AKG 460 B vs Behringer C-2 for Overheads
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ส.ค. 2024
- I've owned a pair of AKG 460 B mics with the CK61-ULS capsule for decades. When I saw the Behringer C-2 matched stereo pair for $50 I had to check them out, and see how they compared to the AKGs. This video is the result of that comparison.
Behringer C-2 Matched Pair on Amazon: amzn.to/3tQzjQW
Funny thing is I heard an $1100 difference (on my $8000 Genelec monitors). Only thing is I thought the Behringers were the ones that sounded that much better.
For real!?
@@thecreativedrummer5546 yes. I would swear the tracks are switched around.
Haha. I was very careful not to confuse the 2 stereo signals. I assure you they weren't switched. I guess I'm surprised you heard such a huge difference!
Me too! Haha
@@thecreativedrummer5546
I'm with the other two, man. There was a slightly better top end on the C-2s. That told me which pair was sounding at any given time.
I have a pair of the C-2s permanently installed on my kit, but not in the format you have. I went for the Glyn Johns technique: condenser overhead and similar condenser overside, equidistant from the snare batter head centre. Yes, I actually measured three distances (70cm, 80cm & 90cm) to determine which distance was best. Turned out to be 80cm. Gave the right balance of room and kit. 70 - too much kit. 90 - too much room.
Best is: I had to take the arse end of the sound out by switching in the low cut filter.
Good mics. Thank you for testing them.
Great video, thanks. They do sound pretty similar. Behringer seems to be brighter, but when I heard again and again with my eyes closed it became harder to tell. Nothing that some EQ can't adjust, I think. Pretty impressive.
Crazy right?!
Great comparison! Thank you, I did hear way more of the "Wash" sound coming from the cymbals out of the AKGs than i did the C2s. I own 2 sets of the C2s and absolutely love them. Been using them to record all of my Drum tracks and have had no issues at all with them or the quality of sound from them.
They are not only $25 each, they also include a stereo bracket. If you budget $15 for a bracket then then the actual price of the mics comes down to $35...That is $17 per mic...LOL. Granted, Behringer has put out some questionable stuff in the past (actually fairly long ago), but some of their recent stuff is certainly enabling musicians on a budget to do more. The C2s are definitely part of that, so are the XR/32 mixers, UMC audio interfaces and ADA8200, which you are using. Not a Behringer sponsor or fanboy here, but I have had really decent experiences with their stuff lately. And, great review/comparison!! Thank you!
And I guess I just doubled what Geoff C. was saying below. Either way, good stuff.
You're welcome! Yea I'm still blown away by this comparison!....I didn't expect it to be so close. Behringer has become a real player, there's no denying it.
The truth is the truth, never be afraid to speak it. Thanks for the comparison.
OMG -i was CONVINCED that the second group was the AKG's -Turns out it was the Behris. Damn... I got the Behri flat kick mic boundary mic thing -Didn't like that, but now I'm thinking I've gotta try these... The AKG's were quite harsh on the cymbal to me, but ya know... Mixing and stuff -Sometimes you need those freqs to cut through and it all sounds gravy in the mix... I'd have to hear it all with a full band...
WOW - i literally thought the behringers sounded better in the high end. Im literally blown away putting them into my cart right now
Right?! I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. I was not expecting the results I got. I need to dig a little deeper and see how these C-2s perform in other applications like acoustic guitar etc.
I agree. That said C-2s are brand new microphones. After 40 years of use the AKG's are still preforming great. C-2's seem to be a great deal.
25yrs as a trained audio engineer and they are so close it’s insane.
Aside from the mic comparison, your playing is stellar. I just got a pair of C2s for S&G and I'm looking forward to tracking with them. :D
Thanks for the compliment! Means a lot.
Thanks for doing this upload dude, I've been wanting a pair of the C-2 mics for a while now. And finally
I've got a pair arriving today 😁 can't wait to get them all set up. And then tomorrow: recording! WOOOOOOO!!!
Hope you had an awesome winter solstice holiday and may your new year be kickass! 😁
Glad I could help! I hope all goes well with your recording. I hope the new year brings you good luck as well!
I was able to tell the AKG's from the Behringer's upon the first transition @3:40. Those C2's always have a bit brighter top end, vs higher end mic's. The lack the warmth that the AKG's have. (I heard the exact same thing when compared with other higher end mics.) They also have a slight boost in the upper mids, that the AKG's don't have. But again, that's nothing that can't be changed with a touch of EQ. Like you said, for $50... they're great little mics. Oh, and well done on your comparison. THIS is how mics should be compared. Played directly after each other, no talking in between!! Thanks
Yea I tried to be as fair and objective as I could. So glad you liked it!
