Tim Campbell's CT12 Capsule has arrived, and...

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kingkorg

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Messages
3,296
Location
Norway
I don't know what to say, and how to say it, WoW should do, but there is so much more to it.

I installed it in a detachable head that i can swap with different bodies, and different circuits. Long story short, it works awesome no matter what you do to it. In u87 ish circuit with deemphasis,  in flat Schoeps, in tube circuit both elam and C12 style. It is just incredible.

Now, how to put into words what's so special about it? I'll try.

I have measured it, and compared it to all of the stuff i ever had here. Did it reveal anything? Not really. Maybe some potential issues at first look. It has huuuuge bottom end, and it is rather bright, peak at about 7k and 10k. So it is scooped. Looking at curve, i thought wow, how is this going to work?

So i just armed the thing, said 1, 2, test. Yupp, it is bright, and up close it has that radio sound, strong proximity effect, huge bottom end, cutting high end. I have to say i was worried if it was going to be too much. And then i put on backing track, set everything to zero and started singing. Back to control room, and i was floored. There was nothing to add, nothing to remove, bit of compression, and that's it. It has perfect amount of everything.

Biggest puzzle of all is how come it isn't sibilant?! It has all the high end one could ever need right off the bat, but it simply isn't abrasive, or peaky at any time. And this is in Behringer B2 head grille, tested both with inner mesh in and removed. Didn't matter.

Big low end in a flat circuit gives it big warm sound even at distance, other mics i compared it to sound like a joke now. Even one of my favorites KSM44, which has kind of same thing going on with the capsule.

I made a short video, it is C12 style circuit with russian 6s6b tube and 3U audio transformer. But it doesn't really matter, it works great in any circuit. By the way if anyone wonders, regular oem C12 (rayking, microphone parts, etc) don't sound anything like it, not even close. The closest thing i have is AKG's electret capsule from c3000, but it still doesn't have this high end magic. And i call it magic, because i can't measure it. Nothing in the measurements that indicates how and why hing end is handled so well. I can just guess it might be phase network. It is almost if it has multiband compressor built in. 

Microphone into Alctron (1073 rip off) > Alctron CP5400 (Neve 2254 Ripoff) > Gyraf 1176, NO EQ just low cut.


 
I'm happy with you ;)

Yes - i love Tim capsules!

Exactly what i've wrote during the years  = any chinese (or any camouflaged chinese) "ck12" doesn't sound like the real CK12.
It's just edge terminated chinese K67. Pattern is exactly the same for 34mm. Still these can be good, bad, great sounding and definately there's more work with the circuit, ftting best donor body etc.
With chambered, real, CK12 design most of these things don't matter so much, untill the circuit or donor body deosn't affect badly response. 
For some time when i will get more time for the projects for myself, finally i'm going into CT12, too much M7 can be boring :D :D :D Naaahhh... Just kidding also love M7 as hell ;)
 
Yup,
All one really needs is an m7 and ck12. I really feel that k67 was just a compromise to fight noise in combo with hf attenuation.  And then Klaus removed deemphasis network, and the rest is history. It was funny to read that Klaus himself regrets that move :)

For the longest time i was avoiding CK12 as i was thinking that i don't need another bright mic, after all of those widely available in different sizes and shapes. I get the hype now, well deserved. I had to try it on my sources. True masterpiece, and actually rather inexpensive having in mind it works so well in a variety of donors, and it's instant gratification, the same character of 5000+ dollar mics.

What triggered me was Jacob's statement somewhere on the forum that this capsule + modded Apex 460 is biggest bang for the buck ever. I couldn't agree more. 
 
i second that
tim's capsules are amazing in sound, quality control, and build quality.
i installed many in many various mics (jfet and tube) and i've never been disappointed.
i add that they sound very "3d" and they take eq very well, and it's even amazing how they can sound close to neumann's K49 or even K67, after a little equalization.
they are never harsh but are however fast and open.
for me the price is widely justified.
we are lucky to have Tim and other well known manufacturers in the forum like Thiersch, Beezneez..., and they even can  customize their capsules, for our DIY projects !!!
 

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