Head Baskets make a difference in sound?

[Mellow Audio]

Do you believe the basket of a microphone makes a difference in the sound?

 

[Recording Engineer]

Do you believe the basket of a microphone makes a difference in the sound?

Pretty-well undisputed and discussed if searched.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Now what would be ultra-cool that no one has done before? Gather all widely-available and popular DIY head baskets to measure what’s truly what. I mean, just because one isn’t like the original does not make that a bad thing. Buy the original if that’s truly what you’re after.

 

[Tubetec]

I remember I got a Sony walkman years ago , they used refer to the fine metal mesh over the earpieces as an equaliser and I guess in terms of microphones the steel mesh acts as a frequency dependant filter , then you also have reflections due to the headbasket frame as well as difractions due to the capsule itself , theres a lot of variables there due to the different dimensions .

 

[Moby]

Do you believe the basket of a microphone makes a difference in the sound?

There is nothing to believe but to measure or listen. Of course that mesh sizes change the sound, also the resonance of the complete head basket.

 

[kingkorg]

Do you believe the basket of a microphone makes a difference in the sound?

I have measured the effects of headbasket and capsule position and posted the results in several threads here. The effects are dramatic and can throw off the frequency response and pattern response significantly. I measure every capsule on it's own without anything around it, and then i measure it again within a body. It is not just the grille, the whole body affects the sound.

 

[kingkorg]

I managed to dig this one up, the difference here comes just from different bodies not even using the grille.

So the measurements are taken in a shielded area, therefore no need for the grille, just two different bodies!

wa 47

 

[kingkorg]

And here is the difference between u47 type body/grille vs transparent one.

Here's an example. This is same axact capsule in same exact circuit, but the upper body is very well damped, transparent grille, and the lower one is close to u47 type. Separated so you can see easier. No smoothing. So imagine having to match the lower response.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Yes. We know that certain headbaskets make a difference. There's different ways the mesh affects the sound with the number of layers, shape, (provably) the type of metal,
etc. How audible that actually is, I couldn't say.

 

[k brown]

My answer to the original question is: how could it not?

Most famous example is Neuman's move from the cylindrical basket of the U47 to the tapered one used on all their LDCs for many years (always puzzled me why they ever started making cylindrical ones again; I think they were just catering to the market 'obsession' with the U47).

 

[living sounds]

Also look at what is below the capsule (flat surface, domed mount, foam etc.).

 

[GeorgeToledo]

My answer to the original question is: how could it not?

Most famous example is Neuman's move from the cylindrical basket of the U47 to the tapered one used on all their LDCs for many years (always puzzled me why they ever started making cylindrical ones again; I think they were just catering to the market 'obsession' with the U47).

Ever see an M147?

 

[GeorgeToledo]

Also look at what is below the capsule (flat surface, domed mount, foam etc.).

I find this to make a subtle but noticeable difference.

I think when it comes to Neumann in particular, that they don’t do themselves a favor by eliminating the domed platforms in the models they had been in.

 

[JW]

what do you guys mean by "domed" grill? Like a Shure beta52?

 

[GeorgeToledo]

Platform/pedestal. Below the capsule there used to be a piece of domed perspex acrylic on some Neumann models.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Most famous example is Neuman's move from the cylindrical basket of the U47 to the tapered one used on all their LDCs for many years (always puzzled me why they ever started making cylindrical ones again; I think they were just catering to the market 'obsession' with the U47).

Perhaps. Still, if you were to design a mic of any type with any kind of 47-inspiration, wouldn’t you choose a cylindrical one?

The same could be said for mics with 67/87-inspiration, but that’s not always the case; sometimes, probably because they’re steering entirely clear of the that perpetual legal mess.

Ever see an M147?

The studio I work out of has two. They’re just blah, as in uninspiring. I’m betting the circuit could be replaced and that’ll make all the difference. That may happen one day, but maybe not. Between the two of us, we already have way too many mics! Still, it’s sad. Such a waste of two perfectly great capsules and bodies!

 

[k brown]

Ever see an M147?

That's one of the models I was refering to in my last sentence.

My point was, it was many years before they made another mic with a cylindrical basket - and I think it was done for purely marketing reasons.

 

[kingkorg]

Yes. We know that certain headbaskets make a difference. There's different ways the mesh affects the sound with the number of layers, shape, (provably) the type of metal,
etc. How audible that actually is, I couldn't say.

Easy test to do if you have almost any two mics with removable headgrille. Place a mic in front of a monitor between tweeter and woofer and record pink noise. Without moving the mic or anything else switch the headbasket. The headbasket doesn't have to match the body, or even be secured, just make sure it's grounded. Then do the null test between the takes. You'll be surprised.

 

[k brown]

Cleverest solution yet to 'capsule's gotta have something around it':
http://www.josephson.com/pdf/c725ds.pdf
Don't know how resistant it is to being dropped, though.

 

[kingkorg]

Cleverest solution yet to 'capsule's gotta have something around it':
http://www.josephson.com/pdf/c725ds.pdf
Don't know how resistant it is to being dropped, though.

Unless you come up with a capsule that doesn't need shielding.