Cadenza Ribbon mic transformer changing - which choose? Ribbon impedance?

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ln76d

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
2,486
Location
Gallifrey
I have an pretty old Cadenza ribbon microphone from the 50's.
It's in great condition, ribbon looks like new.
Does anyone knows what's the impedance of ribbon in it?
How to measure it? DC resistance measuring will be enough?
If so, should I measure resistance with cables which goes to transformer or ribbon only?

I have few options to bought:
Lundahl ll2914
Cinemag CM-9887
Cinemag CM-9888
Sowter 8074
Sowter 9760
Edcor RMX1

Does anyone have positive experiences with some of those transformers?
Does anyone have experience with Cadenza ribbon microphone, is it worth to change transformer in it?
 
Hi!

I have done a few blog posts about these...

http://xaudiaelektrik.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Cadenza

DO NOT measure the DC resistance directly as you can bump the ribbon out of the magnetic field and stretch it! You need an impedance bridge with a low carrier voltage to measure things.

It is quite a short skinny ribbon and if you want an output around 300 ohms you need something around 1:28 or 1:30 if I recall right. We also make transformers for these mics - feel free to drop me a line if you need further info.

Does anyone have experience with Cadenza ribbon microphone, is it worth to change transformer in it?

It depends what you are looking for. They are never the loudest of mics, but can be useful for some applications.

Cheers!

Stewart
 
Hi Stewart:)

Thanks for reply!

Please send me price on PM for transformer and for xlr connector  as on photos from your blog.

It will be hard to find impedance bridge for now...

I was thinking to use in future this mike for some background vocals, on electric guitar to get some more colour and for sax or trumpet as second mike with condenser. I did similar things with reslos before and it was pretty good.

Do you have some ideas for old oktava ml52 Ribbon? Make it passive with new transformer? Or new active circuit and new transformer?
 
Hi! Have sent you a PM.

I haven't spend much time with an ML52, but I usually prefer a simple passive mic - so put in a nice transformer annd you will be good!

Stewart
 
ln76d said:
Do you have some ideas for old oktava ml52 Ribbon? Make it passive with new transformer? Or new active circuit and new transformer?

The ML52 is a passive one, with pretty good stock transformer. Did you mean ML51?

Best, M
 
I had assumed that he did! I think there was another thread here recently.

SAMAR also make some very nice toroidal ribbon mic transformers  ;)
 
Hi,
I can vouch for the Sowter 8074 as i have one of there in a Golden Age R2 and it sounds great, havent tried any of the other yet but hopefully will one day.

Also top tip for recording with ribbon mics is have them at a slight angle rather than square on, i.e. tilt them forward, as per Michael Wagener, will make ribbon last longer for higher SPL.

regards

Spence.
 
Thanks guys for reply!

Ofcourse i mean ML51 - the old one looking similar to md421.
I don't know why i wrote ml52:)

I've already changed all capacitors, transistors and resistors in original circuit, but i have no time to assembly and check for now.
Maybe it will make some difference, but i doubt that will be much improvement, so here's the question about what can make real improvement?

In case of Cadenza i've destroyed ribbon yesterday... :mad:
Don't ask how... ;D
 
ln76d said:
Thanks guys for reply!

Ofcourse i mean ML51 - the old one looking similar to md421.
I don't know why i wrote ml52:)

I've already changed all capacitors, transistors and resistors in original circuit, but i have no time to assembly and check for now.
Maybe it will make some difference, but i doubt that will be much improvement, so here's the question about what can make real improvement?

I am in the midst of working on an  almost unused ML51. I discarded the electronics all together. It sounded so horrible out of the box. I have rewound the toroid pri with double 21gauge wire and got rather nice sound out of it. Winding was just so easy to do and it made the mic sound much richer.
I got inspired by this discussion
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=41856.0

The only problem I have not been able to solve is pretty annoying hum and sometimes radio pickup. I have shielded and re-soldered everything I can think of. But there has not been real improvement getting rid of hum. I can get clean signal with Behringer Shark with ground lifted, but I do not like the way this box makes microphones sound.
Also I bought Tritone FetHead for 75EUR shipped. This gives a nice strait 20db boost  but I would never recommend it for the price. It has the most simple 2 Fet amp in it for 5-7EUR for parts included XLR plugs that is too easy to make yourself to justify the price.
So I am rather curious how your mic will sound.
BTW the toroid in it is very good and you can try it without the original booster just fine.

I have a Cadenza arriving soon too. I am thinking to make a toroid for that as well. Any thoughts on it.
 
I got my Cadenza tonight. It did not work. The wires from the motor were badly corroded and one was cut. So I replaced these and it sounds something. Hard to tell. By visual inspection the ribbon is rather good, no crap inside/on the magnets.
I am considering the transformer work.
What do you think of toroid?
Here is a good blog about this michttp://rt.x90x.net/cadenza.html
 
Sorry for an orphaned of my topic. I really had no time on last few months and i forgot about it.
I've sent Cadenza and two reslo to Stewart.
Maybe this is not in spirit of diy, but it was worth:)
What i can say,  mikes blows me away :)
Stewart makes from them completely new quality.
Worth.
Oktava for now back on a shelf, it will be project for the other time.
Cheers
 
I love them, not only i like them  ;D
Now i know what doing with old ribbon mics - buy and send to you immediately:)
Oktava is not worth, it's microphone for fun. If i find something nice, it goes immediatly to you:)

Cheers
 

Latest posts

Back
Top