vinylwall
Well-known member
I just did a tally because people have been asking me, and I've built 20 and modified 5 microphones over the last year. Sold two of the modified [SP C1/U87's] and traded 1 [MK-47] of the builds.
Here they are (U67, D-47, D-EF47, two MK-U47's, four D-47FET's, D-251, D-49, three D-87's, three Matachung C12's, FOX 460, RM-5 Ribbon and the 3 modifications I have left - 460 C12, SP C1/U87, 460 ELAM 251)...
Edit 9/20/15:
I was also asked in a PM about some of my observations about these mics so I thought I'd put them here too. (These are just my opinions on what I experienced so far and in no way are meant to diss any of the mic designers. All of them are fantastic.)
We are in the process of holding sessions and testing all of the mic builds. I can say that, so far, my favorites have been [in this order] the D49 (with Neumann K47fet capsule and AMI T49 transformer/Sylvania 5840 NOS tube), the Matachung C-12 v1.4 clone (with Beesneez CK12 capsule and AMI T14 transformer/GE6072A NOS tube), D-251 Ela M kit (with Beesneez CK12 capsule, Beesneez mic body, EH6072A Gold tube/ CM-13114 transformer) and ioaudio's MK-U47 (with Thiersch STW7 Blue line capsule / Philips JAN 6028 NOS tube).
I was a bit surprised about the U-67 clone's sound (especially considering how much money I stuffed into it). A bit muffled, yet it worked extremely well doing an old Christmas song that I probably should have used a ribbon mic on. It sounded perfect although it is not an "airy" sounding mic. (Genuine Neumann U67/87 body and headbasket, K870/K67 Neumann capsule / ioaudio TLM67/U87Ai to U67 quickmod kit/ Valvo-Siemens PF86 tube).
Another Matachung C-12 build surprised me. It was built with the v1.2A circuit boards, Eric Heiserman HK12 capsule, Cinemag CM-13114 transformer and GE5 star 6072A tube. MAN can this thing record low end! I throw this on bass cabinets and bass singers and get chills at the tight and accurate low end.
The most disappointing to me was the MK-47 kit. It sounded very harsh. The weird thing is that the MK-U47 kits sound fantastic, but distinctly U-47. Since I already had quite a few other U-47 builds, I just decided to trade it off for something I needed instead of experimenting with components. I still think this is a great kit and will sound fantastic given enough time tweaking the mic. I WILL be purchasing another one of these kits in the future to figure out what I did wrong.
I was extremely surprised at how good the FOX460 mod/build kit that microphone-parts.com is selling sounds. I am VERY happy with that mic. But be warned, it is VERY "airy" sounding. On a thin voice it will destroy the recording. (Alctron T-11 donor mic, C12 headbasket from Studio 939, MP RK-12 capsule, EH6072A tube).
The D-47fet builds seems to work GREAT on guitar cabinets (most are built with Peluso K47 or MP RK47 capsules & AMI T49 transformers). I've used the fourth build on vocals in a recent session and it sounded fantastic there as well (MP RK47 capsule / Cinemag CM-13101 transformer / MXL V89 donor mic).
I was pleasantly surprised on the RM-5 Ribbon Mic. I don't know what I expected, but found it to have perfect high end for bongos and percussion and it performed gorgeously on blues electric guitar cabinets.
The D-87 builds are adequate, but having so many good mics now, these are not getting much use. (Most are built with MP RK-87i capsules and Cinemag CM-13113 transformers).
I have posted pictures and component lists for most all of my builds in the appropriate build threads (at least the first build of each type of mic I built).
I hope this helps.
P.S. two of the modified mics I have are very nice as well. Jim Jacobsen modified one of my Apex 460's into the JJ Audio "Dutch" (Peluso CEK-12 capsule / GE 5 star NOS tube hand picked by Jim / Cinemag CM-2480 transformer). Brian Fox modified another of my Apex 460's into a FAR 251 SE I (MP RK12 capsule tested and hand picked by Brian / EH6072A tube also hand picked by Brian / Cinemag CM-13114 transformer). Both of these perform fantastically. For the most part, when I use these, I reach for the FAR 251 SE I more.
