Ela-M 251 Body from Aliexpress

[kingkorg]

And most important @Gus if it werent for you, @Khron , @RuudNL , @gyraf , @ln76d
, and many others i would still believe vintage sticker on a 10.000$ mic makes a difference in sound. So thanks for that!

This thread alone was pure gold!

https://groupdiy.com/threads/microphone-circuit.47569/#post-599115

 

[SparkleBear]

The free help is one reason I don't post as much as I did in the past.
I see some issues/errors in some microphone things that are discussed and decide not to post about what I see as issues.

Why should anyone here that understands things about microphones help anymore?

I, for one, have received so much joy and inspiration learning about these microphone ways from y’all who know so much more than I do. There is always a starting point but I think it’s a blurry line when then help is taken then monetized and exploited. I want to be in the idealized values of community where we share freely and help inspire and uplift each others ideas. I can see both sides… personally, I feel indebted to the mentors from this forum and I would have a lot less joy and excitement in my technical life with out your help.

I do not take the advice and guidance lightly and have so much respect and appreciation for the collective electronics knowledge and wisdom that had been shared here.

Yes, basic “trivial” electronics knowledge is easily researched but I think that sharing and helping each other along the way is important.

Using science and engineering to make tools to create art is just very inspiring and more of that in the world can never be a bad thing. It’s just greed and capitalism that stop us from freely sharing because the help might be used for ends that are not for the pure service of art and craft.

That’s just my feeling about it.

Off topic even when I did help sometimes the other person does not understand or try what I shared so why even bother.

Plus who owns what we post here?

The electronics in microphones is trivial if you have an electronics background.

We all follow in someone’s footsteps. And whatever trail may be blazed will soon be tread by those who wish to follow.

 

[ElSmurf]

Yes, basic “trivial” electronics knowledge is easily researched but I think that sharing and helping each other along the way is important.

Using science and engineering to make tools to create art is just very inspiring and more of that in the world can never be a bad thing. It’s just greed and capitalism that stop us from freely sharing because the help might be used for ends that are not for the pure service of art and craft.

Well said, and I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[johnchantler]

just sent off a simple PCB for this based on the matador ELAM251 schematics here: Official C12 - Ela M / Build And Support Thread — hopefully all the holes line up and everything fits. PCB route seemed weirdly cheaper/easier than doing it with acrylic supports...

 

[Gus]

Thinking about this forum

Who owns what we post here?

 

[rock soderstrom]

Thinking about this forum

Who owns what we post here?

I have thought about this as well and asked the same question, but it was deleted.

Fact is, Groupdiy is in stealth mode and we don't know why. There is no imprint, no legal location, no legal company form, no known owner, nothing. Only guesses and rumors.

This thread is the wrong place, why don't you open a thread on this topic Gus, preferably in the Lab (not in the brewery) where it all started?

 

[metalockpick]

Gus; Thank you.
And thanks to all y'all who help others solve problems here.
Sometimes, people don't seem to want advise, but instead are looking for validation. Yeah, that annoys me too.
I joined looking for particular advise on the layout of a commercially available board (didn't get it), but stayed for the enormous wealth of experience and knowledge being shared.
Sometimes posters will disparage designs/advise without understanding why things were done that way or even how a product is typically used. Humans are fallible.
The important thing is that by sharing knowledge, audio will get better.
That's a solid reason for the existence of this board.
Thank you again for being an early, high quality contributor and getting it rolling.

 

[paulcheeba]

I added one of them to my cart, this one showed up at the bottom of the page. Looks longer.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005585043797.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.c63b38da8HS1zR&gps-id=shoppingCartRecommend&scm=1007.13440.311564.0&scm_id=1007.13440.311564.0&scm-url=1007.13440.311564.0&pvid=24bea3a1-1fe0-43a1-ae42-d5911a36a57d&_t=gps-id:shoppingCartRecommend,scm-url:1007.13440.311564.0,pvid:24bea3a1-1fe0-43a1-ae42-d5911a36a57d,tpp_buckets:668#2846#8109#1935&pdp_npi=4@dis!CAD!49.04!49.04!!!35.93!!@2101c80216911589312516109e6f16!12000033648490449!rec!CA!138064092!

It’s like they’re heading in the right direction but taken a wrong turn somewhere. It’s even become increasingly hard to find the old staples that actually worked.
I can’t even get a reply from Beesneez bodies since their bid for world domination.

 

[Spencerleehorton]

i need a good body for my dany bouchard ELAM 251 and these look like they'll do the trick

 

[HerbertR]

Got Poctops 251 PCBs today. It was easy to integrate the board into the AliEx case. It fits well. I mounted the board holder profiles to the capsule holder plate from below, not from above like the manufacturer does. The four washers used between the screw and this holder plate are used to lengthen the holder by a few mm. Then I used a 50mm PCV tube and cut 3-4mm thin pieces as insert lining to fill the space/length of the powder coated MicBody outer tube. Very easy!. Then the bottom screw cap of the mic body holds everything together as before, with a few mm more length to allow for Poctop's 251 circuit boards to fit. There is enough space on the top to easily accommodate a thick, fat axial 3.3uF 20mm DC block filmcap. There is enough space behind this fat axial film cap to accommodate the microphone electron tube. Holes for screws are usable to mount the PCB and there is also enough space under the tube for mounting a UTM0512 transformer, cutting the lower unused screwnoses on both sides away. Only the solder-side of the 7-pin connector has to be cut shorter and well insulated, otherwise 1-2 mm would protrude into the PCB area. And checks for shorting soldering connection with the frame.... are also necessary to check before finishing carefully....for sure -file.....That's it. No milling machine or the like is required.... I like it very much in this way... 30min work and you have a good solution for using these super looking Micbodies

