Official C12 Clone - Build and Support Thread

[drumminkiger]

Pretty much done with these mic kits, and the one I have completed sounds amazing! I put in one of tims capsules and a nos GE from christian. The only thing I'm not happy with is the stock 7 pin connectors. For some reason I'm having trouble searching for this particular part on the site here even though I've seen that people have used them several times. I'm thinking the Amphenol 7 pin will do me just fine, can anyone tell me what the part is that they used with the set screw and all for inside the body? Also, what size drill bit did you need to use to bore it out? The pins in the stock style seem like they will break on me at some point when I really need them to work.

 

[Pip]

Pretty much done with these mic kits, and the one I have completed sounds amazing! I put in one of tims capsules and a nos GE from christian. The only thing I'm not happy with is the stock 7 pin connectors. For some reason I'm having trouble searching for this particular part on the site here even though I've seen that people have used them several times. I'm thinking the Amphenol 7 pin will do me just fine, can anyone tell me what the part is that they used with the set screw and all for inside the body? Also, what size drill bit did you need to use to bore it out? The pins in the stock style seem like they will break on me at some point when I really need them to work.

All 7 pin xlr are the same. Might try Binder connector. Boring that out ain't gonna be easy.

 

[drumminkiger]

All 7 pin xlr are the same. Might try Binder connector. Boring that out ain't gonna be easy.

That's why I was thinking the amphenol connector, its a little smaller I hear and closer to the size of the xlr but with bigger pins. It's also supposed to have a set screw making it easier to mount.

 

[shabtek]

are'nt the inserts interchangeable? switchcraft male cable mount xlr insert have swapped into other china mics

 

[JessJackson]

are'nt the inserts interchangeable? switchcraft male cable mount xlr insert have swapped into other china mics

Worked for mine, i just brought some switchcrafts.

 

[Matador]

I had been wondering if the Switchcraft 7-pin XLR inserts were the same size and would drop right in (Switchcraft part number QG7M to be exact).

 

[HellfireStudios]

In the Royer mod articles, he says that you need to sand or file off the positioning protrusion to make the Switchcraft jack insert fit. He is referring to the 5-pin jack, but the same should ring true for the 7-pin version.

-James-

 

[Melodeath00]

Does anyone have any new comments on the single layer headbasket ring/resonance?

 

[srdigital]

built one of these based off an apex 460... all voltages etc. are correctly adjusted, using microphone-parts rk-12 capsule and a tested 6072a tube. audio passes, however, there is a bad ground hum present. i have been unable to track it down... any ideas?
thanks

 

[HellfireStudios]

Does anyone have any new comments on the single layer headbasket ring/resonance?

Loctite Go2Glue has been working fine for me as a grill dampener. It dries to rubber-like consistency which does wonders for resonances. Put it all the way around the base ring and support struts, and you should be good to go.

-James-

 

[Winetree]

I'm installing a Beesneez K-12 Capsule. It doesn't seem to have dual backplates
and has one wire coming off of the backplate.
Do I bridge FB and RB together and soldier the single backplate wire to the bridge?

 

[sr1200]

Thats what i did.

 

[Matador]

built one of these based off an apex 460... all voltages etc. are correctly adjusted, using microphone-parts rk-12 capsule and a tested 6072a tube. audio passes, however, there is a bad ground hum present. i have been unable to track it down... any ideas?
thanks

Confirm you have a solid ground connection both to the shell of the mike and the headbacket.

I'm installing a Beesneez K-12 Capsule. It doesn't seem to have dual backplates
and has one wire coming off of the backplate.
Do I bridge FB and RB together and soldier the single backplate wire to the bridge?

Yes.

 

[pearldrum944]

Hi, I'm having an issue with my second apex 460 build.  My first one from last year works perfectly, I'm using the same parts on the new build, with a different tube.  The only other difference is that the capsule has 2 full backplate wires coming from it where as my first capsule (both from Dave Thomas) has a bracket on the capsule that merged to one wire to the PCB.  Both mics appear to be wired the same after double checking.

