Having a clone of the Switchcraft S3FM manufactured. Anyone interested in a group buy?

[Solomute]

The Neutrik NA-Housing is $15 without connectors.

 

[Whoops]

It costs 9,9€ in Music Store, but if you order it through a company with valid EU VAT number (which I do) you don't pay VAT tax so it's 8€, pretty good price

 

[Whoops]

The one you linked is plastic, which means the internals are unshielded. Not acceptable for my application.

Hi mate, you missed something important, the link Abbey posted has 2 options a Plastic one and a Metal one, you can choose if you want one or the other.
The metal one is very inexpensive and includes the XLR connectors (even if they are not Neutrik, they might work well)

here is the Metal one:






Its also possible to buy just the Metal shell without the XLR connectors for a very good price:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001280373506.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.1c9c1802diXsPh

 

[MicMaven]

Why going to all the trouble and expense of custom making these barrels, when you can buy them new (without logo) for really cheap?

Well, for one thing, those cheap Chinese connectors may be really poorly made, from really crummy, cheap, light gauge "pop can" metal parts. We see this with guitar parts on really cheap instruments. The parts look like authentic parts, but are made from recycled metal aluminum pop cans and other recycled metal, mixed with who knows what alloys, and they are light weight, malleable, and presumably less conductive, than the original steel parts. Cheap copies of famous guitars often have this light metal opposed to the original heavy metal (sorry for the bad pun) parts on the original instruments they copy.

I often wonder about the electrical performance of connectors and other components made from "pop can metal" - and whether I should pay more for mission critical connectors, etc.

Anyway ... I believe this is a worth consideration. James - K8JHR

 

[Whoops]

Anyway ... I believe this is a worth consideration. James - K8JHR

Hi James,
my post and questions were not directed to you, they were directed to Solomute the OP in this thread so I could understand his intentions and needs and try to see how could I help.
So it's in his opinions and needs I'm interested in

Well, for one thing, those cheap Chinese connectors may be really poorly made, from really crummy, cheap, light gauge "pop can" metal parts.

I bought quite a few of those Adapters/connectors, both the squared ones and the round barrels.
I've built Polarity reverse adapters with on/off switch, switchable attenuater pads (off, 20dbs and 40dbs), Phantom power testers and also the Mic boost circuit with pcb designed by Abbey.
So I have vast experience with these type of barrels and enclosures and all I can say is that they are good and perfectly fine for the job, I never had any of them break, getting damaged or present any problem. I can only recommend it to everyone.

It seems to me you might have a prejudice against Chinese products, or something that is made in China, but be real look around you, your computer, Cell phone, TV are all made in China. Also all the electronics inside your car and house appliances. You and We are surounded by products or parts manufactured in China and we use them everyday with success and depend on them.
We are in an intelligent DIY forum it's time to start considering a product by trusting other members experience with that item instead of ditching it because of the country it was manufactured or price.

My 2 cents
Thanks, Tiago

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Well, for one thing, those cheap Chinese connectors may be really poorly made, from really crummy, cheap, light gauge "pop can" metal parts.

Aren't you judging the book by looking at it's cover?

We see this with guitar parts on really cheap instruments. The parts look like authentic parts, but are made from recycled metal aluminum pop cans and other recycled metal, mixed with who knows what alloys, and they are light weight, malleable, and presumably less conductive, than the original steel parts.

We are not talking about aluminium vs. steel here. Neutrik connectors are also made out of aluminium alloy. Do you think this alloy comes from 100% newly extracted aluminium? The whole metallurgy trade is based on mixing recycled materials with newly extracted.

 

[MicMaven]

We are in an intelligent DIY forum it's time to start considering a product by trusting other members experience with that item instead of ditching it because of the country it was manufactured or price.

Hi Tiago -- You are completely wrong about my attitude and take on foreign made goods. There are, in fact, both high and low quality goods coming from all sources, including China. I have nothing against Asian manufacturers and resent your saying that I do. I merely asked whether anyone had experienced issues with low quality connectors and other components, and mentioned low cost, low quality parts used to make cheap guitars - shoot, they gotta cut costs somehow! My asking about parts quality does not mean I am against Asian manufacturers. You are out of line and your criticism is grossly misplaced. I merely asked if anyone had experienced any issues with lower cost components. That does not mean I am against Asian manufacturers. James

 

[Whoops]

I merely asked whether anyone had experienced issues with low quality connectors and other components

Sorry James, but that's not correct, you didn't present a question or asked anything in your post.