I didn’t know what conclusion you were gonna draw but I kept saying, “I like the bottom track better but I think this is so close that no matter what I should probably pick up the c2’s.” Then that’s basically your conclusion. Amazing playing, by the way!!! Thanks for the real use case comparison.
Hard to argue with the price right? Thanks for the kind words!
Great stuff! I had given up on my c2 pair but for me it probably comes down to my room and probably my cymbals. Great results. Thanks!!
Good job !!! This comparation usually happens the difference in sound are not significant enough to state which is better. So this C2 mics could be the secret weapon in a studio.
Crazy isn't it?
Resumindo, é o que falo pra todos que vêm no meu estúdio: O que vc fizer o mic vai captar. Se for bom, vai evidenciar o bom. Se for ruim, sinto muito, só vai evidenciar o que é ruim, simples assim. Na minha concepção é 5% ambiente, 15% equipamentos e 80% músico. Tenho um par de C-2 que já gravei muitas coisas aqui com eles e jamais perderam a qualidade. Creio já terem mais de 15 anos.
I was so sure that the bottom soundtrack was the AKGs hahaha omg...my life is a lie!!!
LOL. :)
Wow, awesome video!!! I'm an amateur doing YT videos with my son's drum channel and wanted to get another pair of mics for hi hat and maybe something for the ride. Defiantly getting the C-2 pair. Actually can't wait to try these on his roto toms too.
videos like this make searching through YT videos worth it, thanks!
Glad you found it helpful!
I honestly knew, or was sure I knew, that it was the Behringer as soon as I heard the first cut. There's a sort of harshness that cheaper mics all seem to have. That said, it's a very good mic for the price.
So I can hear a definite difference but I can't decide which one I like better. Which speaks volumes to the Behringers.
Totally.
Thanks for the video! To me there wasn't any noticable difference, even with my studio headphones on. I have ordered a set of C-2s a few days ago, I'm very excited to try them out.
Glad I could help!
AKG mics seem to handle transients better to my ear. Its subtle, but the attack of snare and ride bell are more consistent. These differences are usually more apparent when you start to eq and compress I found. The law of diminishing returns is most true with a lot of affordable vs more premium mics nowadays. Either way great comparison video
I just ordered these to muck around with..no brainer at that price.nice playing
Wow. Nice comparison man. It is a matter of preference but honestly. I like the Behringer. Thanks for this video.
It was a bit surprising. What can I say? thanks for the comment!
I think the AKG's are marginally better. FOR SURE NOT $1100 better. No way, Jose. Great video. Thanks.
The C2 are a no-brainer for people starting out or on a budget. Thats me so im getting a pair.
AKG´s are brighter!!! You can hear it from the Snare!!!! But, they both sound good!!! I have a matched pair of Oktava MK 012´s that sound as good as Neumann 184´s, which is the reason I bought them. I might buy a pair of C2´s to use as Room Mics. Thanks for the comparison video. Nice drumming as well. :)
Thank you!
That’s how the law diminishing returns works on this kind of equipment I guess. The AKGs felt warmer and with less unpleasant top end especially when you crashed cymbals, BUT I also don’t think it’s a $1150 difference. YET I can imagine people willing to pay that difference for that
Yes cost is relative. There are certainly plenty of people who will spend top dollar for the "best" gear available. My confusion begins with the fact that you can't really come up with a reliable 'benefit vs cost' ratio. I am predisposed towards skepticism in that regard. I don't really know what's bullshit vs real.
Really interesting comparison!! I guess mic technology has come so far that the differences sound minimal at first glance, but if you listen carefully with some good headphones or speakers you can hear the body and character more expensive mics give. With the Behringer's the ride may sound louder and more present but not as refined and at the edge of sounding a bit harsh. They also sound more compressed in the mix. Compared to the Akg's, they really show the characteristics of these cymbals, the drums have more 'oumph' and they sound more open, you can hear the sound of the room you're playing in at 5:56. For a tight budged these are indeed amazing for the money but when you really want to hear the complexity of instruments, more expensive mics will typically give you that information. Otherwise big studio's would not waste thousands on expensive equipment... Don't worry, you did not waste your money on the Akg's 😉
I like the sound of the cheaper mics, sound flat … the expensive ones have a sparkle in high end that seems like it boosted
akg deffo all round better and had more uniform but i thought the behringers sounded very pleasing on the highs! pretty insane for the price. shouldnt even be able to compare them like this ! just ordered some c-2's!!
well.. have both.. the C2 I use for spot on cymbals.. its cool for that.. as OH no, they have no imaging, no sound stage, no depth. If you want budget OH that are way better at not much more: t.bone sc-140. But for HH or ride the c2 is actually quite good, even as supplementary snare mic its not bad.
