Apex 460

[MidnightArrakis]

>> You could possibly run a pair of 24-AWG wires from the tube-socket pins over to the PCB area and then connect them to your capacitor that you have -- hot-glued -- down to the PCB somewhere it will easily fit. Just a thought.....

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[haysonics]

Thanks, I am contemplating that as there is plenty of space on the PCB. Maybe enough for a PIO cap. I think I will start by adding a socket so I can try various styrene's with values from 180 pF upwards.

 

[Migs 31]

Thanks. Its too late over here for me to contemplate the small screws so its just component pics for now :
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I want to shrink-wrap those pins sticking out the bottom of the tube socket so unless you see obvious solder points on the PCB I think I'll run the cap between 2 of the pins.

Note: The CM5 has the Dave Thomas circuit mods and is essentially a first edition Advanced Audio CM12 (but with the stock 10:5/1 transformer). I have seen various HST11A boards over the years (this is a Shuaiyin SYT1100) but I just refer to that series as an APEX 460 as that's the brand-model most known.

Ahhh the plot thickens!

So it is really NOT an Apex 460.
It really is a Stellar Pro Mics (Peter Bloch ?)
Originally Made by Shuaiyin in China.
And with a AA - Dave Thomas mod kit ?

No wonder it sounds too bright!

Thanks for the pics. Take more- like the valve socket - when you can.

M

 

[haysonics]

Will do !

Peter’s mics came from the same factory as Dave’s. Things are revised to order. OEM. The actual 460 has gone through circuit revisions as well. It’s a mess. You get what you get.

The capsule can be 90% of the sound of a mic. The Stellar circuit, transformer and tube are all flat response. It is the AK12 which is the issue. It’s a copy of the CEK-12. The Chinese overtighten membranes which increases the resonance. It’s why their K67 is 6dB brighter at 10 kHz than one made by Neumann. They won’t change their ways as “this is what sells”. I blame the C800G for that.

 

[Migs 31]

The capsule can be 90% of the sound of a mic. The Stellar circuit, transformer and tube are all flat response. There will be greater 2nd order harmonics with a plate follower of course. But it is the AK12 which is the issue. It’s a copy of the CEK-12. The Chinese overtighten membranes which increases the resonance. It’s why their K67 is 6dB brighter at 10 kHz than one made by Neumann. They won’t change their ways as “this is what sells”. I blame the C800G for that.

"AK12 which is the issue"
Isn't that AK12 an Audio Advanced "made" capsule, with 6 micron Mylar from Deutschland?

Quote AA Europe site:
"This edge fed capsule is skinned with 6 micron German Mylar.
This capsule has a response with 1.5db of the average venerable old AKG CK12 capsule."

Surely Dave from AA must have some sort of say or check on his product, tension etc?
So Chinese made capsule, German Mylar, packed by Canadian virgins (rare to find, unless an incel )?
Is this only marketing bla bla or can we all here believe their (companies) talk?
Peter Bloch and Dave T. are supposed to know a bit more than you and I.
What's going on here (honest question)?

M

 

[haysonics]

The mylar is German but tensioned, sputtered, and added to the capsule in China. The comment about the response being within 1.5dB of a CK12 is copied from Peluso. Verner (John's partner) got their CEK-12 within 1.5dB of their CK12. The AK12 is a copy of the CEK12.

Although Dave doesn't mention tensioning, I think he happens to like bright mics. He took a badly implemented cathode follower stage, fixed it, and then made a successful business out of it. Apparently his C800G copy sounds like the real deal (too bright for me).