SoundsOfJill
Member
Hi there everyone!
I just got my hands on a Blue Kiwi, sold for parts, at a very very good price. I plan to repair it and or transform it into a usable studio mic again! And so, since it seems most people here share my enthusiasm for troubleshooting mics and saving studio gear from the landfill I figured I'd share my progress in a thread.
Part 1: Assessing the damage
My first order
of business was unboxing the mic, packaged in it's original cardboard box, 13 years after it rolled off the production line
The mic itself was in great cosmetic condition, no big scratches on the body. I gently rotated the mic with my ear to the headbasket, to quickly check for a dislodged capsule: no sound. good.
I mounted it to its shockmount, then fastened it to an arm on my desk, plugged it in to my interface and turned on p48. The meter does a weird dance. I bring up a DAW to audition and record what it's picking up: "KSHHHRRRoneRRRRRRhello? POP check check POP POP hello ? One-Two. Hey it wo-SHHHHHRRRRRRKKK POP POP"
I rotate the the pattern selector, each click seems to trigger a bit of the noise, but it trails off eventually every time, leaving the mic nearly usable.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert. But it's not my first "it's broken" mic that I buy (broke girls make due). And it's not the first time I hear that sort of noisy behavior from a capsule. My current hypothesis: this mic has been sitting in very humid storage for a long while now and the mylar of the capsule is nice and hydrated by now.
"But Jill that's such a wild guess, it could be anything!"
Yup, it could. But the oxide on the hinges of the box is a bit of a tell that I should try to at least eliminate humidity. Also for now unmounting the capsule-basket assembly and placing it in can with silica
on the bottom is free, and can be done overnight. I was also going to check the electronics for dead caps buuuu
t. Well let's just say Blue didn't intend for people to dissassemble the mic. Ever complained about the bad metal work in the frame of a mic on this forum? Then buy a bunch of Blue Kiwis! This is a mic without a frame! The PCB is literally held to the tube of the body by beads of hot glue. I wish I was joking. It's a beautifully machined 2000$ mic, but I guess they couldn't be bothered to make it pretty on the inside.
Anyway, I'll see if the drying has done anything and keep y'all updated.
If the capsule is a dud, what should I replace it with? I would love to hear your suggestions!
I just got my hands on a Blue Kiwi, sold for parts, at a very very good price. I plan to repair it and or transform it into a usable studio mic again! And so, since it seems most people here share my enthusiasm for troubleshooting mics and saving studio gear from the landfill I figured I'd share my progress in a thread.
Part 1: Assessing the damage
My first order
of business was unboxing the mic, packaged in it's original cardboard box, 13 years after it rolled off the production lineThe mic itself was in great cosmetic condition, no big scratches on the body. I gently rotated the mic with my ear to the headbasket, to quickly check for a dislodged capsule: no sound. good.
I mounted it to its shockmount, then fastened it to an arm on my desk, plugged it in to my interface and turned on p48. The meter does a weird dance. I bring up a DAW to audition and record what it's picking up: "KSHHHRRRoneRRRRRRhello? POP check check POP POP hello ? One-Two. Hey it wo-SHHHHHRRRRRRKKK POP POP"
I rotate the the pattern selector, each click seems to trigger a bit of the noise, but it trails off eventually every time, leaving the mic nearly usable.
Now, I don't claim to be an expert. But it's not my first "it's broken" mic that I buy (broke girls make due). And it's not the first time I hear that sort of noisy behavior from a capsule. My current hypothesis: this mic has been sitting in very humid storage for a long while now and the mylar of the capsule is nice and hydrated by now.
"But Jill that's such a wild guess, it could be anything!"
Yup, it could. But the oxide on the hinges of the box is a bit of a tell that I should try to at least eliminate humidity. Also for now unmounting the capsule-basket assembly and placing it in can with silica
on the bottom is free, and can be done overnight. I was also going to check the electronics for dead caps buuuut. Well let's just say Blue didn't intend for people to dissassemble the mic. Ever complained about the bad metal work in the frame of a mic on this forum? Then buy a bunch of Blue Kiwis! This is a mic without a frame! The PCB is literally held to the tube of the body by beads of hot glue. I wish I was joking. It's a beautifully machined 2000$ mic, but I guess they couldn't be bothered to make it pretty on the inside.Anyway, I'll see if the drying has done anything and keep y'all updated.
If the capsule is a dud, what should I replace it with? I would love to hear your suggestions!
