Once Bit, Twice Shy . . .

[k brown]

That actually looks remarkably similar to the t.bone SC300. Albeit the Presonus has some attempt at shockmounting the capsule (assuming those things are elastic at all?)...

First mic I saw in this form-factor (though nice, solid metal) was the Samson C01:
https://samsontech.com/products/microphones/condenser-microphones/c01/
Uses a capsule very much like that, but with that plastic multihole ring around it, seen in other mics that claim to be LDCs.

 

[Khron]

First mic I saw in this form-factor (though nice, solid metal) was the Samson C01:
https://samsontech.com/products/microphones/condenser-microphones/c01/

Form factor is one thing; the SC300 shares even the same mould for the body shell Just has the t.bone logo where the Presonus has the supercardioid(?) badge.

 

[k brown]

I guess we'll soon see mics made out of paper mache.

 

[MicMaven]

If you wanted to use the body and grille you could ... put a decent capsule and electronics in and make it into a real mic. If the mesh basket and frame is indeed metal ...

Right - that is the plan.

For a very low price, I purchased a condenser circuit and capsule from a guy who replaced that with a dynamic cartridge. It should arrive in two days. It should look good and sound OK when finished. I am considering what I will use to fill the body for ballast and to minimize vibration/microphony. (Hmmm ... "micro -phony" ... methinks there is a terrible, yet suitable pun lurking in the weeds ...)

And yet, its future as a stage prop or kitschy lamp remain viable options, while the marketing team has rejected its violent demise by a firing squad.

PS -- BONUS SIDEBAR -- I attach a brief recording for Good Ol' Cyrano and others who are asking for it. / JHR

 

[MicMaven]

OP: do you have a screenshot of the listing? - I'd love to see how the seller described this item.

Yep - Here ya go! The first one has the little circuit board - the second does not.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305183768830https://www.ebay.com/itm/305204666228
James

 

[Paul W]

That actually looks remarkably similar to the t.bone SC300. Which at least has a much more honest retail price, for what it is.

On the other hand though, the Presonus has some attempt at shockmounting the capsule (assuming those things are elastic at all?).

They are all one piece of molded flexible plastic but don't feel particularly rubbery.

But then again, that's a bit like putting lipstick on a pig...

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

That actually looks remarkably similar to the t.bone SC300. Which at least has a much more honest retail price, for what it is.

On the other hand though, the Presonus has some attempt at shockmounting the capsule (assuming those things are elastic at all?). But then again, that's a bit like putting lipstick on a pig...

Competition - which one is the microphone:

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

Yep - Here ya go! The first one has the little circuit board - the second does not.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305183768830https://www.ebay.com/itm/305204666228
James

The first one says “all metal case” on one of the photos - was it?

 

[kingkorg]

I recently got a Presonus M7 used, along with an Audiobox 96 interface, considering it a freebie I didn't need. Once I got it, I thought it looked and felt nice, with a reasonable heft to it, so I took it apart to see what was inside.

The M7 lists for 99.95 and sells for $70 on Amazon, which describes it as a back electret, but I've seen it listed somewhere else as a "large-diaphragm condenser microphone," which it definitely is not.

The case turns out to be painted plastic, with the headbasket halves simply glued to the metal perimeter frame. The inner layer of foam is surprisingly dense, and I suspect that's so it is hard to see how tiny the capsule is.

The heft comes from two thick stamped metal plates (nothing as luxurious as a cast metal weight like the OP's microphone) that incompletely enclose the tiny narrow circuit board, which I guess was designed to fit in a small pencil mike.

If nobody tells me it has any redeeming virtues, I will probably just scrap it, rather than bothering to glue it back together.

Thanks for the images, i was wondering for the longest time what internals look like. @k brown has a great point, remarkable capsule. You'd just have to take in account that Primo capsule has a built in fet, so you need to ditch the fet on the pcb and mod the circuit to a capsule with internal one.

 

[k brown]

Thanks for the images, i was wondering for the longest time what internals look like. @k brown has a great point, remarkable capsule. You'd just have to take in account that Primo capsule has a built in fet, so you need to ditch the fet on the pcb and mod the circuit to a capsule with internal one.

Don't all the tiny omni electrets like the one shown in the OP's photo have built-in FETs? He seemed to be saying that it was 'hidden' inside a shell that looks like the FET-less TSB165A, but I would imagine that little omni is of the common internal FET variety.

 

[kingkorg]

Don't all the tiny omni electrets like the one shown in the OP's photo have built-in FETs? He seemed to be saying that it was 'hidden' inside a shell that looks like the FET-less TSB165A, but I would imagine that little omni is of the common internal FET variety.

Dang, you are right, i was too quick with that comment. @Paul W forget what i wrote in my previous post.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Don't all the tiny omni electrets like the one shown in the OP's photo have built-in FETs? He seemed to be saying that it was 'hidden' inside a shell that looks like the FET-less TSB165A, but I would imagine that little omni is of the common internal FET variety.

yup. The $1 Chinese mics I bought for use in my drum tuners had JFETs inside.

JR

 

[k brown]

yup. The $1 Chinese mics I bought for use in my drum tuners had JFETs inside.

JR

Even the teensy Senn MKE2 had a built-in FET.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Ew. At this point I'd rather see unique looking wooden or hard durable plastic bodies if we have to shield everything ourselves anyway. One of the reasons I really want multipattern Ohma mics.

 

[metalockpick]

I would put an array of white LEDs in behind the mesh and mains voltage to LED volts supply in the body.. Use it a night light or accent light in the studio... should be a neat conversation piece in a studio or mix room.

