MXL V63M modded (a $13 impulse buy)

Blue Jinn

Rider of the ARPocalypse
Another one with a broken headbasket, and a jacked up shock mount. Shockmount repaired with a rubber band (the small bungy cord type shoelace had lost its bunge)

This is a relatively simple mod:

-Replace stock 32mm K67 style capsule with a 34mm K47 style capsule (mine were from WGTChina). The mount is still stock with a new saddle, so the capsule sits about 3-4mm higher in the basket.

-Remove R8 and C13

-Connect the capsule front to the junction of R9 and T3

-Connect the capsule backplate to the junction of R12 and C12. There is a wire soldered there marked "B" on the back of that board that connects to a spot marked "B" on the other board. So all you have to do is move that wire to the back of the teflon turret where R8 and C13 used to meet and connect the backplate wire to the front of that turret.

This is part of the "Zapnspark" mod to the Generic China mic circuit. There are additional recommendations, such as changing out the transistors, and rebiasing the FET. I didn't do that.
 

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how does it sound? Was it a noticeable improvement?

I don't have a "before" recording of it. But comparing it to a 2010 (which has the same overall circuit, 32mm K67 capsule, but multiple polar patterns) it is:


a little more sensitive,
quieter,
a fuller and less "bright" sound, EDIT: the "fuller" is very noticeable.
more bottom end
some proximity effect.

Some of this is probably the change in capsule, but removing the coupling cap is supposed to help a lot too.

So it was a very noticeable improvement. FWIW, I have a 2006 with the exact same circuit (modded) and a WGT C12 style capsule, which is still noisy and much less sensitive. I haven't checked the voltages on the FETs, and I can't read the markings on the zeners to see if there is an inconsistency between the two.
 
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I did the Microphone parts mod to the MXL990, the MXL was giving to me. The MP mod is really just using the body of the MXL, capsule, board and all components are replaced, except for the XLR plug. New basket, too. It made the mic very usable for my vocals now. I like it better on my vocals than the TLM103 I have.
 
I did the Microphone parts mod to the MXL990, the MXL was giving to me. The MP mod is really just using the body of the MXL, capsule, board and all components are replaced, except for the XLR plug. New basket, too. It made the mic very usable for my vocals now. I like it better on my vocals than the TLM103 I have.

Cool. FWIW, the circuit in the stock 990 is the same as this mic, and about 100 other mics.
 
UPDATE: (If anyone is interested) had some weird noise, hard to describe, like crinkling shrinkwrap. Solved by swapping the leads on the capsule. I can't explain that.
 
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