Who will make LDC lollipop heads/adapters for popular sdc's?

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karloff70

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Hey chaps,

I have this problem. I have a wonderful set of Andreas Grosser'd Gefell MV691's and most of the sdc capsules for them. I desire some nice LDC capsules to run on these amps. The only options now are buying an old UM70 head or an actual Neumann lollipop head and a Thiersch adapter, so here's the idea:

Can someone please make some lollipop heads with just capsule holder and connections inside for Gefell MV, and why not for AKG C451EB and perhaps Oktava sdc's too...?? Obviously one would be confined to flat capsule choices on these sdc amps, so basically M7, K47 and C12 sryle capsules. But I would LOVE to have a pair of heads with Campbell CK12's inside and another pair with a sweet K47 or M7......

So.....who is game? I see several guys on here are making bodies in a way that suggests capability for such lollipop heads.

What do we think? I have already directly contacted Thiersch, Eric Heisermann and microphone-parts to see what they say. Any one else who would do this? I would LOVE to have this option and likely would have to buy an AKG C451 very swiftly if I knew I could screw a CK12 lollipop onto it.

Thoughts?

B
 
The biggest problem will be quantity. We could make such thing no problem (or any other adapters/body parts), however there need to be at least 100 pcs minimum order to make CNC setup worthwhile.

Best, M
 
Hi Mark,

Great. So maybe this should be an interest testing thread.....speak, people if you fancy this sort of thing. Let potential makers see that there will be people buying these...

B
 
Doesn't Voxorama already offer, what you desire ?  They have a C12, M7 and a K47 head for the M36 body.
Or ask Drefahl Audio, maybe they can help.
www.drefahlaudio.com

 
Well, yes and no. They offer heads for their M36. Which over an adapter can go on Gefells I think, yes. But then I could also use Thiersch's adapter and put an original Neumann M7 lollipop on there. Both these are a little rich for my skint blood just now. What I was thinking is EMPTY heads. Heads the user can mount any capsule of choice inside of. At an attractive price......but I am probably hoping for the unlikely and will end up with an M36 head or Neumann eventually I guess......

I do love the idea of a Tim Campbell CK12 on an old AKG C451EB though....something tells me that would be a sweet mic.....

Hey,  maybe it's time to DIY this myself somehow......
 
karloff70 said:
What I was thinking is EMPTY heads. Heads the user can mount any capsule of choice inside of. At an attractive price......

http://www.alctron-audio.com/English/contents/95/982.html?__r=9862

Pretty sure they'll sell you just the heads, if quantity is right.

 
And for some strange reason, Alctron went with their own proprietary (from what I'm aware), ever-so-slightly bigger diameter and, non-retracting electrode on their BV563. I only know because I was hoping Luke Audio's new Y56 lollipop would fit the Neumann/RFT/BLUE mics, but nope!

So I agree, really wish someone would do an empty lollipop for those!

 
Yeah its a shame those heads are shit, the funny thing is that blue and violet (so i assume original M7 as well) heads fit the Alctron body fine so if you want to take the time to mod it you can have a fine tube microphone with changable heads for little money. You can also xhange the capsules in the alctron heads to decent ones so you're winning all tbe way.
 
Those capsules in there shocked me at how trashy they were just on sight when I was inspecting the mic. What I saw had issues with the metal work and the diaphragms. Really cheap stuff. I wish it had been even just a little better.
 
To the original, now old post…I think apart from RED, that Chameleon used to make a system that had heads which could be used on 451s, but you hardly ever see them around. I also do wish someone would currently make an LDC head that could work with 451/452 bodies.
 
I could probably make a reasonable amount of the mentioned parts.
Someone would need to supply some good detailed sketches or technical drawings or send me an original, since I'm not a mic-head. I do have extensive casting/machining capability in aluminium, bronze and steel, plus POM plastic.
Cheers, V!

BTW, thanks for dinner Thomas, a pleasure meeting you in Paris!
 
