Soliloqueen's k87(k67) and k47 capsules

[Murdock]

I must come back around and mention that I now realize Milab/Pearl is simply using aluminum on Mylar… I knew that! What was I thinking? Doh!

I also realize I already knew how thick the NU-100K aluminum is. Martin had already confirmed with me that it’s a 6-micron pure aluminum diaphragm in a 30mm capsule.

Anyhow, I truly would like to find out for sure how thick the aluminum on the kk53 was. I truly would love to be absolutely wrong!

Please read the first article I posted again. On page 3 it is written.

 

[soapfoot]

Evolution of condenser capsules almost seems to be stopped. There are few companies making any new development

For large diaphragm capsules, I don’t find this too surprising or regrettable. I’d also find it tricky to recall the last major breakthrough in violin technology!

Measurement transducers have continued to evolve, but microphones used in music production are (in their own way) musical instruments—and like any other musical instrument, certain archetypes have become culturally and professionally important.

This could be characterized as arrested development, but it could also be called consensus and maturity of design.

A concert pianist can walk into a new hall with a piano they’ve never touched and still express and make music. Similarly, I worked in an unfamiliar studio last week—they had three U47s and a bunch of U67s and U87s, and I knew more or less exactly what to expect from those instruments when I made my input list. That’s useful!

 

[kingkorg]

Not sure how this is true, new capsules come out all the time. Shure, DPA, Sennheiser, Earthworks, the list goes on. It just seems people are just interested in vintage stuff, and simply disregard the new designs.

High end film industry doesn't seem to care about any of the vintage hype stuff. They seem to be following the trends, and seem to be using cutting edge technology in every stage of the production process.

 

[soliloqueen]

neumann has kind of engineered their own issues in regards to that IMO because they've built their fanbase around the prestige of their vintage designs and in doing so cultivated a fanbase allergic to innovation that doesn't care about or respect any of their newer work. though, it doesn't help that the videos they put out for new mics read like they're from alibaba...

 

[rock soderstrom]

neumann has kind of engineered their own issues in regards to that IMO because they've built their fanbase around the prestige of their vintage designs and in doing so cultivated a fanbase allergic to innovation that doesn't care about or respect any of their newer work.

I don't think that's quite true. If you look at the last 35 years of the Neumann company, you can see that originally the Neumänner were not so keen on all the vintage stuff and constantly repeating their old designs.

I can still remember interviews and personal conversations in the early 90s in which the Neumann people felt annoyed by all the old stuff and wondered why the end users, i.e. us, were so conservative and backward-looking. The Neumänner saw themselves as typical german Ingenieure (I was there, completely unspectacular, just technicians) who were into new things and innovative techniques.

The pressure in the direction of vintage and reissues of the classics clearly came from the outside, only with the sale to Sennheiser, the product strategy and marketing was gradually changed.

Just me two cents direkt aus alibaba Land.

 

[soapfoot]

neumann has kind of engineered their own issues in regards to that IMO because they've built their fanbase around the prestige of their vintage designs and in doing so cultivated a fanbase allergic to innovation that doesn't care about or respect any of their newer work.

But crucially, I don’t think Neumann contrived to manufacture 21st century demand for their 20th century designs—the 20th century designs just proved so useful over the long arc (with vintage prices climbing astronomically) that they’d have been foolish not to acknowledge that demand or engage with it.

And it did take them awhile! (they still haven’t given us a KM84 reissue…)

People still want U67s for the same reason people still want their Fender Precision Basses without 21st century tech—entire ways of creating music have built around that specific technology and implementation.

 

[rock soderstrom]

And it did take them awhile! (they still haven’t given us a KM84 reissue…)

That's right, because at its core it contradicts the guiding principle of technicians and engineers of this character.
They simply didn't want that.

 

[soliloqueen]

I don't think that's quite true. If you look at the last 35 years of the Neumann company, you can see that originally the Neumänner were not so keen on all the vintage stuff and constantly repeating their old designs.

