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Jeff Henig Jeff Henig is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Okay, so I've a Rode K2 condenser mic that under normal conditions has a
pretty ridiculously low self-noise level.

I lent it to a friend (oops), and when I got it back, I found a new
noisy gremlin in the works.

What I hear when I get it up and running is some sort of
static-in-motion. It's not your standard single level of hum or white
noise that I would've expected coming from, say, an electrical field or
ground loop.

It's almost like when you're tuning an A.M. radio--that whine just
before and after you lock in on the station. But it sounds more like
that whine is generating a white noise/pink noise sound via vox,
switching pitch and phase----but all underwater. So you hear the
white/pink noise but not the whine itself. And it's constantly varying
in pitch.

I googled the mic and causes of noise from a condenser mic and didn't
get much help. I found one bulletin board forum in which a K2 owner said
that he'd been ready to send his in but had been told that his mic
might've just been affected by humidity.

He was told that the easy fix was to pack the mic in a two quart-sized
ziplock baggy along with some desiccant like one would normally pack
electronics gear with and leave it alone for a while so's it could dry
out. He said it worked for him.

I'm trying it right now--just packed it this evening.

Does any of this make sense to you folks? Or am I just delaying the
inevitable: sending the mic back to Rode for repairs...

---Jeff
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Mike Clayton Mike Clayton is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Jeff Henig wrote:
Does any of this make sense to you folks? Or am I just delaying the
inevitable: sending the mic back to Rode for repairs...

---Jeff


Yes it does Jeff. I have a K2 that went similarly noisy, fortunately
whilst still in its warranty period. Before I sent it back I swapped the
tube (valve in NZ, or toob in the USA), the cable and power supply with
known good ones. It came down to something in the mike body that I
didn't have the skills to locate and replace. Sent it back to Rode in
Australia and it came back fixed, and has been fine ever since.

Nice mike, I've used it on vocals and it gave me a good result on a
concert harp.

Mike
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geoff geoff is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Mike Clayton wrote:
Jeff Henig wrote:
Does any of this make sense to you folks? Or am I just delaying the
inevitable: sending the mic back to Rode for repairs...

---Jeff


Yes it does Jeff. I have a K2 that went similarly noisy, fortunately
whilst still in its warranty period. Before I sent it back I swapped
the tube (valve in NZ, or toob in the USA), the cable and power
supply with known good ones. It came down to something in the mike
body that I didn't have the skills to locate and replace. Sent it
back to Rode in Australia and it came back fixed, and has been fine
ever since.
Nice mike, I've used it on vocals and it gave me a good result on a
concert harp.


Presumably is a well-known and common problem - mine does the same !
Changed the valve and no fix, dessicated but no fix, but haven't got around
to delving deeper yet....

And yes, it is one of my favourite mics. Silky smooth extended treble, and
warm deep bass. The linearly variable patterns are a bonus. Often prefer to
my other similar level mics - C414(B-ULS and B-XLS), U87i, and TLM103.

If anybody actually knows what the dodgy component is, would love to
hear....

geoff


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Mxsmanic Mxsmanic is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Jeff Henig writes:

I lent it to a friend (oops), and when I got it back, I found a new
noisy gremlin in the works.


Tell your "friend" to buy you a replacement for the mic that he broke.
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hank alrich hank alrich is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Mxsmanic wrote:

Jeff Henig writes:

I lent it to a friend (oops), and when I got it back, I found a new
noisy gremlin in the works.


Tell your "friend" to buy you a replacement for the mic that he broke.


Some conclusions aren't worth jumping to. Causality is not established
here.

--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://www.youtube.com/walkinaymusic
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidri


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Mxsmanic Mxsmanic is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

hank alrich writes:

Some conclusions aren't worth jumping to. Causality is not established
here.


True, but I learned at a very young age that if I loaned things to others,
they often came back broken. When I stopped loaning things, they stopped being
broken.

Unfortunately, most people are much more careless with equipment that they
didn't pay for and don't have to pay for than they are with equipment that
costs or cost them money. And many people also "forget" to mention the damage
that they do to equipment that they've borrowed. So a loaned piece of
equipment coming back broken could be a pure coincidence--but very often, it's
not.

