Cad Equitek E100 Capsule

[MicUlli]

I fully agree to Rock (by the way thanks for the two mics )
Find attached the average psychoacoustic smoothed frequency response over 22 EM21 capsules under free field conditions and with an additional polarization voltage of 30V applied. You get a sensivity around -36dBV and (with good electronics) a self noise figure of 13dB(A).
With an appropriate EQ-set in your DAW the frequency response is nearly perfect

 

[Wordsushi]

Have a Teac ME-80 coming in a few days and I was looking up the phantom power mod. Anyone else seen this?
Phantom power modification for Nakamichi CM300 elecret condenser microphone backends

I was wondering... as long as you replace that 10v tantalum with something that can handle 50v, that 9v zener can be replaced with something bigger like 24v, right?

 

[Khron]

... As long as you check what the 2SK118(?) JFET can handle.

 

[k brown]

Personally, I don't think the stock FET circuit in these mics is worth modding for phantom power.

The capsules are worthy of something better.

 

[Wordsushi]

Personally, I don't think the stock FET circuit in these mics is worth modding for phantom power.

The capsules are worthy of something better.

I was kinda thinking the same thing. That ultimately, I'd want to put that capsule on a better circuit, but that I'd attempt the phantom power mod first on the stock mic just for fun.

 

[capacitorless]

I was thinking the same as @k brown. Wondering if it is worth making it permanently phantom powered, and using the space that the battery went in for better electronics...

 

[Wordsushi]

Just received the Teac ME-80 I picked up off Ebay and honestly, just stock, it sounds much better than I was expecting. Running with 2 6v batteries. Could be more sensitive. Could be a little quieter, but running it through UAD C-Vox mitigates the noise issue.

Thinking I should definitely do the phantom mod and probably increase the capsule polarity to at least 24v.

UPDATE: I saw a mention on some Tapers forum that the mic can handle anything under 14v, so I'll maybe try the mod to 12v instead of 9.

 

[Vac11]

Ive modified my Naks/Universum to phantom power. Small pcb inside battery space. Check it here:
https://groups.io/g/MicBuilders/topic/87176978#33726

 

[Wordsushi]

Ive modified my Naks/Universum to phantom power. Small pcb inside battery space. Check it here:
https://groups.io/g/MicBuilders/topic/87176978#33726

That looks great! Would I be able to buy a set or two of the pcb's from you?

 

[Wordsushi]

I opened up the ME-80 and it appears someone has upgraded the old components here with new ones. But where the board usually sports a 47uf cap, whomever modded it replaced it with a 100uf cap. I'm wondering if there was a reason for this. Would someone please be able to explain what increasing the cap from 47 to 100 here would accomplish?


Also, FWIW, someone has created a Nakamichi CM100/300 battery holder as a 3d printable model over at Thingverse so you can use two of those 6v dog collar batteries without having to tape them together.
Nakamichi CM-300 Microphone battery adapter insert by VAXHeadroom

 

[rock soderstrom]

Would someone please be able to explain what increasing the cap from 47 to 100 here would accomplish?

This is a DC-blocking cap. The higher the capacitance, the deeper is the lower cutoff frequency. This means more low frequencies, which does not necessarily have to be audible, because the 47uF could be already big enough.

 

[kingkorg]

I opened up the ME-80 and it appears someone has upgraded the old components here with new ones. But where the board usually sports a 47uf cap, whomever modded it replaced it with a 100uf cap. I'm wondering if there was a reason for this. Would someone please be able to explain what increasing the cap from 47 to 100 here would accomplish?View attachment 96275


Also, FWIW, someone has created a Nakamichi CM100/300 battery holder as a 3d printable model over at Thingverse so you can use two of those 6v dog collar batteries without having to tape them together.
Nakamichi CM-300 Microphone battery adapter insert by VAXHeadroom

Nope, there are just a lot of variations in components/values used. It seems stock to me.

I opted to change the whole circuit in mine, while it sounds fine in low spl situations it craps out pretty quickly if you push it due to tiny transformer. It can't take much low end. I don't think the mod of the stock circuit is worth the hassle. There is a lot space on the i side to fit a lot of different circuits.

 

[Wordsushi]

This is a DC-blocking cap. The higher the capacitance, the deeper is the lower cutoff frequency. This means more low frequencies, which does not necessarily have to be audible, because the 47uF could be already big enough.

