Behringer B5 and C2 Pencil Mics Compared - Both Low Noise Pencil Mics

These two mics are pretty similar. B2 is more expensive, slightly lower noise floor with two capsules. I still think that the C2 combo of two mics with a stereo bar is a real bargain though, although the B5 sounds a little bit smoother.

[@thebusinessfirm9862]

Another brilliant video, Ian. You’re definitely one of the best microphone reviewers on KZbin.

[@iancraig]

Thank you so much. I'm trying very hard to raise my game. I get a lot out of making films and love it, but getting the look and content right is quite a challenge.

[@centralfloridafilmreview.6128]

Thanks for the information, Mr. Craig, I'm trying to develop a career in Radio and Voice Over, so I always appreciate it when people do microphone reviews.

[@iancraig]

Great. I hope they’re useful to you. For voiceover, check out the Rode NT1!!!

[@TheIndianBudgetGamer]

amazing comparision .... loved it ,, finally i am going to buy 2 C2 & thanks for the genuine review

[@lovecraftmusic8717]

The C2 sounds like the B5 with the high-pass filter engaged, so slightly less bass.

[@HelmCast]

Great review!!!

[@iancraig]

Thank you, HelmCast.

[@glenesis]

Thanks! That B5 Omni flat sounds amazing!

[@iancraig]

Omnis do tend to sound more ‘open’.

[@AyratMuxametov]

C-2 and B-5 👍🔥🔥🔥🔥 Good video. Thank you!

[@Statist0815]

I really like the attitude of this videos.

[@iancraig]

Thank you.

[@kempdaw6726]

nice review. very useful

[@THEVYKYNG]

Great video. Thanks :)

[@Kombi-1]

I wore that exact same shirt today! Wonderful!!

[@iancraig]

A man of good taste …….

[@LifeofTechUK]

Hi Ian, just a quick message to say thanks for the video. I’ve been using a lav mic for a long time and after having so many strange issues with interference and high pitch whining noises, I decided to try a pencil condenser kind of setup. Will be placing the mic on a boom just out of frame for my videos, but I wanted to get an idea of how some of these mics would sound. I have ordered the Samson C02 and also the Behringer C2. Will test both, but your videos have been a big help. I subscribed too - look forward to watching more of your videos 👍🏻🙂

[@iancraig]

Thank you for your kind words Life of Tech. I’m on the brink of going quiet because I am finding that my videos don’t really attract much interest in terms of views. Either the subject or I am perhaps a bit ‘boring’ for most people! ; ) I would suggest the B5 for a lower noise floor or even better, the t.bone sc140 for smoothness. The C2 is real budget stuff. I normally use an Oktava mk012 or se8 pencil. Oktava helps me ‘shape’ the sound with its diffrent capsules, where the SE8 is for really low volume, quiet stuff because it has a pretty low self noise. Both C02 and C2 have noticeable self noise in quiet situations. The sc140 is a killer budget pencil.

[@LifeofTechUK]

@@iancraig Thanks very much, Ian. I remember you saying that you preferred the B5 now you mention it. I think I’ll give that a try too. As for being boring, I actually think you have something very rare. You are extremely talented and you have a superb camera presence. My videos are different to the type of thing you are doing, but if I had some of your charm I’d be very happy indeed! I actually went on to watch a few more of your videos, including the live stream where you started by playing music. That was absolutely superb! I think the main issue with KZbin now is that there are so many people creating content. It’s just very hard for people to find videos. KZbin seems to recommend videos from larger channels, and all the other channels get lower views. I really would not give up. Personally I love what you are doing. Thank you again for the advice. I’ll come back and let you know how I get on over the next few weeks :)

[@iancraig]

I’m a retired musician. Actually an oboe player. Did a lot of recording for radio, TV and films when I was younger and even rick bands! Really, I’m not great on a keyboard, but it allowed me time for people to find the stream, so I just played an improvisation while I waited! I think you are right; KZbin jumps on the fast audience and then pushes that content more. Your channel has done really well and in the tech dept as well. I would have thought you had a hard time at the start too!

[@LifeofTechUK]

@@iancraig I knew you must have had some kind of background in music, radio or film. Absolutely brilliant! Yes, it has been an extremely long and hard process growing the channel. I can definitely see that when I publish a video about a very popular product, I get far more views. When I publish a video about something I am interested in personally, well most of the time the views are awful! Haha. I totally understand how frustrating it is though. After many hours of hard work, not many people watch the video - very disappointing when that happens. The tech channels I’ve seen that grow very fast, they seem to publish 2 or 3 videos every week. And they only focus on the hottest topic that week. That works for a lot of people, not so much for me. I will keep doing my thing anyway, and I hope you do too 👍🏻

[@richardpress9551]

That's an awesome shirt you got there but seriously good video wondered what the difference was with these mics

[@iancraig]

The B5 has three capsules so you can vary the polar patterm and a lower noise floor. I also think that it’s a bit smoother than then the C2.