Here is the issue: both sides of the capsule sound the same on cardioid, muffled.  They sound as if you were speaking into the backside of my other mic, they sound muffled on figure-8 and omni as well.  The capsule wires also seem to be microphonic, they make a lot of noise when I tap on them while monitoring the mic.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Edit:I added a backplate bridge at the capsule which didn't help.  It also seems that all of my voltages are the same between mics...I'll fully check this later tonight.

 

[Matador]

Hi, I'm having an issue with my second apex 460 build.  My first one from last year works perfectly, I'm using the same parts on the new build, with a different tube.  The only other difference is that the capsule has 2 full backplate wires coming from it where as my first capsule (both from Dave Thomas) has a bracket on the capsule that merged to one wire to the PCB.  Both mics appear to be wired the same after double checking.

Here is the issue: both sides of the capsule sound the same on cardioid, muffled.  They sound as if you were speaking into the backside of my other mic, they sound muffled on figure-8 and omni as well.  The capsule wires also seem to be microphonic, they make a lot of noise when I tap on them while monitoring the mic.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Edit:I added a backplate bridge at the capsule which didn't help.  It also seems that all of my voltages are the same between mics...I'll fully check this later tonight.

This is Dave Thomas's C12-copy?  If memory serves it doesn't have isolated backplates.  That means that both wires need to go to FB and RB (one to each is fine):  the capsule itself will bridge them together.

From your description, it sounds like you have the polarization reversed:  e.g. the backplate thinks it's the front diaphragm.  Can you take some pictures and then label which wires are going to each connection?

I have some of these capsules I'll take a look for you.

 

[pearldrum944]

Hi, I'm having an issue with my second apex 460 build.  My first one from last year works perfectly, I'm using the same parts on the new build, with a different tube.  The only other difference is that the capsule has 2 full backplate wires coming from it where as my first capsule (both from Dave Thomas) has a bracket on the capsule that merged to one wire to the PCB.  Both mics appear to be wired the same after double checking.

Here is the issue: both sides of the capsule sound the same on cardioid, muffled.  They sound as if you were speaking into the backside of my other mic, they sound muffled on figure-8 and omni as well.  The capsule wires also seem to be microphonic, they make a lot of noise when I tap on them while monitoring the mic.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Edit:I added a backplate bridge at the capsule which didn't help.  It also seems that all of my voltages are the same between mics...I'll fully check this later tonight.

This is Dave Thomas's C12-copy?  If memory serves it doesn't have isolated backplates.  That means that both wires need to go to FB and RB (one to each is fine):  the capsule itself will bridge them together.

From your description, it sounds like you have the polarization reversed:  e.g. the backplate thinks it's the front diaphragm.  Can you take some pictures and then label which wires are going to each connection?

I have some of these capsules I'll take a look for you.

Yes, these are the AK12 capsules from Dave Thomas.  I just swapped the capsule from my working mic to the body giving me trouble and I had the same issue...so I guess something is wacky on the PCB/tube connector.

Edit:it looks like I have 110v on tube pin 1 for the working mic, 63v for the non-working mic...  Any ideas?  I'm confused.

 

[drumminkiger]

built one of these based off an apex 460... all voltages etc. are correctly adjusted, using microphone-parts rk-12 capsule and a tested 6072a tube. audio passes, however, there is a bad ground hum present. i have been unable to track it down... any ideas?
thanks

This may seems stupid, but when I first fired up my mic it did something kinda like yours, but I noticed that mine was especially bad near power cables, then I put on the outer casing tube of the mic and like magic it was gone. Then I remembered oh yeah, the mic body shields the electronics (and thought to myself, man, what an idiot!). Now, I'm sure that you were smarter than me, but if you haven't tracked it down yet, and you haven't fully assembled the mic yet, you might want to check it out.

 

[sr1200]

Are you getting correct voltage at the power supply?

 

[pearldrum944]

Are you getting correct voltage at the power supply?

Yes, I am.

 

[JessJackson]

I think you have wrong resistor on plate, maybe 500k instead of 100k?