Changing a mic capsule

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Skiroy

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2010
Messages
233
Location
Panama City Florida
Hey guys I have a new u47 Capsule I want to put into my Peluso 2247 tube mic. I wanted to make sure if I had to cut the wire or can I unscrew the wire that screws into the side of the capsule? Im assuming its a ground.

I dont want to mess with any calibrated tensions or anything because I know these things are very sensitive. I almost went to change the other 2 wire screwed into the front and backof the capsules, untill someone told me to never do that. Now Im paranoid to solder them for fear of the heat warping the gold film on the capsules.

Any tips?Especially about the 3rd(assuming a ground) wire that is screwed into the side of the cap?

Thankx
 
You shouldn't have to solder near the capsule or unscrew the centre screws - generally a bad idea unless you've practiced a bit on cheaper capsules!

Normally you solder the three attached wires at the microphone end. Is there a reason why you can't do that?

Edit...
Any tips?Especially about the 3rd(assuming a ground) wire that is screwed into the side of the cap?

You can gently unscrew the wire from the body of the capsule, if you need to in order to mount it. Don't unscrew it if you don't need to. The screws are small and easy to snap, so use the right size of screwdriver and don't force it.
It's not always a ground, btw.
 
zebra50 said:
You shouldn't have to solder near the capsule or unscrew the centre screws - generally a bad idea unless you've practiced a bit on cheaper capsules!

Normally you solder the three attached wires at the microphone end. Is there a reason why you can't do that?

Edit...
Any tips?Especially about the 3rd(assuming a ground) wire that is screwed into the side of the cap?

You can gently unscrew the wire from the body of the capsule, if you need to in order to mount it. Don't unscrew it if you don't need to. The screws are small and easy to snap, so use the right size of screwdriver and don't force it.
It's not always a ground, btw.

Well I was planing on soldering the other 2 but I thought unscrewing the one on the capsule would be much easier. Its not screwed in at any certain torque or anything right? Its not a calibration issue is it?

And the other two are soldered 2 a little yellow square box,which Im assuming is a capacitor. I may just desolder them there,but I need to call Peluso to make sure what it is so I dont damage it. Also I dont want to put to much heat on the lead so it would damage the capsule. I do want to keep the old Capsule.
 
Winetree said:
who'd ya get the u47 capsule from?
How much was it?

Its a clone,but supposedly a very very accurate one. I got it from a company called JJ Audio. There is a guy on this site by the name of ILLACOV that is a representative of it and he is really cool and knowledgeable. He knows his stuff about building mics. I got it for $150.00 however I had to wait a very long time to get it. And I never received the proper mounting bracket for it after waiting months so I just bought it myself.

I dont know if this was a fluk situation because he was getting everything straightened out with his distributor or not but it was a little excessive. I normally would be upset but he is so good of a guy and he helped me out so much with recording advice for hours and hours online chat. Hes great and Im sure will get you squared away.
 
zebra50 said:
You shouldn't have to solder near the capsule or unscrew the centre screws - generally a bad idea unless you've practiced a bit on cheaper capsules!

Normally you solder the three attached wires at the microphone end. Is there a reason why you can't do that?

Edit...
Any tips?Especially about the 3rd(assuming a ground) wire that is screwed into the side of the cap?

You can gently unscrew the wire from the body of the capsule, if you need to in order to mount it. Don't unscrew it if you don't need to. The screws are small and easy to snap, so use the right size of screwdriver and don't force it.
It's not always a ground, btw.

Okay here they are. You can see the little yellow square. I was going to just desolder the current capsule form there and solder the new one at this point. Then just unscrew the wire going to the capsule frame.
 

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Hate to break it to you, but that's not a K47 clone.

The K47 is a single backplate design (descendant of the M7); whereas, this is clearly a dual backplate.

What you have is most likely a K67 clone. A good look at the hole pattern will confirm.


EDIT: In fact, now that I see your second photo, that's a standard off-the-shelf Chinese 34mm capsule which has a K67 hole pattern.