[@banditman142536]

Hi, Ian, have you noticed how much the C2 microphones price have gone up over the last year. I collect cheaper mics. So always looking for bargains on a daily basis. I think I paid £32.00 new for my c2 pair brand new. I have the newer set with the six capsules as well. They were seventy. Like your channel and your no-nonsense approach. Keep at it, sir.

[@iancraig]

Thank you. Really appreaciated. It’s a funny thing that how we perceive something sometimes, is based on its price. Possible, as it goes up, people will be more appreciative of it as a mic! I think they were pretty good and at the time I made this video, I felt that they were amazing value for money. Oh well, glad you got yours when they were perhaps, ‘unappreciated’!! ;)

[@asedillo1]

Hi, what phantom power supply are you using on this video for the Behringers? Thanks.

[@iancraig]

I’m sorry Dante, I can’t remember. It would have been going either into a portable Saramonic battery preamp, an under camera ax series preamp direct into camera. Or it would have been recorded into a Saramonic PCM Recorder or a Tascam DR60d. I have a couple of mixing desks but I know that I didn’t use them.

[@richardpress9551]

Nice video

[@iancraig]

Thanks Richard.

[@iancraig]

I guess you ‘pays yer money and takes yer choice’.... With the B5, you gain 3dB worth of lower self noise and maybe a slightly smoother treble. Plus of course, a choice of capsules. Is this worth the doubling of price of the two C2’s though? For stereo, the C2’s are a great option, but for mono speech or single mic work, the B5 has the slight edge but for quite a lift in price in comparison to the C2’s. Personally for me, I slightly prefer the b5 relative smoothness and it can easily be EQ’d flat with very little tweaking. So I like its sound and for me, the noise floor us just as important and the B5 has a pretty good self noise figure for a pencil mic. A difficult question ........

[@MrHamit64]

They boath do sound pretty respectible. Yes you're right the C-2s are harsher. By the way I asked Siri about the pounds to $ thing and yeah they're in the 30s overthere. So yeah they for what ever reason are more expensive here. I don't know what most of the people demoing the C-2 pair connect them to but in your demos they don't sound as cheesy cheep toys as they do in some others. Are the C-2s really so little like a lighter?

[@iancraig]

Yes, the C2 is very small. I do think that they’re a really good deal at their UK price of about £32 for two mics. They’re quite close in sound to the B5 on the cardioid capsule. I think the B5 can sound a bit more full though.

[@MrHamit64]

@@iancraig Yeah the B5s do sound a little bigger. But what I meant was if the C2s are indeed lighter little dude they sound pretty respectible for something so little. But yeah the B5s do have that advantage. That for $138 a pair you get mics with interchangeable capsels. Usually that's a $3 to 400 mic kinda thing.

[@Rompler_Rocco]

Wow, I am VERY impressed by the B5's vocal sound! Actually TOO impressed, considering I just shelled out $160 today for a C2 Pro.. ..and now I'm afraid to compare it, when it arrives, to the THREE B5's I already own!! That I just ASSUMED would not perform well on speech. **groan**

[@iancraig]

You may get a pleasant surprise, Rocco. The B5 Isn’t bad at all though and I was surprised how low itself noise is, especially for a pencil mic. Cheers. Ian

[@Rompler_Rocco]

@@iancraig Thanks Ian! I just noticed you have a load of other content I'm looking forward to checking out.. Hope you keep up the good work.. subbed!

[@iancraig]

Than you Rocco. Yes, I have some other reviews here and because they don’t really get many views I have been considering stopping if I’m honest. It’s not that I mind making them, but for me, it has been a little unrewarding as far as views go although I have also been experimenting myself with different cameras (and mics) doing multi-shots at the same time. So your message is very heartwarming since I’m really considering not continuing any more and put it down to either lack of interest or my poor performance!

[@Rompler_Rocco]

@@iancraig It's certainly not poor performance. I think this algorithm is just unbalanced for creators.. but maybe the fact that you popped up in my feed is a sign of more exposure to come? I am definitely checking out your other videos and hope you get more well-deserved views soon!

[@MsFichter]

Does the B5 have a metal or plastic casing? Thanks for the video, greetings from Germany

[@iancraig]

Metal.

[@alanmansfield9109]

Your room sounds good

[@iancraig]

Well, it's not great for sound and I often get problems with reverb!

[@alanmansfield9109]

Have you tried sonarworx @@iancraig

[@iancraig]

No, but I know about it. Best solution really is to get it sounding right at source rather than repair.

[@thadaniashish]

can behringer B5 b used for live performance singing.. as unplugged music

[@iancraig]

I don’t see why not. Personally, I’d use two and record in stereo. As a vocal mic (performing work) no. I would use a dynamic. So if it is purely for performance into a pa, use a dynamic - less feedback and plosives. For recording (as in being in the audience) it would work fine. It isn’t a vocal mic as such and is more designed for recording purposes.

