Beware of Plastic BM800's

[pmfalcman]

Swift response from Aseyer, I quote:
"The price for Model 18S is 650*2=1300 RMB, which totals 180 USD, excluding shipping fees.
Regarding the purchase of capsules, as their performance depends on the acoustic structure around the capsule and the circuit matching behind it, many fans who bought capsules for assembly found the product failed to meet factory specifications due to a lack of overall planning and design. Therefore, unless it is for mass production or the customer can provide accurate mechanical drawings, we currently do not offer individual capsules"

 

[k brown]

Swift response from Aseyer, I quote:
"The price for Model 18S is 650*2=1300 RMB, which totals 180 USD, excluding shipping fees.
Regarding the purchase of capsules, as their performance depends on the acoustic structure around the capsule and the circuit matching behind it, many fans who bought capsules for assembly found the product failed to meet factory specifications due to a lack of overall planning and design. Therefore, unless it is for mass production or the customer can provide accurate mechanical drawings, we currently do not offer individual capsules"

Nicely worded BS (mostly).

 

[pmfalcman]

Nicely worded BS (mostly).

If they do not want their capsules to be bad mouthed by inept DIYers, these are valid points.
Or they do not want to sell small quantities and came up with explanation and conditions. Hard to tell*.
It's like arguing with the "security" buzz word.

Anyway I wrote back with a lenghty but general description of my intentions. We'll see what happens.
May turn out that buying used Tascam/Marantz/ISK would be more economically viable since one gets a good body in the package.

---------
*) My cynical self: "how many mentions (good or bad) of Aseyer capsules, bough individually, you found in the net?"

 

[MicMaven]

Or they do not want to sell small quantities and came up with explanation and conditions. Hard to tell*.
It's like arguing with the "security" buzz word.

I agree. It is obvious they do not want to deal with individuals. But, they could have made the point without bad-mouthing DIY enthusiasts. There is no shame in selling exclusively as a wholesale OEM supplier.

Oddly, it reminds me of the time my worker's compensation insurance carrier more than quadrupled my premium, an obvious indication they no longer wanted to service my small company (one part time employee and the CEO/me) even though there was never a claim. Rather than saying it outright, they simply raised it so high I would surely move on ... and I did. (Yeah ... a bit off the trail, but it did remind me of all that.)

Later, Gentlemen / James

 

[micolas]

It is obvious they do not want to deal with individuals. But, they could have made the point without bad-mouthing DIY enthusiasts.

Many companies fear DIY enthusiasts.
Because we can discover less favorable aspects...
Although they steal from us knowledge, test results, measurements, design ideas and even entire projects. And they make money.

 

[pmfalcman]

Heh! What do you know...
Stellar Labs, which site cannot be found, yet:

https://www.newark.com/c/audio-vide...crophone-wired/prl/results?brand=stellar-labs

 

[micolas]

Heh! What do you know...
Stellar Labs, which site cannot be found, yet:

https://www.newark.com/c/audio-vide...crophone-wired/prl/results?brand=stellar-labs

It's actually the Tascam TM-80

 

[pmfalcman]

It's actually the Tascam TM-80

Exactly

 

[pmfalcman]

And, on our very own forum:
https://groupdiy.com/threads/isk-aluminium-diaphragm-cardioid-capsules.70027/

Maybe @Recording Engineer will chime in with some more info. How the tests went?

 

[k brown]

Ah - even smaller.

Tucked into the heads from Teac / Tascam electret mics from the 80s (the cheaper ones with non-removable capsules), but as side-address (posted these long time ago when I had AT capsules in them). Only 2SK660 FET and RF caps inside; used with external electronics. Weigh practically nothing.

I took one of these little Aseyer capsules apart because it's diaphragm was stuck down onto it's backplate - most unusual guts of an SDC capsule I've ever seen (but then I'm sure I haven't seen as many as @kingkorg has!). I'll take some pix and post here and on the Capsule Thread. I still think the diaphragms are (heavily) aluminized polyester. 4 micron aluminum foil would not have survived what I just subjected it to.

 

[k brown]

Capsule worked after reassembly but level was very low and noise much higher; I'm guessing that it got subjected to very strong static electricity zap, and that's what caused the diaphragm to suck down onto the backplate. Possibly this sapped some of the electret charge out of it?

Second photo shows the other sides of the two halves of the backplate. Notice the capsule's center pin doesn't screw into the metal part of the backplate (?). New one on me.

Highly polished side of the backplate that faces the diaphragm almost looks chrome plated. The recessed ring in the middle has a weird, 'molten' appearance.