Neumann Repair

[Neil Rutman]

Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to repair
my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it? If I send my other km-184
could they match them?

Thanks,

Neil Rutman

[Rick Ruskin]

On Sun, 8 Apr 2007 19:07:50 -0700, "Neil Rutman"
> wrote:

>Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to repair
>my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
>longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it? If I send my other km-184
>could they match them?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Neil Rutman
>


Try DOUG WALKER MICROPHONE REPAIR
6637 Wellington Rd 34
Cambridge Ontario N3C 2V4

519-654-0070



If he can't do it, try Neumann US.


Rick Ruskin
Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
http://liondogmusic.com

[Neil Rutman]

Thanks Rick!

"Rick Ruskin" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 8 Apr 2007 19:07:50 -0700, "Neil Rutman"
> > wrote:
>
>>Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to
>>repair
>>my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
>>longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it? If I send my other
>>km-184
>>could they match them?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Neil Rutman
>>
>
>
> Try DOUG WALKER MICROPHONE REPAIR
> 6637 Wellington Rd 34
> Cambridge Ontario N3C 2V4
>
> 519-654-0070
>
>
>
> If he can't do it, try Neumann US.
>
>
> Rick Ruskin
> Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
> http://liondogmusic.com

[Scott Dorsey]

Neil Rutman > wrote:
>Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to repair
>my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
>longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it? If I send my other km-184
>could they match them?

Just send them back to Neumann. They will fix it and they don't charge much.

They won't match microphones, though. Once they fix it, it will meet factory
specs well enough that your pair will match just fine.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[David Satz]

Neil Rutman wrote:

> Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to repair
> my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
> longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it?

[rant on:] Why don't people think of authorized manufacturer service
as their first recourse? Has the market become so price-oriented that
no one expects decent service and support any more? [rant off] Thanks--
I feel better now.

OK, those are semi-rhetorical questions. For routine repair of current-
model microphones and common older models (KM 84, U 87, etc.), Neumann
USA is your first recourse, and their service is first-rate or nearly
so. With rare, "vintage" models their capabilities are more limited,
but the KM 184 is the exact opposite of that.

They're located at:
Neumann USA
1 Enterprise Drive
Old Lyme, CT 06371
(860) 434-5220 (press 2 for service/tech support)

Hint: You can go to www.sennheiserusa.com, click the "Service" menu
and choose "Repair", then the first item will be "Create a Service
Request". Even though this part of the Web site is oriented to
Sennheiser equipment, it's the same organization as Neumann USA, and
they handle Neumann repairs. You can write your own problem
description (very useful for making sure that the repair tech sees
exactly what you wrote) and get a return authorization number directly
on line.

But an RA number isn't actually needed--you can just send the mike
with a description of the problem. Still, having one makes things
simpler if you have to call them to check on your repair.

My only complaint with Neumann repair is that replacement parts can be
expensive--but since they're the distributor for such parts to all
other repair stations, unfortunately there's no way around that
problem, in the U.S. at least.


> If I send my other km-184 could they match them?

Matching has to be ordered specially at the time of purchase, i.e.
normally you would buy one of the "stereo sets" in which matched pairs
are provided (which by the way is not all of the Neumann "stereo
sets"--some are based only on consecutive serial numbers, which is not
the same thing as selected, matched pairs). Neumann USA doesn't have
the advanced acoustical measurement facilities needed for this
purpose; factory matching is done part of the production process, as
the capsules go through quality assurance testing and are all
individually measured.

If you have a particular Neumann microphone of a current model and you
want a "mate" for it, this would have to be worked out with Neumann in
Germany. If you want it badly enough, you can usually get it--with
some extra cost and delay. It might be less trouble to sell the two
which you have and to buy a new SKM 184 "stereo set" as the
replacement for them.

