Soliloqueen's k87(k67) and k47 capsules

[Khron]

I've even used a folded-up square of soft toilet paper, to nudge away bigger flecks of dust off diaphragms.

 

[soliloqueen]

The diaphragms are under a significant amount of tension, you're not going to mess them up with any reasonable amount of blunt pressure. The real risk is scratching.

 

[Emmathom]

Ok I will try tomorrow with my "cleaning air bomb" and let you know. I will stay a bit far to begin with... Thanks

 

[soliloqueen]

Ok I will try tomorrow with my "cleaning air bomb" and let you know. I will stay a bit far to begin with... Thanks

you can just blow on it with your mouth or use a soft brush if you're careful

 

[oscarhuang]

Thank you all for participating. I was so excited yesterday that I forgot which plastic cap to install on the capsule. I also replaced a capacitor today. I think the current sound should be closer to U87 AI.
View attachment A.wav A mic

View attachment B.wav B mic

 

[soliloqueen]

Thank you all for participating. I was so excited yesterday that I forgot which plastic cap to install on the capsule. I also replaced a capacitor today. I think the current sound should be closer to U87 AI.
View attachment 123497 A mic

View attachment 123498 B mic

i thought something sounded wrong with the headamp but i didn't want to be wrong. this sounds much more like it's supposed to sound

 

[SparkleBear]

Is there something like an m49 shape with the non-parallel faces in a dual capsule configuration? I am looking for something that would be relatively transparent for a stereo MS/Blumlein configuration. At the moment I still think a single body is better, but if the internal mechanical arrangement gets too complicated maybe the old standby of two singles mounted head-to-head in an external bracket is the fall-back plan.

( have not gone all the way through the forum posts to current so forgive if this has been covered already. )

I really like the avantone ck40 body. You can find them used around $200-300 and they are a great internal mechanism for stereo mic. Also, iirc there is someone here on gdiy who is trying to put together a stereo mic body group buy too!

 

[Dylan W]

Thank you all for participating. I was so excited yesterday that I forgot which plastic cap to install on the capsule. I also replaced a capacitor today. I think the current sound should be closer to U87 AI.
View attachment 123497 A mic

View attachment 123498 B mic

This is impressive - they are very close. I'm hearing a little more resolution in the low mids on "A" in a way that's familiar to me, so guessing that's the Neumann. "A" also feels like it has a little more in the top, bringing the "esses" out a little more. "B" is a little smoother sounding, overall balanced and nicely controlled sound. No harshness in either capsule.

Feels like they're close enough that differences could easily be due to the headbasket shape, transformer, and feedback values.

 

[soliloqueen]

This is impressive - they are very close. I'm hearing a little more resolution in the low mids on "A" in a way that's familiar to me, so guessing that's the Neumann. "A" also feels like it has a little more in the top, bringing the "esses" out a little more. "B" is a little smoother sounding, overall balanced and nicely controlled sound. No harshness in either capsule.

Feels like they're close enough that differences could easily be due to the headbasket shape, transformer, and feedback values.

also notable is that my capsule is based on a 60s k67, which has 1 significant anatomical difference to a modern k870 that would result in more extended highs, different pickup in the lows and slightly different patterns.

My capsule is

Spoiler

still in A

 

[elskardio]

Does the plastic hat makes a difference in the frequency response?

 

[Dylan W]

also notable is that my capsule is based on a 60s k67, which has 1 significant anatomical difference to a modern k870 that would result in more extended highs, different pickup in the lows and slightly different patterns.

My capsule is

Spoiler

still in A

Interesting. My 87 is a 60s 87i, so it would seem my ears gravitated toward that sound. Your capsule sounds great!

 

[micolas]

I've even used a folded-up square of soft toilet paper, to nudge away bigger flecks of dust off diaphragms.

me too!

 

[MicMaven]

you can just blow on it with your mouth or

Oh dear - and risk spitting on tit ?!?! I am not that lucky - I would probably soil it doing that.

While you know your business, I prefer the squeezable rubber camera lens puffer, or a really soft camera lens brush or possibly a new foam camera sensor cleaning wand.

Just my take ... your mileage may vary. James

 

[micolas]

Oh dear - and risk spitting on tit ?!?! I am not that lucky - I would probably soil it doing that

I blew air many times on the diaphragm with my mouth almost closed in the shape of an "O" like a nozzle, to create pressure, I swallowed the saliva before. The membrane just misted up a bit due to the temperature difference but it quickly recovered in a few seconds, The capsule must not be electrically connected, it could collapse.
It is the first more non-invasive method to remove dust, some impurity particles, textile fibers, etc. which I apply to clean the capsule. It works well.

 

[Wordsushi]

Years ago, I purchased a small very soft makeup brush for this task, but it does wipe away dust from a capsule membrane very gently.

 

[micolas]

Years ago, I purchased a small very soft makeup brush for this task, but it does wipe away dust from a capsule membrane very gently.

Mouth blowing only works for impurities that have not stuck to the diaphragm, or for new capsules that have already had dust deposited on them while I worked on building the microphone, in a regular room with impurities in the air.

 

[micolas]

The diaphragms are under a significant amount of tension, you're not going to mess them up with any reasonable amount of blunt pressure. The real risk is scratching.

At what mechanical tension do you stretch the diaphragms to withstand such a high SPL?
What air pressure would it physically withstand without being damaged?

 

[soliloqueen]

i sat down with oscar troubleshooting his mic to see where the bulk of the remaining difference was coming from, and it was the basket. he swapped out the basket for a better one and adjusted the position of the mic in the basket to be more correct. it's still a round basket u47 style this time, so the upper mids and treble will be slightly different, but that's most of the difference!
View attachment 882.wav

View attachment 77.wav

what do you guys think now?

 

[Barry Hufker]

There is still some difference (small) and it's a lot nicer sound. I couldn't tell you which is which tho'...

 

[micolas]

i sat down with oscar troubleshooting his mic to see where the bulk of the remaining difference was coming from, and it was the basket. he swapped out the basket for a better one and adjusted the position of the mic in the basket to be more correct. it's still a round basket u47 style this time, so the upper mids and treble will be slightly different, but that's most of the difference!
View attachment 123852

View attachment 123853

what do you guys think now?

Microphone A has the Arienne K87 capsule
Microphone B has more mid-high frequencies and less mid-low frequencies
I'm listening on the phone, I don't have access to the studio right now, I can't hear the whole spectrum of frequencies, for example the bass, or the true tonal balance
Both sound good, they can be equalized relatively easily so that they sound similar in the mix.
Some singing tests, acoustic guitar with steel strings, or noise/null tests would be relevant.