electret vs "true" condenser

[mandocaster]

I've been looking into SDC's lately.

The AT SDC's, the new AKG C451B, Shure SM81, Sennheiser e614, and others are electrets.

I think the SP C4, Rode SDC, MXL 603, Oktava MK012, up to Josephsons, Neumanns, Gefells and others are "true" condensers.

Can any correlation be made between any performanceissues andthis distinction?

The MXL 603 is bright, the Oktava isn't.

The AT4041 is fairly bright, the SM-81 is pretty flat.

Any thoughts?

[nkjanssen]

Originally Posted by mandocaster

Can any correlation be made between any performance issues andthis distinction?

Not anymore. In the old days, electrets used to generally be of very poor quality. Now, many electrets are excellent mics.

[Flatpicker]

The only real catch concerning electrets is that their “permanently” charged back-plate isn’t really permanent. Used to they did good to last 10 years, but nowadays, it’s more like 15-20, or so I’ve read. For this reason, I wouldn’t buy any old electrets.

[mandocaster]

Originally Posted by Flatpicker

The only real catch concerning electrets is that their “permanently” charged back-plate isn’t really permanent. Used to they did good to last 10 years, but nowadays, it’s more like 15-20, or so I’ve read. For this reason, I wouldn’t buy any old electrets.

So older SM81's (available on ebay, or whatever) perform differently/less well than new ones because of the loss of charge?

[Flatpicker]

Originally Posted by mandocaster

So older SM81's (available on ebay, or whatever) perform differently/less well than new ones because of the loss of charge?

Don't know if it's a gradual change or all-at-once, but at some point they lose enough of the charge that they stop working properly. Not sure if there is a way to recharge it, but you can always replace the capsule.

[Richard Monroe]

The loss of output, as I understand it, is gradual, and minimal. A pretty old one will sound like a mic that's not getting quite enough phantom power. The effect is usually negligible, as in 3-6db, for the amount of time electrets have been around. I don't think any of them are destined to be classics 40-60 years down the road, but most of them aren't real big ticket items, either.-Richie