As far as the "default matching" is concerned (the theory that any two
products of the same model from a first-rate microphone manufacturer
_ought_ to match well enough, which is a nice theory but doesn't
always account for certain realities), be aware that the KM 184 went
through a revision in electrical design in around 2001 and that the
newer ones have about 3 dB lower equivalent noise. But the sensitivity
and frequency response didn't change in this revision, so even if you
end up with one "before" and one "after" model, they should match
fairly well under most normal circumstances.

Personally I prefer specific pair matching where available; one-to-two
dB differences between a pair of mikes of the same type can very well
exist otherwise, and this can throw you when you're setting up for a
two-microphone stereo recording. I just find it simpler to work with
two microphones that I know are equally sensitive and have the same
sonic characteristics.

If pair matching isn't available I don't throw a tantrum, but given a
choice I may well reach for a pair of mikes or capsules that I know
are closely matched. Sometimes it works out well by accident and
sometimes it doesn't so much.

Also, older microphones drift randomly in some of their
characteristics, both from age and from the knocking about that they
receive, so factory pair matching is a treat to be enjoyed while it
lasts--an "icing on the cake" sort of thing.

--best regards

[Neil Rutman]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Neil

"David Satz" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Neil Rutman wrote:
>
>> Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to
>> repair
>> my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
>> longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it?
>
> [rant on:] Why don't people think of authorized manufacturer service
> as their first recourse? Has the market become so price-oriented that
> no one expects decent service and support any more? [rant off] Thanks--
> I feel better now.
>
> OK, those are semi-rhetorical questions. For routine repair of current-
> model microphones and common older models (KM 84, U 87, etc.), Neumann
> USA is your first recourse, and their service is first-rate or nearly
> so. With rare, "vintage" models their capabilities are more limited,
> but the KM 184 is the exact opposite of that.
>
> They're located at:
> Neumann USA
> 1 Enterprise Drive
> Old Lyme, CT 06371
> (860) 434-5220 (press 2 for service/tech support)
>
> Hint: You can go to www.sennheiserusa.com, click the "Service" menu
> and choose "Repair", then the first item will be "Create a Service
> Request". Even though this part of the Web site is oriented to
> Sennheiser equipment, it's the same organization as Neumann USA, and
> they handle Neumann repairs. You can write your own problem
> description (very useful for making sure that the repair tech sees
> exactly what you wrote) and get a return authorization number directly
> on line.
>
> But an RA number isn't actually needed--you can just send the mike
> with a description of the problem. Still, having one makes things
> simpler if you have to call them to check on your repair.
>
> My only complaint with Neumann repair is that replacement parts can be
> expensive--but since they're the distributor for such parts to all
> other repair stations, unfortunately there's no way around that
> problem, in the U.S. at least.
>
>
>> If I send my other km-184 could they match them?
>
> Matching has to be ordered specially at the time of purchase, i.e.
> normally you would buy one of the "stereo sets" in which matched pairs
> are provided (which by the way is not all of the Neumann "stereo
> sets"--some are based only on consecutive serial numbers, which is not
> the same thing as selected, matched pairs). Neumann USA doesn't have
> the advanced acoustical measurement facilities needed for this
> purpose; factory matching is done part of the production process, as
> the capsules go through quality assurance testing and are all
> individually measured.
>
> If you have a particular Neumann microphone of a current model and you
> want a "mate" for it, this would have to be worked out with Neumann in
> Germany. If you want it badly enough, you can usually get it--with
> some extra cost and delay. It might be less trouble to sell the two
> which you have and to buy a new SKM 184 "stereo set" as the
> replacement for them.
>
> As far as the "default matching" is concerned (the theory that any two
> products of the same model from a first-rate microphone manufacturer
> _ought_ to match well enough, which is a nice theory but doesn't
> always account for certain realities), be aware that the KM 184 went
> through a revision in electrical design in around 2001 and that the
> newer ones have about 3 dB lower equivalent noise. But the sensitivity
> and frequency response didn't change in this revision, so even if you
> end up with one "before" and one "after" model, they should match
> fairly well under most normal circumstances.
>
> Personally I prefer specific pair matching where available; one-to-two
> dB differences between a pair of mikes of the same type can very well
> exist otherwise, and this can throw you when you're setting up for a
> two-microphone stereo recording. I just find it simpler to work with
> two microphones that I know are equally sensitive and have the same
> sonic characteristics.
>
> If pair matching isn't available I don't throw a tantrum, but given a
> choice I may well reach for a pair of mikes or capsules that I know
> are closely matched. Sometimes it works out well by accident and
> sometimes it doesn't so much.
>
> Also, older microphones drift randomly in some of their
> characteristics, both from age and from the knocking about that they
> receive, so factory pair matching is a treat to be enjoyed while it
> lasts--an "icing on the cake" sort of thing.
>
> --best regards
>

