Studio Projects B3

The Studio Projects B3 is a low budget condenser mic. It's good for recording the following:

Vocals
Instruments
Foley
Audio

Seriously, it's a mic and it records sound, that's what it's good for. It has good quality, features and comes with a mic clip and foam windscreen. Make sure you upgrade that windscreen, get a pop filter as well, especially if you plan on recording vocals.

I got this mic back in 2002 (seems like a while ago) and I've had it in my collection ever since. It's not burnt out, came apart etc. I mention that because people tend to look at low budget mics as cheap recording tools that will fall apart. You just have to take care of your gear.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like most about this mic is that it sounds good and has a lot of features. A lot of microphones in the price range are decent and only have pad cuts (if anything). The fact that there are different mic patterns to choose from gives this mic a hand or 2 over most.

I'm not saying this is the best mic around, I'm saying it's the best for the money spent. You won't find another mic (in the price range) which versatility.

I've worked with many different budget microphones such as: AT2020, Behringer B2, Behringer B1, Blue Spark, Nady SCM90, MXL's. These are all pretty good mics (if used correct), but again the B3 takes the cake I think the sound on it is pretty amazing. I wouldn't put it up against anything like U87. That seems to be the standard for quality comparison “does it sound like the U87” or “sucks compared to the U87”

You have to keep in mind, not everyone likes or wants that U87 sound.

The only thing I didn't like about this mic was the stock mic stand/mount or clip it comes with it. It was lame and made the mic susceptible to lots of ground rumbles. So, make sure you get a replacement shock mount for best results

The B3 is a large diaphragm condenser microphone that I've used in the recording studio. I guess you could use this for recording a live show, but I've never done so, so this review will focus on using the b3 in the studio. While this microphone is widely seen in studios, Shure has recently discontinued making it, replacing it with the SM27. The mic has a cardioid polar pick up pattern, with a frequency response ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The mic also has a -15 db pad. The mic comes with a shock mount, velvet case, and a carrying case.

OVERALL OPINION

The B3 is an overall great sounding condenser microphone. It's the perfect in between microphone, as it has a pro studio sound without having the large price tag. I've used the b3 for a variety of applications, including vocals, acoustic guitar, and a set of them as drum overheads one time. The mic has a very vibrant sound, with a lot of overall clarity. The most recent thing that I used the b3 was for recording acoustic guitar with an API 512 mic preamplifier, which was a great combination as it yielded a very clean sounding guitar for me. While the b3 isn't on par with some of the best condenser microphones out there, it's outstanding for the price. If you're looking for an all purpose large diaphragm condenser microphone for your home studio, the b3 should definitely be considered, as to me it's one of the best all around condenser microphones for the price. There are definitely a lot of condenser microphones to choose from in this price range, but Shure is a company that has built an incredible reputation for themselves, as it's very well known that they make quality microphones that sound great and last a lifetime. Now that they no longer make the b3, you can probably find it even cheaper used. Definitely a great microphone choice for any studio...