Neumann Vintage U87 Clone : Build Thread.

[kante1603]

So without the jumper its Hyper Cardioid?  Not just cardioid?

Scott,

No U87 in the world has a hyper cardioid mode.I think it is just a typo.So when no jumper plugged in it is cardioid.

Udo.

 

[saxmonster]

Ok so I am still waiting for my C1 styrene replacement to arrive but I do have the mica in there so I was itching to record tonight.  So as I was working on some sax reeds I decided to record another draft of the melody to the Mr. Magic demo.  I really can't get over how great this mic sounds.  Even with crappy reeds It's fantastic.  I am getting better and better at using it and working it into a mix.  I love how the sound is so fat and punchy yet clear and clean.  It gives me everything that is coming out of the sax.  No hype upper end and no boxy type sound.  When I go to record the horn-section I might use this u87 on the trombone or as a room mic, I will have to experiment a bit with it on a horn section.

Here is the signal chain.

U87 --->  EZ1073 ----> DBX266 (barley on) --->  into DP MOTU 2408mkII  --->  Waves true-verb.

still a work in progress.

http://www.ehornstudios.com/media/MRMEDIT.mp3

-Scott

 

[tskguy]

Sounds great!!! Very smooth. 8)
Is that the Peluso capsule?

Eric

 

[pasarski]

Ok so I am still waiting for my C1 styrene replacement to arrive but I do have the mica in there so I was itching to record tonight...

Please let us know which one you prefer after you've changed it!

 

[sr1200]

Yeah, im still waiting for mine from Newark (did you get the May 17th shipping date too?)  I just got my T-13 on friday... I gotta see if the mount i have on my host mic will fit the peluso capsule though.  Im gonna try and use that OSA mic that has the 3 switches which i gotta figure out the wiring for as well.

 

[saxmonster]

Yes this is using the Peluso capsule K87i with all original u87 guts from the bom.  Its sounds so good.  I am actually getting my styrene from justradios.com  I will keep you posted if I do hear a difference with styrene vs mica in the C1.

Thanks
-Scott

 

[wave]

Scott,
Are you sure it's a mica? C1 is a 470pF cap and the replacement if not using the styrene is a pulse film. The only mica in the BOM is the 10pF cap.

Dave

 

[saxmonster]

Yes it is pluse film sorry

 

[wave]

Here is a take with my Epiphone 12-string.

http://soundcloud.com/waveaudio/12-string-take/s-LBxSG

Signal path is:
U87 --> 9098 (pre only)--> LA2A (p2p, sowter transformers, 6dB gain reduction)--> MOTU 2408 MKII--> Protools 9

I'm a bit heavy handed and my luthier set up this 12 string with lights. Gotta learn to not bang on it so much

Dave

EDIT: Soundcloud's encoding leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I can A/B with my PT session and the soundcloud version is a bit harsh.

 

[Edward]

Hi all!

I would need some help with the calibration process, I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question or if it has discussed before and I missed it.

Boards are fully stuffed, AMI T13 transformer, no capsule yet. My problem is that I can't hear the 1KHz sinus tone through the microphone in my DAW. I am feeding the tone to RT + ,SW -, but all that comes out at the XLR is a big buzz. When I turn R11 all the way to one side the buzz goes away. If i turn it the other way nothing changes.

I made some measurments:

47.52V Phantom in. At the zener i measured 23.6V. R18 47.69V, R19 47.24V. At C10 I got 20.85V and when measuring at FC I have 40.78V.


What am I missing, are the measurments good enough? Any help would be highly appreciated! 

 

[sr1200]

OK now i have a dumb question.. I got the Peluso K87i capsule, and there are 3 wires connected to it.  I have the parts for the 4th wire, but the screws they supply dont fit, they seem to bottom out like 1/8" in. I dont want to force it, is this right?

 

[wave]

OK now i have a dumb question.. I got the Peluso K87i capsule, and there are 3 wires connected to it.  I have the parts for the 4th wire, but the screws they supply dont fit, they seem to bottom out like 1/8" in. I dont want to force it, is this right?

Chop it off. Def don't force it. The backplate wire screws in the RK-87 are like 2mm.

Dave

 

[MagnetoSound]

OK now i have a dumb question.. I got the Peluso K87i capsule, and there are 3 wires connected to it.  I have the parts for the 4th wire, but the screws they supply dont fit, they seem to bottom out like 1/8" in. I dont want to force it, is this right?

Is it meant to screw in through the mount?

 

[poctop]

Hi all!

I would need some help with the calibration process, I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question or if it has discussed before and I missed it.

Boards are fully stuffed, AMI T13 transformer, no capsule yet. My problem is that I can't hear the 1KHz sinus tone through the microphone in my DAW. I am feeding the tone to RT + ,SW -, but all that comes out at the XLR is a big buzz. When I turn R11 all the way to one side the buzz goes away. If i turn it the other way nothing changes.

I made some measurments:

47.52V Phantom in. At the zener i measured 23.6V. R18 47.69V, R19 47.24V. At C10 I got 20.85V and when measuring at FC I have 40.78V.




What am I missing, are the measurments good enough? Any help would be highly appreciated!

Do you have a scope to bias ? your voltage looks goods, the behavior of the FET seems to be proper execpt for the buzz,  could you try setting your drain voltage at 11.5V and then connect the capsule and try the mic with the body installed and everything. that will tell us if there is an underlying problem with your buzz ,  make sure the pcb is properly grounded to the mic body so in this manner you take a step forward to come back with more answer.  please visit the first page of the white market thread as there is a ton of info for troublshooting and hint on capsule connection as well.

 

[poctop]

OK now i have a dumb question.. I got the Peluso K87i capsule, and there are 3 wires connected to it.  I have the parts for the 4th wire, but the screws they supply dont fit, they seem to bottom out like 1/8" in. I dont want to force it, is this right?

Is it meant to screw in through the mount?

Yes one of them is suppose to screw trough the mount indeed ,  please refer to picture on the first page of the white market all the connection point to the peluso are illustrated
Hope this helps,
Dan,

 

[sr1200]

yeah the screws i got with the mic are like 5+ mm (same screws as the mounting screws for the capsule, too long to screw in all the way on the body of the capsule)  so as long as its making electrical contact with that brass lookin part im good, yes?  (i have old screws laying around that would work for this)  Hopefully I'll be getting my cap from Newark tomorrow and can start getting things going.

 

[poctop]

OK now i have a dumb question.. I got the Peluso K87i capsule, and there are 3 wires connected to it.  I have the parts for the 4th wire, but the screws they supply dont fit, they seem to bottom out like 1/8" in. I dont want to force it, is this right?

The 4th wire connection will actually go trough the mount and in the backplate you should not have to cut the screws for the peluso capsule, please refer the the white market first page there is guidance picture there,
hope this helps,
Dany,

 

[sr1200]

The pic on the first page of the white market thread shows an arrow pointing to the side screw hole and an X over the existing one, theres nothing there saying anything about the screws or lengths, but either way, i know WHERE its supposed to go,  I think that peluso sent me a wrong screw and just wanted to see if anyone else had the same issue.

 

[wave]

Did you try screwing it through the mount?

Dave

 

[sr1200]

I guess i could, but i think the way my mount is the capsul would be backwards from the way I want to orient it with the switches.  I guessi could reverse the mount entirely too... ugh lol.