Once Bit, Twice Shy . . .

[MicMaven]

Well. Ahem. I may have discovered the most egregious microphone fraud ever perpetrated. While I acknowledge that is truly bold claim, here are the facts so you can judge for yourself.

1. It looks pretty good at first blush, yet the body is all very light weight plastic.

2. The head basket has a dual-weave metal grill, with a round plastic base.

3. The head basket is secured to the internal frame with three small screws. One screw is a completely different size and shape from the other two, rattling around loose inside the head basket. The head of another screw is stripped, requiring pliers to remove. NOT particularly high quality manufacturing.

4. The plastic capsule saddle is supposed to slide into a groove in the top of the internal (infernal?) frame. It was off center, barely holding on.

5. The capsule perpetrates its own fraud - it is a 9.7 mm electret capsule inside a 16mm metal outer shell.

6. The diminutive PC board is scarcely populated with what may be the fewest possible components - at least a truly minimalist design.

7. A 50 mm x 25 mm cast metal weight is hot-glued mounted in a molded holder on the internal plastic frame. I carefully softened the glue with my reflow station to remove it. It provides just enough mass to keep the mic from floating up and away on its own. (It reminds me of really big a split shot fishing sinker ...)

8. And yet, it looks pretty good at first blush!

9. As expected, it sounds awful with an anemic tone and substantial self-noise. While it is surely unsuitable for recording music or narration, it is good enough for taking oral notes while reading a book, making vocal email messages, or recording a nifty guitar lick before a flash of inspiration fades away. I suppose it all depends on what one expects and wants to accomplish. I expected it would suck, and purchased it solely as a donor project body/shell.

10) $27 (including shipping) from a foreign vendor on eBay.com. Did I mention it looks good at first blush? Cheap mic body, PROVIDED I can do something with it!

11. A similar model has even less inside - lacking any sort of circuit board and having a much less substantial lead weight. Truly minimalist design.

So, I am posting this quick overview whilst I ponder what the blazes I am going to do with it. Perhaps I can mount a better capsule and circuit inside. Perhaps I can shield the circuit with a wad of aluminum foil or some other material. Perhaps someone will proffer a better plan. It is way too light weight for a decorative theme paperweight, so I need to find something it can do. Did I mention it looks pretty good at first blush?

The attached photos tell the rest of the story - again, you be the judge.

Happy trails DIY mavens ! James

 

[k brown]

This day was bound to come . . .

Call it a Eewww -87.

Is that little electret even a cardioid?

That body might be usable if you slather the inside with modeling clay or mastic tape (plus foil shield). But if that head basket and body are just black plastic that's painted, it's gonna show nasty scratches very quickly.

 

[JohnRoberts]

maybe its good for a movie prop....

JR

 

[k brown]

maybe its good for a movie prop....

JR

'One-time-use'only.

 

[MicMaven]

This day was bound to come . . .Call it a Eewww -87.

Is that little electret even a cardioid? That body might be usable if you slather the inside with modeling clay or mastic tape (plus foil shield).

Quite Right! Good name - the New-Man Eewww-87!

Seriously, the first one is sort of cardioid. It has a major null on each side and reduced pickup behind. The second model is essentially omnidirectional as you surmised.

I like the idea of filling it with modeling clay. I once purchased a cheap plastic dynamic hand-held microphone filled with plaster to give it ballast. Maybe I can do the same with this one - but the modeling clay would not be as permanent, allowing for future repairs or improvements. And there certainly is room for improvement.

Thanks for asking. James

 

[Barry Hufker]

If the body won't melt, it would make a nice table lamp...

 

[k brown]

If the body won't melt, it would make a nice table lamp...

LED night light might be safer.

OP: do you have a screenshot of the listing? - I'd love to see how the seller described this item.

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

I bet the grille mesh is plastic too. You could fill it with silicone bathroom caulk but it might smell like vinegar for a few years. Or take out the gubbins and use it for a tea strainer.

 

[cyrano]

But how does it sound?

 

[ElSmurf]

+1 for the light solution. I'd hang it from the ceiling in the toilet though.

 

[k brown]

But how does it sound?

Answered in OP - item #9.

