ECM8000 Mods

Wow Marik, good job... please keep up the good work. This is one of the best threads on the mic forum and we need more like it because this is what this forum should be all about. I'm very pround of you helping all of us here... and I truely mean that from the bottom of my heart. Thanks again. :)
 
You know, there's not really much too that mic... it looks like the hardest part to making one is the PCB and housing. Does it have Behringer, 797 Audio, nothing, or what printed on the other side of the PCB?
 
<it looks like the hardest part to making one is the PCB and housing.>

That's why you pay $39.99 :)

<Does it have Behringer, 797 Audio, nothing, or what printed on the other side of the PCB?>

Have a look. Sorry, I took a picture after I started working on that. I had only 1W Zener, so I put it on the other side--it was not there originally.
 

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Well, the PCB will be easier for someone to copy now that we can see both sides... thanks. I wonder who made the PCB. What's the added diode for... regulating?
 
<What's the added diode for... regulating?>

Precisely! The original was at 6V, I need more, so this zener sets the voltage.
 
I'm guessing. I see that on all measurement mics. I'm guessing that because of the small capsule the design is intended to minimize hard surfaces near the capsule that might reflect sound.
 
That makes sense... but, I wonder if the long neck might also contribute some noise? Is the neck hollow or is it packed with something?
 
It's an omni capsule so it's sealed in back. IT responds to pressure. And tdukex is right on about the narrow neck; it's designed that way to prevent acoustic shadowing from interfering with the response.
 
Thanks Harvey.

Now I'm wondering if shock mounting the capsule in some way might also help keep noise down... does anyone have any thoughts about this?
 
Naw DJL, the noise of this capsule is an electronic one and comes from the internal FET. That's why I want to open it and see if will be able to replace the FET.
 
Here we are! What did I tell you? I knew I saw this thing with a transformer! Sometimes it is a good idea to hit a search bottom even in my own computer, he, he. Look what I found in my files--Behringer ECM8000 board--first revision! Now, all owners of ECM8000, open the thing and check it out. Picture of the other side of the board please.
 

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Now that's interesting... so Behringer dropped the transformer is the newer ECM8000 without telling anyone. Maybe that's why Harvey's ECM8000's wern't as noisy as the one's I had... I sold mine because I thought they were too noisy.

Marik, please don't forget to post the ECM8000 schematics when you finish drawing them.

If anyone has an older Behringer ECM8000 with the transformer in it (Harvey?)... please post a picture of the back side of the PCB. Thanks
 
Marik said:
Here we are! What did I tell you? I knew I saw this thing with a transformer! Sometimes it is a good idea to hit a search bottom even in my own computer, he, he. Look what I found in my files--Behringer ECM8000 board--first revision! Now, all owners of ECM8000, open the thing and check it out. Picture of the other side of the board please.
Wow! So they DID have a transformer...interesting.
 
OK, Marik,

How can I safely open up my ECM's to have a look see.

If mine have the trannie I will get a close up of the PCB and post it.

:cool:



EDIT................it doesn't matter. I just figured it out and they are the later transformerless model. But compared to some other mics with this style of capsule, I find them to be pretty quiet, unless of course gains are turned up to near maximium.
 
OK, just to confuse things even more................I just compared the component layout of mine to those first pics you posted, and it appears that my ECM's may be different again.

The one problem I am having is that I can't remove the PCB all the way out of the body, probably because of the wires to the cap not being long enough.............any suggestions.

And I will take some pics and post them later.

:cool:
 
<The one problem I am having is that I can't remove the PCB all the way out of the body, probably because of the wires to the cap not being long enough.............any suggestions.>

Yeah, I know. You have to unsolder the capsule. Be careful! If you overheat the capsule, you destroy the electret. If you don't feel safe doing that, I would suggest to cut the wires from the capsule, and then make an "adapter" cut out of Radio Shack prototyping PC board with parallel traces. Then you can solder the wires to this board.
 
Normally pulling things apart doesn't bother me and believe me I've probably gone through more oz/lbs or gms/kgs of solder than half the people on this forum put together, but right now I have other work to complete in the studio and as yet I haven't installed the software that came with my son's new digital camera, so if and when I get around to it, I will show you this third pcb layout.



:cool:
 
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