AKG C460B mods

I was recently given a bunch (well 4) of AKG C460B mics with CK62 capsules, essentially unused. I have heard that there are mods which can be made to these to make them considerably better. Does anyone have the lowdown on these mods?.
Cheers
M
(looking for CK61 caps)

I always thought the 460b's were good stock.

Me too - I've always liked those mics, though I've only used them with the CK61 cardiod capsule, not the omni ck62.  Don't know about mods, but there's an adapter available that allows you to fit the smaller diameter CK1 capsule (as used on 451s and 452s) to a C460 body, if that's more to your liking.

Jim Williams does a mod where he competely replaces the guts. I love my 460s though and have never considered modding them. 

not to mention the omni capsules will sound better then the cardioid IMO. Omni capsules tend to be more flat of a frequency response.

I like mine stock as well. To be honest I never even bothered to look inside them. Supposedly there's a cheapo opamp inside that Jim Williams replaces with a better one, he also takes out the transformer which supposedly sucks. But so what, they sound fine to me.

I have a dead C460 and when I bumped into Dave Royer about the same time I asked him what he would recommend.  As I recall, he said the stock electronics use a DC converter which makes the circuit somewhat nasty sounding.  He said the capsules are good, but are compromised by the electronics.  He suggested putting in a tube, like his SD tube mod.  (He was not selling this mod at the time, this was more recent, long after he stopped selling the kits, it was just his recommendation in general.)  He even played a recording for me made with two C460s he modded with tube guts, and it was stunning.  (IIRC they were a stereo pair in XY mode of a classical performance.)  This is apparently a mic he favors with these mods.  So that's what I'm planning to do with mine, rather than fix the stock innards.

BTW, I always felt there was a high end grittiness in these mics.  They are appealing overall, but there is some kind of sandpaper quality to high mids.  It's not a frequency issue, I can't put my finger on it except that it can be very annoying and gritty sounding.  It's especially apparent on reed instruments.  I think this must be what DR was referring to, and I've already done his SD mode to a SD MXL, which now lacks this character completely, so I'm hopeful I'll have a better C460 with the same tube mod...  Just my 2cents. 

tommypiper said:

BTW, I always felt there was a high end grittiness in these mics.  They are appealing overall, but there is some kind of sandpaper quality to high mids.  It's not a frequency issue, I can't put my finger on it except that it can be very annoying and gritty sounding.  It's especially apparent on reed instruments.  I think this must be what DR was referring to, and I've already done his SD mode to a SD MXL, which now lacks this character completely, so I'm hopeful I'll have a better C460 with the same tube mod...  Just my 2cents. 

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I don't disagree with you.  They aren't my favorite mic on acoustic guitar, for example, for that very reason.  However, the graininess can work to your advantage taming splashy cymbals.  It seems to sound aggressive without being harsh.  I like them in a piano as well...