Interesting....thanks for your insight!
I really Hear a difference… highly notorious in the hi hat… i have the C2’s but the akg is far better … nice video as usual…
Thanks a lot for the video.I was looking for a cheep good hihat mic.Now planning to buy C-2
Glad I could help!
Great content. Great drumming!
Wow thanks! Glad you found it helpful!!
With group one for me and I don’t have the greatest ears, but they sound just a tad more open to me and I prefer that
Behringer C-2 sound significantly cleaner, i thought that is the AKG that sounds so much better but it was the Behringer C-2. i think i would sell the AKG to one of those who likes AKG much and buy another pair of Behringer C-2 as spare. strange how a cheap mic sounds so much better. there is the Behringer B-2Pro, a $100 mic (new), its a large diaphragm condenser mic, that thing sounds about as good mics that cost thousands$.
I bought a pair of C-1s at $45 each...also a large diaphragm condenser. Sounds way better than the $45 price would suggest! Check out tis comparison video: th-cam.com/video/eCLNTH-qvPI/w-d-xo.html. Go figure....
I really thought the white drum kit were the beringers.. it had a little more high end I thought. Very very cool!
Walter White cooking good audio mixing
5:12 before you tell me which is which, the only difference I can hear on cellphone speakers is that group two seems more mid-boosted, and the group one sounds more boomy.
If I close my eyes and just listen, it is very difficult to tell the difference, if I had to choose, I would go for the Behringer mics, its a great bargain. I think Behringer is a very underrated brand that builds good quality music equipment.
To be fair, in the beginning they made pretty low-end stuff, but no more! That bad reputation has followed them for a while, but given the high quality of their current line up, they a earning more respect all the time!
@@thecreativedrummer5546 We should buy more before they start getting expensive lol
Great demo. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
That was 25 years ago when you buy them, technology for making electronic boards have evolved way too much, but also, a different case but the same sensation is, The cloned mics, costing 10% of the Genuine and sound is almost the same, I'm pretty sure that is your impression, how a cheap newer device can do the same the expensive older do.
Cheers!!!
I thought the c2 were the first group because they sounded muddy. Wow
Great showdown!
Wow, I was guessing _second_ group was gonna be the ak's, as those tracks seemed to have better clarity of the high hats. (maybe there's high curve action going on with c3's) Guess real test is how they react to mix- eq, comp. limiter etc.
Great sounding drums and playing though, you really got a lot of finesse with them limbs!
Not gonna lie, this was a very tough comparison for me. The variables are many....what speakers you listen through, what interface you use, etc. Regardless, thank you so much for the kind words!
I picked the AKGs, but it was really close. But here’s the thing, not only are C-2s $50 for a pair, but you get the stereo bar, clips and a case for the same $50. What am I going to take out to the club, my semi nice overheads or a pair of these? For live, I’d be stupid to take anything else. Thanks for the great review. They were on my radar, so now they are a trigger pull for sure. My kick drum head is probably going to cost more. Lol.
I know, right? I don't know how Behringer is able to deliver this kind of quality for so little. I hope they work out for you! Lemme know how it goes.....
@@thecreativedrummer5546 I ordered them the day I made the comment. Sweetwater says they won’t have them back in stock until August. I’ll report back once I get them. Thanks for the great videos.
Well that sucks! Interestingly, Sweetwater did a comparison of large diaphragm mics for vocals. www.sweetwater.com/feature/vocal-mic-shootout/ THey tested like 30 different mics at all price points....from $35 (Behringer C-1) to a Telefunken at @ $10,000. Plus, you can download the audio files and listen on your own system! I downloaded 3 files; the Behringer, a Neumann U47, and a Telefunken ELA M 251E. I sent them to my guitar-player friend who has very good ears, but didn't tell him which file was which. I kid you not, he chose the Behringer as the best sounding file!!!!! I promptly ordered 2. I mean, $35 dude....ridiculous.
@@thecreativedrummer5546 I’ll check that out. I was looking at that little $50Behringer boundary mic for my kick drum, but it looks like they don’t make it anymore. They have another one, but it isn’t the one specifically for kick drums. I guess the lesson here is don’t wait.
So my mics got here today. We have a gig next Friday, so I'll know more next week. Thanks again for the videos!
Okay, now try Behringer's BA 19A. put it in the bass drum and it will blow your mind. For good... You will simply ask yourself: how is it possible?
