Didrik DeGeer microphone

[kvintus]

There is an article about this guy and his microphones in the lateest issue of swedish magazine Musikermagasinet (#10/2004). It isn't on their webpage (yet at least) and it's only in swedish, but anyway.

from the article:
____

He has manufactured 28 microphones which he has sold for about 13000? each.

He uses AKG capsules but from now on he will be making his own.

The tubes he uses are a military version of the ECC82, called JAN6189W by Sylvania

He winds his own transformers

He has DC coming out of the walls in his lab: "Music is rhytm. That's why I don't want the lights blinking 100 times per second when I listen to music..."

___

There are some cool pictures also. If anyone's interested I could go looking for a scanner...


/Anders

 

[Gus]

http://www.gefell-mics.com/grp_2_prod_1.htm

I wonder what microphone was first or if there are other older microphones with this grill style?

 

[Consul]

[quote author="kvintus"]He has manufactured 28 microphones which he has sold for about 13000? each. [/quote]

Man, I need to make expensive microphones for a living. Screw IT work. :green:

 

[stefan]

I have actually had the opportunity to use one of theese mics, and I´m just saying that if You think it LOOKS good...just imagine the sound :grin:

 

[tubemonkey35]

I found this on didrik:

The Golden Microphone

On the Daydream album, Mariah sings through a new type of microphone named after the swede Didrik DeGeer. The microphone is built in 1930's style, with only one active component, and is manufactured from copper. For the perfect sound, the hand-tooled copper is some 30-40 years old. The microphone is dubbed by experts as the best there is, and costing about US$10000, it ought to be! The microphone weighs in at 2.2 kg and is 27 x 8 cm.

This is from 1995

 

[mesmer]

I was making a record in Stockholm in 96, and was offered an audition of his mics, but we got too pressed for time and had to finnish the record instead. I didn't realize they were so expensive.
Peter

 

[stefan]

The early ones were made out of copper, he now makes the microphonebody out of bronze. He also makes a stereo micpre costing $24000! imagine if one wanted to have eight channels...

 

[Tim Campbell]

I don't really understand further discussion of this mic. Anyone here is capable of building a microphone equal to this. An AKG capsule, a good clean tube circuit and a handmade body. The only variable would be that he handwinds his own transformers but there are many great handwound transformers in the world.

I'm sure many of the mics built by people here match or surpass this in sound quality.

 

[Bryson]

[quote author="alk509"] Looks like it belongs in a cruise ship from the '20's or something.
[/quote]

Yeah. My first thought was Captain Nemo's submarine, The Nautilus.

 

[stefan]

I don't really understand further discussion of this mic. Anyone here is capable of building a microphone equal to this. An AKG capsule, a good clean tube circuit and a handmade body. The only variable would be that he handwinds his own transformers but there are many great handwound transformers in the world.

I'm sure many of the mics built by people here match or surpass this in sound quality

Of course Didrik does not perform magic on theese microphones, but after using the mic I have to say that it´s pretty damn close to magic!
What I DO know is that he works for days "fine tuning the capsules" I´ve got no idea what he does, but I have a feeling that the quality of this mic is not matched or surpassed by a mic built by a person who does not have his skill and knowledge. But as I said, of course there´s no magic in micbuilding.

 

[Bear]

[quote author="Gus"] I have a MBHO ck12 type with the brass rings and screws I like alot, it is mounted in the square microphone now.
[/quote]

Gus, I understand that MBHO capsules is in use by at least one well known company in a 251 copy. How available is it and and what kind of pain/cost?

Bear

 

[Tim Campbell]

I have quite a bit of experience rebuilding new AKG CK12 capsules. If anyone were to spend days fine tuning one I'd call them an idiot.

There is nothing adjustable on them. It would be easier to built a new capsule and reuse the membranes.

 

[Gus]

Tim

I love that post! I was holding back about the plastic CK12 capsule and "TUNING" part. Tuning a capsule is a warning sign to me. Tuning a capsule design is different.

How do you tune a capsule? the skin is glued to the mounting rings.

You think maybe he installs different skin to backplate spacers or messes with the resistive port?

Tim how would you describe the sound of a brass CK12 to a plastic CK12? I like my MBHO clone of the brass CK12 alot I don't own a plastic CK12

 

[Tim Campbell]

Gus,

A new CK12 capsule sounds nothing like the old one. I'd describe them as have a duller more midrange sound.

I don't believe he does anything to these capsules. If anyone here knows how to contact him please ask him to join this discussion.

As for the part about no one else being able to build a mic as good as his is underestimating the experience and potential of the members of this forum.

 

[Marik]

I am yet to hear teflon CK12, which I would like. I don't like any mics built around this capsule. I had two C12A--one with brass, another with teflon. The second sounded nothing, compare to one with brass capsule.

 

[hollywood_steve]

The only variable would be that he handwinds his own transformers but there are many great handwound transformers in the world.


A semi-related question..... I just watched a video interview with Dirk Brauner where he stated that its impossible to hand wind a transformer to audio tolerances. He tried for a long time and determined that a high quality machine wound design was always surperior. Comments?

 

[Marik]

[quote author="hollywood_steve"]The only variable would be that he handwinds his own transformers but there are many great handwound transformers in the world.


A semi-related question..... I just watched a video interview with Dirk Brauner where he stated that its impossible to hand wind a transformer to audio tolerances. He tried for a long time and determined that a high quality machine wound design was always surperior. Comments?[/quote]

All vintage trafos were handwound, and some of them are exellent. Although it is much harder to get uniform results, on the other hand, where can you find two mic capsules, which would sound the same?
I have wound some trafos for ribbon mics, with exellent results.

 

[Consul]

Marik, was one of your handwound transformers in one of the mics I got to try out when I passed through there?

 

[hollywood_steve]

on the other hand, where can you find two mic capsules, which would sound the same?


I think Dirk Brauner's point was that the capsules on his $7k VM1 mic DO sound the same from mic to mic, and he expects the transformers to be equally consistent. At least thats the impression that I got from the video.

It was part of a larger discussion of European vs American taste regarding hi-end mics. According to the video, the Euro pros expect a more transparent, "pure" and consistent sound from their mics, while the Americans are looking for the best "color". Interesting interview, I think its available on the Transaudio website.

 

[stefan]

Tuning a capsule is a warning sign to me. Tuning a capsule design is different.

Well I agree with You on that piont and I would easily say that this was the "Emperors new mic" ,very much like everything what´s goin´ on in the HI-FI home entertainment companies, if I actually had not heard what it sounds like. And belive me, if I was able to build mics that sounded as transparent as this one does for a fraction of the cost, I would. Well I better get back down in the basement to fine tune some tubes. :wink: