K47 Classic Capsule made by AMI ?

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OPR

Well-known member
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Jan 14, 2012
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330
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Anyone tried these? opinions? it looks like it was probably skinned by Thiersh going by the termination wires which look the same as what's found on his M7 type capsules.  Great price too!

K47 Classic Capsule made by AMI
Original spec Hostaphan diaphragm material
Original Spec MS58 Brass backplate
Skinned in Germany
Includes K47Classic capsule holder
Works for U47/48 and M49/249
Alina117.jpg

http://www.tab-funkenwerk.com/id192.html
 
...that's interesting because Oliver himself referred to that capsule as the K47CS, originating from Taiwan with no mention of "skinned in Germany"...skinning by Thiersch seems unlikely at that pricepoint,  which as I remember was even less expensive at the time of Oliver's original post last year (closer to $100)...

"The K47 CS is an alternative that AMI came up with working together with an Taiwanese Capsule Manufacture, it is a standard K47 backplate that is slightly different ported. We do aging and testing here in Gaylord. The development was needed after a better K47 alternative was needed. We use it here now for the UM17 and custom builds."

...original post here:
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=55012.msg702499#msg702499

...retaining rings look very much like the TongXin 34mm K47 (below)...
 

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Yeah I assumed the backplate and parts were Tongxin/ISK  but the yellow termination wires were different and look like what Thiersch uses..Isk use white teflon coated wire . The price does sound too good to be true  though.. :eek:
 
FWIW Thiersch offers Chinese capsules, too. Or at least he (they) did until recently (I can't find the page now).  Perhaps he did some quality control on those and maybe he upgraded the wires?
 
micaddict said:
FWIW Thiersch offers Chinese capsules, too. Or at least he (they) did until recently (I can't find the page now).  Perhaps he did some quality control on those and maybe he upgraded the wires?

Yes Henk, Thiersch seems to have discretely deleted that Chinese manufacturer link from his website...probably was getting some negative feedback on his approval of such a source...it comes from a very knowledgeable source that some of his metalwork may actually be originating from China...if it was generally known how many "reputable" brands source capsules/metalwork/clamping-rings from China, it would surprise more than a few purists...
 
Banzai said:
No offence, but without providing a name this is just another case of some guy talking sh*t... M7 capsules are made of a single piece of brass, so your source is claiming Thiersch 'may' be getting ALL his metalwork from China. Pretty big statement to make considering he doesn't have the demand to take advantage of Chinese economies of scale.

...let's just say, no offense taken...my "source" is not just some guy talking sh*t...those who know me, and my contacts for capsule manufacturing both here in the US and in China, probably know who I am referring to...anyway, this "guy" has plenty of experience with high-end capsules on a daily basis, and he has absolutely no reason to talk sh*t...but since he made that remark in casual conversation, I think it best that I not say more about it...

...on another note, China's premier capsule source, Feilo, offers quality competitive to that done anywhere in the world, so suffice to say, the Chinese can certainly deliver the goods...Feilo does not deal in OEM/stock designs, so all product is proprietary as per the client's needs...if you have the necessary CAD drawings, metalwork can be sourced for very reasonable costs/minimum quantities...quite a few smaller "boutique" brands in Europe and the US are sourcing their capsules/metalwork from Feilo...

...the capsule posted here, on the other hand,  is more than likely coming from Ningbo TongXin, a sister company of the Shengke Electronics Company who manufactures iSK...TongXin is the contract arm, making product for CAD, AKG Perception, etc...most of the Chinese capsules can be easily identified by the screw patterns, screw head types employed (phillips or flat-head), and materials used (plastic or brass retaining rings)...TonXin's capsules are all OEM/stock designs and can be purchased without tooling fees and reasonable minimum quantities...individual capsule components can also be purchased...the retaining rings in particular can be sourced so inexpensively from TongXin, that some US premium capsule makers find it cost-prohibitive to contract the rings domestically and continue to use the Chinese option, while contracting their backplate metalwork locally...

 
...if it was generally known how many "reputable" brands source capsules/metalwork/clamping-rings from China, it would surprise more than a few purists...

Such a broad statement casts a large shadow over all us capsule manufacturers. I still personally make every part of my capsule except the screws (German) and the Mylar (German).
The last price I got a price from China on membrane retaining rings was double what it would cost to have them made in Denmark and many times more than making them myself with my own machines.
 
Banzai said:
There lies the problem... You're not having a casual conversation with some friends. You just posted that on the internet...