Wow sounds intriguing! Given my experience with Behringer mics thusfar I'm inclined to believe you. The only problem is it's over $50! Just kidding. Thx for the tip. Definitely gonna check that out!
The Behringers sound a little more focused, while the vintage AKGs sound a little more open...both sound just fine to my ears.
Huh. You have better hearing than me! 😃
@@thecreativedrummer5546 I might actually...since I'm not a drummer 😂.
I record, mix and master for a living, so I better have good hearing. My eyes ain't worth a dime...but me ears are....at least a dollar a piece. 🤣
@@knorke3642 Ha! Ur obviously being modest, given that your ears are what allow you to make a living. I'd say more like $5/ear? Kidding....I'm just jealous. 😁
Such a good kick sound! Also the cheap behringers aren’t bad at all!
Thanks dude! :) I'm still speechless about the Behringers......
You are right c2 sre impressive and sound has good has akg
The AKGs pick up the complete cymbal sound. The Behringers sound good, but the fullness of the cymbals isn't there.
Speaking as a veteran recordist myself, I should remind everyone that most people over the age of 60 do not hear much over 10kHz, so if there was something happening in that region I didn't hear it.
10K? I'm over 60, and I should be so lucky! 😀
@@thecreativedrummer5546 Yeah, drummers really take the hit!
Gracias por el video!! Abrazo grande!
Gracias!
What a great comparison and demonstration ! Good job. Equally as interesting as the sound of the mics, is your great drumming. The way that you worked the high end, makes me think that you're a jazz drummer (or at least do that in addition to other styles.) You're playing is tight and accurate, and has dynamics. Anyway, thanks for the demo. The Behringer C2 really holds its own. To me the Behringer had a more crisp sound. The AKGs sounded slightly more mellow. Behringer has proven that they are serious about audio, and about keeping the prices affordable to everyone. I've used a Behringer, small mixing board, for live sound, for a couple of decades. They have performed flawlessly. If you're curious, here are a couple of demos of Behringer C1 (I used the bottom of a coffee can with drummer's brushes on this one, for a drum sound) and th-cam.com/video/kRU2KlbIA0g/w-d-xo.html and here's the Behringer BA 85a. th-cam.com/video/kBiz8rKc6MY/w-d-xo.html
Thanks so much for the kind words.It so happens I also own a pair of C1 medium diaphragm mics too. As with the C2s, I'm amazed at the quality. I've used the C1 on my kick, for vocals, and acoustic guitar too. Very happy with the result!
@@thecreativedrummer5546 Cool !! It's nice to see you out there acessing something that is affordable for just about anyone. Your words, give people another accurate opinioin on gear, so as to, when the gear is good, encourage people who use it (or plan to use it.) You let them know that the gear is decent and that the "ball is in their court" when it comes to playing chops (that the gear isn't a limitation.) I dig that honesty.
Would be interesting to hear the difference on a well prepped piano, choir or orchestra. On the drums not much difference.
Agreed. Maybe someone who has access to an orchestra will make a YT video. :) But seriously, I too would love to see how these perform on instruments with more complex acoustic signatures! Thanks for the comment.
Akg sounds warmer, not to harsh to cymbals. but budget wise, Behringer wins
Behringer almost had a high boost it was quite a bit brighter to me. But is that artificial? And what about bottom end?
Briliant video comparation. Thank you vary much. Can you make a video with this same setup. Same preamp, same interface, But for a closer micing. In situation where you use overheads in conjugtion with spot mic. It would be nice to hear that Behringer C2 as a spot Ride, or HiHat mic, or even separete crash mic, all blended with overhead mics.
Sory on my bad English.
That would be interesting. :)
Like some of your other viewers, I noticed quite a boost in the high end on the C-2's. There is a bump on the frequency response curve around 5 or 10Khz, so this is what I would expect to hear. But then, is the AKG flatter, or attenuated at those frequencies? It would have been interesting to send these through a high quality preamp first, as that might reveal any problems with the C-2's. However, having heard other comparisons of the C-2's with more expensive mics, it's the signal to noise ratio that makes the C-2 inferior. Sure, they sound really great on drums, but I wouldn't use it to mic a piano if it was for classical music. Don't cringe; the C-2's sound terrific on music that doesn't have a wide dynamic range! No doubt about it!
that would indeed be interesting. maybe they do have a better resolution that is clouded by the c2's being more pristine sounding due to the boosted highs good point
I dont hear a $1150 dollar difference either🤔🍻
Totally.... pretty amazing right?
Maybe a little more low end on the AKG's but that muddied the kick. Otherwise very little difference. I will have to try them on drums. Shame this isn't in stereo.
