AKG Perception P220 to Neumann u87 5 min mod ( p200, p100, p400, p420? )

[micolas]

The technician should restore the microphone to its original configuration and return it at no cost, effectively rescinding any agreement (contract) to install the part according to your instructions. This is the least onerous and least expensive remedy.

A contract arises only when the parties agree on all essential and material provisions of the transaction. Either the technician has breached the agreement by failing to follow your instructions, or, if he is confused and does not know what he is supposed to do, there is no contract. The can be no agreement, because the technician confirms he is either or both uncertain what you want or is unable to perform as instructed, demonstrating he did not agree to all essential and material provisions of the transaction. He is entitled to payment only if he performs according to your instructions. He should do nothing if he is confused or uncertain. He should not guess or take random action. Rescission is the simplest and least expensive remedy, restoring each party to where he was before transacting. You may have an action for compensatory damages if he cannot restore the microphone to its original state.

Gratuitous Sidebar - I disagree (in good humor) with Mr. @micolas -- the technician should NOT become a lawyer as he already failed both "Contracts 101," and "Paying Attention 100" - not to mention flunking "Communications 100."

Of course that is just MY take. Your mileage may vary. / James

Only a skilled lawyer can turn the victim into the accused and vice versa.

 

[micolas]

I have a P220 on hand i may get modded with a higher value cap-or perhaps try the Microphone-Parts mod kit-but i believe i'll be farming that out to a different tech. Thanks again!

My honest advice:
@mikes425
Microphone-Parts mod kit not required.
It won't give you any added value over @kingkorg 's excellent mod.
You will just waste your time and money.
*
Surely there is an honest, experienced member of this group near your area who can help you. Or you'll learn to do simple microphone mods yourself

 

[MicMaven]

Only a skilled lawyer can turn the victim into the accused and vice versa.

Rest assured I would always represent the victim. My client was always in the right, as long as he paid my fee.
Um ... you know ... James

 

[MicMaven]

Surely there is an honest, experienced member of this group near your area who can help you. Or you'll learn to do simple microphone mods yourself

Right.

Perhaps Mr. @mikes425 can locate a local ham radio operator who can rework SMT boards. A local amateur radio club might provide a lead. I suspect many ops would do the job for free, or for a reasonable fee, perhaps even a case of beer. The trick is separating over-confident braggarts from humble, truly skilled operators - you want a guy who is actually good at this sort of thing.

I would tackle the task, myself, if I had more experience and confidence reworking SMT components. I have received both assistance and guidance from an operator in Albuquerque NM who builds development boards for weapons systems. Unfortunately, I am still a novice working to expand my skills.

In any case, this might lead to a properly skilled technician. James

 

[Khron]

Perhaps Mr. @mikes425 can locate a local ham radio operator who can rework SMT boards.

About a decade ago i had to do some troubleshooting on a 46" LCD TV mainboard that i got for dirt cheap - ended up needing to remove then resolder a bunch of 0805*-cased ferrite beads, only having a soldering gun(!!!) with the tip made out of a loop of ~1mm diameter copper wire. That, a pair of tweezers, determination and patience, but i got the job done (HDMI receiver chip was shot, internally shorting the 3.3v rail to ground).

Point being, "even" not having any specialized SMD equipment, a one-component-soldering should be easy enough, especially with an actual not-baseball-bat-tipped soldering iron

As pointed out previously, this mod doesn't even necessarily require removal of the stock capacitor, so that's one extra headache / hazard / risk right out the window

* 0805 is the same size as the stock 220pF capacitor in these mics, btw.

 

[cholmes777]

Im back
My brand new (black) perception 420 came in today plus my 680pf capacitors from mouser.

Ok lets try this again,this time leaving in the 220pf smd
And soldering in parallel on to it the 680pf for a total of
900pf

I thought I wouldn’t like this, I LOVE IT!! Super mid rangy creaminess!! Im guessing im in the tlm67/ u89 territory?..

My 470pf will deliver tomorrow but i think im going to leave this as is for now since i own a real u87ai. I think it compliments it well in the mic collection

Oh and im still using my blue housing from my p420 i destroyed
I dont like the new black housing.

So i got bored today and said lets try the 220pf stock
Plus 470pf for a total of 690pf _____instead 900pf….

Sounds so good. U87ai and perception 420 are now officially
Brother and sister

 

[micolas]

So i got bored today and said lets try the 220pf stock
Plus 470pf for a total of 690pf _____instead 900pf….

Sounds so good. U87ai and perception 420 are now officially
Brother and sister

Excellent! It remains to do a test with pink noise between U87ai and P420 mod, a null test

 

[micolas]

So i got bored today and said lets try the 220pf stock
Plus 470pf for a total of 690pf _____instead 900pf….

