[gary o]

This is kind of a rant and rave but not a bad one .....just some personal observations about the sound of my MK47 & other mics with 4 capsules I have.....

I have built the MK47 kit mic as i wanted a U47 ish mic just because its the mic everyone seems to want the sound of, Iv never used a real one  so I just wanted something that sounds good, Im having problems with mic at the moment trying to get rid of pops n crackles but in between them I have been trying capsules that I have before I shell out for K47 or M7 type capsule.......

My most expensive capsule is a Violet lollypop Vin 67... the lolly was what I call a lot of lolly 500 pounds, its a K67 design I think tho it doesnt seem bright.....it was meant to go onto a mic called a globe & its meant to sound like a U67 on the globe (theres a globe with a VD67 capsule (nice model number) at Thomann for about 1200 pounds....ouch!........Im guessing the globe would be flat sounding as Violet had other lollies that were meant to sound like U47, Ela M250, AKG C12s on so on......Anyway this lollypop on my MK47 sounds good quite bit of low end guts a rounded tone I guess, but not dull forward in yr face i would say its sounds to me how others have discribed a U47 I guess.... & I like it....

next up a Oktava MK101 same capsule as 319 with resonator disc, I just have to say what a great mic and capsule this is great value it is my second fav to the violet but there not much in it.......on the MK47 its sounds good too not so in your face as the Violet not really brighter a bit less mids but very good....

next is a ADK Vienna capsule on the MK47 it has sooo much I would call it air its almost strange......Im not sure what to make of it really......in the vienna mic I quite like it I would call it a more Hi Fi modern sound.....

Lastly I have a lollypop that I dont know much about it looks to me like a K47 type single sided tho, I think it is a Lomo .....the lollipop & screws onto my Oktava MK012.....compared to the Oktava MK101 ( 219/319 capsule) it just sounds less interesting.....if it is the Lomo I believe it would be quite expensive too......As it looks like a K47 I thought it might suit the MK47 mic better but for my taste its doesnt its my least favorite .......

The reason for this post is to share with others my findings tho its difficult to discribe sounds & of coarse this is my personal tastes.....

Now Im wrestling with myself wondering if Im better off with my Violet capsule on my MK47.....The maybe Lomo K47 ish capsule has put me off, Im wondering if I bought a K47 capsule it wouldnt be any better sounding to me than the Lomo... that is my last choice of the 4 capsules I have.....maybe I just wouldnt like a k47 or an actual U47.....shock could it be possible........

out of the capsules I have on the MK47

1 Violet Vin 67
2 Oktava Mk101
3 ADK vienna tho kinda bright
4 Lomo K47

all the LD mics

1 MK47 Violet Vin 67
2 Mk47 Oktava MK101     its also very close between 2 & 3 nothing in it for me...
3 Oktava MK012 with MK101 or ADK Vienna
4 Oktava 319
5 MK47 with Lomo
6 MK012 with Lomo

Id be interested to here if anyone has tried these or other capsules with MK47 type mic...
thanks for reading......

[Rybow]

Very interesting read gary! I like this kind of stuff, and you have 4 capsules that I have no experience with, so I can be of no help. I guess the first question would be, what do you want to use it on?

If it were me, solely from your descriptions, the violet on the MK47 sounds like a mic I would love to have, and I have been thinking about an Oktava 319 for awhile. As to the other 2, no idea.

Cool thread though man!

[gary o]

Thanks Insomniaclown, sorry I didnt say its just vocals I record my own mostly.......Yeah the violet is interesting  as it seems to be a K67 copy.....but unlike the the real neuman & china copies it isnt over bright on anything I have DIYed or bolted it onto.....and its meant to be used with the violet globe pre & the combo is meant to have a U67 sound .....so I assume the globe amp is flat and the capsule tailored to that U67 sound.....Im not ssure what a U67 should sound like tho, but I like the sound of this capsule.....I guess Im just saying to others making U47 ish & other mics maybe try other styles than the K47/M7 capsules you may be supprised.......not slagging those capsules tho, I would love to try one or two, Im just not 100% confident that its a flavor I would like, makes buying for a bit of a gamble...

As for the Oktavas I think they are great the MK012 with screw on MK101 capsule is great deal same capsule as the MK319  but with better head basket .....transformerless (tho I read Oktava transformer are pretty good) there are mods you can do too, I have kept mine stock for comparison but built 2 others from scratch using different FETs and larger capacitors & different resitor values & so on.....& they sound just a little different to stock I love em all....

I have a friends MK319 here was doing some A B C and D ing, its stock & I like it but not quite as much as my MK012s & the modded ones...but its still a great mic & for the money......Im sure we all heard n seen the mods for it so I guess it can sound better, I guess I could have bought a 319 & diyed the MK012 electronics & id have both transformer & transformerless flavors......another thing with the Oktavas is you can remove the capsules HF baffle for a different sound.....Im still not sure which I prefer, I like both....