Ummmm....it is in stereo.
Just listened again. No,it,'s mono on youtube. Maybe it is stereo on the mixer.
@@ponk59 I just checked my original Logic file, and disovered much to my chagrin that I fucked up! I forgot to switch the inputs on my mixer to stereo. So even though the resulting file was indeed stereo, the panning of the mics themselves was not stereo. DOH! Thanks for pointing that out.
Akg s r just bit brighter and thats all. I use C2 for live club gig , work prety good.
amazing video!
Glad you think so!
This was quite interesting, overall, they sounded much the same, the berhringer beeing a litte brighter most noticable on the six minute mark..., a few comments on how they would sound in the mix would be helpful though...they both sound good...are the placement of the mics exactly the same?
I literally taped the C-2s to the AKGs, so yes, the placement was exactly the same. As far as how they sound in the mix....not really sure what you're after here. Each song is different and generakky speaking have different requirements in terms of EQ on a track by track basis. In other words, how I would approach the OH track in terms of EQ, volume, etc. is determined by what else is going on in that particular mix.
I didn't know Tony Levin played drums.
I'll add that the difference was huge to my ears but the price gap is crazy bad. The only way I can mildly justify it is life span and the manufacturing quality. Niether effect the sound a whole lot so the price difference isn't worth it and there are plenty of decent overheads that you can buy as a pair from $150-300 that sound great and serve several purposes.
😀😃😄
460Bs are going to be around 500 bucks for a pair. 451s would be a slightly more expensive mic, largely because of the switchable options built in (rather than having to purchase separate capsules.)
The difference in sound, and where it could be important here, is that the transformer does add some... softness I guess you'd say that was appartent on first listen, and everytime it swtiched to the AKGs I noticed a very slight sense that the stereo field was wider and more..3d I guess people say.
All that said... if anyone were to try and say that the Behringers are obvious junk in comparison... I'd say they're being paid by AKG to say that. At least from this comparison, which is the only one I've heard, it's pretty remarkable how usable the C2s sound. I was reading reviews at gearspace that were talking about how horrible and disgusting the C2 is and how they are only good for paper weights... HOGWASH. I think people just hear what they want to hear. Yes, I could tell the difference, and I was very certain within myself which ones were the AKGs. NO, I never once thought "oh yeah, these have to be the C2s because it suddenly sounded like crap. It was FAR more subtle than that, and at all times I noted to myself how similar they are where the cymbals are concerned. The toms sounded, oh 10% or so better I guess on the AKGs, but that' just from what I liked better. On the cymbals, I was freaking out at how both sounded equally... completely fine.
Pretty shocking. The Behringer USB Vintage series are JUNNNNNNNNNNK. They hum, they resonate, they sound thin and brittle... blech. The C2s... sound like some different flavor of professional pencil condenser out there somewhere. Pretty crazy how both are the same company.
Well said my friend! I agree with everything you say here. It IS shocking! I am surprised that the C2s got hosed on Gearspace. You can legit claim to prefer the AKGs, but you can't say the C2s are pure crap....so much for objectivity. Thanks for your insightful comments!
Great ....thanks ,I am a big fan of Simon Phillips sound ,do you think is a good if you use C2 for toms
Ya know tht=at's a good question! I've never tried that. Best way to find out is to try it and see what you think. I'm with you re:Simon Phillips.....one of the greats!!
There is something to be said about the akg mics holding their own especially since you bought them in the late 80's or early 90's...wonder if the same can be said about the chinese mics in the same amount of time, AKG's are classics for a reason, no?
Agreed. I'd guess the C-2s will not hold up over time nearly as well as the AKGs.
Face it. You’re paying for the name.
TOTALLY! :)
If you just want the Cymbals I think the C2 is fine. If you want the vibe of the kit with a nice warm kick and snare sound. The AKGs were better.
I wouldn't argue with that sentiment.
I’d rather have eight C-2s and thousand dollars in my pocket
LOL
maahn you forgot to put on a pop filter
My ears catch.. the Behringer is more natural.
yeah listning on studio mointors and there is no difrence ahaha
HA! I called it as soon as I heard the first set. The C-2s just don't sound that good.
Interesting....
you listening on ATCs or something😊
now $60.. .Thanks Biden
While you can hear some similar sounds in all the matches behringer c2 is the worst quality mic in here. i used it a few months and 2nd day it started to make very annoying deep sounds. Guarantee service denied to change it also. Sell-run away is their customer policy. Behringer c2's buttons are also very bad and cheap. Never buy it.
That doesn't surprise me. My comparison was about the sound quality, not the build quality. You can't expect great build quality for $50.