Best K47 copy, for under 200?

[Whoops]

I just have a problem with unproven anonymous accusations on the internet.

Although you seem to have no problems in believing in marketing written on a website that costs peanuts to maintain... A website from someone you don’t know neither you seen their premises or production equipment.
Even a 15 years old can order 100 capsules from China, and do a cheap website selling them and called them “Taiku” capsules from Denmark, or Iceland or Marroco.

But hey you believe that, but bash a fellow member that is more informed than you and brings value arguments and facts to the discussion. A member like Kingkorg, very knowledgeable that has no financial interest in telling the truth

 

[Whoops]

Because they do sound darker, smoother at the top than the average asian capsule. I guess I will order from both and compare myself. I do know, if it means anything, the gold sputter color looks different between my M7 pairs and the Maiku k47 and k12 pairs. The tone in the maiku's is darker. Maybe they do the sputtering and diaphragm tension of their own?

“Average Asian Capsule” doesn’t mean anything.
Are you talking about k67 capsules or K47?

Because K47 capsules are darker being it Asian, European or Martian

 

[Whoops]

Yes, my statement is correct is no

So please do not misrepresent my statement

No it’s not, you’re statement is incorrect and just shows that you are not knowledgeable enough to be discussing this, something that Kingkorg is.
You need to do much more research...

As I told you before, there’s a thread here that shows the manufacturing process for some of the different capsule manufacturers. If you want you can check search for it, it’s up to you.

Making capsules is not an easy process, otherwise we could all do it home, there’s specific raw materials you need, that need to be bought in large quantities. There’s a lot of machinering needed, a lot of tools, experience and skills. Then there’s tunning and testing.
Why would I believe a random website from a supposed company (can be just 1 person in their room) based in Switzerland has all of what was described above?

As far as I’m concerned switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, manufacturing there costs a lot so a Swiss manufactured product would be quite expensive.

 

[rock soderstrom]

No it’s not, you’re statement is incorrect and just shows that you are not knowledgeable enough to be discussing this, something that Kingkorg is.
You need to do much more research...

As I told you before, there’s a thread here that shows the manufacturing process for some of the different capsule manufacturers. If you want you can check search for it, it’s up to you

Once again, I was talking exclusively about the capsule manufacturers' websites, not the entire Internet. Everyone can make their own picture of who is telling the truth here.

The rest is blah blah, which has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[rock soderstrom]

But hey you believe that, but bash a fellow member that is more informed than you and brings value arguments and facts to the discussion. A member like Kingkorg, very knowledgeable that has no financial interest in telling the truth

You should marry him! but all joking aside, I don't want to bash anyone here and I'm not attacking anyone unobjectively.

I believe in evidence and presumption of innocence. If someone anonymously on the internet call someone a 100% liar and deceiver, I expect evidence. No more and no less, otherwise it's just trashtalk. Again, a feeling is just not enough.

The last alleged "proof" I saw was a joke.

 

[rock soderstrom]

If anything the forum might lose yet another true contributor interested in empirical values. No matter what i do though can't stop turning this place into Gearsluts II

Stop crying, if you dish it out like you do, you have to be able to take some.

 

[Whoops]

You should marry him! but all joking aside,

Yes, I can attest you’re funny. Children used to like that type of funny

 

[GeorgeToledo]

The best capsules are not sputtered, they use evaporation process.

Getting a notebook full of gold dots and then tensioning afterwards leads to distress of the gold layer and uneven tension with respect to the center point of the capsule.

Decent capsule manufacturers also pre-age after mounting the diaphragm.

 

[Urskov]

Deleted.

 

[GeorgeToledo]

These companies that import metal
work and then add diaphragms would do themselves well to explain why their process is superior in a bullet point fashion, instead of leaning on potentially offensive cultural and racial bias.

 

[mrgrooves666]

“Average Asian Capsule” doesn’t mean anything.
Are you talking about k67 capsules or K47?

Because K47 capsules are darker being it Asian, European or Martian

Ease up buddy, I'm obiously talking apples vs apples, oranges, vs oranges, K67 edge terminated vs k67 edge terminated, K47 vs K47. As far as I know, Guosheng has 3 flavors for each of his capsules, with the exception of his M7. They're tuned bright or airy, middle ground or balanced, and dark. The Maiku capsules I have experience with, are the edge terminated k67 "CK12 wannabe", and the k47. Those did sound smoother/darker to me than other equivalent asian origin capsules. For example, I have tried K47 capsules from various alibaba sources, with plastic rings, brass rings, peluso, mic parts, Joly's 32 mm sized k47, and the worst, the oem K47 capsule found on the old Lomo M3 head, to mentioned some, and of course maiku's. I'm NOT saying the others were bad (well the Lomo certainly is), but to my ears, all of the others in general did had a top end that sounded a little bit hyped/harsh in different degrees, the Lomo being the most nasty. Maiku's K47 was smoother/darker In comparison. All these I have directly compared inside heads that fit on a pair of moded oktava 012 bodies with either a pair of Camden 500's or RND 511, so the electronics are basically for simple terms, the same and the difference should be attributed to the capsules.
I'm yet to try any of Guosheng's flavours , only have experience with his M7, wich are sweet sounding. And I wonder, without implying any fact, but just a thought based on what's been said here, if Maiku could be indeed offering Guosheng's darker version of his capsules. All in all, even if they are, I'm very happy with them, its the reason they were kept on the heads and the others did not. I'm still hoping to get a hold of a neumann k47 to do the same, and compare, altough its hard to find one at the right price. And In the case of these theories exposed here, I guess there ain't a better way to find out than probably get some from 3U and compare first hand. The issue would be deciding between the 3 of his flavours..

