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Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.
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Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:48:53 -0400, Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote
(in article
):

This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.


Some are, with mixed results. Have at it and let us know how what happens.

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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Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

On Oct 28, 9:08*am, Ty Ford wrote:
On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:48:53 -0400, Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote
(in article
):

This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?


If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.


Some are, with mixed results. Have at it and let us know how what happens..

Regards,

Ty Ford

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


Ty, That is for you smart guys to do.... I just use mics and hope for
the best :-)
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote:
This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?


Because the shock mount is not good and the casing isn't good either.
The grille design is not good.

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.


It would be easier to throw it away and get a better case made from proper
bronze or red brass instead of crappy cartridge brass.. and the internal
mounting needs to be changed to make the body less resonant... and the grille
isn't really like a U87 inside... and....
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

On Oct 28, 10:55*am, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote:

This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?


Because the shock mount is not good and the casing isn't good either.
The grille design is not good.

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.


It would be easier to throw it away and get a better case made from proper
bronze or red brass instead of crappy cartridge brass.. and the internal
mounting needs to be changed to make the body less resonant... and the grille
isn't really like a U87 inside... and....
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."


OK, I guess that idea is shot down.....


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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote:
On Oct 28, 10:55=A0am, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote:

This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?


Because the shock mount is not good and the casing isn't good either.
The grille design is not good.


OK, I guess that idea is shot down.....


It doesn't stop plenty of people from trying, though. And I am happy to
take their money.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Mike Rivers Mike Rivers is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

On 10/28/2011 9:48 AM, Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~ wrote:

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it.......


Often, the housing, mount, and diaphragm ARE the weak links.

And if possible, why isn't someone doing it.


There are people who indeed modify mics, though most of
those modifications have to do with replacing poor quality
capacitors with better ones, noisy ICs and FETs with quieter
ones, and removing crummy transformers. If you can't do all
that stuff yourself and test your results, you're really
better off buying a mic where someone (like the
manufacturer, maybe) has already done it, and made the best
mic they can for a given price.


--
"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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cedricl[_2_] cedricl[_2_] is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

On Oct 28, 6:48*am, "Danny ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~_/) ~~"
wrote:
This morning I got the typical ad showing a U87 shaped mic, with a
shock mount, for $49.95. I got to thinking that the shock mount isn't
bad, the casing isn't bad - why not take one and build it right?

If you could start with that housing, mount and probably even the
diaphragm, how hard would it be to change out the weak links and wash
up the flux to make a good mic out of it....... And if possible, why
isn't someone doing it.


Studio Projects does a pretty good job of it.
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joe h joe h is offline
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Default Cheap Mic thoughts

For all that time and effort, you could just by a $300 mic. Once you
get out of the subterranean price points, things actually start to get
pretty good surprisingly.
$300 can get you a lot these days.
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