Red was an offshoot of blue. I have a tube 451 body made by inner tube audio where I had red make a capsule and mount for it. Took a minute to get the connection correct but otherwise it’s awesome. The issue was too short a center pin.
 
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@Migs 31 youll like this thread ;)
Absolutely right Thomas,

But folks, hasn't Michael Joly-Oktava Mod already done exactly this?
Not sure if he is still in business though.

@Disco Volante have a look at these pics for inspiration maybe?
I don't have sketches and unfortunately don't own one of Michael's Lollipops...😕
Observe the curved single layer mesh, you can clearly see the 34mm capsules.
As for the way of pin contact (bayonet or other) inside the LDC head, I wonder what it is?

M
 

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So what we are looking for is a round base with a thread(?) at the bottom, some sort of machined connecting surfaces at the top and inside? What about the mesh and the joining piece? What's the purpose of the green tube at the bottom?
Are we looking to make a sort of universal capsule holder in this format?
I gather there's a type of "saddle" holding the capsule in there, is that also relevant to the project or do the capsules always carry a saddle with them?
If so, it might be something for @soliloqueen to have in her upcoming amazing-mic-parts-shop?

I'd say it's doable, it would need thorough documentation and a bit of a collective effort to pull this off, possibly prototypes would have to be tested etc.
The finish is really very good on those, judging from the pictures

Cheers, V!
 
So what we are looking for is a round base with a thread(?) at the bottom, some sort of machined connecting surfaces at the top and inside? What about the mesh and the joining piece? What's the purpose of the green tube at the bottom?
Are we looking to make a sort of universal capsule holder in this format?
I gather there's a type of "saddle" holding the capsule in there, is that also relevant to the project or do the capsules always carry a saddle with them?
If so, it might be something for @soliloqueen to have in her upcoming amazing-mic-parts-shop?

I'd say it's doable, it would need thorough documentation and a bit of a collective effort to pull this off, possibly prototypes would have to be tested etc.
The finish is really very good on those, judging from the pictures

Cheers, V!
Yes pretty much,

The green tube at the bottom is the donor mic per se. MXL-Alctron-Banzai 1000's in circulation.
It's a simple 22.5mm cylinder with XLR connector at the bottom & a 21mm (0.5mm ?) thread.
Can accommodate any Schoeps, @Banzai, @GraemeWoller KM84 or any other circuit PCB.
I suggest using existing grills, so that way people can chose from C12, U87, ELAM251 type grills.

All we need is two (screwing into each other) round bases. One to secure the grill (top ring).
Another one to receive a saddle, type of a universal PVC capsule holder for a 34mm LDC.
That bottom part would then have to screw into the 21mm thread of the donor mic.
The tricky part is to secure the contact of the bayonet pin (second pic attached) on let's say,
an MXL 603 donor mic to our round base.

You're right, we'll need:"thorough documentation and a bit of a collective effort to pull this off".
What do you thing people, Lollipop or not?
M
 

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Ah, the picture is getting clearer. Thanks for the clarification. I take it the parts are made of anodized aluminium for lightness and durability? Could there be a relatively simple spring-contact for the middle pin?
 
Ah, the picture is getting clearer. Thanks for the clarification. I take it the parts are made of anodized aluminium for lightness and durability? Could there be a relatively simple spring-contact for the middle pin?
Well, I'm not a specialist, but I think anodised aluminium looks good & durable, yes.

I know that the bayonet system or contact pin, is spring loaded already. It normally makes contact with the solid hexagonal centre of a 22mm SDC (pic 3 below attached just so you understand mechanism).

In our case we need to find a way to attach the small cables of an LDC. One cable to ground or the body, the other cable somehow isolated from body/ground (maybe in a PVC innard-cylinder?) connected to a plate/solid metal part, that will make contact with the bayonet/pin passing the signal.

PS: Please note, the pics attached below are here just to inform you of thread type and dimensions.
We all understand that the goal here is a LDC Lollipop 😉. Thanks

M
 

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