30's & 40's).

If that's to much money then buy one of the Producer series.

Mahalia - U67 'ish - EF86 Glass Pentode tube (50's and 60's) - "The Mahalia has a dual backplate capsule that has been designed to give a full range frequency response without being too accentuated in the top end. The Mahalia's sound can be described as silky and refined. "
Phelicity - C12 'ish - 6AK5 tube (mid 60's) - "pristine top end"
Arabella - U47 / M49 'ish - Metal EF12 (30's and 40's). "It does share lineage with a few classics, namely the Neumann U47 and M49 and has been designed to take the best of each to make an extremely versatile microphone."
Sally - half way between an Arabella and a Phelicity - more top and bottom with a little more mid forward - Glass tube - 6AK5 tube (mid 60's). "The SALLY is our take on everything we love about large diaphragm tube condenser microphones. With a lush warm sound and lots of headroom."
James - 6N2PEV Russian Glass Dual Triode tube (mid 70's) - Ben's unique design - mid forward, not overly bright "tone is smooth and lush with mid frequencies forward and has none of the associated sibilance issues present in many modern microphones."
Jade - 5784WB Glass Raytheon Tube (60's) - similarities to the M49 - a great entry level to the sound of BeesNeez. "The Jade is harmonically rich with a beautifully round top end. "

The Studio series are just 'cheaper' versions of the Jade, James and Arabella with OEM bodies, PCB boards and Glass tubes.
Jade & James have same NOS tubes as the Producer series but the Arabella GT has the 6AK5 Tube.

BTW - The Lulu Fet is basically a clone of a Neumann KM84 - Ben tried to improve the deisgn but felt he couldn't.

Hope that helps.

[cheu78]

Originally Posted by anguswoodhead

If you're chasing that U47 sound buy the Tribute 1 for $4000.

If that's to much money then buy one of the Producer series.

Mahalia - U67 'ish "The Mahalia has a dual backplate capsule that has been designed to give a full range frequency response without being too accentuated in the top end. The Mahalia's sound can be described as silky and refined. "
Phelicity - C12 'ish "pristine top end"
Arabella - U47 / M49 'ish "It does share lineage with a few classics, namely the Neumann U47 and M49 and has been designed to take the best of each to make an extremely versatile microphone."
Sally - similar to Arabella but more open in the top end. "The SALLY is our take on everything we love about large diaphragm tube condenser microphones. With a lush warm sound and lots of headroom."
James - Ben's unique design - mid forward, not overly bright "tone is smooth and lush with mid frequencies forward and has none of the associated sibilance issues present in many modern microphones."
Jade - similarities to the Arabella IMHO - a great entry level to the sound of BeesNeez. "The Jade is harmonically rich with a beautifully round top end. "

The Studio series are just 'cheaper' versions of the Jade, James and Arabella with OEM bodies, PCB boards and Glass tubes.

BTW - The Lulu Fet is basically a clone of a Neumann KM84 - Ben tried to improve the deisgn but felt he couldn't.

Hope that helps.

Cool!!!
I'm droolin'....

For me the next in line are the Arabella and the LuLu...
I'm droolin' again....


Ciao

Cheu

[musikwerks]

Thanks for that info Angus. I'm looking at one of Ben's mics too but want something different from the U47 sound as I have that covered. Looking into the James for acoustics and overheads/rooms.

Good info.

[a.beck]

Thank you kindly Angus. thumbsup