Jimi Ray
Here they are (U67, D-47, D-EF47, two MK-U47's, four D-47FET's, D-251, D-49, three D-87's, three Matachung C12's, FOX 460, RM-5 Ribbon and the 3 modifications I have left - 460 C12, SP C1/U87, 460 ELAM 251)...
Edit 9/20/15:
I was also asked in a PM about some of my observations about these mics so I thought I'd put them here too. (These are just my opinions on what I experienced so far and in no way are meant to diss any of the mic designers. All of them are fantastic.)
We are in the process of holding sessions and testing all of the mic builds. I can say that, so far, my favorites have been [in this order] the D49 (with Neumann K47fet capsule and AMI T49 transformer/Sylvania 5840 NOS tube), the Matachung C-12 v1.4 clone (with Beesneez CK12 capsule and AMI T14 transformer/GE6072A NOS tube), D-251 Ela M kit (with Beesneez CK12 capsule, Beesneez mic body, EH6072A Gold tube/ CM-13114 transformer) and ioaudio's MK-U47 (with Thiersch STW7 Blue line capsule / Philips JAN 6028 NOS tube).
I was a bit surprised about the U-67 clone's sound (especially considering how much money I stuffed into it). A bit muffled, yet it worked extremely well doing an old Christmas song that I probably should have used a ribbon mic on. It sounded perfect although it is not an "airy" sounding mic. (Genuine Neumann U67/87 body and headbasket, K870/K67 Neumann capsule / ioaudio TLM67/U87Ai to U67 quickmod kit/ Valvo-Siemens PF86 tube).
Another Matachung C-12 build surprised me. It was built with the v1.2A circuit boards, Eric Heiserman HK12 capsule, Cinemag CM-13114 transformer and GE5 star 6072A tube. MAN can this thing record low end! I throw this on bass cabinets and bass singers and get chills at the tight and accurate low end.
The most disappointing to me was the MK-47 kit. It sounded very harsh. The weird thing is that the MK-U47 kits sound fantastic, but distinctly U-47. Since I already had quite a few other U-47 builds, I just decided to trade it off for something I needed instead of experimenting with components. I still think this is a great kit and will sound fantastic given enough time tweaking the mic. I WILL be purchasing another one of these kits in the future to figure out what I did wrong.
I was extremely surprised at how good the FOX460 mod/build kit that microphone-parts.com is selling sounds. I am VERY happy with that mic. But be warned, it is VERY "airy" sounding. On a thin voice it will destroy the recording. (Alctron T-11 donor mic, C12 headbasket from Studio 939, MP RK-12 capsule, EH6072A tube).
The D-47fet builds seems to work GREAT on guitar cabinets (most are built with Peluso K47 or MP RK47 capsules & AMI T49 transformers). I've used the fourth build on vocals in a recent session and it sounded fantastic there as well (MP RK47 capsule / Cinemag CM-13101 transformer / MXL V89 donor mic).
I was pleasantly surprised on the RM-5 Ribbon Mic. I don't know what I expected, but found it to have perfect high end for bongos and percussion and it performed gorgeously on blues electric guitar cabinets.
The D-87 builds are adequate, but having so many good mics now, these are not getting much use. (Most are built with MP RK-87i capsules and Cinemag CM-13113 transformers).
I have posted pictures and component lists for most all of my builds in the appropriate build threads (at least the first build of each type of mic I built).
I hope this helps.
P.S. two of the modified mics I have are very nice as well. Jim Jacobsen modified one of my Apex 460's into the JJ Audio "Dutch" (Peluso CEK-12 capsule / GE 5 star NOS tube hand picked by Jim / Cinemag CM-2480 transformer). Brian Fox modified another of my Apex 460's into a FAR 251 SE I (MP RK12 capsule tested and hand picked by Brian / EH6072A tube also hand picked by Brian / Cinemag CM-13114 transformer). Both of these perform fantastically. For the most part, when I use these, I reach for the FAR 251 SE I more.
Jimi Ray