Soliloqueen's k87(k67) and k47 capsules

[soliloqueen]

suffering from success is having to fulfill k47f orders and all of them are 2-pattern grade, sitting here testing capsules and every single one is 3 pattern grade. i fear our manufacturing may have gotten too good. some of you are getting bumped

edit: finally

 

[soliloqueen]

I am interested in testing one of your m7s as I am in the process of listening to some of them, in some 47 and 49 builds.
How can we proceed ?

just dm me and i'll ship you one like wednesday. this is not even close to the final tuning tho

 

[thomasdf]

just dm me and i'll ship you one like wednesday. this is not even close to the final tuning tho

Awesome ! I’ll send you an email and we can add it to an order !
Best
Thomas

 

[MaxxDM]

Awesome ! I’ll send you an email and we can add it to an order !
Best
Thomas

Can you please record some audio samples?

 

[MaxxDM]

Does Arienne Audio do reskin?

 

[soliloqueen]

Does Arienne Audio do reskin?

not right now. we only have 4 capsule assembly sets and i had to give mine to the new guy. i'll get another one made eventually and start doing reskins again. previously i only did reskins very rarely, but i wouldn't mind doing it more now that i have better workarounds for my disability

 

[MaxxDM]

not right now. we only have 4 capsule assembly sets and i had to give mine to the new guy. i'll get another one made eventually and start doing reskins again. previously i only did reskins very rarely, but i wouldn't mind doing it more now that i have better workarounds for my disability

I saw on your site that the gold sputtering on your 87 capsule is translucent, like the early Neumann capsules. I prefer this to the heavier approach that I see from other services.

One thing I have always wondered about is the mylar type used in the earliest Neumann capsules. I wonder if the mechanical qualities were different, compared to modern Neumann

 

[soliloqueen]

I saw on your site that the gold sputtering on your 87 capsule is translucent, like the early Neumann capsules. I prefer this to the heavier approach that I see from other services.

One thing I have always wondered about is the mylar type used in the earliest Neumann capsules. I wonder if the mechanical qualities were different, compared to modern Neumann

Nobody can exactly copy vintage mylar because it's no longer produced in that thickness. Modern mylar is 6 micron, about 24 gauge in the US system. I believe because of the influence of American film manufacturing (americans like to do things in quarters and fives), vintage mylar film is 25 gauge. Which is about 6.35 micron. So it's slightly thicker. Does this make much of a difference? Not at all, but it is something to note. I personally went through and I rated all the films for mechanical suitability for microphone capsules and closeness to the Vintage specifications and then I picked the absolute best film for the job. And then it was out of stock so I picked the second best film for the job! And it's just fine. It's closer than what most people use. The way the mylar is prepped is also extremely important. If you process the film wrong it won't keep tension correctly and the behavior will be wrong.

The influence of american imperial film thicknesses is still present today. For example, it is way easier to buy 38.1 micron (150 gauge) film than 40 micron. good luck finding true 40 micron film anywhere in the us, asia or europe. frustratingly, the ~6 micron film used in microphone capsules is one of the only films that is not still produced at its historical thickness, and i'm not sure why. I wonder what use lead to the global standardization of 24 gauge film over 25, when 150 gauge film is still made and not 40 micron?

 

[soliloqueen]

i should say, the current model of the k87 will be retired after the move to in-house metal. originally i made a replica of a 60s k67, but i am not the hugest fan of the sound and it turns out that almost nobody knows what an early 60s k67 sounds like and it's not what people are expecting at all, so instead there will be an entirely new model of the k87 based on a superior ivory ring k67 sample from @tomas.borgstrom. I just like the sound of this capsule much more. the 60s model will continue to be available upon request for retail customers and as a custom order option for OEM. I will make a few units in the old style every batch.

also, i am registering my company in the UK so that I can collect and pay VAT directly rather than using the courier. This way I can also send out vat receipts for UK customers. Additionally, I opened bank accounts in the UK and EU. Turns out that payment portals lie about having low fees and then "tweak" the exchange rate. It saves me 15 usd on the average order to accept Euro and Pounds directly, which is crazy.

 

[soapfoot]

It's kind of interesting to watch this develop, because it reminds me of the story arc of electric guitar pickups (but 25 years later).

First there were only highly-sought-after vintage parts and modern replacements that were different enough to be disappointing.

Then there were 1-2 aftermarket manufacturers who were actually doing good work, but there wasn't a lot of variety (and the higher-end replacements still weren't exactly the same as the old ones). These manufacturers were beholden to what they could get from their suppliers, and the mainstream of the user base was only beginning to be discerning enough to really be bothered by small distinctions.

But then the old parts became so valued that it incentivized a new level of detail-orientedness. Numerous smaller-shop manufacturers started springing up. New research was done into old methods. New component suppliers were located or conscripted. Users became fanatical about details--suddenly everyday guitarists could tell you that PAF bobbins were made of cellulose acetate butyrate (and insisted that this detail be correct). Small-shop builders were charging magnets at oblique angles to replicate particular vintage examples that were "bulk-magnetized in a pile;" Fender-style makers became particular about sand-casting the polepieces--all sorts of stuff.

Now we're kind of in a "second golden era" for guitar pickups where you can get pretty much anything you want, and most pickups sound great (even stuff you can buy off the shelf).

Seems like mic capsules may get to that point eventually; watching this work unfold in real time makes me feel like we're turning the corner into that third era.

I never heard an aftermarket manufacturer talk about replicating specific eras of K67 before and offering multiple options... that feels new. I remember when Strat pickups were Strat pickups, then you could buy "50s" or "60s" style, and then eventually they were literally making reproductions patterned after specific Fender employees' individual winding styles in particular years.

 

[MaxxDM]

i should say, the current model of the k87 will be retired after the move to in-house metal. originally i made a replica of a 60s k67, but i am not the hugest fan of the sound and it turns out that almost nobody knows what an early 60s k67 sounds like and it's not what people are expecting at all, so instead there will be an entirely new model of the k87 based on a superior ivory ring k67 sample from @tomas.borgstrom. I just like the sound of this capsule much more. the 60s model will continue to be available upon request for retail customers and as a custom order option for OEM. I will make a few units in the old style every batch.

also, i am registering my company in the UK so that I can collect and pay VAT directly rather than using the courier. This way I can also send out vat receipts for UK customers. Additionally, I opened bank accounts in the UK and EU. Turns out that payment portals lie about having low fees and then "tweak" the exchange rate. It saves me 15 usd on the average order to accept Euro and Pounds directly, which is crazy.

can you outline what the main differences between the early capsules and the ivory ring capsule, loosely speaking?

what year was the ivory ring capsule made?