The microphone capsule photo and information thread

[k brown]

Anyone know anything about this one? Looks like a Chinese knockoff of an Oktava 219/319 capsule. I grabbed a pair on some site, some years back, directly from China; a few years before the knockoff 102 and 103 style bodies started to appear.

They sound great! Super-duper bright without any harshness whatsoever! Problem is, from the very beginning, they slowly become super-duper hissy 5-minutes after they’re powered-up!

Interesting that they copied the capsule, but left off the 'phase plates' on either side.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Interesting that they copied the capsule, but left off the 'phase plates' on either side.

And doesn’t taking them off the Oktava capsule result in less high-end response? Don’t need any more of that with these Chinese mics!

 

[k brown]

And doesn’t taking them off the Oktava capsule result in less high-end response? Don’t need any more of that with these Chinese mics!

Well, "less" - yes. But many (myself included) felt the top is also smoother and more natural without the discs. Many others prefer the 'acoustic EQ' they provide. I just had a hard time believing they didn't create edge diffraction effects in the immediate vicinity of the diaphragm.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Many others prefer the 'acoustic EQ' they provide.

I’m guessing they didn’t duplicate the “acoustic eq”, because they certainly didn’t need any more.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Interesting. The same transformer is found in the AT2035.

 

[k brown]

Interesting. The same transformer is found in the AT2035.

Interesting - I always assumed AT made their own.

 

[LevinGuitar]

I have my doubts about that capsules were chinese made. If they took time, money and equipment to do that capsule we should have seen it in other mics or as spare somewhere. For a "small" run someone could just make a big order to oktava and make his mic.
Also, the metalwork seems just too close to original. Or at least the backplates and skinned in China if that was cheaper?

https://groupdiy.com/threads/oktava-mk-219-vintage-capsule-dismantled-pics.66592/

Interesting - I always assumed AT made their own.

AT have the AT20xx line made in China

 

[kingkorg]

AT & 797

 

[Migs 31]

@Emmathom
Studio Projects B1.
This is what an old one looks like. Show us what the new one is like if you please .

M

 

[mrgrooves666]

Migs this is the new one, but B3 (dual)

 

[Migs 31]

Migs this is the new one, but B3 (dual)

The plot thickens.
And the “microphone capsule photo” thread gets bigger & bigger.
M

 

[Emmathom]

@Emmathom
Studio Projects B1.
This is what an old one looks like. Show us what the new one is like if you please .

M

Soon will ! (as Jamaican says)
since I'm on vacations for a couple of days....

 

[TimG]

BEAG MD 221

 

[Emmathom]

Studio Project B1 capsule (797audio ?)
I think the mic has been bought before 2010...

 

[amplexus]

Two 'classics' AT4033, and 4040. The 4033 is older, probalby 90's and beat up. The 4040 is current gen, all SMD. I always liked how the pre SMD AT mics had things like Nichicon Muse caps all over the place. I have a mid 00's 4047/SV that I'll post up too when I retrieve it from the school studio this week.

These are both marked Made In Japan

4033 First:

 

[amplexus]

And the Modern 4040:

 

[Emmathom]

Heyyyy... these AT capsule are quaint ! and even more is the modern 4040 !

Thank you @amplexus for this picts : I asked earlier in this thread for AT capsules because I found that people rarely talked about it on this forum. Neumann and AKG are always mentioned but AT also makes very good microphones (in my opinion) and Sennheiser too.

 

[soliloqueen]

That's a wild and wacky front to back path

 

[k brown]

And the Modern 4040:
View attachment 135369View attachment 135370View attachment 135371View attachment 135372View attachment 135373

First 4033 photos I've seen that seem to show that only half the outer ring holes go all the way through; is that true?

The 4040 capsule looks exactly the same as the electret in the 3035 and 2035, but with a multi-hole ring added (and AT says it's externally polarized (?)).

Does anyone know the function of those rings; I've never heard a fulsome explanation. Rings without holes create a top octave boost and increase in directionality, but when they're full 'a holes...?

 

[Emmathom]

@amplexus could you please show us the boards ?

AT4033 is a great mic... (I don't know about the 4040 but I've always been curious about the 4050 : how it sounds / same for the Shure KSM44 and the Sennheiser MK8 which are widely appreciated)

Does anybody know which kind of capsules are in KSM44 & MK8 ?