Searching for a good dynamic mic capsule - pimp my Schumann MDS 3

[rock soderstrom]

The capsule had to be slightly enlarged in diameter, I used thick, double-sided adhesive tape.

Click for GIF animation.

 

[rock soderstrom]

Ready for rock n roll! My first impression is that the microphone sounds amazingly good. Somehow after 50ies rock n roll  8), the highs are a bit too sharp for me, but this can easily be corrected with the EQ. Wow, the operation was worth it, great result. But I will continue testing ...

Again, click for GIF animation

 

[analogguru]

The chinese "kingkorg" cardoid capsule has arrived. Here are a few shots. does anyone know in which microphones they were originally installed?

Looks like an Shure SM-58 clone.....

 

[mikeylemur]

Sorry to update this old thread

@rock soderstrom @kingkorg

Hey, the link for that microphone capsule is dead. Based on soderstron's imagines, I found afew on aliexpress. Are all of these capsules the same or am I missing something?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...9!sea!UK!844710283&curPageLogUid=U0bot95aBmvdhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...1!sea!UK!844710283&curPageLogUid=oOLb84CRB9EMhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...9!sea!UK!844710283&curPageLogUid=zA9mSHte3f4Rhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...2!sea!UK!844710283&curPageLogUid=rTz8AhbRyafrhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...8!sea!UK!844710283&curPageLogUid=dMJo8D0xxbDz

How does the capsule compare to the SM58/57 capsule, do you guys think its a significant improvement over shure's? You've mentioned that you find the highs sharp; I find that shure lacking with defined highs.

 

[mikeylemur]

Also, has anyone found any google dynamic capsules recently? Some thing good and cheap like the kingkorg capsule.

 

[rock soderstrom]

How does the capsule compare to the SM58/57 capsule, do you guys think its a significant improvement over shure's? You've mentioned that you find the highs sharp; I find that shure lacking with defined highs.

I wouldn't say it's a significant improvement over the Shure capsules. They are rather quite similar with minor differences. That was my overall experience trying out different capsules. The differences were mostly in the treble range and how the cartridge reacted to varying input distances and directions. This is often a matter of taste and the EQ does the rest.

Whether your linked capsule is the same model I can not guarantee 100%. It is possible, they all look very similar.

I would just try them, for the money it is a nobrainer.

I have ultimately installed a Beyerdynamic capsule from an obsolete wireless mic.

View attachment 20230611_082359.jpg
View attachment 20230611_082405.jpg

 

[mikeylemur]

I wouldn't say it's a significant improvement over the Shure capsules. They are rather quite similar with minor differences. That was my overall experience trying out different capsules. The differences were mostly in the treble range and how the cartridge reacted to varying input distances and directions. This is often a matter of taste and the EQ does the rest.

Whether your linked capsule is the same model I can not guarantee 100%. It is possible, they all look very similar.

I would just try them, for the money it is a nobrainer.

I have ultimately installed a Beyerdynamic capsule from an obsolete wireless mic.

View attachment 110036
View attachment 110037

I already have the SM58 so something with a different sound signature would be nice. I've noticed that dynamic mics aren't too popular here. I guess at the very high end, dynamics become obsolete.

I'm using the donor body of a vintage shure prologue 10h. The original mic has such a low sensitivity, is this due to capsule itself or the transformer. I want to do a simple capsule swap but I don't know if the sensitivity will still be low when I keep the original transformer.

That donor body is wicked btw! Do you know where I can find it

 

[abbey road d enfer]

I've noticed that dynamic mics aren't too popular here.

They may not be popular for DIY, because there is not much to do for a DIY'er. I don't think anybody in this group is equipped with the type of machinery involved in dynamic capsule manufacturing.

I guess at the very high end, dynamics become obsolete.

Not necessarily. many vocal recordings are still made with SM7's or EV RE20's.

I want to do a simple capsule swap but I don't know if the sensitivity will still be low when I keep the original transformer.

The transformer may not be correct for the capsule. Some capsules are directly 150/200 ohms, so don't need a xfmr, some are very low-Z like 10-20 ohms (current SM5x), and some are about 50 ohms (vintage SM5x).
Knowing the impedance of the existing capsule would help. Actually the nominal impedance is pretty close to the DC resistance, which can be easily measured (don't forget to disconnect the capsule from the xfmr).
Now, I've never seen the nominal impedance specified in any ad. If impedance is mentioned, it's always the whole mic's impedance, including the xfmr...

 

[rock soderstrom]

They may not be popular for DIY, because there is not much to do for a DIY'er. I don't anybody in this group equipped with the type of machinery involved in dynamic capsule manufacturing.

