How Much Do You Pay for Broken Microphones?

I've seen some mics for parts or repair only, on Ebay, and
I was wondering what % of the brand new, retail value of the
models in question would be a fair deal for both parties?

I was thinking something like 20%, because there is
the chance the expensive capsule is bad, and I will be
left with a piece of junk.....

Yep ,  just had another D12 here, usually i can get them to work and tune the capsule , but this one was voice coil opened  ,

you can get a container of broken shure for cheap tough  ;D,
Best,
DAn,

Paul678 said:

... because there is the chance the expensive capsule is bad, and I will be left with a piece of junk.....

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Regarding what you are prepared to pay, you do need to be careful.

Some capsules are more easily repaired/replaced than others, so you need to know the relative cost/availability of the parts compared to the complete unit.

D19, for example, is very difficult to repair without replacing the element, and good luck finding one if you need it.

I have however successfully unwound a turn or two from a D12, or Shure 55, so that a broken lead-out wire can be reconnected. Not too difficult and better than not trying, if the price of the broken unit is reasonable. It's purely a gamble, and depends on whether you can afford to take the hit if you fail.

As far as condensers, original Neumann capsules are expensive, and a Neumann is not genuine without one, so you need to know exactly how much to deduct from the average value of the mic to factor in replacement - assuming you do the replacement yourself. At least most of them are still available.

It may help us to know which mic model you are looking for.

-James-

I've observed broken mics sell for way too much on ebay. Greater than ~50% of the working mic price.
Of course it depends on the mic and the good parts / bad parts cost tally and your confidence in repair.

Im looking for a pair of donor mics for u87 and typed broken or parts...way too much expensive.

Most broken mics are sold as "untested", and there are lots of people who pay way too much, because they haven't realized, yet, that "untested" means broken.

You could try Craigslist or the blackmarket on this site...

-James-

dmp said:

I've observed broken mics sell for way too much on ebay. Greater than ~50% of the working mic price.
Of course it depends on the mic and the good parts / bad parts cost tally and your confidence in repair.

Click to expand...

Ok, you bring up a good point.

I was basing my value on the brand NEW price of the mic.  I should really
base it on the used market value of the model in question.

The model I was looking at was the SHURE SM81.  He wanted $85 (free shipping).  It was
working, but the signal was thin and weak, so I was worried it was a problem with the
capsule.  I've seen these used but working for about $200, so that was about 42% of
market value.....

Rossi said:

Most broken mics are sold as "untested", and there are lots of people who pay way too much, because they haven't realized, yet, that "untested" means broken.

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I've had really good luck buying "untested" tube mics when the power supply was not included.  YMMV
Best,
Bruno2000

Tube mics without a power supply are very often stolen items. It may be different with mics from the 50s and 60s when mics and PSUs were usually sold separately. But when you see a contemporary tube mic without a PSU, more often than not it was lifted from a studio where they didn't have the nerve to steal the PSU as well - or didn't know they need it.

So, whenever someone offers you a tube mic without a PSU, ask them how come; get the serial number and inquire if it was reported stolen. Some manufacturers have lists of stolen mics. You don't want to spend money on a stolen item.

I've seen mics on ebay that came with the inner part of the shock mount only. Thats another indicator that the mic may be stolen (rip the mic out of the mount, while no one's watching).

Also, be wary of people who sell expensive mics and seem to know nothing about it.

It may be different with mics from the 50s and 60s when mics and PSUs were usually sold separately.

Click to expand...

I don't think they were. I could be wrong, but AFAICT any Neumann/Telefunken or AKG tube mic would have been shipped with it's PSU calibrated for the actual mic shipped with it, pending final adjustment by the distributor for the local supply voltage in their area.

I've seen ancient price lists that had separate prices for the mic and the power supply. Keep in mind the situation back then: All condenser mics were tube mics, and studios kept spare mics for quick replacement, in case a tube went bad in session. Also, at some point German broadcast (which is was the main market) standardized AC701 tubes and 120V supplies. So there were a number of mics that could all use the same PSUs. Old Gefell PSUs, too, could be used for a number of Gefell mics, not just one type.

Still, whenever you're offered a tube mic without a PSU, ask yourself, and the seller, why? There may be good reasons or there may be bad reasons for this. Even if it's an old mic, it may be stolen or the seller may try to hide the fact that the mic is broken - thinking it'll take you some time before you find out and even then he can say, "sorry, I told you it was untested".

Also keep in mind that old PSUs and cables can be very expensive and/or hard to replace.

One thing that drives me nuts is when you see a seller breaking up a set and selling a mic and power supply separately. It is just cynical and I'm not sure they even get a better price in the end. I suppose it does hide the fact that one is faulty.

In general, you should pay what you think the broken mic is worth, less the maximum price of the expected repair. So budget for a new capsule or ribbon. etc.  A percentage doesn't help much.

Rossi said:

Tube mics without a power supply are very often stolen items. It may be different with mics from the 50s and 60s when mics and PSUs were usually sold separately. But when you see a contemporary tube mic without a PSU, more often than not it was lifted from a studio where they didn't have the nerve to steal the PSU as well - or didn't know they need it.

So, whenever someone offers you a tube mic without a PSU, ask them how come; get the serial number and inquire if it was reported stolen. Some manufacturers have lists of stolen mics. You don't want to spend money on a stolen item.

I've seen mics on ebay that came with the inner part of the shock mount only. Thats another indicator that the mic may be stolen (rip the mic out of the mount, while no one's watching).

Also, be wary of people who sell expensive mics and seem to know nothing about it.

Click to expand...

Didn't mean to start a firestorm!  These were Neumann U64 mics.  You could buy U64s with or without a power supply.  Neumann offered several power supply options for these mics.  I have some rack mount 6 way power supplies, a free standing 6 way power supply, a couple of supplies for 2 mics, and several supplies for 1 mic.
I know that Neumann keeps a database of reported stolen mics, so every time I buy any used Neumann, I check with them first.
Best,
Bruno2000

Sorry, Bruno, I didn't mean to accuse you of anything.

My post were just a general warning. Keep in mind that lots of people frequent these forums; there are many, many silent readers.