Topic: Busman BSC2 opinion needed

[ninjadave]

hello all, thinking about moving to the busman actives. couple questions.
1. are they as sensitive as the Beyer ck930's - i think so based upon the spec on the website but not sure. which means, very hot signal? this has been a problem for me taping loud gigs with Beyer ck930s. that is all i really tape, loud stuff.
2. which one - sub or hyper for the third set (assuming card and omni are automatics). what uses for each? saw there might be issues with low end on the subs?
3. i assume these will marry up nicely with Marantz PMD661 Oade CM running bodies straight in XLR with no pre? assuming item 1 is not issue (hot signal).
thanks for your comments.

[slightlys]

I personally would take  cards, hypers, subcards.  I personally have found very few instances where omnis are useful. Unless you tape outdoors ALOT and even then IMHO Subcards are my goto. Hypers are great to have as well.

[Todd R]

I can't comment on the Busmans, and you might prefer having multiple capsules options...

But the mc930's have a -15db attenuator setting, and I wouldn't be afraid to use it.  I have the hyper version -- mc950 -- and several times when I didn't want that hot of an output I engaged the -15db attenuators.  I didn't notice any change in the quality of the signal I got from the mc950s with the attenuator engage, just had a signal that was 15db lower (equivalent of 6.5mV/PA vs the standard 40mV/Pa).

Better from a noise perspective not to engage the attenuators unless you need to, but if you need to, do it.  Plus the noise difference is not going to be an issue in a noisy concert situation with PA-driven music.

[ninjadave]

thanks for the replys guys.

i've been stack taping very loud shows, from pretty close up. I have been using the -15db pad on the mics and, as well as, when Doug modded my PMD661 (concert mod), he changed the -18db stock setting to -30db since I told him the mics i was buying and he knew as I did they were pretty hot, Jason Sobel gave me some advice, etc. so, even running both of those, I'm usually ok if I keep the level on the PMD661 just a hair under 5 or at 5 at loud gigs (rush, styx, etc). it seems like the sound is better, much thicker and clearer, the closer I can get the levels to peaking at -6db or even closer to 0, vs way less than that and adding level in post.(ie being conservative with levels)...so i've been pushing them....and doing that and trying to stealth and monitor levels is not easy and nearly impossible as I have to move my head to see the levels and that CHANGES the levels as i've just moved the mics (which are on the top of my body), looking down at the recorder makes the monitoring of them a waste of time really. also, i know anything lower than 4 or 4.5 on that recorder and it might overload anyway.....so i'd really just like a little more level room plus, with the pad and the lower gain setting, I don't know if i am making the sound worse?

I just don't know if the Busman's are less sensitive and whether having the other cap options, would be a benefit. I always seem to run the cards regardless and I like those, sometimes I'm too close to the middle and front and I think omni's might be a better option, since most of the sound is out beside me, but my goal is to always get in line with PA and close (not super close but 15-25 rows at large arena shows, club shows much closer). club shows the sound is not as loud. i'm always going to be stealth taping regardless, so my mic positions are not the best, ie. DIN, etc. they are as best as i can get them mounted........, so i'd probably only use the CARDS anyway...the hyper and sub cards are better for being farther away right and FOB type tapes....? no?

anyway, thanks for the input, was hoping someone with the busmans can comment on the sensitivity compared to these Beyers. I love the sound of them, he bass is almost TOO thick though but they really sound nice overall.

does anyone know if using the bass rolloff on the mic , might help with overall sound and distortion , seeing as these mics are SOO bassy and hot???

thanks!!!!

[yug du nord]

Different.......  but Busman BSC1's are HOT.

[F.O.Bean]

IMHO, if you get ANY of the caps, get them modded. Once modded, I think the hyper is the best cap in the arsenal, for real!!

Id get cards/hypers/omnis if it were me. Or just spend a lil extra $$ and get all 4 caps, modded of course.

[capnhook]

 

[F.O.Bean]

Brandon, I left you a phone number.  Please call me about the mic I bought from you, man.

Got it, sorry for the 2 day delay! I cant find the goddamn box that it got shipped to me in

[bryonsos]

I personally would take  cards, hypers, subcards.  I personally have found very few instances where omnis are useful. Unless you tape outdoors ALOT and even then IMHO Subcards are my goto. Hypers are great to have as well.

Sinner! The omnis are the shit!!

[F.O.Bean]

So did the OP ever buy BSC2s

[ninjadave]

i have not done anything yet. i still don't have enough information. please advise on teh following , i emailed busman, no answer.

1. do the busman mics have a PAD?? -15db on mic or body? if so, does it degrade sound quality?
2. sound wise, are they "bright" like scheops or "dark" like beyers? the bass on teh beyers is really too much and maybe its the mid/high boost that they "don't" have. either way, i like a brighter mic.
3. i know they are hot, they are not as hot as the beyers, but if they don't have a pad or if they do and it degrades quality, i'm going to have to adjust my PMD661 settings so i can run them at louder gigs.

thanks for any specific info on the above.

i may have a pair of beyers ck930s for sale soon......... 

[newplanet7]

Never have I heard anyone say schoeps are bright.

[ninjadave]

compared to the beyers, are schoeps brighter or darker or the same then? my point is they are not as dark as the beyers, that is a fact. i'm just trying to make a comparison not label any mics. thanks for your input.

[acidjack]

compared to the beyers, are schoeps brighter or darker or the same then? my point is they are not as dark as the beyers, that is a fact. i'm just trying to make a comparison not label any mics. thanks for your input.

I feel like "dark" and "bright" are misnomers in many cases, but what one can say is the Schoeps do not have a hyped high end at all; their response is flat and accurate, more like DPAs (but not that flat) but more "musical".  Haven't ever really comped them to the Beyers, but the Beyer 930s don't have a hyped high end, either.  The 950s IMHO do.

[newplanet7]

I would put the schoeps and Beyers in the same frame without hesitation. I might even say
that the beyers are less so.