Samson C03 capsule

[bluebird]

Hey Al, its not 68 bucks down the crapper. I would think of it as just another tool for some interesting sounds. I know your more of the "perfect reproduction of the sound" kind of guy BUT it may be the thing for that weird guitar sound or distorto snare or cool 2nd room mic for vocals or...

just read any Tape Op. More colors/paint. :grin:

 

[SmG]

[quote author="Marik"]
Are you sure it is a back electret? Looking at the pics it seems that they might use generic SD capsule used in ML603, etc. and put a housing around, as a phase correction. Two high Z resistors on another pic might suggest it, as well.

Can you take the capsules from the housing and post pics?[/quote]
To be absolutely honest, I'm not 100% sure about the capsule, but:

It's not so easy to get out without smashing the whole thing to bits. It's glued in place, and this is still a notionally working mic. I could probably get another image of the back of the capsule closer up with care (and a bit of luck - my digital camera isn't that great). What I have got is an old Sony capsule that is very similar at the rear, and I've put that in the scanner:

• 

It will be much easier to get a close-up pic of the single capsule in the C01 if you really want to see it - there isn't really anything in the way of this.

The other thing is that if we assume that Samson are sailing as close to the wind as they can get, then they claim that the C03 uses a 3 micron diaphragm - and this would sort-of indicate that it wasn't the usual cheap sandwiched-onto-the-diaphragm electret construction, and would rather indicate a back-electret design.

Incidentally, I've tried looking at all of the usual suspects to see if I can find out who made these capsules - and so far, I've managed to rule out everybody except Lectret - whose website appears to be unavailable at present. But they are about in the right place, I think.

 

[Marik]

Hmmm,

Now I am not sure what it is. It certainly doesn't look like MXL603 and alike, and this kind of construction does resemble electret capsules. Let's see if other folks know it.

 

[Gus]

I will take some picture of the capsule taken apart.

 

[SmG]

It's definitely an electret - there's no external polarising anywhere near it.

I got in as close as I could on the back of one of the C03 capsules - it's not brilliant photography, but it looks like

• 

 

[clintrubber]

from PRR:

> don't get the free lunch they were thought to be getting.

Golly. Flat across most of the audio band, three patterns, lower noise than many studios, output high enough to overwhelm the noise of any mike input, pretty case, $69-$99!!! , and you want a free lunch too? Why not a coffee maker as well?

It seems to me to be a very nicely designed product. If it were better, it would kill sales of higher-price mikes. Samson and the stores would have to live on the small profit possible in a $69-$99 selling price. That would be a commercial disaster.

Sitting corrected here as well - you're right, even with this '03 being an electret (and as stated, nothing too bad with that) this is a good mic for the money(*) and with an interesting feature-set thrown in(**).

A friend has one and he's satisfied. We should toy around more with this mic, experimenting with the fig.8 etc.

(*): I realize this could invite comments like "a bad bad mic is always too expensive..." :wink:

(**): and "go for sound, not features..."

Best regards,

Peter

 

[clintrubber]

First of all, it's all about the sound. If it sounds good then ... etc.

But FWIW, the obvious question pops up: any other mics that happen to be electrets while as first being considered 'real' condensers ?

For instance wondering this about the Stagg MCO-05 which a friend has.

And here in NL they keep advertising this Superlux ECO-H6A for EU19. This is a back-electret but it is clearly stated in the manuf.-documentation (but not in the advertisements from those stores :green: ).

Bye,

Peter

 

[Marik]

I am posting for Gus--it is a CO1 capsule:

 

[guitardick]

I know this is a really old thread, but it could prove useful, so I am resurrecting it. I have posted a request for the Samson C03 and CL8 schematic, but if any one here has it and is willing to share it, I would appreciate either and most definitely, both. Thanks guys.