Noob needs help with z5600a II mic repair

[Adam Frandsen]

It will be a lot cheaper to buy the connectors from an electronics supplier, not a mic manufacturer. A web search here in UK on duckduckgo for "GX20 connector" brings up a lot of results on ebay and amazon.

Here's a GX series catalog download page from a Chinese manufacturer:
https://www.renhotecpro.com/download/gx-aviation-connector-pdf-catalog-download/
Don't know if they'll sell small quantities but the catalog contains useful info and drawings so you can work out which connectors you need to look for.

That is the manufacturer I was talking about, I have been in contact with them, and they are willing to sell test batches of 5 sets male and female, but they don’t have the right one in their catalogue unfortunately… only as gx25

 

[Adam Frandsen]

maybe it is easier to just change the whole socket on the PSU to a more accessible 8 pin type… and thanks for your answer again!!

 

[pucho812]

No, I don't mean the female plug you purchased on the mic end of the cable, I mean the reverse male connecter that screws on to the power supply. I can find it for GX16, name is straight reverse male GX16 8 pin, but cannot find the GX20. I found one manufacturer who has one with a cutout in the ring instead of the little square alignment bump inside the sE plug.

A plug either has pins(male) or holes(female). Unlike society, there are only 2 genders when it comes to connectors.

That said, now I am really confused. So to clarify the schematics are the correct ones, they are just hard to read? If so we can help there.

Pins 6 and 5 are audio out +/-
6 is audio + balanced
5 is - balanced
Pins 2 and 7 are the heaters
Pin 2 has voltage( might be 6v might be 12v), probably 6v based on schematic.
Pin 7 is a ground
Pin 3 is pattern voltage
Pin 1 is b+ going to plates looks like 160v
Pin 4 looks to be ground connection as well

As for how you wire the cable, wire it as a pass through so that on each end pin 1 goes to pin 1 and so forth. Plus as you have a working cable now can easily just copy it.

 

[Nen'O]

Hi,
Few weeks ago I did exactly the same thing to the old SE Electronics Z5600a II.

I went ahead and ordered new cable from manufacturer. It was around 80€ plus shipping

Part number - AC7


~ SE customer support is one of the best I came across . Try talking to them.

As for a tube swap my first choice for this mic was 12AY7/6072, followed by 12AT7.

Stock capsule is OK if it’s in good condition. If it needs cleaning better go with a new one.

3U audio M7 is great choice for tenor and baritone voices
CK12 capsule for soprano, mezzo soprano, contra alto.


Make sure voltage polarisation is around 60-70v. If it’s higher you will need to change 2 zeners in psu for 62v 1.3W zeners, otherwise new capsule won’t work properly.

-First thing you need to take care of when opening the mic or psu is that it runs on high voltage and it stays charged for some time after it’s turned off.
Make sure you discharge circuit before you touch anything.

- mics are sensitive to bad soldering and any kind of “dirt” . don’t touch anything with bare hands, always wear gloves.

Modding mics is great way to learn how it works and and how it affects recording quality.

Se Z5600 is great candidate for mod as with little tweaks it can sound really good.

Happy mods

 

[Adam Frandsen]

A plug either has pins(male) or holes(female). Unlike society, there are only 2 genders when it comes to connectors.

That said, now I am really confused. So to clarify the schematics are the correct ones, they are just hard to read? If so we can help there.

Pins 6 and 5 are audio out +/-
6 is audio + balanced
5 is - balanced
Pins 2 and 7 are the heaters
Pin 2 has voltage( might be 6v might be 12v), probably 6v based on schematic.
Pin 7 is a ground
Pin 3 is pattern voltage
Pin 1 is b+ going to plates looks like 160v
Pin 4 looks to be ground connection as well

As for how you wire the cable, wire it as a pass through so that on each end pin 1 goes to pin 1 and so forth. Plus as you have a working cable now can easily just copy it.

Thanks for deciphering the schematic, I know what male and female plugs are, and as I said I am looking for the reverse male straight connector, guess they call it reverse to distinguish it from the male socket or the threaded one, either way they label it so. GX16 8 Pin aviation Connector Reverse Straight Male Plug For Cable, that one has a cutout and not a bump inside for orientation, which is what I need - same as the peluso one. Also now I need to figure out if mine is different, because pin 3 sure doesn’t go to the pattern dial inside my PSU, guess that just confirms there are 9 different variations of the cable for the same mic, as the sE distributor said. Very confusing… See pics in next post…

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Here are the pics

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Hi,
Few weeks ago I did exactly the same thing to the old SE Electronics Z5600a II.

I went ahead and ordered new cable from manufacturer. It was around 80€ plus shipping

Part number - AC7


~ SE customer support is one of the best I came across . Try talking to them.

