U47-style bodies - who can make one?

[deuc224]

Hey Skylar , is it too late to jump in on a mic body?

 

[TheGuitarist]

Seems like it might be worth shipping connectors with bodies to save a bit of money! But hey, whatever goes i suppose... doesn't look like it would work with neutriks.

 

[Skylar]

I am purchasing the necessary Binder connectors in bulk...
-female panel mount
-male cable mount
-female cable mount

When you purchase a mic body, you will be able to get the three connectors listed above for much less than in single quantities from Binder's website.

EDIT: only carrying the 691 7-pin Female cable-mount

 

[MATTI]

Exelent, again

Best

Matti

 

[TheGuitarist]

Skylar, is there anything you haven't thought of?


At this rate i wouldn't be surprised if you got some boxes and shockmounts into production. everything but the guts package!!

 

[kilmister]

When you purchase a mic body, you will be able to get the three connectors listed above for much less than in single quantities from Binder's website.

Dude, you
ROCK!

-Paavo

 

[LFF]

Wow. This is sweet!

How can I get in on this?

 

[frederikkofoed]

When wil the body's be ready??

- Frederik

 

[Skylar]

Update:

The first production sample will be arriving mid-March. aka, another week or two.
These are now about 2 months behind schedule.

Apparently, due to lower order volumes by foreign companies in 2009, many Chinese factories have had to layoff workers (sound familiar?).
Now these factories find themselves short on staff to fill recently-increasing order volumes.
This is why we're so far behind schedule according to the vendor.
And I believe them; I've seen this happening at a couple other US companies.

 

[TheGuitarist]

Will the psu cases still be going ahead as well? I haven't seen much mention of them, but i guess they are MUCH MUCH more simple to get made up. Is there a price on those too?

 

[speakercoil]

There are like infinite options right here...
http://www.hammondmfg.com/scpg.htm

 

[Skylar]

I am not doing the PSU cases for this run because the prices I got back were just too high.

After tooling, the unit price for a quantity of 200 was quoted around $50.
Then when you factor in shipping, customs, etc. it would force the price into the $60+ region.
I think that's too high for this type of product.

So, I am looking at other vendors for the PSU case.
But my main focus right now is finalizing the mic body deal because we've been waiting forever for these!


Looking through the Hammond stuff, the only one that I would use for a tube mic PSU enclosure is the 1453B.
or perhaps the 1453C.

The 1453B is $48 at Digikey and Mouser
...cheaper from mouser than having them made overseas in 200-off.
I put in a quote for 100 qty from Mouser—should be less than $34 each.
We'll see.

 

[Kingston]

That thing is massive (especially model C and above), and actually quite expensive, and completely unnecessarily so. Also, that many ventilation holes are simply not needed here. It'll barely get warm so might as well shield it well.

From the above list, just two steps below that hulking thing:

(511-513 Series) 513-0900. It's more than adequate, and only €17 at mouser. In fact I just built an MK7 equivalent PSU in one. The rather large MK7 PSU PCB (with big caps), PSU toroid, the big choke etc switches and connectors all fit in just fine. I added a top handle for convenience (like 518 Series).

 

[Skylar]

Different strokes...

For my taste, that one is just a tad too small.
For the MK7, I have built my PSU on a turret board;
I am using an Edcor power transformer and a large binder panel-mount connector.
I mocked these parts up in SolidWorks, and there's really no way to make it all fit without modifying the transformer/choke mounting tabs (which I would rather not do).
Also, because of the large binder connector on the front panel, there would really be no room for a silk screen label around the pattern select knob.
[That's more of an aesthetic thing though]

Even if it did all fit in there somehow, I would rather pay $48USD and have some room to work than spend $21USD and work in a cramped space.

But, if the parts you're using all fit without any troubles, then I agree, the 513-0900 is a great solution.

 

[Gus]

IMO you need a big box for a good tube microphone power supply.

 

[Kingston]

It's not a cramped fit, but it's probably thanks to the PCB (from our group buy). A big thick turretboard certainly would not fit.

I don't quite get what you mean by the front panel space. Plenty of room there.

This is where I got the idea, same size, same implementation. Amphenols fit as well.

I just don't see the point of using too large case here. The PSU needs no air flow, or extra breathing room.

 

[gemini86]

looks to be about the same size as an AKG supply...

 

[Skylar]

Here's what I mean:

-the knob cannot rotate because it will run into the binder and XLR connectors.
-no room for pattern markings around knob

The connectors could be moved closer to the sides and bottom, and maybe it could all fit then, but it just wouldn't look good to me—too cramped.
So, I just prefer a bigger box.

 

[mich]

The above box dosent look too bad...

 

[Skylar]

Right...until you try to turn the knob!