Project for Western Electric 394 capsule.

So a few years ago I came up on a Western Electric 394 Capsule. As I understand it, this was basically the earliest condenser capsule ever produced.  I'm considering building a mic around it, and I'm curious if anyone's got thoughts on whether re-creating the original 47 amplifier, or doing something completely different would be worth the effort.

There's a fair amount of info in the links below. I kind of like the Tab-Funkenwerk Power supply mod idea, as I have a few apex 460 PSUs I could modify.

http://tab-funkenwerk.com/id55.html

http://coutant.org/we47/

https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=55142.msg703837#msg703837

Going to the trouble to do a reproduction would force you down the road of acquiring the original transformer as well.  Doesn't seem worth it.  Study then build some reasonable alternative.  Or sell and finance some other build. 

With an actual original 394 capsule, I'm not sure... However, I still fantasize of trying a modern capsule, the 47A circuit with a 264 tube, and a modern transformer that makes some sort of sense. Anyone have any suggestion? With an original capsule already in hand, why couldn't t you do the same and see how that goes? If a no go, maybe try a modern capsule!

...the 47A circuit with a 264 tube, and a modern transformer that makes some sort of sense. Anyone have any suggestion? With an original capsule already in hand, why couldn't t you do the same and see how that goes?

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This is more along the lines of what I was thinking. Tracking down the original transformer doesn't seem worth the effort, and with so many others available, I'd hope someone could suggest something readily available that could fit the circuit and provide reasonable output.  Not sure how common the 264b is, but assuming it's not a extinct, that's the only other real concern in terms of sourcing parts.

I'd definitely need some guidance reworking a power supply,  but once I know what to do I can handle it the mod.

264B will be expensive, and it's not at all clear how quiet you would expect a random sample to be.  OTOH, what will the self noise of the capsule be?  My Carrier is dominated by the capsule itself. 

264B will be expensive, and it's not at all clear how quiet you would expect a random sample to be.  OTOH, what will the self noise of the capsule be?  My Carrier is dominated by the capsule itself

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Fair points, but the goal would not be a low noise, high fidelity, neutral sounding mic. This is just a project to see what I can do with what I have, and see how it sounds, and maybe get an interesting effect mic out of it, maybe I'll get lucky and it will sound amazing.

yeah that was my point.  you will never get a low noise high fidelity outcome with that capsule.  depends what you want to nuance.  whole experience / partial experience.  if you use directly heated filaments you have an additional set of powering problems, do you use batteries as original or do you go with a tweaky PSU to get rid of PSU injections. 

Can't say I know what I'd like to nuance, especially since I don't really know the capsule's character. I'd even be up for trying it with an existing mic, tube or FET.

I think that'd probably be the best and cheapest bet to see if the capsule even works and has a character you might actually find useful. At that point you can decide to call it good or if it's worth the hassle of any other option.

As for me, tube noise, expense, and availability aside, I still wonder of the sound with a modern capsule, the 47a circuit with a 264b tube, and a modern transformer. Still, maybe there's more available tube that would pretty much do just as well.