As for a tube swap my first choice for this mic was 12AY7/6072, followed by 12AT7.

Stock capsule is OK if it’s in good condition. If it needs cleaning better go with a new one.

3U audio M7 is great choice for tenor and baritone voices
CK12 capsule for soprano, mezzo soprano, contra alto.


Make sure voltage polarisation is around 60-70v. If it’s higher you will need to change 2 zeners in psu for 62v 1.3W zeners, otherwise new capsule won’t work properly.

-First thing you need to take care of when opening the mic or psu is that it runs on high voltage and it stays charged for some time after it’s turned off.
Make sure you discharge circuit before you touch anything.

- mics are sensitive to bad soldering and any kind of “dirt” . don’t touch anything with bare hands, always wear gloves.

Modding mics is great way to learn how it works and and how it affects recording quality.

Se Z5600 is great candidate for mod as with little tweaks it can sound really good.

Happy mods

Hi Awesome, will try and see if I can get a hold of an M7 here, I was lucky with the pk-47 that someone who had lived in Portland and bought one, but never got it installed, was selling it on Shopee with receipt. Will try that first. Do I need to change those diodes for the pk-47 as well? It does say 60v in the mic no?

 

[Nen'O]

Hi,
K47 can see up to 90v, actually that capsule is perfect candidate for your mic.
You can always check polarisation voltage by measuring R1 in mic.

Didn’t mentioned k47 earlier as it sounds “similar” to M7 and I prefer it for vocals.

If ever want to order something from 3U audio you can speak directly with them . All theirs stuff, transformers , capsules and mics are of premium quality.

Let s know how did mod go and send us some files before and after mod
Cheers

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Hi,
K47 can see up to 90v, actually that capsule is perfect candidate for your mic.
You can always check polarisation voltage by measuring R1 in mic.

Didn’t mentioned k47 earlier as it sounds “similar” to M7 and I prefer it for vocals.

If ever want to order something from 3U audio you can speak directly with them . All theirs stuff, transformers , capsules and mics are of premium quality.

Let s know how did mod go and send us some files before and after mod
Cheers

Will do and thanks for the encouragement! Cheers

(BTW. is your cable wiring the same as mine in the picture?)

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Here are the pics

My logic:

Inside the mic there are 8 connections going to the plug:

1. GND: This is the ground connection
2. 60V: This could be the voltage for the polar pattern dial?
3. 180V: This is likely the plate voltage for the tube?
4. CHU-JI: This could be an audio signal line for ground?
5. CI-JI: These could be the audio signal lines (two of them for a balanced audio signal)?
6. 0-120V: This could be a variable voltage line, perhaps for the low pass and attenuation switches?
7. 6.3V: This is likely the heater voltage for the tube?

According to the colors, the one missing inside the PSU is the red one, which I guess could go to the 8th pin in the middle? The red seems to carry the 180v for the plate voltage of the tube… Am I wrong?

 

[Khron]

Who says all connector pins must mandatorily be used? How many wires does the cable have?

PS: "6. 0-120v This could be a variable voltage line" - why wouldn't this be the voltage coming from the pattern dial?

"Inside the mic there are 8 connections going to the plug:" - then how does your list end at 7?

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Who says all connector pins must mandatorily be used? How many wires does the cable have?

PS: "6. 0-120v This could be a variable voltage line" - why wouldn't this be the voltage coming from the pattern dial?

"Inside the mic there are 8 connections going to the plug:" - then how does your list end at 7?

No one is saying that, but I am asking… The recommended cable was the sommer cable octave, which has 7 conductors and I guess the shield could be ground, so 8 connections. My list has two CI-JI for the +/- audio signal…and yes, you are right, the variable voltage would more likely be the pattern dial.

 

[Khron]

Shield should be ground(ed).

Also looking at the schematic, the 60v line must be the one going straight to the backplate. Heater goes to the heater (and C11).

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Shield should be ground(ed).

Also looking at the schematic, the 60v line must be the one going straight to the backplate. Heater goes to the heater (and C11).

Am I then right to suggest that all 8 should probably be used? Or am I missing something?

 

[Khron]

All eight what? Wires in the cable? Yes.

Do you (also) have 8 pins in the connector?

As you've listed, there seem to only be seven connection points inside the mic. Clarity in communication can ease troubleshooting-from-afar.

 

[Adam Frandsen]

All eight what? Wires in the cable? Yes.

Do you (also) have 8 pins in the connector?

As you've listed, there seem to only be seven connection points inside the mic. Clarity in communication can ease troubleshooting-from-afar.

