Nady TCM-1050 to-U47-mod

[pebblefable]

Hi everyone! 
This is my very first post, I'm looking for your advice because I've never finished any diy projects before. Now I feel like this would be the combine that I'd most pleasure.

Since I've heard the sound of the modern Telefunken U47 by some tests on the net I totally fell in love with it. I spent months and months to get the most informed possible of the diy world, microphone circuits, mic capsules etc, and at the end I decided to mod the TCM-1050 to recreate that awesome sound; Inside it fits a BV8-type transformer and the headgrill is kinda similar to the U47 one, guess it's perfect for this (even the guy of OktavaMod use it for the U47 mods).

So, let's start with the circuit:

The resistor yellow-circled is a 3 Kohms one. K47-style capule has a little peak at 4kHz, not 3k, so I bought a 3.9 Komhs resistor and will change it with this one (well, nobody got a 4 Komhs one, so....)
And you see the C9 and C10 elements red-circled? They are wrong components which are intended to tone down the high frequencies, but they don't work as expected and boost them. Recordinghacks.com tells this is a "bug" present in Avantone CV-12, Apex 460 and all the other mics with this circuit board. Is it correct that it only takes to desolder them off?

Now.. The capsule... I noticed that even the modern Telefunken U47 has an M7 capsule, not a K47. The Telefunken one is too much expensive (1000 bucks) and I don't think its cost matches as the real value, considering that their U47 in itself costs 10000 bucks (what the.....), so I started get intrigued by the Thiersch one, which costs between 350 and 400 euros and comes from Europe (I live in Italy).
My question is: is it really a good deal to get the Thiersch M7 capsule and an Ami Tab-Funkenwerk BV8N transformer (300$ + shipping and custom duties) instead of an AK47 and a BV8 both from Advanced Audio? I perfectly know the more you pay is the more you get (or, well, usually), but they're not 20$ chinese components, for this kind of mod is it really a good deal spend all those money for the Thiersch and the Ami? I mean: the difference would be audible? The mic I use and always used in my studio is a Neumann BCM 104, and I expect this project would give me a more-quality-microphone.


P.S. About the tube... Would you choose a TAD 12AY7 with gold pins or a Mesa Boogie 12AT7? I tried the TAD 12AT7 and the Mesa in an MXL V69 and the Mesa was much better, but everyone say microphones with "12-kind-socket" might have a 12AY7, soo.....?

 

[micaddict]

Welcome! 

Quite a few questions there. Let me start with the capsule. Thiersch is a good upgrade, especially if you're in Europe.
But several of our members here make a fine one, too. Poctop (Dany) makes an M7; BeesNeez (Ben and Veronica) make an M7, K47and K7 ; Tskguy (Eric) makes a  dual backplate K47.

 

[pebblefable]

Thiersch is a good upgrade, especially if you're in Europe. (?)
But several of our members here make a fine one, too. Poctop (Dany) makes an M7; BeesNeez (Ben and Veronica) make an M7, K47and K7 ; Tskguy (Eric) makes a  dual backplate K47.

All of those capsules seem great, as the Thiersch one and others, but my question is: how much would it sound better compared to the "stocks"? I mean: Poctop's M7 surely sound better than an Advanced Audio AK47 or a MicrophoneParts RK47, but how much? And also: the AK47 seems great because the specs are very similar to the Telefunken one, but it's not an M7 at all, just a little-diameter K47 with 26.0mm and 6.0-micron Mylar of diaphragms, but would it sound similar?

 

[Deepdark]

Sounds comparison is more of a personal taste. Maybe in listening test you will prefere the Advance audio capsule than the Beezneez, i.e. It's quiet impossible to tel by how much one is better than another because its not really quantifiable.

 

[pebblefable]

Sounds comparison is more of a personal taste. Maybe in listening test you will prefere the Advance audio capsule than the Beezneez, i.e. It's quiet impossible to tel by how much one is better than another because its not really quantifiable.

It's not a "timbre factor", like which one's warmer etc, I was talking about the quality in itself, the sound detail. So you think I might appreciate more the AK47 than the Thiersch M7?
And what about the transformer?

 

[micaddict]

so I started get intrigued by the Thiersch one, which costs between 350 and 400 euros

The site states it's 240 for the red and 270 for the blue line (PVC).
Even with VAT that's below your quote.

We have group buys here for Chinese capsules. That way you can buy a capsule for 30 dollars or even less (the K47 has 3 micron Mylar). Although some believe in miracles, I say you can't expect the same quality. But yes, unless you get a dog (!), they're better than 30 dollars would suggest.

The AA K47 has a (slightly smaller) brass ring, 6 micron Mylar and likely shares its origin with the now discontinued Microphone Parts K7.
Chinese, but certainly not bad.

 

[pebblefable]

The site states it's 240 for the red and 270 for the blue line (PVC).
Even with VAT that's below your quote.

Sorry, wrote wrong...  ;D
Anyway.. what about the C9 and C10 elements?

 

[Deepdark]

It's not a "timbre factor", like which one's warmer etc, I was talking about the quality in itself, the sound detail. So you think I might appreciate more the AK47 than the Thiersch M7?
And what about the transformer?

Quality wise, i think the advanced audio and microphone parts one a really well made. Maybe not like the high end ones, but for the price, they really worth it