 

[kingkorg]

 

[kingkorg]

And my own re-skin job of an M7, but not gold sputtered this time around.



Or this one, with two different materials on each side. So you get to choose your favorite side and sound. Which is I believe unique, haven't seen M7 with this feature before.

 

[mrgrooves666]

Interesting, what materials did you used? Same thickness? was there a significant difference?

 

[kingkorg]

Sorry, but exactly because i'm concerned someone might just decide and take over the idea and monetize it, i can't discuss the process in detail. There's no point as i do this for friends, and myself, don't sell these.

I use Dupont mylar, and can use different metals and experiment. This was the point. I used 5 micron mylar here.

In the end rule of thumb thicker mylar less high end extension, thinner more high end extension. Thinner gives better transient response. Metal didn't make huge difference, it's mostly about how it ages with different metals, and how it reacts to moisture.

My experience tells me it's all about how the backplate is manufactured. You want darker capsule, you need less air behind the capsule. There is a k67 capsule mod thread i made recently with measurements. Most critical is how consistent cardoid pattern is through the frequency range, and how well two halves match. All the harshness comes from this, amount of high end is irrelevant.

 

[Whoops]

How Maiku capsules are made in Switzerland:

 

[shabtek]

since visuals aids are the premise of most facts as presented-- I would like to remind the jury that the oils from one innocent fingers (even Dave Pearlman) can be the source of confounding gremlins as they relate to very high impedance areas in the vicinity of... capsules

 

[mrgrooves666]

Sorry, but exactly because i'm concerned someone might just decide and take over the idea and monetize it, i can't discuss the process in detail. There's no point as i do this for friends, and myself, don't sell these.

I use Dupont mylar, and can use different metals and experiment. This was the point. I used 5 micron mylar here.

In the end rule of thumb thicker mylar less high end extension, thinner more high end extension. Thinner gives better transient response. Metal didn't make huge difference, it's mostly about how it ages with different metals, and how it reacts to moisture.

My experience tells me it's all about how the backplate is manufactured. You want darker capsule, you need less air behind the capsule. There is a k67 capsule mod thread i made recently with measurements. Most critical is how consistent cardoid pattern is through the frequency range, and how well two halves match. All the harshness comes from this, amount of high end is irrelevant.

Thanks for sharing this, great info, and I did followed your experiments with the k67 backplate.

 

[Banzai]

This would be a good opportunity for Banzai to, ehem, tell Maiku that we need proof of some sort so we can either close this debate or let people continue to speculate, the latter most likely affecting sales. If I was whoever was behind Maiku I'd be interested in validating the honesty of my business.

I get it. Businesses are supposed to be run by circus monkeys who's only job is to ask how high... But there are quite a few out there who don't see it that way. You can't control what people say, so easier to just let everything fall where it's supposed to. If everyone believes they're stock 3U capsules, that might even increase sales. Lost on some is that they're not much cheaper.

Not sure what counts as proof either as this isn't a 25yr+ old company like Josephson with expanded facilities, but here's assembly pictures of a K87 type capsule. Might be the only full set posted on the web. Taken today. Every step except for the tensioning/tuning of the diaphragm is included:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/af7nnPg7gtCNNdhD8
That's the unglorious it. Art of skinning in less than 20 pictures. Guess it would have looked more exciting through a DSLR...

Maiku also does installs for clients, reskins of vintage capsules, and vintage mic restorations. A few members on this forum have used those services already... My involvement is with the parts supply side (NOS tubes, 3rd party capsules/transformers, custom plastic and metal parts etc). Not involved with the online capsule shop.

Thanks for being civil and the only one who understood the name

 

[mrgrooves666]

Thanks for posting that Banzai, btw I can't wait for my pair of Km84 kits to arrive

So here's a quick little comparison for those interested. Sorry today was very hot here. Not exactly the best way to try a quiet bedroom recording, add to that that I'm a terrible player
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YhbryXAGDCjd3O5x1RO59IhkVZlSxs46?usp=sharing
Maiku K47 and 3U Audio M7 through modified oktava 012 bodies, RND 511 preamps. Tried to place them as close as possible. Only processing is an HP@100hz.