Official C12 Clone - Build and Support Thread

[KMB-AUDIO]

How should the backplate connections be hooked up? In the tutorial, on the CT12, you bridge the two backplates together at the capsule and presumably hook them up to FB and RB on the PCB?. I don't understand why there are two connections on the PCB when they are just bridged together.

For now, until I get Tim's capsule, I have a microphone-parts RK12 which has one wire for the backplate.  Do just connect to both RB and FB or just one? If I connect to both,  can I just bridge RB and FB together at the PCB?

 

[Matador]

How should the backplate connections be hooked up? In the tutorial, on the CT12, you bridge the two backplates together at the capsule and presumably hook them up to FB and RB on the PCB?. I don't understand why there are two connections on the PCB when they are just bridged together.

For now, until I get Tim's capsule, I have a microphone-parts RK12 which has one wire for the backplate.  Do just connect to both RB and FB or just one? If I connect to both,  can I just bridge RB and FB together at the PCB?

One connection serves to polarize the capsule, and the second is used to provide a tap point for the coupling cap.  They are there so that you can use three or four terminal capsules easily.

They can be tied together at the PCB if you are using a capsule with only three connections.

 

[mwrichardson]

Any idea when the headbaskets will be for sale?

 

[chunger]

Any idea when the headbaskets will be for sale?

The order has been placed/paid for the production run of 500 units a couple weeks back as I recall.  The factory lead time is officially 2 months (it could be significantly faster).  I am strongly leaning towards bringing in an initial quantity of these via air freight because many people seem to be anxious to get their hands on these.  Due to increased logistics costs on these ~50 or so units, I will price them at $35.  After those initial copies sell out and the main shipment travelling via boat arrives, I'll drop back to the target $30 price point.

Air shipment while expensive only takes a couple of days to ship from China to me.

 

[Winetree]

Count me in on 3 headbaskets from the first air shipment.
Are you going to stock some of Tim's capsules?
I've e-mailed him 3 times without any response.

 

[KMB-AUDIO]

Just finished up my two microphones! Just waiting on Tim's capsules and new headbaskets I have the microphone-parts RK12 in there for now.

Thanks guys who made this possible.

 

[chunger]

a bit of good news. . . it looks like the factory making the custom headbaskets estimates a 4/23/2013 completion date for the order so these may be available sooner than the main microphone shipment.  This means my headbaskets are actually in process right now.

 

[gary o]

KMB audio proud father of twins ..... look great , be interested in comparing the RK12 to the tim cambel capsule

 

[KMB-AUDIO]

KMB audio proud father of twins ..... look great , be interested in comparing the RK12 to the tim cambel capsule

I'm going to be doing some testing and can post the results if desired.

I plan on testing drum overheads, acoustic guitar, and vocals.

 

[micaddict]

I'm going to be doing some testing and can post the results if desired.

Desired.

 

[hyde maintenance]

I'm going to be doing some testing and can post the results if desired.

Desired.

Considering I too haven't heard back on the CT12 I'm trying to order, I'm very interested in hearing those comparisons as well.
I'm thinking about using the double layer headbasket for a variety of reasons, so I wonder if I'd be compromising a few of the reputed strengths of the CT12 anyhow?

 

[KMB-AUDIO]

I'm going to be doing some testing and can post the results if desired.

Desired.

Considering I too haven't heard back on the CT12 I'm trying to order, I'm very interested in hearing those comparisons as well.
I'm thinking about using the double layer headbasket for a variety of reasons, so I wonder if I'd be compromising a few of the reputed strengths of the CT12 anyhow?

Out of curiosity, what are those reasons?

 

[HellfireStudios]

Dibs on one single-layer headbasket. Should we PM you to be on the first shipment list?

-James-

 

[JessJackson]

Is Tim ok?

I haven't heard back from him either, its now around the time he said my capsule would be ready to pay for.

 

[Tim Campbell]

I am fine. I have been in Germany the last week. From checking my email I'm pretty sure that I have answered everyone here. Jess, checking my records, you ordered a capsule about 4 weeks ago but since I have an 8-10 week lead time your capsule won't be ready for a while.

I am extremely busy, because of this, the huge amount of email I receive, and the fact that my current lead time is so long, I answer email as time allows, not every day. All my capsules are handmade, every part, by me alone and this takes time. Orders of multiple capsules take longer because more selection and adjustment must be done.

If I say I have you are on my list you will receive a capsule, when it's ready, but you must be patient. No amount of email will change when it's ready and just slows down the process.

The RK12 capsule is fine. It's inexpensive, sounds decent and made in a factory so you can order as many as you'd like without long delays. Many companies that use my capsule also use the RK12 and offer my capsule as an upgrade. The differences are mostly in the smoothness of the top end and depth of detail.

 

[chunger]

There is no way to significantly ramp up monthly production volumes on Tim's handmade, hand-tuned capsule.  We have a rush right now on capsules because the kits were recently released and the first round of donor bodies (a significant amount) are being build up.