Okay, nevermind. The photos show the stock capsule that's being replaced.
 
Yes. The 'yellow square' is a capacitor, you'll be safe enough there... but PROTECT the capsule against any flux blobs which "jump" and "splatter" while soldering. -Use a piece of card to 'shield' the capsule while you solder ANYWHERE NEAR it. You'll bugger your capsule easily if you get flux-spots on it.

Also, NEVER unscrew the center-termination screw unless you KNOW what you're doing, because there's a small insulator which -unless the capsule is lying down and quite level- can easily 'slip', and usually does.

The side termination screw though, you're fine. -Just use the right size screwdriver, don't over-torque it, and DON'T SLIP!

Keith
 
Skylar said:
Hate to break it to you, but that's not a K47 clone.

I assume that the capsule pictured is the stock Peluso capsule he want's to change for the JJ Audio K47 clone.

It would be nice to hear how the JJ Audio capsule performs BTW.
 
Okay a couple more issues and a couple of questions.

1. I had to uncsrew the wire that connects to the new capsule to use the screw hole inorder to mount it. So my question is:
Are all the screw holes in the capsule base all the same?There isnt a certain one used only for the wire connection right?

2. Maybe you can see in the photos that there is a tape like covering on the outside case of the capsule. Do I need to scrap that off where I screw in the lead to make contact or does the screw take care of that.

3. Does it matter which side of the capsules gets connected to the Capacitor? Are the wires or capsule direction polarity sensitive? My mic does do Omni,figure 8 and cardiod so I would assume I have to face the correct side to the front of the mic for the cardiod pattern.

4. Is it okay how I mounted the capsule and how I have the wires crisscrossed. I had to do this because the capsule seems to sit more perpendicular when I use the screws holes I did for it to locate the wire up top.

5. Im guessing the old stock capsule mount is not an exact fit because it sits in the mount off the center line and seems like it may be slightly cocked off a completely perpendicular angle. Is this a No NO?

 

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>1. I had to uncsrew the wire that connects to the new capsule to use the screw hole inorder to mount it. So my question is:
Are all the screw holes in the capsule base all the same?There isnt a certain one used only for the wire connection right?

All the same.

>2. Maybe you can see in the photos that there is a tape like covering on the outside case of the capsule. Do I need to scrap that off where I screw in the lead to make contact or does the screw take care of that.

Screw should take care of it.

>3. Does it matter which side of the capsules gets connected to the Capacitor? Are the wires or capsule direction polarity sensitive? My mic does do Omni,figure 8 and cardiod so I would assume I have to face the correct side to the front of the mic for the cardiod pattern.

Both faces should be the same, on a new capsule. (If quality control is poor, sometimes one is better than the other, but you can't tell which.)

>4. Is it okay how I mounted the capsule and how I have the wires crisscrossed. I had to do this because the capsule seems to sit more perpendicular when I use the screws holes I did for it to locate the wire up top.

I wouldn't do it like that. Shorter wires are better, in this case, but don't pull them tight.

 
Skiroy said:
So it does matter which wire goes to which side of the capacitor?

And you think the way its mounted is fine?

Well, looking at the pics, it does seem like you've crossed the wires and flipped the sides compared to the original wiring. On the stock capsule each diaphragm is wired to the corresponding side of the capacitor but on your new capsule I think they are swapped. So I guess the front is now the back  :-\ ...

Peps
 
Peps said:
Skiroy said:
So it does matter which wire goes to which side of the capacitor?

And you think the way its mounted is fine?

Well, looking at the pics, it does seem like you've crossed the wires and flipped the sides compared to the original wiring. On the stock capsule each diaphragm is wired to the corresponding side of the capacitor but on your new capsule I think they are swapped. So I guess the front is now the back  :-\ ...

Peps

Well not really because I could have turned the capsule any way. Both sides look exactly the same so its impossiable for me to know which is the front or back.

But does it looked too cocked? Look how the capsule sits more to one side of the mount bracket. The old capsule was wider and I guess the screw holes were in a diffeent place.

Is this fine?
 

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