Official C12 Clone - Build and Support Thread

[Green Slime]

Has anyone or any manufacturer ever made a C12 style body (skinny/tall) as opposed to the more popular 251?

I may have located a solution, but it would be many months before anything materializes for a more budget friendly skinny body.

I'm in for multiples! Including C12 swivel mounts. Am I pushing it?

 

[chunger]

Cool. . . I'll see if I can get my hands on a sample. . . it could be really nice and it could be horrendously awful. . . China!

Glad there is some interest.  I'd have to be in for 200 plus work with Matador to design a new board 

 

[ln76d]

Cool. . . I'll see if I can get my hands on a sample. . . it could be really nice and it could be horrendously awful. . . China!

Glad there is some interest.  I'd have to be in for 200 plus work with Matador to design a new board 

Maybe this time plexi rings instead banana boards?
You could sell both types of kits
Old one with pcb and new one with rings.
Also it would be nice if the body would have no bottom bell and  xlr hidden inside the body

If you will need any dimensions or pics of original body let me know.

 

[vinylwall]

I'd be in for a few myself.

 

[Matador]

Maybe this time plexi rings instead banana boards?

Please no.  :'(

 

[ln76d]

Maybe this time plexi rings instead banana boards?

Please no.  :'(

Ok, so two versions
Plastic and minion

 

[shot]

Has anyone tried to fit C12 board into Aurycle body?
Seems that dimensions might fit!
Or not?

http://www.aurycle.com/aurycle-a5500-diy-microphone-body-kit.html

EDIT: I'm asking questions before more thorough research! Went to measure C12 boards and they are too long (122mm). This body has only 98mm available!
Sorry... my bad...

 

[Aaudio]

I have built one C12 power supply that works 100% and I am currently building my second one. I measure correct value on the bias without load on my first PSU, but the bias on the second PSU seems dead. It stays at 0.00V and even when I try to adjust the bias, nothing happens. Everything else works as it should. Does anybody know what may be the issue?

 

[cariocaman85]

Hello,

Do you know is there is a toroidal power transformer that could be mount in place of the original Alctron one?

Thanks,

 

[Matador]

Hello,

Do you know is there is a toroidal power transformer that could be mount in place of the original Alctron one?

Thanks,

I've never found one, mostly because two secondaries are needed.

For power transformer, stock specs are hard to come by.  But basically its:

Secondary: 200VAC @ 10mA (~2VA)
Secondary: 9.5VAC @ 500mA (~5VA)

 

[Green Slime]

I ordered a headbasket from studio939 (chunger) and tried to contact the owner but I never get a response. Either customer service is extremely unresponsive or it's a defunct shop. Kind of nervous.

 

[vinylwall]

I ordered a headbasket from studio939 (chunger) and tried to contact the owner but I never get a response. Either customer service is extremely unresponsive or it's a defunct shop. Kind of nervous.

Chunger is a busy man.  I just received an order I placed a while back.  His shop isn't defunct.

 

[Green Slime]

Chunger is a busy man.  I just received an order I placed a while back.  His shop isn't defunct.
[/quote]

Cool, thanks. I've been burned online before. Just trying to be safe.

 

[digitall2000]

Hello,

Do you know is there is a toroidal power transformer that could be mount in place of the original Alctron one?

Thanks,

If yer in the US try these people:
http://www.antekinc.com/

 

[weiss]

Hello guys, i'm happy nothing exploded when i powered up my c12 for the first time. Tube works, Sound works, everything seems fine so far except one thing. I get a lot of noise, just a constant background noise with its max at 50Hz. I am wondering if i missed something? Where do i have to start my trouble shooting? Another thing: i'm not sure if i set the right B+ voltage for my capsule... i have this one: http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=61048.0 and set it to 120V. Maybe too low?
Suggestions are welcome! Thanks!!

 

[Matador]

Hello guys, i'm happy nothing exploded when i powered up my c12 for the first time. Tube works, Sound works, everything seems fine so far except one thing. I get a lot of noise, just a constant background noise with its max at 50Hz. I am wondering if i missed something? Where do i have to start my trouble shooting? Another thing: i'm not sure if i set the right B+ voltage for my capsule... i have this one: http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=61048.0 and set it to 120V. Maybe too low?
Suggestions are welcome! Thanks!!

Is the body tube and headbasket on when you are testing?

 

[weiss]

Is the body tube and headbasket on when you are testing?

ja they are on. without it's just one big humming and feedback noise. i recorded a sample in comparison to my akg perception 220 and i included a screenshot. or maybe it's just the normal noise floor that mic has.. idk?

c12: https://soundcloud.com/ansgarscheffold/c12/s-SjiLp
akg: https://soundcloud.com/ansgarscheffold/akg/s-0Zr3s

 

[Tim Campbell]

Weiss, what tube and capsule are you using?
Are you sure it's not tube noise, contamination on the pcb (follow recommendations and srub the pcb and any critical parts you may have handled with alcohol) or moisture? Have you left the mic on so that the tube can burn in?

 

[weiss]

Weiss, what tube and capsule are you using?
Are you sure it's not tube noise, contamination on the pcb (follow recommendations and srub the pcb and any critical parts you may have handled with alcohol) or moisture? Have you left the mic on so that the tube can burn in?

12at7 and the ck12 clone capsule from the groupbuy (http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=61048.0). I'm still doubting if i set the B+ voltage correctly to 120V or if it is too low. I left the mic with the tube on for some time so it should be okay i guess. Maybe it is a faulty tube or it's just normal? I'm gonna buy a new tube and clean the pcb again. But it just appeared to me that the noise level is really high compared to the akg i'm used to. Many thanks for your help anyway!

 

[stelin]

Hi weiss,

Before you change you tube or start cleaning the PCB  (again):
I have built two C12-clones (and three U47-clones). I have listened to your audio files and it does not sound like a bad ground connection or a dirty PCB to me. Please check one thing first:
- With tube michrophones today we are using grounded outlets (and ONLY use grounded outlets).
- Since we have two pieces, the PSU for the microphone and the computer/mixer/soundcard, we are grounding the microphone at two places at the same time. This can cause ground loops.
- Make sure that you have both the PSU and the computer/mixer/soundcard connected to the same grounded outlet.

If you don't, you will have a ground loop. Sometimes a really bad hum, somtimes just a small hum in the background.

If you have a bad ground connection in you mic, it will give you a very loud hum (50Hz). If you have a dirty PCB, you will hear popping sounds or noise that sounds like "the wind blowing in the trees" (it comes and goes). The hum in your mic is steady and at the same level, so  I suspect that you have a grouding problem to the mains.

Been there, done that.

- Stefan