Makes sense. After reading a lot about these mics, I was expecting slightly less low end than I'm hearing so perhaps it does make a difference. Thank you for the reply.

 

[Wordsushi]

Nope, there are just a lot of variations in components/values used. It seems stock to me.

I opted to change the whole circuit in mine, while it sounds fine in low spl situations it craps out pretty quickly if you push it due to tiny transformer. It can't take much low end. I don't think the mod of the stock circuit is worth the hassle. There is a lot space on the i side to fit a lot of different circuits.

I'd love to hear more about how you improved it. I can see how it would get splatty miking an amp with it. Not even sure if they'd be good drum overheads. But for my usage, in a booth, at slightly raised spoken voice volume, it works pretty well. I had plans to cannibalize the capsule to put on a hotter circuit, but I'm thinking because I like how this one sounds, especially through the Soyuz Launcher, I'll keep it as is and find another one to phantom mod and perhaps another one down the road to cannibalize.

 

[Wordsushi]

Here's a sample of the stock ME80 cut through the Soyuz launcher into a chain I like with it. You can hear how noisy it gets when I take everything out, especially the C-Vox, but even on its own, through all the hash, it sounds pretty good. The battery power option is great so I don't have to insert a phantom power box between the mic and the Launcher since it requires phantom but doesn't pass through phantom to the mic.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Nope, there are just a lot of variations in components/values used. It seems stock to me.

I opted to change the whole circuit in mine, while it sounds fine in low spl situations it craps out pretty quickly if you push it due to tiny transformer. It can't take much low end. I don't think the mod of the stock circuit is worth the hassle. There is a lot space on the i side to fit a lot of different circuits.

Does that actually increase the max SPL at all, or just make it sound better closer to the max? Cause I'm considering picking up a couple of the Teac ones if I can get a good price

 

[kingkorg]

Well, that max SPL thing is questionable for any mic. Most are specced 1khz and 1% thd which doesn't mean anything let alone max spl.

That transformer will saturate heavily low end even if 1k is at 1% thd. So it doesn't mean you've reached max spl, but you will anyways get crazy high harmonic content spreading into the higher range.

There is a trap with spoken word stuff, plosives can easily cause insanely high spl at subsonics, and vlf. I am sure you use pop filter, but sometimes they sneak through.

I like to have my mics ready for any occasion, so i mod them accordingly. I think, ok that mic would sound great here, but damn, it won't take high spl low end...

However, this is just theory and it all goes to toilet if you like the mic stock.

Here's a link in case you haven't already stumbled upon it.

https://www.cameratim.com/electronics/nakamichi-cm300-phantom-power-mod/

 

[Wordsushi]

Well, that max SPL thing is questionable for any mic. Most are specced 1khz and 1% thd which doesn't mean anything let alone max spl.

That transformer will saturate heavily low end even if 1k is at 1% thd. So it doesn't mean you've reached max spl, but you will anyways get crazy high harmonic content spreading into the higher range.

There is a trap with spoken word stuff, plosives can easily cause insanely high spl at subsonics, and vlf. I am sure you use pop filter, but sometimes they sneak through.

I like to have my mics ready for any occasion, so i mod them accordingly. I think, ok that mic would sound great here, but damn, it won't take high spl low end...

However, this is just theory and it all goes to toilet if you like the mic stock.

Here's a link in case you haven't already stumbled upon it.

https://www.cameratim.com/electronics/nakamichi-cm300-phantom-power-mod/

Thank you very much, King. Yes, I have seen that link. I've been searching for everything I can find out these mics. This guy definitely has a comprehensive description of the mod process that even I can follow. I actually used the instructions on that page to take mine apart and will probably use this on the second ME80 I ordered. My guess that mine has been recapped comes from what the photos on that page look like. You're absolutely right about it being very plosive prone on its own. I even tried it with the Hakan pop killer, but I've had a lot of luck so far using the included grill head on it, which seems to effectively kill pops at 4 inches away. I'm also pointing it down and to the side of my mouth, which also has the benefit of keeping it almost entirely from my eyeline when reading copy so it's all good. I really am pretty stunned by how these mics sound. My brain spins at the potential projects that can be done with this capsule.

 

[JW]

Is the KM84 circuit a good match for this capsule?

 

[kingkorg]

Sure, why not. One might try with or without polarization applied.