CAD M37 ...made in USA?

Sklathill

Soundcard Junkie
I'm a big fan of CAD mics, and I liked the M37...but I was always under the impression that it, along with the rest of the "Global Audio" series of mics, was made in China. I noticed on their website now at http://www.cadmics.com/global_audio_m37.htm that the picture is now captioned: Made In USA!

I wonder what that means...is it really made in the USA, or something less...

Also kind of funny that this is the only mic on the website marked as such...

Anyone talk to the dudes at NAMM and heard anything about changes in manufacturing or assembly?
 
I have an M37. The packaging says Made in USA, though the spec sheet doesn't. The spec sheet shows CAD as the apparent manufacturer, a division of CTI Audio in Conneaut, Ohio.

The mic came with its own frequency response printout by serial number, and signed in ballpoint pen with feminine appearing initials.

I suspect it is made, or at least assembled, in the usa - I could dissemble it to look at the PC board but that would entail removal of 4 black anodized phillips screws, and any ding marks on them would probably void the 2 year warranty.
 
I ask CAD about this at NAMM. They claim to make their diaphragms (and capsules, I think?) and assemble their mics here in the US. However, they told me they couldn’t put “Made In USA” on their products because there was some law that a certain percentage of the parts had to be made in the USA. Since a certain number of their parts come from overseas, they are not allowed to state this, even though they are asssembled here. Now whether or not they were blowing smoke, I don’t know, but that’s what they said. Sounds kind of fishy to me.:rolleyes:

I'm 99.9% sure the "Global Audio" series of mics are made in China.
 
BTW, at NAMM, none of the Global Audio mics were set up, but most of the 'domestic' ones were. For the record, I thought the M-177 sounded great and was much better than its more expensive, 3-pattern sibling, the M-179.

They've got new versions of the E-100 and E-200 coming out which also sound pretty good.

Funny, these are good sounding mics, but you don't see them discussed much around here...:confused:
 
The M37 also pulls 8ma current. Since it is rated for phantom voltage of 24 to 52 volts, you could probably use two of them in most dual channel preamps even if they pull the voltage down to 24 volts or above. However, you possibly couldn't use other mics needing the full 48v with it. Apparently the M37 and the M177 have identical electronics.

According to tech support at CAD
the circuit boards and electronics of the M37 and the M177 are the same. Besides the physical appearance, the capsules are different. Quality control is the same. We purchase the capsules from a vender and the actual thickness of the polymer is not speced for my use. It (M37 capsule) is the same version that was used in the E300 with just the front side.
 
Hey Crazydoc,

The other mic I would be using it with would be an SM81, which Shure says will operate at 12-48V. So it should work. Have you tried anything like this? I kind of wonder about any drop in performance. Also, how do you like the M37? I hear a lot about the Cads being good, often overlooked mics.
 
omtayslick said:
The other mic I would be using it with would be an SM81, which Shure says will operate at 12-48V. So it should work. Have you tried anything like this? I kind of wonder about any drop in performance. Also, how do you like the M37? I hear a lot about the Cads being good, often overlooked mics.

Not Crazydoc, but yea, the sm81 is an electret . . . and electrets don't require as much phantom, so it should be fine.

And yea, these are some under-rated and often overlooked mics. Word has it quality control is starting to go down the tubes, however, so I might have some concern over some of the newer models.
 
omtayslick said:
Hey Crazydoc,

The other mic I would be using it with would be an SM81, which Shure says will operate at 12-48V. So it should work. Have you tried anything like this? I kind of wonder about any drop in performance. Also, how do you like the M37? I hear a lot about the Cads being good, often overlooked mics.

What chessrock said.

My only dual channel preamp is the audiobuddy, which has phantom power issues of its own, so I don't use it for the most part unless I need stereo - then I only use one channel. My other pre is the Joemeek MQ3, which I generally use as I usually only record one track at a time.

I have not found the M37 to be very different from other cheap chinese mics in sound, with the hyped high end sizzle. However I need this personally as I have a high frequency hearing loss. :)
 
crazydoc said:
I have not found the M37 to be very different from other cheap chinese mics in sound, with the hyped high end sizzle. However I need this personally as a have a high frequency hearing loss. :)
It's the Chinese capsule that sizzles, but hey, it sounds good on some things, and my h.f. hearing is shot, too.:p

The M-177 didn't sound that way. It was somehow not as bright but rich sounding. Same with M-Audio's new Luna mic.
 
crazydoc said:


I have not found the M37 to be very different from other cheap chinese mics in sound, with the hyped high end sizzle. However I need this personally as I have a high frequency hearing loss. :)


COOL! We need more of these.
 
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