+1 There is actually not much you can DIY. There are many here who love the sound of dynamic microphones.

I want to do a simple capsule swap but I don't know if the sensitivity will still be low when I keep the original transformer.

I would first test it without the transformer or perhaps replace it. At that time, the manufacturers had different expectations of the bandwidth of the transformers than today.
Just try out a few other dynamic mics or their capsules. Find your sound.

 

[rock soderstrom]

That donor body is wicked btw! Do you know where I can find it

Totally wicked, unfortunately not so cheap. Ebay and kleinanzeigen.de are possible sources.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

A couple of yeras ago, I fancied making a E609/906 style mic, making the body with a 3D printer.
I already had a SM57 capsule. I knew that because of its length (50mm), I could never achieve the desired form factor, so I finally found capsules on Alibaba, only 26mm deep.
Unfortunately, they don't seem to be available anymore.
Here are the results: (on the left the one with the 57 capsule)

And the guts of the flat one:
The closed front/open back gives it a strange frequency respponse but it's perfectly usable. Anyway, ultra-close micing of a guitar cabinet has never been a canon of fidelity.

 

[Deltamic]

Also, has anyone found any google dynamic capsules recently? Some thing good and cheap like the kingkorg capsule.

These aren't terrible for the money https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000572884271.html

You can hear it in this mic review

 

[Deltamic]

To follow up on this, the second of the 2 yellow capsules I bought sounds horrible and is clearly faulty. Classic Aliexpress product QC.

Worked out why - the yellow outer part had been pushed down too far onto the inner part and was crushing the diaphragm. I levered it up and broke the glue, pulled the dents out of the membrane with some sticky tape and now it sounds good.

 

[rock soderstrom]

To follow up on this, the second of the 2 yellow capsules I bought sounds horrible and is clearly faulty. Classic Aliexpress product QC.

Worked out why - the yellow outer part had been pushed down too far onto the inner part and was crushing the diaphragm. I levered it up and broke the glue, pulled the dents out of the membrane with some sticky tape and now it sounds good.

Unfortunately, this also coincides with my experience, the QC of Chinese products is poor. Ultimately, you get what you pay for. A functioning QC costs money!

Nice that you could reanimate the capsule, only a few are able to successfully master such a hefty operation!

 

[abbey road d enfer]

To follow up on this, the second of the 2 yellow capsules I bought sounds horrible and is clearly faulty. Classic Aliexpress product QC.

Typical of anything that comes from Ali.
That's why I always buy more than strictly needed.

 

[MicMaven]

, the QC of Chinese products is poor.

I sometimes wonder whether this is why many eBay vendors sell two or more low cost Chinese cartridges bundled as a package for a price. I always buy in pairs or threesomes, and use the one I think sounds best for the application. They typically cost 2 for less than $10, sometimes as many as 4 for $12-15. As Rock says, you (usually) get what you pay for ... sometimes not. James

 

[kingkorg]

Speaking as a former Korg product specialist with experience with Italian, Japanese, Chinese +++ factories.

There's nothing wrong with chinese QC. The deal is we are buying at lowest possible prices capsules and other stuff that have possibly been discarded by QC or not even checked for quality. Don't blame it on the Chinese, they have everything they need to make great products as they do make vast majority of everything we have and use today.

Out of those i mentioned the Italians have worst QC by far. Which i'm sure you already know if you've ever owned an Italian car. I love Italy and Italians btw, but not for their manufacturing standards. I'm sure there are exceptions.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

There's nothing wrong with chinese QC. The deal is we are buying at lowest possible prices capsules and other stuff that have possibly been discarded by QC or not even checked for quality.

I agree. The culprit is not chinese QC, it's the channel (Ali).

 

[cyrano]

The only problem I've had with stuff from China, is transport damage. And I've had that with shipment from other countries too.

 

[BoysRBackInTown]

Bumping this thread, curious if anyone has investigated/measured Takstar’s dynamic capsules. Saw a few on Aliexpress, mainly the TS-5 and the TS-9, not sure how they stack up. A while back someone on a mic building Facebook group made a frankenmic with the TS-5 that they seemed to like (I should go back and find the post and ask).

I understand the limitations of doing DIY Dynamic mic building but on the high end for podcasting/studio work there is still a very strong use case and not as many choices as I’d like to see. I’m also curious if it’s possible to simulate recreate the Variable-D effect of the RE-20 (I think it’s mainly a perforated pipe down the length of the body of the mic, but would require side venting I’m guessing) in an aftermarket body, but I am guessing that’s all more trouble than it’s worth.

Apologies if this is explored territory!