I no longer loan anything to anyone unless I can afford to replace it.
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

In article , Jeff Henig wrote:
It's almost like when you're tuning an A.M. radio--that whine just
before and after you lock in on the station. But it sounds more like
that whine is generating a white noise/pink noise sound via vox,
switching pitch and phase----but all underwater. So you hear the
white/pink noise but not the whine itself. And it's constantly varying
in pitch.


It's breaking out into oscillation. This is most likely because of leakage
in the high-Z section of the circuit. Something needs to be cleaned, somewhere
and it could be junk in the capsule or it could be flux on the board that was
not properly removed during manufacture.

The impedances on the input stage of the electronics are very, very high,
on the order of a gigohm. Consequently everything needs to be immaculately
clean or you get parasitic leakage.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Jeff Henig Jeff Henig is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Scott Dorsey wrote:
In article , Jeff Henig wrote:
It's almost like when you're tuning an A.M. radio--that whine just
before and after you lock in on the station. But it sounds more like
that whine is generating a white noise/pink noise sound via vox,
switching pitch and phase----but all underwater. So you hear the
white/pink noise but not the whine itself. And it's constantly varying
in pitch.


It's breaking out into oscillation. This is most likely because of leakage
in the high-Z section of the circuit. Something needs to be cleaned, somewhere
and it could be junk in the capsule or it could be flux on the board that was
not properly removed during manufacture.

The impedances on the input stage of the electronics are very, very high,
on the order of a gigohm. Consequently everything needs to be immaculately
clean or you get parasitic leakage.
--scott


How lucky do I need to be for it to be something *I* can clean? I've never
actually opened it up. I'm not afraid to, being that if I don't, I'll have
to send it in anyway, but if it's a hard-to-get-to spot, I could just be
SOL.

--
---Jeff
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Jeff Henig wrote:

How lucky do I need to be for it to be something *I* can clean? I've never
actually opened it up. I'm not afraid to, being that if I don't, I'll have
to send it in anyway, but if it's a hard-to-get-to spot, I could just be
SOL.


I don't know. josephson.com used to have directions on cleaning
center-terminated capsules somewhere on it. You could try just cleaning the
diaphragm like that.

If you disconnect the capsule and the noise goes away, the leakage is on
or inside the capsule.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Jeff Henig Jeff Henig is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Scott Dorsey wrote:
Jeff Henig wrote:

How lucky do I need to be for it to be something *I* can clean? I've never
actually opened it up. I'm not afraid to, being that if I don't, I'll have
to send it in anyway, but if it's a hard-to-get-to spot, I could just be
SOL.


I don't know. josephson.com used to have directions on cleaning
center-terminated capsules somewhere on it. You could try just cleaning the
diaphragm like that.

If you disconnect the capsule and the noise goes away, the leakage is on
or inside the capsule.
--scott


Roger that. Thanks VERY much, Scott!

--
---Jeff


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Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:54:44 -0500, Soundhaspriority wrote
(in article ) :



"Frank Stearns" wrote in message
acquisition...
"Soundhaspriority" writes:

"Jeff Henig" wrote in message
...


snip

One other form of desiccation is to use a desk lamp with a 100 watt light
bulb to warm it up. Production sound folks are fond of this method. At
least
one manufacturer recommends it.


This worked with a noisy Studio Projects mike. I can't advise on safe
temperatures, since I simply took a gamble. An IR thermometer indicates
that
the temperature with a desk lamp at 8 inches is in the range of 120F.


Never use this method on an electret mike, which yours is not.


Interesting, Bob.

Are you saying that heat hastens the demise of the "permanent"
polarization, or is
there some other problem?

Frank
Mobile Audio

Yes, exactly, particularly with AT mikes. DPA claims a much more rugged
electret.

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511


Particularly? Where's the proof on that!?!

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On 2/12/2012 9:14 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

josephson.com used to have directions on cleaning
center-terminated capsules somewhere on it. You could try just cleaning the
diaphragm like that.


I think he removed it, probably on advice of his own better
judgment. Too many people reading that stuff now who
probably shouldn't be trying it. Much as I would like to
encourage it, I hesitate to tell people that they can fix
things themselves these days. Too many who say "I know how
to sodder but I've never worked on a mixer b4."



--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson

http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff
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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On 2/12/2012 10:13 AM, Soundhaspriority wrote:

One other form of desiccation is to use a desk lamp with a
100 watt light bulb to warm it up. Production sound folks
are fond of this method. At least one manufacturer
recommends it.


There used to be a procedure to bake a U87 capsule in a
kitchen oven but I haven't seen it in quite some time.

I've also heard of using rice in a Zip-Lock bag as a
desiccant for mic storage.


--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson

http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff
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geoff geoff is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

Soundhaspriority wrote:
With apologies to those who feel a personal affinity to AT
microphones, I offer the following clarification. As far as I am
aware, no company other than DPA offers an electret technology that
is durable at temperatures found in a hot car. The A-T "do not
exceed" temperature is something like 130F. This is an abusive
temperature, but one which at externally polarized condenser mikes,


Maybe AT pick a safe ball-park figure rather than not putting out a spec for
that paramter at all ?

geoff


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Arny Krueger[_4_] Arny Krueger[_4_] is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2


"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...

hank alrich writes:


Some conclusions aren't worth jumping to. Causality is not established
here.


True, but I learned at a very young age that if I loaned things to others,
they often came back broken. When I stopped loaning things, they stopped
being
broken.


Unfortunately, most people are much more careless with equipment that they
didn't pay for and don't have to pay for than they are with equipment that
costs or cost them money. And many people also "forget" to mention the
damage
that they do to equipment that they've borrowed. So a loaned piece of
equipment coming back broken could be a pure coincidence--but very often,
it's
not.


Other than ribbon mics, microphones aren't supposed to be delicate little
flowers that have to be treated with white gloves.

Every once in a while we break a mic or a cable at church, and the person
using it at the time is generally full of remorse. I tell them that good
mics are supposed to be up to fair wear and tear, and if they aren't, we
just fix or replace as needed.




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Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:46:22 -0500, geoff wrote
(in article ) :

Soundhaspriority wrote:
With apologies to those who feel a personal affinity to AT
microphones, I offer the following clarification. As far as I am
aware, no company other than DPA offers an electret technology that
is durable at temperatures found in a hot car. The A-T "do not
exceed" temperature is something like 130F. This is an abusive
temperature, but one which at externally polarized condenser mikes,


Maybe AT pick a safe ball-park figure rather than not putting out a spec for
that paramter at all ?

geoff



I tend to agree with Geoff, now that he mentions this. I recall that AT is
usually very conservative with its figures.

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

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Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:11:57 -0500, Soundhaspriority wrote
(in article ):



"geoff" wrote in message
...

Soundhaspriority wrote:
With apologies to those who feel a personal affinity to AT
microphones, I offer the following clarification. As far as I am
aware, no company other than DPA offers an electret technology that
is durable at temperatures found in a hot car. The A-T "do not
exceed" temperature is something like 130F. This is an abusive
temperature, but one which at externally polarized condenser mikes,


Maybe AT pick a safe ball-park figure rather than not putting out a spec for
that paramter at all ?

geoff

I tested one AT to destruction. They do die in heat.

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511


specifics?

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

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Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
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Default Fixing my Rode K2

On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:43:23 -0500, Soundhaspriority wrote
(in article ) :



"Ty Ford" wrote in message
al.NET...
On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:52:13 -0500, Soundhaspriority wrote
(in article ) :

AT33


Can't find it with Googel. How much is it?


http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wi...ade/index.html

Bob Morein
(310) 237-6511


Oh, ATM33. Discontinued and not in the same league as their studio stuff.

Regards,

Ty Ford

--Audio Equipment Reviews Audio Production Services
Acting and Voiceover Demos http://www.tyford.com
Guitar player?:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

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