Mic transient slower response mods

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barbaroja

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
96
Hey guys.

Don't have a clue about this, so sorry if it's completely nonsense.

Is there a way to make a mic slower electronically? IE, slow transient response (very desirable for certain uses)

Let's say for old tube circuits like C12, U47, U67?
Let' say for a modern one like the 87Ai, TLM67?
Let's say for a dynamic like SM7B, SM57?

Thanks
 
For starters, there's no need at all to do that to moving coil mics like the Shures.
Those are pathetically slow when compared to condensers.

Adding tubes, trannies, PIO caps and such to condensers will slow them down a little.
 
micaddict said:
For starters, there's no need at all to do that to moving coil mics like the Shures.
Those are pathetically slow when compared to condensers.

Adding tubes, trannies, PIO caps and such to condensers will slow them down a little.

Yes, dynamics do sound slower and I love them for that application.

Regarding modern designs like the 87... They got a tranny. What capacitors could be modded? Or what else?
 
Yes, dynamics do sound slower and I love them for that application.

Not all dynamics are slow, mind. Ribbon microphones are dynamic mics, too, and they're as fast as condensers.



Regarding modern designs like the 87... They got a tranny. What capacitors could be modded? Or what else?

The true masters here will help you there.

Rather than messing with a U87, you could also use a "vintage-style" preamp, or something of the sort further up the chain.

And this modern device is a very interesting one since it has a control for slew rate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEfHlzwYY80
Speed control at 1.18.

Or you could call yourself lucky for liking slow and simply use good moving coils.  ;)
 
micaddict said:
Not all dynamics are slow, mind. Ribbon microphones are dynamic mics, too, and they're as fast as condensers.



The true masters here will help you there.

Rather than messing with a U87, you could also use a "vintage-style" preamp, or something of the sort further up the chain.

And this modern device is a very interesting one since it has a control for slew rate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEfHlzwYY80
Speed control at 1.18.

Or you could call yourself lucky for liking slow and simply use good moving coils.  ;)

Haha Yeh I'm lucky then. As for preamps... I've worked on some nice old style stuff and to my ears the differences between some of them are not as big as most say... Thank God this is not a flaming forum, ha! Some small differences exist but any decent pre one can be used record a good song IMO.

What comes to your mind when you think slow pre?
 
barbaroja said:
Hey guys.

Don't have a clue about this, so sorry if it's completely nonsense.

Is there a way to make a mic slower electronically? IE, slow transient response (very desirable for certain uses)

Let's say for old tube circuits like C12, U47, U67?
Let' say for a modern one like the 87Ai, TLM67?
Let's say for a dynamic like SM7B, SM57?

Thanks
Microphone electronics are minimum-phase. As a consequence, the transient response is biunivocally tied to teh frequency response. The only way to slow down the transient response is
either: reduce the HF response
or: install a circuit that would delay transients without altering teh frequency response; this is known as an all-pass filter.
Oh, and there's a third possibility: reduce the slew-rate of the active circuitry, but it generally induces severe HF distortion.
Ribbon mics are known for smoothing transients, that's generally because their HF response is drooping.
 
That's how i knew things went too (albeit was unable to put it quite so eloquently) :)

The transient response capabilities are in direct relation to how high the frequency response goes, although i was a bit more familiar with that in the case of loudspeakers.
 
abbey road d enfer said:
Ribbon mics are known for smoothing transients, that's generally because their HF response is drooping.
Also, in part, because when compared to a large diaphragm condenser capsule, ribbons produce less distortion on HF and transients.
 
abbey road d enfer said:
Why is that?
Because the ribbon works much more like a piston. The LDC works like a piston most of the time, but on loud and transient HF, the diaphragm can get into more complex vibrational shapes and that is where the distortion comes from.
 
abbey road d enfer said:
Microphone electronics are minimum-phase. As a consequence, the transient response is biunivocally tied to teh frequency response. The only way to slow down the transient response is
either: reduce the HF response
or: install a circuit that would delay transients without altering teh frequency response; this is known as an all-pass filter.
Oh, and there's a third possibility: reduce the slew-rate of the active circuitry, but it generally induces severe HF distortion.
Ribbon mics are known for smoothing transients, that's generally because their HF response is drooping.

I was thinking the same thing:  why not start with a simple LPF in the console/DAW?
 

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