...and run the string of LEDs off phantom power! Just put a resistor in series with the string, connect to pin 1 and 2 on the XLR! (It won't change the sound if you're not using it for a microphone)

 

[MicMaven]

The first one says “all metal case” on one of the photos - was it?

Objection, Your H-orneriness - the question already been asked and answered - further testimony would be merely cumulative.

Sustained. (The record clearly indicates it has a plastic body with metal grill.) JHR

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

Objection, Your H-orneriness - the question already been asked and answered - further testimony would be merely cumulative.

Sustained. (The record clearly indicates it has a plastic body with metal grill.) JHR

Maybe you could get a refund and get to keep it as well
Looks like a barium vinyl layer to add mass plus some ferrite sheet for shielding maybe on top of copper foil - all available as self adhesive, copper foil available with conductive adhesive as well, if using tape foil it helps to join the overlaps electrically - these would help the body become useful.

https://www.jaycar.com.au/heavy-dut...El3awywNLhEy760D63pshUxwVkgSjDExoC3csQAvD_BwE
https://www.digikey.com.au/en/produ...3B4ZihuUjMsvquD70Zezc-4ouN74FjkBoC7poQAvD_BwE

 

[Biula]

Well. Ahem. I may have discovered the most egregious microphone fraud ever perpetrated. While I acknowledge that is truly bold claim, here are the facts so you can judge for yourself.

1. It looks pretty good at first blush, yet the body is all very light weight plastic.

2. The head basket has a dual-weave metal grill, with a round plastic base.

3. The head basket is secured to the internal frame with three small screws. One screw is a completely different size and shape from the other two, rattling around loose inside the head basket. The head of another screw is stripped, requiring pliers to remove. NOT particularly high quality manufacturing.

4. The plastic capsule saddle is supposed to slide into a groove in the top of the internal (infernal?) frame. It was off center, barely holding on.

5. The capsule perpetrates its own fraud - it is a 9.7 mm electret capsule inside a 16mm metal outer shell.

6. The diminutive PC board is scarcely populated with what may be the fewest possible components - at least a truly minimalist design.

7. A 50 mm x 25 mm cast metal weight is hot-glued mounted in a molded holder on the internal plastic frame. I carefully softened the glue with my reflow station to remove it. It provides just enough mass to keep the mic from floating up and away on its own. (It reminds me of really big a split shot fishing sinker ...)

8. And yet, it looks pretty good at first blush!

9. As expected, it sounds awful with an anemic tone and substantial self-noise. While it is surely unsuitable for recording music or narration, it is good enough for taking oral notes while reading a book, making vocal email messages, or recording a nifty guitar lick before a flash of inspiration fades away. I suppose it all depends on what one expects and wants to accomplish. I expected it would suck, and purchased it solely as a donor project body/shell.

10) $27 (including shipping) from a foreign vendor on eBay.com. Did I mention it looks good at first blush? Cheap mic body, PROVIDED I can do something with it!

11. A similar model has even less inside - lacking any sort of circuit board and having a much less substantial lead weight. Truly minimalist design.

So, I am posting this quick overview whilst I ponder what the blazes I am going to do with it. Perhaps I can mount a better capsule and circuit inside. Perhaps I can shield the circuit with a wad of aluminum foil or some other material. Perhaps someone will proffer a better plan. It is way too light weight for a decorative theme paperweight, so I need to find something it can do. Did I mention it looks pretty good at first blush?

The attached photos tell the rest of the story - again, you be the judge.

Happy trails DIY mavens ! James

View attachment 116506



View attachment 116507View attachment 116508View attachment 116509View attachment 116510View attachment 116511View attachment 116512View attachment 116513View attachment 116514View attachment 116515

Well, obviously you get what you paid for... do you want a "Neumann" class quality with a 27 dollars investment? Do you live on Mars?

 

[MicMaven]

Maybe you could get a refund and get to keep it as well

Now, THAT notion has merit !! Score a point for Mr. RoadrunnerOZ.

Looks like a barium vinyl layer to add mass plus some ferrite sheet for shielding maybe on top of copper foil - all available as self adhesive, copper foil available with conductive adhesive as well, if using tape foil it helps to join the overlaps electrically - these would help the body become useful.

YES ... Good Plan ... um ... except it might cost as much as I paid for the MXL circuit and capsule I purchased from a guy who converted his condenser to a dynamic.

Note - I am NOT criticizing your suggestion, because it really is a good idea! So, while the engineering team takes it under advisement to perform a feasibility study with cost-benefit analysis, and government required Environmental Impact Study ... wadding aluminum foil around the board remains the leading low cost contender. Shoot, I might even spring for a new sheet of foil, eschewing the piece that covered my last pan of lasagna - not sure, still waiting for the design team to respond.

Thanks for the added gloss. You may just have something here. James

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

Now, THAT notion has merit !! Score a point for Mr. RoadrunnerOZ.



YES ... Good Plan ... um ... except it might cost as much as I paid for the MXL circuit and capsule I purchased from a guy who converted his condenser to a dynamic.

Note - I am NOT criticizing your suggestion, because it really is a good idea! So, while the engineering team takes it under advisement to perform a feasibility study with cost-benefit analysis, and government required Environmental Impact Study ... wadding aluminum foil around the board remains the leading low cost contender. Shoot, I might even spring for a new sheet of foil, eschewing the piece that covered my last pan of lasagna - not sure, still waiting for the design team to respond.

Thanks for the added gloss. You may just have something here. James

The R&D may cost more than anything - go for the refund with the threat of your experienced team of attorneys for whom you will spare no expense (up to and including $27) You need to factor in the costs of the government approved environmental impact study as well.