Neumann Vintage U87 Clone : Build Thread.

[Ricardus]

Ricardus, I wasn't sure if your post was in reply to me, but I'll respond as if it were 

Yes, it was for you.

 

[BladeSG]

I'm about to start this build using the SYT-5 body and Beesneez K8 capsule.

Do I remove the capsule from the Beesneez mount to go on the Chinese mount as the Beesneez mount doesn't look as though its going to be compatible with the plastic part between the chassis and capsule mount?

Anyone have photos of how this was done if you used the same body and capsule?

 

[Ricardus]

I'm about to start this build using the SYT-5 body and Beesneez K8 capsule.

Do I remove the capsule from the Beesneez mount to go on the Chinese mount as the Beesneez mount doesn't look as though its going to be compatible with the plastic part between the chassis and capsule mount?

Anyone have photos of how this was done if you used the same body and capsule?

I bought the capsule mount from Peluso when I bought the capsules.

I took out the plastic thing that came with the body, and mounted the Peluso mount in there. It just required drawing some lines and drilling some holes.

 

[BladeSG]

I bought the capsule mount from Peluso when I bought the capsules.

I took out the plastic thing that came with the body, and mounted the Peluso mount in there. It just required drawing some lines and drilling some holes.

Thank you.

So you removed the plastic part at the base altogether?

 

[Ricardus]

Thank you.

So you removed the plastic part at the base altogether?

Yes.

Then I had to draw some lines and make them square. I used a pair of calipers to measuer the distance between the holes on the Peluso mount. I think it was exactly 3/10 of an inch then I marked that on the metal plate, used a punch to mark the holes so the but wouldn't drift, then drilled.

I also measured the diameter of the mounting screws so I could select a bit that was bigger, but not too much bigger.

 

[BladeSG]

Thanks Ricardus, appreciated greatly.

 

[BladeSG]

Finished the build. My first LDC.

Beesnessz K8 capsule & AMI T13. Everything seems to work as it should. Chose FET around 11.0mA and biased with scope and ended up approx. 10.8V after bias.

Never used a real one but this is indeed very very impressive. Easily the best mic I own now. Thanks to Dany especially and everyone who posted useful information in this thread.

I made a little mount to replace the plastic one in the China body to suit the Bees K8 capsule.

 

[Ricardus]

Awesome!

I just used mine the other night to do a stereo recording of a Big Band that I did live sound for. Came out great.

Can't wait to build another pair.

 

[Ricardus]

Did you notice any differences in sound between 2-10mA of Idss?

This is actually a question I have. The Fairchild 2N3819s I got have IDSS's between 2 and 6. What ends up happening if you build a mic with a 2, as compared to something higher like a 10?

 

[poctop]

There is the Good News ,  thanks to Santas

Central Semi has decided to offer the 3819 again to the public ,
this is a vey nice part with very low  and constant idss,

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Central-Semiconductor/2N3819?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvDjfggS9kWsemihYCU8ViWI4XW6jNH1TQ%3D&fbclid=IwAR1-t4Mv7WQsacaZQu0-5OnFibjxhvSgloRcVHNHphBYJuSfymQfl2Pw15c

 

[fsalter]

Great news!. Thanks for letting us know Dan.

 

[Ricardus]

I recently found some NOS Motorola 2N3819s that a mic manufacturer friend of mine says are his fave, and I tested about a dozen of them and their IDSSs all came in around 6.5 to 6.7.

So my previous question from a few posts ago still stands. 

 

[btyreman]

does anyone have any audio clips of this mic in action? would love to hear it.

 

[FarisElek]

I've built some preamps and fixed some compressors so I thought I was ready for this but I may have gotten over my head.

1) Totally not sure If I have the AML T13 transformer is in right as it has two yellow and two black wires which is kind of confusing. Tried my best to find connectivity of the transformer through holes to the XLR through holes and kind of guessed which black wire and yellow wire to the tranfo was which.

2) Tried biasing the fet using the multi-meter method. However, my turning of the Pot seems to do nothing. it stays around 8.5 volts.

3) Testing the mic has produced mostly electrical static-y noise, but occasionally if I jiggle the mic while testing I'll get my voice to come out for a second.

Please help me.,,..


Ryan

 

[Ricardus]

I've built some preamps and fixed some compressors so I thought I was ready for this but I may have gotten over my head.

1) Totally not sure If I have the AML T13 transformer is in right as it has two yellow and two black wires which is kind of confusing. Tried my best to find connectivity of the transformer through holes to the XLR through holes and kind of guessed which black wire and yellow wire to the tranfo was which.

2) Tried biasing the fet using the multi-meter method. However, my turning of the Pot seems to do nothing. it stays around 8.5 volts.

3) Testing the mic has produced mostly electrical static-y noise, but occasionally if I jiggle the mic while testing I'll get my voice to come out for a second.

Please help me.,,..


Ryan

Let's start small. Surely the transformer must have come with a data sheet?

 

[Bonnie1]

1) Totally not sure If I have the AML T13 transformer is in right as it has two yellow and two black wires which is kind of confusing. Tried my best to find connectivity of the transformer through holes to the XLR through holes and kind of guessed which black wire and yellow wire to the tranfo was which.

Hi Ryan, your T13 should have arrived w/ data sheet, blacks are primary, yellows secondary. Adjacent black/yellow are in phase.

-dmax

 

[FarisElek]

How does that correspond to the d-u87 circuit though?

 

[FarisElek]

Ok ya'll. I finally had time to sit an work on this thing. I just ended up redoing the whole thing. desoldered everything except the capacitors. Retouched up all the soldering. Cleaned the heck out of the PCB. Redid the wiring so it's really neat and pretty. Figured out the transformer and wired it according to what another build threat with an AML T13 did. Changed out R4 + R5 just in case there was finger prints on it. Kept everything SUPER CLEAN.

Results:

STATIC. if I move the XLR cable about it's all static-y. Otherwise no signal.

A multi-meter to the Hot shows i'm getting -0.5DC?
I wired it according the to the excell spreadsheet.  Isn't 1 usually ground?

When I transferred the capsule over to the new capsule assembly, I just screwed the capsule into any holes that worked. Is that okay? I figured it was because the plate had wires attached directly to the plate aside from the capsule mount.

 

[FarisElek]

Totally realized I misunderstood the excell and that the XLR pin out wiring should be wired normally. Oops. Fixed it. Getting 48v at the 2k2 resistors. 22v at the Zener diode. No signal still. Did I destroy something. Where should I check?

 

[FarisElek]

Last update before I have to go back to my job.
My multimeter is reading 46v at Weiss and Blau transformer holes. That's where my secondary wires are. And the Primary wires are reading nothing! That seems realllly weird. I'm a newbie though so I don't know for sure if that's weird. Did I wire the transformer backwards?