 

[Delta Sigma]

Got Poctops 251 PCBs today. It was easy to integrate the board into the AliEx case. It fits well. I mounted the board holder profiles to the capsule holder plate from below, not from above like the manufacturer does. The four washers used between the screw and this holder plate are used to lengthen the holder by a few mm. Then I used a 50mm PCV tube and cut 3-4mm thin pieces as insert lining to fill the space/length of the powder coated MicBody outer tube. Very easy!. Then the bottom screw cap of the mic body holds everything together as before, with a few mm more length to allow for Poctop's 251 circuit boards to fit. There is enough space on the top to easily accommodate a thick, fat axial 3.3uF 20mm DC block filmcap. There is enough space behind this fat axial film cap to accommodate the microphone electron tube. Holes for screws are usable to mount the PCB and there is also enough space under the tube for mounting a UTM0512 transformer, cutting the lower unused screwnoses on both sides away. Only the solder-side of the 7-pin connector has to be cut shorter and well insulated, otherwise 1-2 mm would protrude into the PCB area. And checks for shorting soldering connection with the frame.... are also necessary to check before finishing carefully....for sure -file.....That's it. No milling machine or the like is required.... I like it very much in this way... 30min work and you have a good solution for using this super looking Micbodies

I found 3uF to be too big for this circuit. I believe the original was 1uF.

 

[Barry Hufker]

What will you do for a power supply?

 

[HerbertR]

What will you do for a power supply?

You need exactly this replacement tube power supply like the 49 euro power supply T-Bone SCT 2000 from Thomann. It is also best to order the correct 7pin 5m or 10m cable for less than 20 bucks additionally with the PSU. At Music Store Koeln, this China power supply should be traded under the Name Fame? I think so.......
The new perfectly matching power supply board for the conversion to the 251 Mic is included in the Poctops Kit, it is the large board of them. Populate it with the components from Poctop's Mouser Electronics cart from his homepage and remove the old original assembled circuit board. You'll have to reuse the case with buttons, 7-pin and 3-pin XLR connectors.... and then reconnect everything like the 220VAC to 200V + 9VAC power transformer to the new white PSU circuit board. That's all. btw ..You can also use Acetone to almost completely remove the painted white imprint from the black, powder-coated housing. Poctop has a well-illustrated assembly manual. You can not go wrong...

 

[HerbertR]

I found 3uF to be too big for this circuit. I believe the original was 1uF.

Two different original schematics from web say two values:

-Ela M 251 E, 1959?, 1524 schem 2f: Elko with 160V 1uF (C3)
-Ela M 251 E, 1961, 1534, schem 2c: 150V 3.2uF
Other components on Kathode, Plate, Grid... are the same. I have both values with 1uF and 3.3uF from Ero / MKP to to test at home.

 

[rock soderstrom]

Two different original schematics from web say two values:

-Ela M 251 E, 1959?, 1524 schem 2f: Elko with 160V 1uF (C3)
-Ela M 251 E, 1961, 1534, schem 2c: 150V 3.2uF
Other components on Kathode, Plate, Grid... are the same. I have both values with 1uF and 3.3uF from Ero / MKP to to test at home.

Some info can be found here:

Thread 'ELA M251 C3 - anode to OT-coupling cap?' ELA M251 C3 - anode to OT-coupling cap?

 

[MasterEvan07]

You need exactly this replacement tube power supply like the 49 euro power supply T-Bone SCT 2000 from Thomann. It is also best to order the correct 7pin 5m or 10m cable for less than 20 bucks additionally with the PSU. At Music Store Koeln, this China power supply should be traded under the Name Fame? I think so.......
The new perfectly matching power supply board for the conversion to the 251 Mic is included in the Poctops Kit, it is the large board of them. Populate it with the components from Poctop's Mouser Electronics cart from his homepage and remove the old original assembled circuit board. You'll have to reuse the case with buttons, 7-pin and 3-pin XLR connectors.... and then reconnect everything like the 220VAC to 200V + 9VAC power transformer to the new white PSU circuit board. That's all. btw ..You can also use Acetone to almost completely remove the painted white imprint from the black, powder-coated housing. Poctop has a well-illustrated assembly manual. You can not go wrong...

Looks like the exact same PS from Studio939, yeah?

 

[paulcheeba]

I’m still going for the Beesneez. They’re a month out.

 

[HerbertR]

I’m still going for the Beesneez. They’re a month out.

I have also ordered a pair C12 capsules from Beesneez. But I got no response from them since a week. Holidays?

 

[Tim Campbell]

Over on another forum Ben said that they had sent the bodies for plating and it would take a couple of weeks

 

[paulcheeba]

"It’ll be about 4 weeks though as we just dropped a heap of head grilles into the nickel plater to be done".

That's what Ben just said which is why I said a month.