Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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. |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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. |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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." |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#9
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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." |
#10
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#11
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#12
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#13
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#14
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#15
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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. |
#16
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#17
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
#18
Posted to rec.audio.pro
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Fixing iLok | Pro Audio | |||
fixing a jm27 | Pro Audio | |||
Fixing popped P's | Pro Audio | |||
fixing my u 87 | Pro Audio | |||
Was Rode NT5 and Rode NT2 moisture problems... | Pro Audio |