diy mics

[dirtyp]

I read a few post on diy mics. And was wondering how the sound quality is?
most were pretty cheap, how long does it take to make one? It only looks like a few parts. What is final cost? I use mxl 990 in mono and was thinking of making two cheap mics to record in stereo. do you think the quality would compare to my current mic?
I checked out the diy mixing console but that looked very time consuming and somewhat expensive. The pres seem like something i might try down the road not bad for $20 a channel.

 

[bubbagump]

I read a few post on diy mics. And was wondering how the sound quality is?

Check out those threads again. There are samples posted and from wht I hear, they sound great.

most were pretty cheap, how long does it take to make one?

how good are your soldering skills?

It only looks like a few parts. What is final cost?

About $7-10. The biggest expense is the Neutrik connector. The rest of the parts are like 15 cent resistors and caps. Just don't get your parts at RatShack and pay $1.99 for a resistor.

I use mxl 990 in mono and was thinking of making two cheap mics to record in stereo. do you think the quality would compare to my current mic?

They will be much flatter than your current mic.

 

[dirtyp]

Thats were I got confused, everyone was replacing parts and doing mods.
Soldering no problem.
Im going to try it out.
I think one of them was from a radio shack kit.

 

[Minion]

The quality of a DIY Mic will totally depend on the The Capsule you use (You want a Wide Flat Frequency responce with a High SNR) and the Curcuit you use and the Components you use to make the Curcuit.....

There are some schematics on this site by MSHilarious for makeing Condenser Mics useing Electrets and they are some of the better curcuits you will find for makeing a Condenser and there are also other Curcuits which are a Bit more Complex like the Linkwitz Curcuit and his Capsule mod for Higher SPL and useing an external Fet.....

I have several Condenser mics that I have made and most are pretty good and I use them from everything from Drum overheads to Micing Guitar/Bass Cabs and some are Battery powered (useing a couple small watch batteries) and some are Phantom powered......


Cheers


PS: What DIY Pre"s are only $20 a Channel?? It costs more than $20 to Build the Power supply for the Pre, and buying a PCB for most DIY pre Kits are generally at least $30 a Channel for just the PCB Pluss another $50 in Parts not counting a Power Transformer (which can run you up to $75 for a Good Toroidal) and then you stiil need to get good quality Electrolytic Caps and Good Polly Bypass caps and 1% resistors and Diodes ect, Pluss you would also need a Rack Case to mount the preamp in and there are the Pannel Mount Male and Female XLR"s and the Gain Knob and Power switches.....
Even the cheapest Preamp (like the Green Preamp) is going to run you about $75 per channel not counting the Case ,Power supply and Transformer......

I am designing a Preamp right now that if Successfull will probably be one of the Cheaper DIY Projects and also be fairly small (4 in x 2 in Per channel) it will have Phantom power, 20db Pad and up to 60db of Gain and have fully Ballanced Output....From the Components I am useing I can only guess at the sound Quality but it should be something like the DMP3 as it uses a simular Opamp...It will be a couple weeks till I have a Working Prototype but once I have it up and Running I will Make a Post here and give my Impressions and if it is Good ZI will probably start selling DIY Pre kits useing my design.....

Cheers

 

[rory]

Heres a link to a sound sample I did with $10 worth of ratshack parts:

Also, heres a link to a long thread that followed, its a pretty good read from what I remember: https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=193873

The acoustic is a folk sized breedlove acoustic made of spruce and myrtle wood. The electric is a LP custom into a micro marshall amp.

I like how they sound, pretty dark, very beck-sea change-esque.

Rory

 

[travelin travis]

Heres a link to a sound sample I did with $10 worth of ratshack parts:

Also, heres a link to a long thread that followed, its a pretty good read from what I remember: https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=193873

The acoustic is a folk sized breedlove acoustic made of spruce and myrtle wood. The electric is a LP custom into a micro marshall amp.

I like how they sound, pretty dark, very beck-sea change-esque.

Rory

i remember this. sounds damn good for $10 worth of parts. sounds good not even considering what was used, especially the electric part.

 

[rory]

Thanks Travis.