Help with dead Beyer M380?

[Mark Richardson]

My beloved M380 (not TG) died, and Beyer US doesn't have replacement
elements- they're checking with Germany but if they come up dry, anyone
have any suggestions (besides using it as a paperweight)?

[Scott Dorsey]

Mark Richardson > wrote:
>My beloved M380 (not TG) died, and Beyer US doesn't have replacement
>elements- they're checking with Germany but if they come up dry, anyone
>have any suggestions (besides using it as a paperweight)?

I believe that they use the same basic element as some of the older
Beyer headphones, so it might be possible to find elements out of some
headphones that could be used.

For the most part, there is nobody today that will repair dynamic elements,
even dynamics that are designed to be repairable (like the 421). But, if it
is dead, there is a possibility that it could be something other than the
element. And it MAY be possible to fix broken coil wires, if they are broken
in the right place.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mark Richardson]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> For the most part, there is nobody today that will repair dynamic elements,
> even dynamics that are designed to be repairable (like the 421). But, if it
> is dead, there is a possibility that it could be something other than the
> element. And it MAY be possible to fix broken coil wires, if they are broken
> in the right place.
> --scott

By "the right place", I take it you mean somewhere visible and
accessible, like where they attach to the element?

The good news is that I got an email this evening saying Beyerdynamic
Germany still has parts for the M380.

[Mike Rivers]

Mark Richardson wrote:

> By "the right place", I take it you mean somewhere visible and
> accessible, like where they attach to the element?

Or the connector.

> The good news is that I got an email this evening saying Beyerdynamic
> Germany still has parts for the M380.

The bad news is that you'd better be sitting down when they tell you
what parts cost. If you can't figure out how to take it apart to check
the obvious, send it to Beyer and get an autopsy report.

[Scott Dorsey]

In article >,
Mark Richardson > wrote:
>Scott Dorsey wrote:
>> For the most part, there is nobody today that will repair dynamic elements,
>> even dynamics that are designed to be repairable (like the 421). But, if it
>> is dead, there is a possibility that it could be something other than the
>> element. And it MAY be possible to fix broken coil wires, if they are broken
>> in the right place.
>
>By "the right place", I take it you mean somewhere visible and
>accessible, like where they attach to the element?

The coil wire is part of the element. It's wrapped around itself and glued
to the diaphragm, with the ends pulled out to terminals. Sometimes it breaks
near the terminals, and you can fix it. Sometimes the coil gets deformed,
rubs a little against the magnet in the center, and is quickly destroyed
and that's unrepairable.

>The good news is that I got an email this evening saying Beyerdynamic
>Germany still has parts for the M380.

Which ones, though?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Mark Richardson]

Mike Rivers wrote:
> Mark Richardson wrote:
>
>> By "the right place", I take it you mean somewhere visible and
>> accessible, like where they attach to the element?
>
> Or the connector.

Would that be a "coil wire"? I think of the coil wires as the fine
strands that attach to posts which take the signal through thicker wire
down to the connector. Forgot to mention it, but I did crack the case
and checked the connector, and it's fine. No continuity between pins
2&3, though.

>
>> The good news is that I got an email this evening saying Beyerdynamic
>> Germany still has parts for the M380.
>
> The bad news is that you'd better be sitting down when they tell you
> what parts cost.

It wasn't as bad as what Sennheiser wanted for a 421 basket. I'll keep
my messed up grill, thanks.

If you can't figure out how to take it apart to check
> the obvious, send it to Beyer and get an autopsy report.
>

It was four screws- I'm not a genius, but I did figure that out.

[Mark Richardson]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> In article >,
> Mark Richardson > wrote:

>> By "the right place", I take it you mean somewhere visible and
>> accessible, like where they attach to the element?
>
> The coil wire is part of the element.

Sorry, meant "diaphragm", not "element".


> Sometimes the coil gets deformed, rubs a little against the magnet
> in the center, and is quickly destroyed and that's unrepairable.

That's what I thought.

>> The good news is that I got an email this evening saying Beyerdynamic
>> Germany still has parts for the M380.
>
> Which ones, though?

I specifically asked if the parts they had were for the M380, not the
TGX50 or Opus-whatever mics that use the same body type and was told
yes, they have elements for the M380.

Thanks for the advice, though.