Jim Lad
New member
Just got the Golden Age Pre 73.
I'm moving on up ♫
I'm moving on up ♫
PhilGood
Juice box hero
I was (and still am) considering getting the Global Age Pre 73. At the time I got a really good price for a UA610 and a Peavey VMP2, so I went with those.
mshilarious
Banned
Again the anti-SMT bias surfaces! Last modern 414 guts I saw had not only SMT, but a microprocessor (or if not that, an analog switcher, couldn't read the part number)! So why would the 214 be different (other than not needing the MCU because it's cardioid only)?
Sorry, when I see a dig against SMT for no other reason than it's SMT I just think that individual can't do SMT work/rework . . . there are a lot of really good SMT components that are simply not available in through-hole, not even to mention the fact that many designs are impossible in through-hole with given space constraints.
And I see some of that on the C414 history site; more transistors = bad, tant caps = bad, etc. Although I will say tantalum is getting way too expensive and large-value ceramics are starting to kick tant's butt, so I am phasing out most tants from my circuits . . .
cyrano
Member
+1. I don't like SMD cause I can't repair it easily. But soundwise, it only has advantages. And I also don't understand why nobody seems to like the C3000. I have the latest one and it's a very nice mic.
Jim Lad
New member
I think you just answered your own question.
The most recent C3000 would be the AKG C3000B. Is that what you have?
If so, it gets rave reviews.
I have the C3000. Has one large and one small diaphragm. Multi pattern.
I don't like it in the studio but am absolutely spoiled, using it live.
PhilGood
Juice box hero
True. The TLM103 has SMT and its a good sounding mic. I think the major problem with the C3000 is it has 2 capsules if I recall correctly, with whatever issues arise from that. It wasn't really a dig at surface mount components.
I don't deal with surface mount parts because I'm not sure about how to work solder paste, if that's indeed how you mount them. Don't you have to have pre silk screened boards?
cyrano
Member
No, it isn't. Seems like AKG likes to play with our minds. The first one was blue-ish, and was called C3000. The second one was gold/silver-ish and called C3000B. And since a number of months, the newest one is almost black and it's called C3000 again.
Well, it could get rave reviews as far as I'm concerned, but on some fora, lots of people seem to hate it. Maybe that's based on the very first C3000?
PhilGood
Juice box hero
No, the first one was black too. A friend of mine bought one when they first came out. It had a blue band around it, but it was definitely painted black. I sang a lot into that mic.
I think AKG is hoping everyone forgets about the original C3000.
mshilarious
Banned
Most SMT assembly is done using reflow, where a solder stencil is made, solder paste is applied to the board over the stencil, a pick & place machine gets the components on the PCB, then the PCB is baked. That's not how rework is done though, and most components don't have to be done that way. I do all my SMT work with a soldering iron--I coat the PCBs with flux, which kinda acts like component glue, place components by hand, then solder normally. I much prefer it to through-hole as it's faster to assemble and easier to rework (I can nick off a small component with my iron, no desoldering required). But the bottom line for me is I cannot build the products I want in the form factors my customers desire without it, because if I don't somebody else will.
Some components cannot tolerate the heat of flow with lead-free solder, and then there are the components that are too small for me to work (<1mm pitch), but there are those brave souls who can do that work too . . . so while some people worry about getting through-hole components, I worry about getting SMT parts large enough to hand-solder.
There are no ADC chips that are through-hole, since probably 1995 I would guess . . . so if you're doing digital, it's tough. Many of the new chips are SSOP only, that is 0.5mm pitch. Then there is the BGA (ball grid array) and QFN stuff (flat pack no lead) . . . it's a scary future for the hand solderer . . .
There are still MCU chips that are through-hole and a good selection of SOIC . . . but for analog, I wonder how much longer DIP will live. I would encourage anybody to learn to do 0805 and SOIC-sized parts, it's not that hard once you try it. Get a really old useless PCI card and have at it.
PhilGood
Juice box hero
Lead free solder is the sux. I went around and bought up spools of the old kind before I'm forced to start using the new stuff.
mshilarious
Banned
Heh. I've been using no-clean lead-free for four years now. The first time, you bawl like a baby. Then you get used to it . . . tip temperatures are much higher though, I use 720F for nonsensitive parts, and I back off to 550F for the most sensitive ones. The solder barely flows that low. The trick is to work very, very quickly so the component doesn't see a temp anything near the tip temp.
PhilGood
Juice box hero
look like its time for a new iron.
mshilarious
Banned
What are you using now? A temp-controlled tip is pretty much mandatory for lead-free stuff, especially SMT. Doesn't need to be fancy, I use Weller WES51. Don't use the sponge though, go for the dry cleaning (steel wool).
PhilGood
Juice box hero
A Weller WTCPT. I thought it would be fine when I started out and just never bothered to upgrade. I guess its time. I did buy different tips for it.
mshilarious
Banned
I would keep that when you upgrade, looks useful for big-tip stuff like cable connectors. That pencil is too fat for delicate work, the WES51 is great for that. With both of them, you don't have to change tips 
PhilGood
Juice box hero
Awesome advise! Thanks!!
Jim Lad
New member
Maybe you're right.
Either way, have a look at the new one and you should see that "Hypercardioid" is no longer an option.
That's because they've gone to one 1" condenser.
The original, which is what I have, has one large, one small and the sound is a blend of both.
It was a great idea but most folks just can't seem to find a practical use for it.
Maybe, given that it was built during the transition from analog to digital, what they had in mind got buried under a heap of progress.
Kind of like the pocket calculator.
antichef
pornk rock
if you want a general purpose mic that's really good on many instruments and a few voices (the voices that sound better in the first place, usually), start stalking used C414B-ULS mics. They aren't the brass ring, but they're good, not unduly bright, and *really* versatile on non-vox stuff. They were clearing for $4-500 on ebay a year ago when I went looking. They're old, but generally well taken care of, and the tolerances are good enough that you can buy two separately and be fairly confident you can use them as a stereo pair.
They're demanding on phantom power - if you're not dishing out close to 48v, they won't sound very good. They're kind of heavy in comparison to similar-sized mics (at least the cheap ones I can afford), so they can require some artful placement/counterweighting if you use cheap stands like I do, but they're durable (in the event they go down ).
just some stray thoughts for ya.
(edit: kind of silly to say it's "demanding" on phantom power - better to say it actually requires the full specification that all the devices claim to support, but some actually don't)
They're demanding on phantom power - if you're not dishing out close to 48v, they won't sound very good. They're kind of heavy in comparison to similar-sized mics (at least the cheap ones I can afford), so they can require some artful placement/counterweighting if you use cheap stands like I do, but they're durable (in the event they go down
).just some stray thoughts for ya.
(edit: kind of silly to say it's "demanding" on phantom power - better to say it actually requires the full specification that all the devices claim to support, but some actually don't)
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Jim Lad
New member
Thanks for that.
They fetch $600+ on E-bay, right now and I'm looking specifically for vocals but with all of the bells and whistles, it would be nice to have something of that caliber around the studio.
They fetch $600+ on E-bay, right now and I'm looking specifically for vocals but with all of the bells and whistles, it would be nice to have something of that caliber around the studio.
Jim Lad
New member
I've gone back and forth on this so much, I think I'll buy both the solid tube and the C414 as the opportunity arises.
The C214 is probably an intermediate step that I can afford to skip.
The C214 is probably an intermediate step that I can afford to skip.