[Rob Reedijk]

Rick Ruskin > wrote:
> On Sun, 8 Apr 2007 19:07:50 -0700, "Neil Rutman"
> > wrote:

>>Went to Vintage Broadcast Microphones site to try and find someone to repair
>>my km-184 and apparently those who claim to fix them on that page are no
>>longer doing it. Anybody know where I can send it? If I send my other km-184
>>could they match them?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Neil Rutman
>>


> Try DOUG WALKER MICROPHONE REPAIR
> 6637 Wellington Rd 34
> Cambridge Ontario N3C 2V4

> 519-654-0070

>

> If he can't do it, try Neumann US.

I second Doug Walker as a choice. If you don't want to do it through
Neumann, Doug is excellent.

Some replies have suggested that it is foolish to go to anyone but Neumann.
Maybe the point is that for some of the really vintage stuff, you might
not be able to take it to Neumann and your first choice would be someone
like Doug who specializes in U47s and such.

Maybe for something more recent like a KM84 it doesn't matter so much.

The other thing is when it comes to replacing parts you don't need to buy
the overpriced Neumann parts for basic electronic
components. Of course there are certain parts that Doug just won't
have. Keep in mind, he does capsule cleaning and now is even in the
business of building his own capsules---actually I think he has done
this for years.

Another thing people don't realize---while there is a company that has
become well known for fitting RCA ribbons on Beyer and B&O mics (I even
got them to do one for me---it was a nice job), Doug was already doing
that way before since that was one of the first things he was doing---
ribbon replacements. I am not suggesting that Doug is the first
one to come up with the idea of putting an RCA ribbon on a Beyer Mic.
In a way it was a logical conclusion since RCA ribbon stock is
relatively inexpensive since it comes as a larger piece and ribbon
replacement guys simply cut strips off and mount them on the mics.
Beyer replacement ribbons are quite expensive.

The only problem I see with sending it to Doug is he has so much work
coming up from Nashville that he might not get to your KM-84 as quickly
as Neumann.

Rob R.

[Scott Dorsey]

Rob Reedijk > wrote:
>
>Some replies have suggested that it is foolish to go to anyone but Neumann.

I agree, because Neumann's repair rates on current production microphones
are so damn cheap that it's not even worth opening the case and doing the
work yourself. Just send it off to them.

>Maybe the point is that for some of the really vintage stuff, you might
>not be able to take it to Neumann and your first choice would be someone
>like Doug who specializes in U47s and such.

Absolutely. He does excellent work, and he can do capsule repairs on
the older microphones, which is something Neumann is no longer able to
do in the US.

>Maybe for something more recent like a KM84 it doesn't matter so much.

I thought it was a KM184?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Rob Reedijk]

Scott Dorsey > wrote:
> Rob Reedijk > wrote:

>>Maybe for something more recent like a KM84 it doesn't matter so much.

> I thought it was a KM184?

Sorry---you are right!

Rob R.

[soundmark[_2_]]

I can recommend John Peluso at www.pelusomicrophonelabs.com

Mark