 

[RoadrunnerOZ]

If you wanted to use the body and grille you could line the inner sleeve with barium vinyl - it will glue on with contact glue, put a decent capsule and electronics in and make it into a real mic. If the mesh basket and frame is indeed metal you might do ok. Some new 2mm bolts to hold it in place or glasses hinge self tappers.

 

[Ricardus]

Please upload a short voice recording.

 

[MicMaven]

I bet the grille mesh is plastic too.

Nope - you lose that bet! It appears you missed where I said the grill is "double weave metal" (proven with a magnet.)

. Or take out the gubbins and use it for a tea strainer.

Nope - no point here, as it is too wide for straining tea. . . .

Thanks for playing along. Unfortunately, we have no parting gifts (as you are whisked off stage and we welcome the next game show contestant.) James

 

[Jen]

I would put an array of white LEDs in behind the mesh and mains voltage to LED volts supply in the body.. Use it a night light or accent light in the studio... should be a neat conversation piece in a studio or mix room.

 

[Johnny1234]

I'll give you a dollar plus shipping for it. I will use it for target practice at the gun range and even send pics and video of it taking the death penalty.

 

[MidnightArrakis]

I'll give you a dollar plus shipping for it. I will use it for target practice at the gun range and even send pics and video of it taking the death penalty.

You and Kid Rock should get together sometime!!!

/

 

[Paul W]

I recently got a Presonus M7 used, along with an Audiobox 96 interface, considering it a freebie I didn't need. Once I got it, I thought it looked and felt nice, with a reasonable heft to it, so I took it apart to see what was inside.

The M7 lists for 99.95 and sells for $70 on Amazon, which describes it as a back electret, but I've seen it listed somewhere else as a "large-diaphragm condenser microphone," which it definitely is not.

The case turns out to be painted plastic, with the headbasket halves simply glued to the metal perimeter frame. The inner layer of foam is surprisingly dense, and I suspect that's so it is hard to see how tiny the capsule is.

The heft comes from two thick stamped metal plates (nothing as luxurious as a cast metal weight like the OP's microphone) that incompletely enclose the tiny narrow circuit board, which I guess was designed to fit in a small pencil mike.

If nobody tells me it has any redeeming virtues, I will probably just scrap it, rather than bothering to glue it back together.

 

[k brown]

I recently got a Presonus M7 used, along with an Audiobox 96 interface, considering it a freebie I didn't need. Once I got it, I thought it looked and felt nice, with a reasonable heft to it, so I took it apart to see what was inside.

The M7 lists for 99.95 and sells for $70 on Amazon, which describes it as a back electret, but I've seen it listed somewhere else as a "large-diaphragm condenser microphone," which it definitely is not.

The case turns out to be painted plastic, with the headbasket halves simply glued to the metal perimeter frame. The inner layer of foam is surprisingly dense, and I suspect that's so it is hard to see how tiny the capsule is.

The heft comes from two thick stamped metal plates (nothing as luxurious as a cast metal weight like the OP's microphone) that incompletely enclose the tiny narrow circuit board, which I guess was designed to fit in a small pencil mike.

If nobody tells me it has any redeeming virtues, I will probably just scrap it, rather than bothering to glue it back together.

There are many far, far better electrets than that one - if it's replaced, the mic could be something useful - providing the electronics aren't terribly noisy (which you won't be able to tell till a quieter capsule is in there.
https://micbooster.com/microphone-c...m200-cardioid-electret.html#/99-type-no_wires

 

[Khron]

The case turns out to be painted plastic, with the headbasket halves simply glued to the metal perimeter frame. The inner layer of foam is surprisingly dense, and I suspect that's so it is hard to see how tiny the capsule is.

The heft comes from two thick stamped metal plates (nothing as luxurious as a cast metal weight like the OP's microphone) that incompletely enclose the tiny narrow circuit board, which I guess was designed to fit in a small pencil mike.

If nobody tells me it has any redeeming virtues, I will probably just scrap it, rather than bothering to glue it back together.

That actually looks remarkably similar to the t.bone SC300. Which at least has a much more honest retail price, for what it is.

On the other hand though, the Presonus has some attempt at shockmounting the capsule (assuming those things are elastic at all?). But then again, that's a bit like putting lipstick on a pig...