Capsule selection and sanity check

[RSchlierbeck]

HI,

I'm a first time DIY Mic builder. I've decided for my first project I want to build a dual OPA Alice mic and have decided on pre built boards from JLI. I have a MXL V67G I picked up for a donor body. Dimensions look like everything will fit. All I need to do now is select my capsule.

I have two Antelope Audio mics, an Axino and an Edge Solo. I record only my wife and from using the different emulations I know that I prefer the 251 sound followed by the U67 sound and then the U47. So I am thinking that I want to start with a CK12 capsule. Is there any reason why I would be making a mistake choosing their JLI-CK12 capsule over the TSC-2 that they use in their mic kits?

Thanks,

Jones

 

[Khron]

I want to build a dual OPA Alice mic and have decided on pre built boards from JLI

Define "dual"...

 

[RSchlierbeck]

Define "dual"...

I might have the wrong terminology here (I'm new), JLI has a "Dual" OPA board with one channel for the front capsule and one for the back. Essentially two microphones with back to back capsules like a UAD sphere or Antelope Audio Edge Duo.

 

[Khron]

Just wanted to make sure you were clear on what you wanted

 

[kingkorg]

HI,

I'm a first time DIY Mic builder. I've decided for my first project I want to build a dual OPA Alice mic and have decided on pre built boards from JLI. I have a MXL V67G I picked up for a donor body. Dimensions look like everything will fit. All I need to do now is select my capsule.

I have two Antelope Audio mics, an Axino and an Edge Solo. I record only my wife and from using the different emulations I know that I prefer the 251 sound followed by the U67 sound and then the U47. So I am thinking that I want to start with a CK12 capsule. Is there any reason why I would be making a mistake choosing their JLI-CK12 capsule over the TSC-2 that they use in their mic kits?

Thanks,

Jones

With tsc-2 you can get really close to U67 sound by eq-ing it properly. It's a good clone of the capsule found in the original. That JLI-CK12 has nothing to to with real CK12, it just resembles it aestheticaly. It is pretty much the same capsule found in your Antelope edge, so you have it already.

 

[Tim Campbell]

I helped develop the Antelope mics and their edge terminated capsule is a 797 or was at that time so it is better than many.

 

[RSchlierbeck]

With tsc-2 you can get really close to U67 sound by eq-ing it properly. It's a good clone of the capsule found in the original. That JLI-CK12 has nothing to to with real CK12, it just resembles it aestheticaly. It is pretty much the same capsule found in your Antelope edge, so you have it already.

Thank you for the reply.

I like the idea of being able to change the polar pattern in post and thought the JLI-CK12 was a good choice but it sounds like this configuration will not give me a big difference from the Solo (cardioid only.) That is really nice to know.

If I wanted a more authentic CK12 capsule, are there any strong recommendations in a similar price range (under $100)? Is there a European source? We moved from the US to Spain a few years ago and I find the shipping and import costs from the US really increase the price of things. I'm trying to make good choices the first time around.

 

[RSchlierbeck]

I helped develop the Antelope mics and their edge terminated capsule is a 797 or was at that time so it is better than many.

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the reply.

I have to say that I've been really happy with the Antelope mics. I think I just have the bug and want to go through the process of building a mic myself to see what I get. My expectation is that whatever I build/put together, will be inferior to the Antelope mics. But the two I have are not multipattern so that's an opportunity for something different.

Thanks again for the input.

Jones

 

[kingkorg]

Thank you for the reply.

I like the idea of being able to change the polar pattern in post and thought the JLI-CK12 was a good choice but it sounds like this configuration will not give me a big difference from the Solo (cardioid only.) That is really nice to know.

If I wanted a more authentic CK12 capsule, are there any strong recommendations in a similar price range (under $100)? Is there a European source? We moved from the US to Spain a few years ago and I find the shipping and import costs from the US really increase the price of things. I'm trying to make good choices the first time around.

This topic has really been beaten to death here, there's still no CK12 for that price. You can do some search here and come to your own conclusion. I've bought couple of these, for the exact same purpose you mentioned, made dual output mics. However i spent several months going back and forth tuning the capsules, making them work as they should. So I can't recommend them, as they are all over the place. They have made some improvements, but i have no idea what version you might get.

Also, I am one of those that moved to Spain, from Norway tho.

https://groupdiy.com/threads/new-ck12-capsule-measurements.84671/

 

[soliloqueen]

the antelope mics are quite nice, they're not anything like the stock 797 mics that have the same body shape. looser mesh and they've got diffusion under the capsule. probably both tim's idea

 

[SubSpec]

To pile on, the Edge Duo surprised me. I expected gimicks and meh quality when I picked up a beat up one for cheap. I really wanted an Austrian Audio OC818, but for sub $100 the Duo was an entry.

The capsule was shot on one side and replaced it with a JLI-86U, later bought an OC818, and after using both with AA's PolarDesigner decided to sell the OC818. It was a fine mic being what it was, but the Antelope is much more effective at being a chameleon and responding to my desires in PD.

Edited to add: To the original point, the JLI-86U has been a good basis for manipulating the front and rear signals in post. I would say it was slightly more neutral compared to the original with less of a lift at the top.

 

[RSchlierbeck]

This topic has really been beaten to death here, there's still no CK12 for that price. You can do some search here and come to your own conclusion. I've bought couple of these, for the exact same purpose you mentioned, made dual output mics. However i spent several months going back and forth tuning the capsules, making them work as they should. So I can't recommend them, as they are all over the place. They have made some improvements, but i have no idea what version you might get.

Also, I am one of those that moved to Spain, from Norway tho.

https://groupdiy.com/threads/new-ck12-capsule-measurements.84671/

Just finished reading that thread. My apologies to everyone, I had no idea I was poking such a sore spot.

Gaining experience with a lot of different mics is an expensive process and I have not gotten very far in that journey. In truth I'm not looking to build any sort of clone. I use the names of well known mics as a general reference to sonic flavors I guess.

BTW, I am in Galicia.

Jones

 

[RSchlierbeck]

the antelope mics are quite nice, they're not anything like the stock 797 mics that have the same body shape. looser mesh and they've got diffusion under the capsule. probably both tim's idea

Thanks for the comment on the Antelope mics. Always nice to hear something positive about choices you've made.

 

[RSchlierbeck]

To pile on, the Edge Duo surprised me. I expected gimicks and meh quality when I picked up a beat up one for cheap. I really wanted an Austrian Audio OC818, but for sub $100 the Duo was an entry.

The capsule was shot on one side and replaced it with a JLI-86U, later bought an OC818, and after using both with AA's PolarDesigner decided to sell the OC818. It was a fine mic being what it was, but the Antelope is much more effective at being a chameleon and responding to my desires in PD.

Edited to add: To the original point, the JLI-86U has been a good basis for manipulating the front and rear signals in post. I would say it was slightly more neutral compared to the original with less of a lift at the top.

I've been eyeballing an Edge Duo for a while now and considering a used one. Probably far cheaper to buy one in decent condition than start down the road of mic modding. I just can't help but feel left out if I don't build at least one myself. I'd like to try building something that has a known outcome like the OPA builds with a TSC-2 capsule instead of creating something new that has no reference and then wondering why it sounds the way it does. The TSC-2 capsule is not expensive. The JLI-CK12 is more expensive so it must sound better right? Clearly not but I'm just getting started and don't have enough experience yet.