Originally my post got into this (where I got into split opinions between engineers and technicians and marketing, before and after the Sennheiser acquisition) but I cut it down to avoid it becoming a rant. Suffice to say, being an engineer at Neumann is probably somewhat of a sad state of affairs...I rather liked the TLM107, only for cable-lift-buyers to sniff it and say "It doesn't sound right (like my favorite classic mic) in cardioid...i don't LIKE it" and promptly toss it aside...as an engineer i genuinely feel for the people working there.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Please read the first article I posted again. On page 3 it is written.

Ahha! Missed it the previous read-through. Thank you.

Now I want to present this (with credit to you) to confirm that this is correct and not an error… It just seems so wild that after all these years on forums, not a single well-known “mic-guy” (Klaus, Oliver, Bock, Schneider, others), all such sticklers for historical-accuracy everywhere else, would not once question such repeated remarks; at least I’ve never seem it. Maybe all this goes to show how rare theses things are?

 

[soliloqueen]

it is my understanding that this specific capsule had a thicker aluminum diaphragm and then later a thinner nickel one, but never a thinner aluminum one?

 

[rock soderstrom]

I rather liked the TLM107

Maybe a little additional explanation from my point of view. The term TLM (Transformerless Microphone) is not just a name. It is a statement. Transformers and tubes and stuff like that were old stuff at Neumann and frowned upon.

From today's point of view, Neumann produced at that time and with that kind of thinking without taking into account the market. This ultimately led to the sale of the company.

 

[soliloqueen]

Maybe a little additional explanation from my point of view. The term TLM (Transformerless Microphone) is not just a name. It is a statement. Transformers and tubes and stuff like that were old stuff at Neumann and frowned upon.

From today's point of view, Neumann produced at that time and with that kind of thinking without taking into account the market. This ultimately led to the sale of the company.

I appreciate your insight on this a lot!

 

[soliloqueen]

flat k47s are in stock early today! current pre-orders will ship out tomorrow. small revision from the last batch, i bought more flexible wires

 

[soliloqueen]

Maybe a little additional explanation from my point of view. The term TLM (Transformerless Microphone) is not just a name. It is a statement. Transformers and tubes and stuff like that were old stuff at Neumann and frowned upon.

From today's point of view, Neumann produced at that time and with that kind of thinking without taking into account the market. This ultimately led to the sale of the company.

i do apologize if i was offensive in my ignorance though. i can be a little overcritical of neumann where it doesn't always apply

 

[rock soderstrom]

i do apologize if i was offensive in my ignorance though. i can be a little overcritical of neumann where it doesn't always apply

There is no need to apologize. I just wanted to add my perspective.

 

[Recording Engineer]

it is my understanding that this specific capsule had a thicker aluminum diaphragm and then later a thinner nickel one, but never a thinner aluminum one?

No, it went from PVC to aluminum to Mylar in the M50/250.

 

[soliloqueen]

in the M50/250.

right, but is that all we're talking about? It had another life in the KM53, didn't it? I can't get clear answers online about the existence of a KM-only nickel kk53. maybe they are referring to the kk54...? anyway, this is off-topic

 

[Recording Engineer]

right, but is that all we're talking about? It had another life in the KM53, didn't it? I can't get clear answers online about the existence of a KM-only nickel kk53. maybe they are referring to the kk54...? anyway, this is off-topic

The KM53 was only ever aluminum. I believe nickel was only ever in the KM54.

Yes… Most certainly way off tropic. Was just following the natural progression of the thread; like any natural conversation. It got bumped back on topic, but then there was still things to address when it went off.

 

[soapfoot]

The KM53 was only ever aluminum. I believe nickel was only ever in the KM54.

Nickel also in KM56, SM2, SM23, etc., right?

Anyway back on topic—looking forward to trying flat K47 in a couple of old Royer-mod MXLs that have been sitting powered-off for over a decade. Maybe it’ll make them more useful!

 

[soapfoot]

Also! @soliloqueen

Do you recommend a particular set of mounting hardware for flat K47? Thanks in advance!