Making a LDC Capsule - Videos

[Tim Campbell]

It would not be hard to make a very stable version that fits on diy mics.

I actually did this many years ago. You have to realize Dale Ulan and I were building capsules on the old forum that preceded this one more than 20 years ago.

I would have pursued it but my activities as "a little girl" have kept me too busy

You should be aware that Sennheiser/Neumann have a lot of rights in europe as Telefunken USA has found out. The EU market is more complex about infringement and that's why you don't see real U67 clones in europe because Neumann has reissued it. They still make this capsule.

 

[Whoops]

Kk84 can be crazy inconsistent, especially if vintage. They are insanely sensitive to ring and pin tension variation. Even temperature difference can throw the response off.

We had 3x Neumann KM84 mics,
Tested all of them.
one was pretty bad, no low end , no highs, sounded like a duck.
The other 2 KM84 were fine and sounded pretty similar.
The Warm Audio WA-84 pair sounded similar one to the other, but completely different than the Neumann mics, like a Tilt EQ with 2dbs towards the low end

 

[Tim Campbell]

We had 3x Neumann KM84 mics,
Tested all of them.
one was pretty bad, no low end , no highs, sounded like a duck.
The other 2 KM84 were fine and sounded pretty similar.
The Warm Audio WA-84 pair sounded similar one to the other, but completely different than the Neumann mics, like a Tilt EQ with 2dbs towards the low end

You can send me the one that sounds like a duck. I like duck.

 

[Whoops]

You can send me the one that sounds like a duck. I like duck.

LOLOLOLOL
I know it's pretty funny my description, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean.

 

[Sonic]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
In the Soviet Union (and now too) there was a copy of the KM 84 capsule - this is the Octava MKE-2 microphone (cardioid). There was also a microphone with a omni directional - MKE-10.
These microphones were microphones with a very soft upper frequency range.
There was also a version of the microphone on a vacuum tube - "Octava MK-12".

 

[Tim Campbell]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
In the Soviet Union (and now too) there was a copy of the KM 84 capsule - this is the Octava MKE-2 microphone (cardioid). There was also a microphone with a omni directional - MKE-10.
These microphones were microphones with a very soft upper frequency range.
There was also a version of the microphone on a vacuum tube - "Octava MK-12".

Do you have any pics of the backplates? My experience with russian capsules has been that although externally they resemble western capsules, internally they invariably have unique, rather odd construction.
I actually do quite a bit of work for russians.

 

[Matt Nolan]

Do you have any pics of the backplates? My experience with russian capsules has been that although externally they resemble western capsules, internally they invariably have unique, rather odd construction.
I actually do quite a bit of work for russians.

Hey Tim, have you ever worked with the LD capsule from Lomo that you find the 19A19 and others? The edge-terminated one with a non-metallised rear diaphragm along with other interesting features. For me they have quite a special sound. It might be nice one day to recreate these.

 

[Tim Campbell]

Yes I have. They have an extra chamber and have a low output since they are normally polarized very high. A quirky version of a CK12 that in my opinion doesn't sound as good

 

[Sonic]

Tim, hi! Now I have taken some photos of the MKE-2 capsule, which I have in my desk. The backplate is made of a dielectric with a metallized layer applied to the front side. The MK-12 backplate and the corrective rear washer are made of metal, but I don't have a photo of them. There is only a general picture.

I have an Octava MK-13M microphone and many of us think that the capsule is a copy of the M7, but I compared the drawing of the M7 with the MK-13 and it is clear from the location of the through holes that they are not in the same places as the original M7.

 

[Tim Campbell]

Wow. a pretty precise copy. Here's a Neumann original I have on my bench.

 

[Sonic]

Yes. Twin brother.)

 

[Tim Campbell]

Hey Tim, have you ever worked with the LD capsule from Lomo that you find the 19A19 and others? The edge-terminated one with a non-metallised rear diaphragm along with other interesting features. For me they have quite a special sound. It might be nice one day to recreate these.

Matt here is a triple chambered capsule I did in 2004 which is a little similar.

 

[Matt Nolan]

Matt here is a triple chambered capsule I did in 2004 which is a little similar.

View attachment 88066

Thanks Tim.

It looks quite like the Lomos were somewhat reverse engineered from the CK12, though the metallisation is different (even on the front diaphragm). Without giving trade secrets away, is there anything else idiosyncratic about them that you are willing to share?

 

[Tim Campbell]

All cardioid capsules follow the same principles it is just that every russian capsule I have worked on has taken an overly complex mechanical route to get to the same place.

 

[kingkorg]

Tim, hi! Now I have taken some photos of the MKE-2 capsule, which I have in my desk. The backplate is made of a dielectric with a metallized layer applied to the front side. The MK-12 backplate and the corrective rear washer are made of metal, but I don't have a photo of them. There is only a general picture.

I have an Octava MK-13M microphone and many of us think that the capsule is a copy of the M7, but I compared the drawing of the M7 with the MK-13 and it is clear from the location of the through holes that they are not in the same places as the original M7.

Dude!
Somehow i'm sure this post will be the most important one posted in 2022! You made me a very happy man

 

[Whoops]

Tim, hi! Now I have taken some photos of the MKE-2 capsule, which I have in my desk. The backplate is made of a dielectric with a metallized layer applied to the front side. The MK-12 backplate and the corrective rear washer are made of metal, but I don't have a photo of them. There is only a general picture.

I have an Octava MK-13M microphone and many of us think that the capsule is a copy of the M7, but I compared the drawing of the M7 with the MK-13 and it is clear from the location of the through holes that they are not in the same places as the original M7.

WOW, it's great to see those photos, It's the first time I actually see a copy of the KK84 backplate.
How and why did you dismantle the capsule, was it broken?
Or it's possible to dismantle it and assemble it again without damaging anything?

Thanks

 

[Recording Engineer]

A real 19A13, lovely! Yes, anyone can take Tim’s CT12 and make some sort of variation of one of the classic 19A Series Lomo mics… My 19A13-inspired pair with his capsule sounds wonderful! Completely different than my 251E-type with his capsule!

By the way, maybe I should give my horrific sounding pair of original Lomo transformers I bought for the mics (they actually replaced my first pair of horrific sounding ones) to Moby and let him recreate some good-sounding ones!

 

[Sonic]

kingkorg, Whoops​

I am glad if I have provided any useful information.

How and why did you dismantle the capsule, was it broken?

I had a capsule without a preamp body. There are two problems: the diaphragm is torn in the middle and there was no contact between the metallization of the backplate and the central threaded bushing.

Or it's possible to dismantle it and assemble it again without damaging anything?

Yes. The capsule is disassembled easily: the pressure ring with a thread is unscrewed and everything is carefully removed.

 

[Whoops]

Thank you so much for your contributions Sonic.
There’s something attractive to me on Russian mics, I don’t know if it’s the looks or the different way of doing things but I think Lomo and Oktava are pretty cool.
I’m working on an MK-219 at the moment
Kind Regards

 

[Whoops]

I found this really nice page showing a photo "Take apart" of a K67 capsule

https://audioimprov.com/AudioImprov/Mics/Entries/2013/2/19_K67_Capsule_Take-apart.html