Apex 205...mod or not?

[osz]

I just received my $99 Apex 205 and I'm excited to start testing it. I keep seeing references to mods for the Chinese ribbon mics, such as removing an extra foam layer. Is this mod necessary or beneficial on the Apex 205? If so, can someone please describe how to do it without harming the ribbon?

Thanks!

 

[kojdogg]

I just received my $99 Apex 205 and I'm excited to start testing it. I keep seeing references to mods for the Chinese ribbon mics, such as removing an extra foam layer. Is this mod necessary or beneficial on the Apex 205? If so, can someone please describe how to do it without harming the ribbon?

Thanks!

Michael Joly talks about that mod in his Harmony Central review. Incidentally where did you get this from? I understood that (at least as of recently) these were out of stock in most places.
Edit: The Apex 205 is apparently (according to posts I've seen here and on other MB's) the same as the Nady RSM-1, the Shinybox 46 and others incidentally. It is an Alctron mic with the same basic ribbon assembly as the RSM-2, Shinybox 23, etc.

 

[scrubs]

I'm not sure about the structural specifics of the Apex, but the Nady RSM-2 has about 4-5 layers of wire and tightly-woven nylon mesh between you and the ribbon element. While that is supposed to protect the delicate ribbon, it also diminishes the high-end response of the mic. You can remove a couple of these layers and, as long as you're using a pop filter, shouldn't suffer any detrimental effects (caveat emptor, ymmv, i didn't tell you to do this and I take no responsibility for damaged ribbons, etc.). If you take off the top wire windscreen, there may be an additional wire/nylon basket surrounding the ribbon that can be removed. Try it out and listen for a difference.

 

[EDAN]

Well, the flavor of the day is to "mod" everything but the kitchen sink. I've heard some "mods" that make a mic sound better, on a particular source being recorded in a particular room using a particular chain run through particular gear. But, I've heard far more that just sound different and not necessarly better and then some that sounded worse. You can get great recordings using the cheapest mics these days. I think the "mod" is overated. There is a lot more to just shoving a mic in front of something and deciding you don't like the sound of the mic, chances are the mic is not the problem and "moding" it isn't going to help.

 

[osz]

I generally don't like to mod new gear, either. But I'm thinking it might be worthwhile in this case if simply removing a layer of mesh will yield significantly better high-end response.

Any other thoughts?

 

[amzavareei]

perhaps a better transformer?

 

[Warhead]

Incidentally where did you get this from? I understood that (at least as of recently) these were out of stock in most places.

Not to spam but rather to answer your question, we have a few in stock.

Things were VERY dry for a long time and finally we got our shipment in.

War