Behringer C2 pair as ambient mics for lead singer IEM mix?

[banterbanter]

Hi,

Just started gigging again with a female vocalist friend and she hated feeling isolated from reality with her IEM's (which we need as we play to click / backing) at our first gig - so I started looking for the cheapest half decent option to get some of the air and audience sound in her head and thought the C2's would be a good option - but please let me know if there is a better option (bearing in mind the PAIR of C2's are only £35 at the moment to buy!)

Actually maybe this post is better in the live performance forum? - feel free to move mods!

Thanks as always,

Gav

[resistorman]

Hard to beat the price! Condenser mics are sensitive. Wind currents can be troublesome in live situations, so fit them with wind socks. They likely won’t have great capsule isolation, so maybe some cheap shock mounts and use the roll off on the mic and input channel. I’d probably take a substantial amount of low end out of them beyond even that for an IEM ambience input.

[Wonks]

Fine for the purpose. They may also be a bit on the bright side, so may need some treble knocked off. You won't want the ambience to be too clear and bright as it's mainly background noise.

[Wonks]

A more versatile set of mics for not much more might be the Neewer SDC set of two mics with Omni, Cardioid and Hyper-Cardioid capsules in a decent case for £55 or so (Amazon). They were the cheapest omni pair I could find. Frequency response of the omni capsules was very similar on a pink noise test, within 2dB worst case, but generally better. A bit noisy, but you won't notice that in a live situation.

[The Elf]

I use Karma Silver Bullets for this purpose - just plugged straight into my on-stage mixer. Don't know if you can still get them new.

[AlecSp]

If you're in tight mode, and you have *any* mic going spare, try using that first of all.

At no cost, it'll help her give it a try. Also, a lot of the acts I've worked with who use ambient mics for their in-ears use just a single mic for simplicity.

Yes, a stero pair of quality mics will give the most realistic ambient send, but it gets to diminishing returns quite quickly.

[banterbanter]

Thanks Alec,

I do have an SE2200A and a rode K2 but they're too fancy to risk bringing along haha so I'd rather spend £35 on these behringers I think.

Cheers
Gav

[Mike Stranks]

Yup! Those Behringers will do you proud...

... and they can be surprising...

A few years ago I was teching for a friend who was on the same bill as Rick Wakeman who was playing a piano-only set. During the day I got to know the sound guy and after Mr Wakeman's set complemented said sound-person on the piano sound. He smiled and told me he was using a pair of those Behringers on the piano. My jaw dropped....

[ben howes]

Get them, they are really good for the money.

[The Elf]

I can't get past the time we did a mic shoot-out at Maida Vale and the C2s produced something I can genuinely only describe as 'risible'...

[Wonks]

I can't get past the time we did a mic shoot-out at Maida Vale and the C2s produced something I can genuinely only describe as 'risible'...

Wisible, Centuwion?