Pricing & Availability
- MSRP: $300
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TB1 Documentation
Studio Projects TB1
Cardioid Tube Condenser Microphone
The TB1 is an inexpensive fixed-cardioid tube microphone manufactured by 797 Audio in China, to Studio Projects’ specifications.
The capsule, as in the B1 FET, is a 34mm design with a single ~25mm, 3-micron diaphragm.
The tube amplifier circuit is relatively simple, lacking a pad, high-pass filter or pattern selection control. The tube is a 6072 dual-triode. A transformer is used for impedance conversion.
The TB1 includes an elastic shockmount, a dedicated power supply (110/220V), and a 7-pin power cable. It ships in an aluminum flight case.
Like most of Studio Projects’ mics, the TB1 was redesigned in 2006; the published specs show a 2dB improvement in sensitivity. Apart from that, the branding changed (the 797 Audio logo was removed) and the retail price changed (which dropped from 2006 MSRPs of $389-$479 to $299.99).
MIX
side-by-side male vocal recordings through the TB1 and a $2,000 RODE Classic II — an undeniably great mic — were a real eye-opener. The RODE definitely sounded bigger (and in fact, it is bigger!) and is more midrange-forward, but I couldn’t say that the TB1 sounded worse in this application — just different.
Normally, you can identify inexpensive mics right away by their steely high end, but the TB1’s high end is smooth and open, toe-to-toe with the RODE — very impressive.
DigitalProSound
The TB1 exhibited a kind of silkiness that smoothed out some of the rough edges of my voice; it got better and better the more I experimented. I brought Glenda back in to sing a little and though she sounded perfect to me through the C1, I would have picked the TB1 in a comparative shootout. Her voice is already silky smooth, and this mic just took it to the next level.
The Studio Projects TB1 is also known as: TB-1.
Specifications
| Frequency Response - CardioidClick Graph to Compare! |
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| Pickup Patterns | Pads & Filters |
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Cardioid
(27 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) |
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| Capsule Dimensions | Impedance | SPL/Noise |
|---|---|---|
| Diaphragm diameter: 25mm Capsule diameter: 34mm Diaphragm gauge: 3 microns |
250 Ohms (Low) | Max SPL: 128 dB Self-noise: 16.0 dB(A) |
| Weight | Length | Max Diameter | Interface(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | n/a | n/a |
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| Power Specifications |
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