...BTW, here's more from the internet:
http://rmsaudioworks.com/RMS269.php
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Telefunken-USA/AR-51
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Blackspade/UM17
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Blackspade/UM25
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Mojave-Audio
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/bock-audio/195
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/ADK
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Miktek/CV4
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sontronics/Helios
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Manley/Reference-Cardioid
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Advanced-Audio-Microphones
http://recordinghacks.com/capsules/

...care to guess which of those capsules are sourced from China?
...there's little I said that hasn't already been said by various knowledgeable people on other forum threads like this, other than what I intimated...and the point of my friend saying that, in the context of conversation, was to simply reinforce the fact that he believed the Chinese metalwork, from certain factories was more than sufficient quality to perform with any other source available...

...my comments are not in reference to what makes good economic sense, but simply that many high-profile brands choose to source their capsules from China, even when the microphones in which they are being employed are not Chinese sourced...as for the retaining ring statement, that came direct from the US manufacturer building his own capsules...if I was so far off in making these remarks, reputable sources would not have the need to chime in and defend their product...

 
Banzai said:
I wouldn't care less if you're just making your comments, even less if they're true or false. It's the smearing that's a problem.

Actually, that is your interpretation, not mine...if you read all of my posts in context, my comment is meant to do just the opposite of where you're taking it...I said repeatedly, in so many words, that IMHO, when sourced from the best in China, the metalwork is world-class quality...

...it's you who are inferring that if it's Chinese, it's inferior...the only smearing going on is in your interpretation of my words...
 
Banzai said:
You still don't get it, so why bother...

I don't see why it has to be one or the other.  Perfectly valid points were made by "both sides".

I'm in full agreement with kidvybes:  too many people are quick to dismiss "Chinese quality", not realizing that it many cases it is defining the term quality itself.  I have seen some really outstanding high quality metalwork in capsules from various Chinese sources, just like I have seen some real trash as well.  That's not a "Chinese thing", it's a "cheap stuff is cheap" thing, and pretty much any country is capable of both these days.

In the realm of PCB's, it's almost the exact opposite:  20 years ago nobody would think about getting PCB's made in China, nowadays nobody would think about anyplace else.  Few places are turning out the quality and volumes of PCB's these days as China, provided you know where to go.

I'm also in agreement with Banzai:  we have to be careful about what we say lest it end up being quoted as a primary source.  I understand however the context under which kidvybes was speaking, but less careful readers may not. :)
 
Matador said:
I'm also in agreement with Banzai:  we have to be careful about what we say lest it end up being quoted as a primary source.  I understand however the context under which kidvybes was speaking, but less careful readers may not. :)

Thank you for chiming in as "the voice of reason"...I totally agree, so let me clarify my statement...I am not stating that Theirsch sources their metalwork from China...I was only saying that a reputable source, who himself machines, skins/re-skins and tunes capsules of all origins, reflected in conversation that regardless of branding, the large majority of metalwork he's seeing come past his workbench these days has the earmarks of Chinese origin, which he feels is indicative of the high quality available from certain particular sources in that manufacturing community...he then commented further as to the possibility of similar sourcing by Theirsch...speculative at best...

BTW, Jim Jacobsen at JJ Audio was having Theirsch re-skin the very same 34mm TongXin K47 capsules we are discussing here with wonderful results...
 
BTW, Jim Jacobsen at JJ Audio was having Theirsch re-skin the very same 34mm TongXin K47 capsules we are discussing here with wonderful results...

Well now that's interesting  Kidvbes! Sounds like I might have been on the money  :) I've emailed Ami to try and get the low down but still waiting for a reply.
 
Very informative thread. I know Oliver had LOTS of capable friends in Germany, so it might not be Thiersch that is doing the diaphragm work.  And it might not be in AMI's best interest to reveal their vendor. My respect (bordering on reverence) for Oliver's work and obsessively high standards leads me to believe that if he was using this capsule in his products and endorsing it, it's probably a pretty nice capsule for $200 USD. Especially when comparing it to a new Neumann K47 at $1000 USD.

RIP Oliver! I sure miss that guy.
 
kidvybes said:
Thank you for chiming in as "the voice of reason"...I totally agree, so let me clarify my statement...I am not stating that Theirsch sources their metalwork from China...I was only saying that a reputable source, who himself machines, skins/re-skins and tunes capsules of all origins, reflected in conversation that regardless of branding, the large majority of metalwork he's seeing come past his workbench these days has the earmarks of Chinese origin, which he feels is indicative of the high quality available from certain particular sources in that manufacturing community...he then commented further as to the possibility of similar sourcing by Theirsch...speculative at best...

Good, as that was exactly what I thought you were saying.  8)
 
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