Telefunken ELA M 251 Clone Tube Microphone Build Thread (D-Ela M 251E)

[Charles Turkmen]

One for me too please Dany !

Thanks,
Charles

 

[electrisizer]

really interested in two, but audio clips would be nice...
especially in comparison to an c12 (clone). perhaps someone could make an overhead drum recording? voice would be nice too  8)

 

[poctop]

really interested in two, but audio clips would be nice...
especially in comparison to an c12 (clone). perhaps someone could make an overhead drum recording? voice would be nice too  8)

+1    KCguitar Alias(Kevin) is in a Really great position to do this has he has 2 CT12 in hand 2 E-251 and some C12 with them ,
but i cannot promise somthing i dont have or cant do at the moment 
Just toughts,

Best,
DAN,

 

[poctop]

Dan,

If there's room to extend the cap spacing to 48-50 mm, there are some interesting looking, super inexpensive Soviet mylar caps on ebay. One audiophool site says they're in between modern mylar and PIO... who knows, but worth a try.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-3uF-160V-PETP-Capacitors-K73-16-Lot-of-50-/400508921279

OK ,  I messed up all night with thenth of millimeters to optimze the relay position at the very best ie 0.25mm spacing between them and for the output cap i have been able to reach ........ 50.16mm 

Your Honor,  I rest My case  8)
Best,
Dan,

 

[kcguitar]

I'll have a female singer over to demo the C12 and ELAM for some jazz covers later today that I will post up.  Sorry I don't have a drum set at my home studio. 

 

[Lowfreq]

Ooh, Ooh. 2 for me please!!

 

[kcguitar]

Ok, here we go folks with the C12/ELAM shootout.  My CT12 equipped Chunger C12 vs CT12 equipped poctop ELAM.  Both mics were run into a vintage 1099 (1073 with fixed line gain) with no EQ or compression and straight to my SSL madi converters.  First is the C12, second is the ELAM.  I purposely mixed the backing track low fyi.  Results were what I expected... 

https://soundcloud.com/paradyne-studios/i-love-you-c12-then-elam-mic

 

[Winetree]

YMO, On her voice, I thought the elam was fuller sounding. Good Job.

 

[micaddict]

Yep, apparently both are good examples of the species, because apart from sounding classy, they differ exactly in the way I would have expected.

C12 sounds a hair more natural and/or maybe slightly more detailed. Ela M is very much in the ballpark, but sounds more like a record (more finished; more beautiful if you will).

Both are plenty bright enough, but C12 has a touch more air (as can be expected). So Ela M is subtly rounder way up high, but also a bit fuller in the lows. Could this have to do with the hard switched pattern in the latter?
(I assume both are in cardioid?)


Henk

 

[micaddict]

Oh, and thanks for posting!!!

 

[poctop]

Ok, here we go folks with the C12/ELAM shootout.  My CT12 equipped Chunger C12 vs CT12 equipped poctop ELAM.  Both mics were run into a vintage 1099 (1073 with fixed line gain) with no EQ or compression and straight to my SSL madi converters.  First is the C12, second is the ELAM.  I purposely mixed the backing track low fyi.  Results were what I expected... 

https://soundcloud.com/paradyne-studios/i-love-you-c12-then-elam-mic

Many thanks For doing that Kevin , appreciate it , and this is super good to have handy ,
Best,
Dan,

 

[chaserose1]

I would like 2 sets

 

[kvothe]

I would very much like one, too!

 

[Winetree]

Got one set of the first batch,
but I'll need another set for a pair.
Thanks

 

[synchroman]

I would like to buy QTY 4

 

[Category 5]

Def in on this one.  The ELA M sounded smoky and pillowy compared to the C12 which was silky and smooth like bead blasted aluminum.  I love describing sound with analogies.  lol.  The ELA M could have even been a U47.  What I mean is, it was different from the C12 in the same way a 47 is.  I wouldn't kick either mic out of bed if you catch my drift. 

 

[Woot]

Hey DAn,

A question re IPA - there are obviously a lot of sensitive components in the build.... relays/polyprops that won't take kindly to being doused in IPA.

Is it necessary to go over the connections to remove any flux residue etc?

Ta

Matt

 

[JessJackson]

Whats happening Dan!...

Just finished my build... spread it out over a couple of days. Few things for future board

You should increase the solder padding size on the pcb
Include support strut terminals for tube base.
Relays closer together as someone else pointed out.

At the moment my build consists of:

Tim Campbell Capsule
MKT 1813 nos coupling cap
T14 AMI

I haven't tested for audio yet but on the meter I got:

B+ 110v at mic
H 6.3v at tube
Plate 65.7v at tube

Theres a couple of vintage 251's here at paramount I'll shoot it out against over the next couple days.

Bless,
J

 

[JessJackson]

p.s

Theres so many different quotes on b+ voltage on discussion boards and schematics. Whats the official word. are we working with 110 or 120?

J

 

[JessJackson]

ok so just a quick shootout of my speaking voice and some shakers and tamb against a vintage elam251. It has a SP sticker on it so i'm sure he modded it or obviously worked on it to some degree and i didn't open it up to see what that might have been.

I threw them up in the control room, one pop filter 4" from head basket and my lips approx 2" from pop filter.

Tim Capsule
MKT 1813 2.2uf (Nos Green)
Styro 4800pf
AMI T14
Matador/Chunger Dual Layer Headbasket (Rear side powder coated black)
5 Star GE 6072
Dans resistor pack.
120v b+ / 65.6v Plate / 6.3v Heater

Both mics are running through a matched pair of vintage 1081 with no EQ at 30db gain / no compressor. I had to gain up my elam roughly 2db in PT to match.

Pro Tools Session:

www.JessJackson.com/sessions/251Test.zip

Ill reserve my comments for now, I know what I think but i'm more interested in your observations.

J