Another thought the newer MK220 seems to be a MK319 multi pattern version ......& its cheaper than a 319 ? I wonder if anyone has experience with this.....

As I say I only have my mics tho compare to each other....but my 500 pounds worth of violet and a U47 ish mic is only slightly better to me then my stock MK012 with MK101....there Iv said it......its almost annoying that a cheap mic sounds good but Im not complainig...I could live with just that mic
 but Im greedy and want other flavors to play with

Dear Oktava Please send my free mic to my address hehe

[Gus]

gary o

Can you open up the lomo capsule if it looks like this and take some pictures of the mounting and capsule?
http://oktava.com/inc/sdetail/99/478

I bought a used M3 a few years ago and the inside capsule mount is missing, rolled up tape was used to center the capsule. I do not know if the capsule is a Lomo and I would like to machine a new capsule holder.

[gary o]

Gus couple pics in this thread ....tho you'll want to see a longer shot , I will takes some pics tomorrow.....

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=45656.msg572710#msg572710

the capsule screws onto a U shaped mount thats screwed to the upper part of the lollypop, mine has a wire mesh grill rather than yr more vintage looking grill.....

[JW]

Hey Gary,
Thanks for sharing that info.

FWIW I built a couple MK47's and I have the same problem with one of them that yourself as well as others have mentioned in the build thread. Since I have two, I was able to narrow it down to the one mic, and not the power supplies. I've resoldered every connection, cleaned and re-cleaned the board of flux and I can't figure it out. I guess the next thing is to start replacing the passives. I checked every resistor prior to soldered them in. There were a couple that were out of tolerance, so I replaced them prior to the build. I wonder if there is an issue with some of the Russion PIO caps, or the yellow cap? Oops, this is turning into something that should actually be attached to the build thread. . . . .

Anyway, so you didn't notice any resolution of the pops when swapping out capsules?

FWIW, if I actually have anything to add to this thread, it's that  I have two original Dale M7's that I put in these mics and the one that is working well sounds so good that I don't want to touch it. It's not that often that I've gotten to a point with DIY gear, where I stop wondering what it would be like if I just switched out this or that component, but that mic with all the parts supplied by Max, plus the Skylar body, plus the Dale capsule is one of those instances. If the capsules Chuck is doing are just like Dales, I think they are a near perfect match for this circuit. Everything to me sounds perfectly creamy, but still detailed, and w/ a deep sound stage.

Haven't tried anything else in terms of capsules, but I don't really have a desire to. I just wish I could solve the popping issue with the second mic.

[gary o]

I havent forgot yr pics Gus camera on charge......

JW I feel yr pain went thru hell with this mic......however bit scared to say it but havent heard pop for a while.......after another member had our problems then told me his was the 1K5 resistor.....i replaced mine......silence dare I say it......I have a 10W power resistor in mine now & it was cheap from Farnell....

I would also suspect the caps, 1 of mine died before all of this and my paper oil one seems to leak & stinks......let me know how you get on.......

Capsules I have since got the cheap RK47 & have tried it in the MK47 it doesnt sound bad but doesnt set me on fire it sounds the same as the slightly larger Lomo......I would like to hear Gus thoughts about the Lomo...I will try them in the Skylar body/grill when it gets here incase it really does something magical but I doubt it, i still prefer my violet it just has more goodness to my ears will also try it in the body....Im bit worried I might buy something like the Dale or something more expensive but still prefer my Violet & then it will be waste of money...

[gary o]

Do these help Gus

[gary o]

The back

[Gus]

gary o

The pictures help.  The capsule in mine looks the same.
thank you

[gary o]

Cool the capsule held by 2 screws that are under the logo hat thingy on the top........have you tried the capsule in anything.....I notice it looks like a K47 but is a little larger than my cheap K47 copy RK47 & to my ears in my different mics sounds about the same

cheers

[Le Roux]

I have a blue line Thiersch in mine.  The only thing I have to compare against is a AudioTechnica 4060.
Its way brighter, but I find it acts more like a condenser mic, where room noise, floor noise is very present.  Have to turn gain way down to avoid this.

Even doing so, its a notch better than the AT-4060

Its impressive, but didn't really wow me like I thought it would.

I have one of Chuck's M7 which I plan on trying in it sometime soon.

[dandeurloo]

I would love to hear your thoughts on the dale m7's.  I just spent all night researching capsules to possibly swap out in my AA mics.  I have Peluso capsules now and they are nice but I wonder if they could be better!  The Dale is one I am really interested in.

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