MXL9000 "Real tube warmth" Condenser Mic $199.99?

[PRR]

What the heck is an MXL9000?

I opened my Guitar Center flyer for a laugh, and see "Real tube warmth for under $200" MXL9000 Condenser Mic, 7-pin mic cable, list $299.95, save $100: $199.99

It isn't on the MXL website, nor Guitar Center's site, but I found mention at another forum, and on a German dealer site.

Großmembran-Kondensator-Röhren-Mikrofon, Niere, incl. Halterung
(1) MXL STUDIOMIKRO MXL9000
MXL 9000, Röhren - Kondensator - Mikro

DAS "Einsteiger" - Röhrenmikro!
Brillianter, warmer Röhrensound zu einem sensationellen Preis !
Optimal für Gesang und akustische Instrumente.
Einsatz bei allen Audiosignalen die etwas "wärmer" im Mix klingen,
bzw. hervorgehoben werden sollen

Technische Daten:
Richtcharakteristik: - Niere
Übertragungsbereich: - 30 Hz bis 20 kHz
Maximalpegel (0,5% THD): - 122 dB
Empfindlichkeit: 38 mV/Pa
Grundrauschen (EIN): - 22 dB (A-bewertet)
Ausgangsimpedanz: - 200 Ohm
Membrandurchmesser: 25mm
Spannungsversorgung: durch spezielles Netzteil, beiliegend!
Abmessungen: 19,5 cm x 5,5 cm
Gewicht: 525g
http://www.music-station.de/imgserver/musicstation/IMAGES/PICTURE57154.jpg

Note that Guitar Center only claims "real tube warmth", not that it has a real tube. Could be an FET and a car tail-lamp heater.

For just the metal-work and the 7-pin cable, it seems worth $200 even to gut-out and replace everything inside.

 

[Gus]

I had not seen that MXL until PRR's post. It seems to be the 1" capsule (32mm model) if I understand the German, in the 1006,2006,etc china body grill.

I have two mxl V69s. The tube circuit in that is a joke. The microphones sit on the shelf.

Its a 12at7 setup as a charge amp anode follower. IIRC the tube B+ is 200V, 100k plate, cathode biased with a electro bypass cap, Electro cap! to the solid state output section. Yes I upgraded some parts still not that good a microphone.

Charge amp section is a 55pf cap plate to grid, grid to one side of the capsule and other side of the capsule to the capsule voltage source (I think it was 60 V but I would need to check) over all gain of -1

The joke it the solid state section looks like(I have not tracced it) it is based on the schoeps circuit two pnp by the output and a 170 fet at the input with a module

The 32mm china capsules are not that good IMO.

Ifthe 9000 is based on the V69m then removing the Solid State section adding a transformer and changing the tube and some wires might sound OK but it might have the 32mm capsule

 

[dale116dot7]

IMHO you don't get a tube warmth sound if the tube has no gain and there's no transformer on the output. I totally agree with Gus that the 32mm China capsule isn't very pleasant. It has this raspy sound that no tuning can get rid of.

 

[Gus]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41466&item=7326356596&tc=photo

Could it be this model? MXL seems to have a number of different model numbers.

 

[PRR]

> Could it be this model? MXL seems to have a number of different model numbers.

Not the same model-number but the MXL V76T has identical ad-specs and street-price is also $199.

What is the difference between the MXL V69 that Gus dislikes and the MXL V76?

At this point I suspect that the 9000 is a mix-and-match of V76, V69, and other parts, possibly designed to sell at a lower price or a higher mark-up. Or maybe just so selected vendors can have an exclusive model (and not have to meet lowest-price lowball vendors).

 

[Gus]

Did some more reading on the web. If what I read is true (I don't trust web information that much) MXL had a v77 model that was made by 797 audio or had a 797 audio capsule in it a 34 mm 3 micron. The 77 was transformer out with a 12at7 gain stage.

The v76 is a transformer out(from the ebay ad) don't know if it uses one triode or two triodes don't know if it has a CF. I would GUESS it would have again stage then a CF into a 2:1 or greater output transfomer because of costs.

I have fit a ELA M250 6072a type circuit using a jensen 12:1 in the china microphone bodys about that size but it was a tight fit.

With the 32mm capsules, MXLs do seem to have better QA compared to the ones in my nadys and a sam ash brand ld1 I have



PRR posted

"Or maybe just so selected vendors can have an exclusive model (and not have to meet lowest-price lowball vendors)."

I think this makes sense, someone told me mars music had different MXL numbers than other stores.

One thing I should state is that I am picky with capsules, others might find the 32mm china ones to work for them. The thing is once you get some good capsules or good microphones your taste might change. The 32mm can be good on some voices maybe they might be good for uses when they are used at a distance away were the high end boost might help.

 

[synthetic]

MXL has a new tube model at that price, I guess this is the one but I'm not sure of the model name. It's supposed to be an all-new design, voiced like a U-47 for a more present sound. At least, that's what they told me at NAMM. I don't see it on their website.

I have an MXL 960 tube mic, also $199. It sounds nice to me, but I haven't done any serious recording yet. (The API mic pre should press it into service soon enough.) It looks nice too, and plenty of room inside for mods. :grin:

http://www.mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/900_Series/MXL960/mxl960.htm