Auris vs. SP-BMC-2

[mjbrodsky]

My Sony MS907 seems to have passed on, and I'm trying to figure out what to replace it with.

I use a Sony MZ-NH900. I'm a trumpet player, and I play in brass bands a lot. I most often use my device to record practice sessions (which can get quite loud depending on the size of the room), lessons, and performances with brass band, orchestra, etc. I do plan on eventually buying a battery pack and possibly a preamp (the Boost Box looks really nice, but I don't know if I can afford it right now).

I've narrowed it down to the Reactive Sounds Auris and the SP BMC-2. I find it interesting that the latter is less than half the price of the former, yet when I look at the specs they appear to be almost exactly the same. Is there a reason for such a huge price difference? I don't know much about this type of equipment (yet), so there could be some blazingly apparent difference I just don't see.

If there's really little difference, I plan on buying the SP-BMC-2, which would make it easier to afford the Boost Box from RS.

[A440]

I've narrowed it down to the Reactive Sounds Auris and the SP BMC-2. I find it interesting that the latter is less than half the price of the former, yet when I look at the specs they appear to be almost exactly the same. Is there a reason for such a huge price difference?

I use the BMC-2 all the time and I am very happy with them. I haven't used the Auris, but I doubt you need to spend the extra money unless the microphones are going to be handled a lot during use or are going to get rough handling in general.

The difference with the Auris is the way the microphone capsules (which are either the same or very similar to the BMC-2) are mounted on the cord.

From the Reactive Sounds site:

"The housing is machined from a non metallic polymer, which feels like velvet and is as tough as metal. The cable is securely held in place by a cable lock strain relief system, which makes the Auris system a very durable microphone.

Handling noise, which is a common microphone problem, has been addressed by a unique internal shock mount system. The microphone element is separated from the front windscreen by a 1mm air gap."

Seems to me you could just buy another pair of BMC-2 if you somehow manage to break them. They're on a thin cord, but with decent care mine have lasted quite well.

------------------

Now, about that preamp:

First, why do you need one? Are you going to be recording very quiet acoustic sounds that need a boost? The built-in preamp behind the mic jack is pretty good except for the last iota of quiet if you're recording bird songs or something like that. A preamp amplifies, and you seem to already be recording loud music--you need to lower it, not amplify it.

I had a Boost Box and thought I'd take it to a not-too-loud concert and record through Line-in. The clipping light went on at anything above zero gain. And when the clipping light was on, the recording was already distorted. I found it useless for music. I sold it--I hope someone likes it.

That's strike one. Strike too is that the Boost Box is a weird design. The coiled telephone cord is very bulky, and so is the box itself, which has about an inch of pointless air space inside. Both Sound Professionals and Microphone Madness have smaller, less expensive preamps. The difference with the Boost Box seems to be that the others have level control (boosting the signal coming out) with gain control (going in) at fixed levels, rather than the fully adjustable gain control of the Boost Box. I don't know how much difference that makes in the real world.

-----------------

When I record loud music, I generally use the BMC-2 and the cute little Mic Madness battery module, which is just 1.3 x 2.1 inches, like a car-alarm remote. It comes out clear with no noticeable noise.

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmcbmminminc.htm

I have BMC-2 recordings in my album under Live Recordings in the Gallery.

--------------------

If I remember right, the MS907 is less sensitive than the BMC-2, and it also picks up less bass. So you are probably going to have to change your accustomed recording levels, and your recordings are going to sound different--more hi-fi, but maybe not what you're used to.

[greenmachine]

The human ear is most sensitive in the upper mid-range, trumpets and brass in general may appear louder to you than to your recording equipment, which usually has more problems to deal with excessive bass from amplified PA than with mid-high frequency emphasized brass instruments. Depending on the sensitivity of the microphones (lower is better in your case) you won't even need a battery box. If there is a low-sensitivity option for the mics, choose it.

[MDnewuser]

I own both the Auris and SP BMC-2. Soundwise the Auris sounds better (to me) better SPL and deep bass (doesnt distort easily even if levels is set to high) got a nice warm sound. But its hard to get near your ears, since the capsules are bigger than the BMC-2. It feels well-built but lately i have mostly used the BMC-2 cause its easier to set up. I am working on ideas to try diffrent positions with the Auris, cause i really want to use it a lot more.

I also owned a Boostbox, but it were a big disappointment since it was hard to setup and the recordings often got weak and distorted. So rather go for a batterybox and set your recorder at a fixed level with a lot of headroom.

[mjbrodsky]

Thanks...I think I just misunderstood the function of the Boost Box. This sentence from the website made me think I might need one: "High noise and distortion are common particularly at higher recording volumes. The Boost Box minimizes this with advanced circuitry and a dedicated power supply allowing your microphones to reach their full dynamic range."

I didn't realize that this referred directly to the "dedicated power supply" and actually has nothing to do with the preamp...right?

Are there any other good binaural mics under or near $100 which I should look into?

[A440]

As with all things electronic, there are many alternatives you can torture yourself with. The good thing is that even the most basic equipment gives you very good sound. Above basic, you can start listening for more nuances.

SoundPros has microphones with higher-priced (and presumably higher-quality) Audio-Technica capsules for exactly $100.

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/.../item/SP-BMC-12

I have some mics that probably have A-T capsules--they're not branded--and they do have lower noise and richer sound than the BMC-2. For sheer sound, they're the best pair I own. But they're bulkier than the BMC-2's, so I don't take them to concerts.

With the 30-day return policy at Sound Pros, you could order both, try them, and send back a pair--essentially a way to try your own test for the price of shipping them back.

Since MDNewuser prefers his Auris, perhaps you should consider them for rehearsal-room recording.

There are other alternatives, too. I've never had all the equivalent mics side-by-side to test, unfortunately.

I have a pair of mics from Church Audio, an Ebay seller in Canada (Chris Church, who occasionally is on this forum), that sound quite good. They are probably just a tad better than the BMC-2, but they didn't come with clips and they're a little less convenient to use. My old Church-Audio binaurals are not the same as the model he sells now, which is bigger, but he generally makes quality stuff. If you're in the USA, it could take a while to get to you via mail from Canada, but his prices are very competitive.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/CHURCH-AUDIO-PRO-BINAUR...1QQcmdZViewItem

Core Sound ( http://www.core-sound.com ) is a little pricier on small mics. A pair of cardioids I used to have were very solidly made, but (like most lower-priced cardioids) didn't have much bass. Binaurals should be better. I believe they also have a good return policy.

All of these small microphones are really made with stealth recording in mind. You could also ask at a professional musicians' store or website--Guitar Center, http://www.musiciansfriend.com , etc.--what they would recommend in a larger stereo mic or binaural pair for rehearsal room use.

Edited November 30, 2006 by A440