[@ricardogonzalez6701]

How do you get them to sound that loud without noise? Mine is too low so it needs gain, resulting in hiss. Are you using additional processing?

[@iancraig]

I don’t use processing in microphone videos normally. If there are huge peaks, I might take the tips off with limiting. I also normalise the audio so peaks hit around -1.5dB. If you’re getting a load of noise, my guess is that the mic is too far away or you have a noisy preamp. Could even be a bad lead. I honestly find the B5 pretty good in the noise department. What preamp do you use? I used a Triton Fethead because I was only using a power supply, with no gain at that time. So the Fethead was my amp!

[@SufyMusic]

Gday Ian for a mid side setup would I be better getting rode nt5's or this behringer b5

[@iancraig]

Rode nt5.

[@SufyMusic]

@@iancraig cheers boss I used a bad behringer with a rode NTR i need something better !

[@TaedeMathis]

It looks like you are using a Fethead. Does it make a difference. I just purchased the B-5 mic and thinking of purchasing a Fethead.

[@iancraig]

The Fethead most definitely works well if you have a noisy preamp in line. Basically, it boosts the output so your preamp can be set very low, getting rid of the hiss. If you have a quiet preamp, it makes no difference but I use it anyway just in case. I like them a lot. The ordinary Fethead is amazing with dynamics, but the one I’m using here is the Fethead Phantom, which passes 48V through to the mic.

[@der_djumi_music]

Hi, thanks for the review! Which Sennheiser are you using for this?

[@iancraig]

MKE600.

[@der_djumi_music]

@@iancraig thanks!

[@okay1904]

love your Hawaiian shirt.

[@iancraig]

Thank you.

[@armsby]

Thanks for the review! The B5 is at least a class higher than C2 and in Germany often preferred over NT5 for orchestral work where the flatter response is critical. I may get a shit storm for saying that but hey, I own all three plus the t-bone SC140 which I also recommend as a pair with all the kit.

[@dylanj8676]

It's too bad there's no hyper cardioid capsule for the B5.

[@stuarttalksstuff57]

hi Ian what's that in the end of microphone is it a filter thanks stu

[@iancraig]

It’s a Fethead. A preamp to boost output so that your camera preamp is set really low. Helps to avoid noise from camera preamps.

[@stuarttalksstuff57]

is it the fathead phantom version for condenser mics Ian cheers stu

[@iancraig]

That’s it Stuart. I also have one for dynamics. They just make gain staging massively easier. They’re great little devices.

[@stuarttalksstuff57]

Thanks Ian

[@fingerstylemehul]

T bone sc 140 or b5 which would be better pls tell for acoustic guitar recording

[@iancraig]

I prefer the sc140. Sweeter treble; especially for acoustic where you don’t want a ‘steely’ sound in the top.

[@fingerstylemehul]

@@iancraig thank you sooo much ...does the sc 140 also has a relatively lower self noise than b-5 in your experience?

[@iancraig]

It has very low self noise. In my opinion, a bargain if its price hasn’t shot up due to popularity. One of my favourite budget pencil mics.

[@iancraig]

I’m not sure how they compare in self noise, but I think the sc140 is a superior mic by comparison.

[@fingerstylemehul]

@@iancraig do you think sc-140 will still be worth the price compared to b-5(available locally in India) if the shipping cost of sc 140 is more than the product(ordering to India frm thomann) that is 42 pound for it and 50 pounds for shipping ...

[@shingAMarie]

What wireless system is that?

[@iancraig]

It’s a Saramonic portable recorder, not wireless.

[@shingAMarie]

@@iancraig Thanks for the info

[@user-eu7qh9sy6s]

record with?

[@iancraig]

?

[@miguelcrespo5545]

To compare rear rejection of cardioid and omni... (cardioid) 4:46 5:09 (omni)

[@iancraig]

Hopefully, the omni showed very little rejection. ;)

[@miguelcrespo5545]

@@iancraig It does, thanks for your great reviews

[@rfilianogmailcom]

Is da' sound of the police .🎶🎵

[@iancraig]

Probably to get the nutter talking into a mic.

[@KamilKW]

Good review, mate. Just mind you, Behringer is a German company, so it's pronounced -ger not -jer ;-).

[@iancraig]

Cheers mate. ‘I say tomato, you say tomayto, let’s call the whole thing off.’ Aloominum is a great one too. Glad you got the jeeeest of what I was saying. Solange du mich verstehst. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5OonWqberylZsk

[@Hiroyuki_T]

Behringer itself called it as Jer

[@KamilKW]

@@Hiroyuki_T Well, it's a German name, so it should be "ghe" not "jer". Also: www.howtopronounce.com/behringer

[@ProjectOverseer]

The C2 sounded so much better and more natural ... The B5 should be called the Boxy 5