You are out of line and your criticism is grossly misplaced.

Chill out James, no one here is out of line, we are all fellow members and sort of DIY friends. Everyone was polite and respectful.
Everyone is trying to help and we are all free to share our opinion and as it's a public forum another member is also free to debate our opinion and post.
Out of line is breaking the forum rules, rules that are very well defined and if there's a situation like that there's Abbey here that is a moderator and will for sure intervene in that type of situation.

Facts:
I never said you "had prejudice" against Asian manufacturers, I said based on your post that you "might have", which are 2 different things. If you don't have like you explained, cool, trust my experience that those parts are pretty good for the application. It's clear to me now that you don't have anything against Asian manufacturers.
Prejudice against products made in China exists, and exists a lot in this forum, the last part of my message was not directed to you but to all of us.

Best Regards
Tiago

 

[Brian Roth]

Oh well, I like connectors from Liechtenstein. That what it says on the Neutrik bag!!! <g>

I will say that products made in China have a HUGE variety of quality....from excellent to all the way to very poor. My 2 cents.

Bri

 

[MicMaven]

Sorry James, but that's not correct, you didn't present a question or asked anything in your post.
Chill out James, no one here is out of line, we are all fellow members and sort of DIY friends.

Your condescending criticism of my post is misplaced. I merely answered your question why one would order custom made parts, instead of already available low cost parts. It appears you were annoyed because I replied to what you said to another member, as if I was speaking out of turn. You also said I "should learn to trust you and others' experience" - a self-assured take suggesting your opinion is beyond question and that I was speaking from ignorance and challenging your credibility.

This is not about you or your expertise. I only offered one reason one might not use low cost (cheap) parts, and gave a specific example why it matters in the production of music. Really low cost (cheap) parts can have significant adverse impact on audio quality and cause other problems, for example from low voltage and low power throughput, distortion, EMI/RFI and other noise, and other problems. I know this from personal experience and from working with audio and RF engineers.

Your criticism of my post is misplaced and off-putting. I was having a good time until you assumed the role of Forum Cop to moderate my posts. Nothing I said is about you, or about trusting you or anyone's experience. I still believe low quality components can have a deleterious impact on audio quality. Perhaps you could direct your attention to that point, instead of moderating my posts. Let's get the discussion back on track. James

 

[Whoops]

I wish everything gets better in your life

Peace Dude

 

[JohnRoberts]

Your condescending criticism of my post is misplaced. I merely answered your question why one would order custom made parts, instead of already available low cost parts. It appears you were annoyed because I replied to what you said to another member, as if I was speaking out of turn. You also said I "should learn to trust you and others' experience" - a self-assured take suggesting your opinion is beyond question and that I was speaking from ignorance and challenging your credibility.

This is not about you or your expertise. I only offered one reason one might not use low cost (cheap) parts, and gave a specific example why it matters in the production of music. Really low cost (cheap) parts can have significant adverse impact on audio quality and cause other problems, for example from low voltage and low power throughput, distortion, EMI/RFI and other noise, and other problems. I know this from personal experience and from working with audio and RF engineers.

Your criticism of my post is misplaced and off-putting. I was having a good time until you assumed the role of Forum Cop to moderate my posts. Nothing I said is about you, or about trusting you or anyone's experience. I still believe low quality components can have a deleterious impact on audio quality. Perhaps you could direct your attention to that point, instead of moderating my posts. Let's get the discussion back on track. James

I am an actual moderator... you guys all need to chill out...

JR

 

[Whoops]

Ordered 2 more barrels from Aliexpress for some projects,
they're affordable and quality is still pretty good:





Ordered them from this link:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400....order_list.order_list_main.17.7934180267nMFt

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Ordered 2 more barrels from Aliexpress for some projects,
they're affordable and quality is still pretty good:

They're the same as the ones I posted in post #14.
Indeed they are of really decent quality. The only gripe is that there is not much space inside, if fitted with standard sockets. Extended sockets are preferrable, but I have not found them anywhere else than Neutik. $$$...