Yes - let me try and be clear, the cable and connectors have 8 pins, inside the PSU there is nothing connected to the middle pin (pin 8). The mic sounds weak and when first connected had a terrible hum. Inside the PSU one electrolytic cap had visibly failed and I had it changed, now the hum is gone. I bought the mic used and it has had several repairs an recappings it seems, so I just want to get everything up to spec.

 

[Khron]

Ok, then i once again must ask - even if a connector has 8 pins, why would they mandatorily all be in use?

Maybe (or rather, likely) they could get those 8-pin connectors cheaper-enough than any 7-pin alternatives. Using a 6-pin when they needed 7 signals would've been a bit more awkward, but as long as they have the same or greater number of pins available, where's the problem? Especially since, as you say, there's nothing connected to the 8th pin inside the PSU.

I'm assuming there's nothing connected to the 8th pin inside the mic either? And is there one wire, or are there two wires going to the "CHU-JI" pad inside the mic? If it's just one, i'll guess it's the wire connecting to the DC-blocking / high-pass capacitors, wire coming from one end of the primary winding.

 

[pucho812]

Ok I can’t play with this anymore.
In the first pic you provide you have a male plug. On the psu you have a female plug. The male plug specifically has that bump so that you don’t plug it in any old way, only one way. Some say it’s called being keyed, I say polarized. Not sure what the official term is.
I gave you pinout based on the schematics you then said your logic which does not follow the schematic. If you wish to not damage your mic, stop it. Confirm that you actually are measuring correct pins as it’s easy to get lost.
If the mics not for you meaning you don’t like it, then sell it and find one you do.
If you wish to proceed be prepared that You may break the mic and it stop working.
Oh and for what it’s worth the schematics are not too pixilated to read, I read most of it from my iPhone just fine.
I don’t know how many more people will help you here while you refute them.

 

[Adam Frandsen]

Ok I can’t play with this anymore.
In the first pic you provide you have a male plug. On the psu you have a female plug. The male plug specifically has that bump so that you don’t plug it in any old way, only one way. Some say it’s called being keyed, I say polarized. Not sure what the official term is.
I gave you pinout based on the schematics you then said your logic which does not follow the schematic. If you wish to not damage your mic, stop it. Confirm that you actually are measuring correct pins as it’s easy to get lost.
If the mics not for you meaning you don’t like it, then sell it and find one you do.
If you wish to proceed be prepared that You may break the mic and it stop working.
Oh and for what it’s worth the schematics are not too pixilated to read, I read most of it from my iPhone just fine.
I don’t know how many more people will help you here while you refute them.

I don’t know why you keep getting stuck on the connectors - my questions were quite simple from the start, and just required answers such as: the 8th pin is left free for such and such reason. Instead I am met with another question, why would it be? The answer you did provide was the pinout of the schematic, I then gave you pictures from inside the PSU that clearly show the brown wire going from the pattern dial to position 4 on the connector socket not 3, which then again raises questions if someone meddled with it and did it wrong. Again, I bought the mic used and one cap already was blown. The picture also shows the inside of the mic including 8 wires going down into the plug of the mic, I then again raise my question why there would be eight wires inside the mic going to the plug, an 8 pin connector on both ends of the cable, an eight pin socket and only 7 wires connected inside the PSU… Now someone suggests that it was cheaper to buy the 8 pin connectors, but that sounds like a guess to me and not a valid explanation. I cannot read the schematics, maybe you downloaded for the z5600 or the z5600a and not the z5600a II, which to me is illegible, I cannot read any values at all almost. I do see there are 7 points on the right, that part is clear, and the markings inside the mic is clearl, but there are 8 not 7.

In terms of the connector I have clearly shown, which connector I am having trouble finding, which is the male reverse connector on the cable. The one I also linked to on the peluso shop. I am in contact with manufacturer that was suggested to me in one of the posts.

 

[Khron]

The picture also shows the inside of the mic including 8 wires going down into the plug of the mic,

No, the picture shows 8 wires (although i think i count at least 9 - aren't there at least two black ones going to the GND pad?). And they're not going "into the plug of the mic", but they're going into that (intended) screening housing that contains the mic's output transformer. And, coincidentally, also the plug. Go on, remove a couple of the tiny screws holding the top half of that can, and see for yourself.

BUT...

You have the mic, right? You can see (or measure, with your meter's beeper / continuity tester) which pins of the mic's connector, the wires from each of those eight solder pads go to (where applicable - as mentioned in my previous post, at least one of those wires will be going to the primary winding of said output transformer, which connects to none of the pins in the connector).

That being said, assuming you have a multimeter, and you know which end of a soldering iron is hot (and can avoid grabbing that end), it should be trivial to (carefully) measure what voltages are on what pins of the power supply and, if needed, move around a couple wires so they match up with the mic connector's pinout, so you won't need any intricate crossover-wire-reassignment in whatever cable you end up making.