Sounds so good. U87ai and perception 420 are now officially
Brother and sister

And if you get bored again, you can mount a small dip switch inside with the 2 good values: modern/vintage.

 

[cholmes777]

And if you get bored again, you can mount a small dip switch inside with the 2 good values: modern/vintage.

So at 900pf, would that be a vintage u87 sound?

 

[micolas]

So at 900pf, would that be a vintage u87 sound?

It's closer to the U67, for a U87i Vintage sound @kingkorg used 680pF.
But you can use more values and a miniature dip switch inside the microphone.
It would be a very versatile multi-voice microphone

 

[cholmes777]

It's closer to the U67, for a U87i Vintage sound @kingkorg used 680pF.
But you can use more values and a miniature dip switch inside the microphone.
It would be a very versatile multi-voice microphone

Yeah thats what i prefer my perception 420 to be. More
Balanced / flatter like a u67 / tlm 67.

 

[micolas]

Yeah thats what i prefer my perception 420 to be. More
Balanced / flatter like a u67 / tlm 67.

The truth is that many old-school professional sound engineers prefer more neutral, flat microphones. Although they seem boring for vocal soloists (they don't really excite them in performance), they are more versatile, they capture beautifully, musically, a multitude of sound sources and they take EQ, dynamic processing, etc. very well.
Others prefer a more modern, sharper, biting sound.

 

[mikes425]

My honest advice:
@mikes425
Microphone-Parts mod kit not required.
It won't give you any added value over @kingkorg 's excellent mod.
You will just waste your time and money.
*
Surely there is an honest, experienced member of this group near your area who can help you. Or you'll learn to do simple microphone mods yourself

Very useful perspective! So to sum up, kingkorg's simple cap replacement alone is essentially accomplishing the equivalent or better than the Microphone-Parts mod. I have heard that the stock AKG takstar capsule is pretty good, and the mic should be fine with just with swap of the stock 220/420 cap for a higher value one. M-P's mod recommends changing out the capsule for the K87 they're selling. However i agree that it would probably be fine to keep the stock capsule and that it's actually pretty good.

Yes, would be happy to send some mod work to anyone in the forum who'd be interested in helping me do these. I just don't have the tools and experience - I'm a voice artist and this is stuff i prefer to outsource. Thanks! Mike

 

[mikes425]

So i got bored today and said lets try the 220pf stock
Plus 470pf for a total of 690pf _____instead 900pf….

Sounds so good. U87ai and perception 420 are now officially
Brother and sister

Very interesting! Since i'm looking to replicate the 87Ai vs vintage 87 with an incoming P220 mic i purchased. It was suggested that replacing the stock 220 cap with a cap that has, say, a value of 540-560pf - would be closely aligned in character to an 87Ai.

 

[Khron]

M-P's mod recommends changing out the capsule for the K87 they're selling.

... BECAUSE they have capsules to sell (too)

 

[Khron]

It was suggested that replacing the stock 220 cap with a cap that has, say, a value of 540-560pf

... Or just add another 330pF cap in parallel with the already-existing one

 

[micolas]

@mikes425
@cholmes777
I kindly recommend you to read the entire thread from the beginning, with patience, it is attractive, you will learn many interesting things, you will find the answers explained nicely, simply.
Some benevolent group members have dedicated a large part of their time to share their experience, their work, to help, and that should be respected and appreciated.

 

[terry setter]

Call me foolish, crazy, or just (so far, at least) lucky, but when I want to replace a Surface Mount Component that is wave-soldered to a pad on each end (which most of them are) I use my dykes and cut the sucker in half. It takes just one simple snip. Then, I can remove each side very, very easily and not worry about over-heating things in the process. That leaves two shiny pads to which I attach the new component. I would think that the mod being described in this thread is a prime candidate for such an approach. YMMV.

I'd also like to put in a good word for using hot glue for component bracing and wire routing rather than super glue, especially as I can never know how super glue will react with the components over time. And, as has been pointed out, you can remove hot glue very easily. So far, I haven't seen any issues with hot glue not having a high enough insulation value that it has degraded my signal paths (nor do I tend to put it where it might).

 

[cyrano]

I use my dykes and cut the sucker in half...

I'm not sure I understand that word. It results in strange images in my mind...

 

[cyrano]

I know both common definitions, but I've never heard of pliers being referred to as "dykes".

I was involved with dyke building for a few years as the company I worked for, was taken over by "Rosmark, Van Wijk en Boerma", who advertised themselves as the biggest dyke builder in the world. They weren't, but they were the biggest in water containers...