My plan is to attempt to stock Tim's capsule as soon as the dust settles from the 2nd round large-quantity shipment of donor microphones and associated parts from China.  I am also waiting for Tim's evaluation of the microphone kit, but due to the spike in demand for capsules, he has not yet had enough free time to actually build the microphone.  Also, I need to get in line just like everybody else because there is a finite amount of capsules available every month.  I do not want to bump anyone else who has been waiting, and I do not believe Tim does this.

I will say this about Tim Campbell's capsule business that differentiates him from some others in the same custom capsule market.  His lead time estimates are realistic and he does not take money until your capsule is close to completion.  Once it is confirmed that you are in the build queue, please allow for the estimated lead time and requests for updates reasonable/minimal.  Long hours answering emails and doing logistics detracts from time that could be spent building everyone's capsules!

Hopefully, once the initial rush on these microphones subsides a little bit, we will be able to smooth the ordering process.  For now, please be patient.  We want as many folks as possible to enjoy these great mics and are trying our best to make everything easily available.

I have sold through the first order of electronic parts kits, but have attempted to re-stock and pack a 2nd round of components.  I believe I was somewhat successful in that the pipeline is relatively uninterrupted, but these behind-the-scenes scramblings along with taxes have put me 2 weeks behind in shipping, but I hope to catch up this week.

 

[micaddict]

In the good ole days of craft, waiting was normal.

And hey, anticipation is part of the fun. 



Talking about anticipation; I'll be needing one single layer headbasket and one dual. FWIW.

 

[kidvybes]

...just as a point of reference for those who are undecided as to what capsule option to go with for their build, I am in the preliminary stages of testing a recent build of this mic, using another of the C12-type capsules available for this application...as previously posted, I employed one of the 3-Zigma GK-Series capsules (manufactured under much more strict QC standards in China for Larry Vilella of ADK)...they also offer a 251-voiced capsule as an additional option...Jim Jacobson at JJ Audio has spoken very highly of these capsules in the past and these originate, to my knowledge, from the best/oldest of the Asian microphone manufacturers under the additional QC oversight of ADK's agent, and are in stock and available from ADK's custom shop:
http://www.adkmic.com/catalog/customshop/ModsAndParts.php
...these are the same capsules ADK employs in their premium Z-Mod Series microphones:
http://www.adkmic.com/catalog/customshop/Z-Mods.php

...I am using the GK-12d, which unlike Tim's capsule, is not an exact replication of the historic C12, but rather an interpretation based on the C12's tonal characteristics...my initial impressions of this capsule is that it has a noticeably smoother top-end than the less expensive TongXin 5-micron (like the RK12) and ShuaiYin 6-micron C12-type capsules, with much less susceptibility towards sibilance...

...these are not inexpensive and I cannot comment as to how they compare in tonality to Tim's capsule, which is clearly the C12 standard in terms of current production, but I can say that the preliminary tests have been quite impressive...this is the same mic/capsule that Matador provided a soundfile for in post #155 of this thread...

...as soon as I have soundfiles worthy of sharing, I will post samples of this build for vocal tracking...I want to thank both Matador and Chunger for helping to facilitate this opportunity to add one of these excellent microphones to my mic cabinet...I look forward to putting it to good use on future projects...

 

[Tim Campbell]

I believe this might be the capsule being used in the Blackspade UM25.
I had no idea anyone would pay so much for a chinese, K67 based, factory made capsule.
I need to rethink my prices.

 

[kidvybes]

I believe this might be the capsule being used in the Blackspade UM25.

...the base level Blackspade UM25 employs, I believe, a variation of the ShuaiYin 6-micron C12-type capsule, similar to those used by Advanced Audio and Stellar Microphones, but with additional QC/modification here in the US...similar capsules are available from Dave Thomas for $95...
http://www.aamicrophones.com/parts.htm

(see pic below)

I had no idea anyone would pay so much for a chinese, K67 based, factory made capsule.
I need to rethink my prices.

...first you need to consider that these inflated prices are "retail", not the cost of these capsules direct from the manufacturing source...there are in fact, quite a few high-priced, respected "boutique" quality microphones employing capsules from this particular factory (I am reluctant to post brand specifics for obvious reasons)...these are clearly a much higher quality and do not share any components/metalwork with the TongXin and ShuaiYin variations...this factory does not offer OEM product like the others in China, but only manufactures for exclusive, branded application...this factory has direct lineage to the Chinese government facility that originally employed German engineers to train it's staff many years ago...

...I'd be interested in your thoughts on the quality of these capsules, particularly in light of your positive comments relating to the RK12 capsule...I have other mics that employ the $100-retail Asian C12 capsules, and I assure you this is on another level entirely...whether or not they offer good value based on the $300-400 suggested retail price is a personal judgement call, of course...

...Tim, you might inquire about (since I know you supply JJ Audio with your capsules) a more specific evaluation from Jim Jacobson since he employs all of these variations in his buillds...