Group Buy Interest?

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apl said:
Cool! The 2 µm (that's micron) ribbon is 0.08 thousandths of an inch.
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Excellent info. This metalurgist is NOT into audio at all so he has no idea how ribbon mics work. However he LOVES solving problems.
OK the ribbons are 0.08" thickness. Anyone know the width, angle, and if sharp or radius folds?
 
chance said:
... With these ribbon problems we're having, I am a little nervous about another GB. They are "cheap mics" and I guess this is one of the drawbacks (QC), but I don't like negative feedback. Yesterday while speaking to China, they asked again "how many and what mics are bad"? I flat out told them that "the mics are all over the world and we don't have the time to open up every mic"
I feel that China will make some sort of restitution, perhaps in a future buy. How does everyone feel about the cost vs the ribbon problem? ...
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Another thing I'd just point out is that reviewers and end users were raving about Chinese ribbons as sold under various companies' brandings for several years before anyone discovered the tensioning issues (I believe that it was Mr. Joly who first discovered this and spread the knowledge about this).

The stock mics are useable and offer another tonal choice to people and the having the chance to mod them or have them expertly modded allows people to own an excellent mic that they essentially pay for in installments at the pace that they determine, which is also a great thing.
 
I definately want to be a part of another Group Buy. :D
ESPECIALLY after seeing those awesom pics of the new mics. :eek:

I think that even the big mic companies have similar problems but the average user doesn't know to open the mic up to inspect the ribbon.

I didn't know how to tension a ribbon before I got my mics. But now I do and it's really not all that bad.
 
Yes, at the GB price. The ribbons are a fantastic platform for modding and adjusting either by end users, or professionals.
 
I agree with the others. I don't have an issue with the ribbon sag. Sure we'd love it to be perfect out of the box, and having the problem corrected at the manufaturer would be nice in the future... but for the price point it's not a big deal, and I'll get to learn something else. I was planning on switching transformers at some point as well so it's a non-issue as far as I'm concerned, at least we know about it... and have directions on how to correct it.

It's not like it's going to burst into flames on us.
 
chance said:
With these ribbon problems we're having, I am a little nervous about another GB. They are "cheap mics" and I guess this is one of the drawbacks (QC), but I don't like negative feedback. Yesterday while speaking to China, they asked again "how many and what mics are bad"? I flat out told them that "the mics are all over the world and we don't have the time to open up every mic"
I feel that China will make some sort of restitution, perhaps in a future buy. How does everyone feel about the cost vs the ribbon problem? As for the 310 and the 583, I am hearing all positive reports from the major studios here in LA
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Chance, I feel that you are fellow who is doing all of us a huge favor by getting us these mics at these prices. We are buying them sight unseen (and sound unheard), and it is the price that makes them worth the risk of the issues (pretty minor) that are popping up. I am sure no one holds you in any way responsible for any of these issues, and frankly, you should not have to deal with them. You got us the mics: end of story.

But if you want to advise the manufacturer about the problems, who could then takes steps to avoid them in the future, feel free to do so. :) But please, don't let this be a reason to avoid a future group buy. As far as I am concerned, you have gone above and beyond for us, and the buck stops with us, not with you.

Again, many thanks to you for all your effort for us. Karma.
 
Well these are encouraging posts for a future GB. I think that anyone making a re-order in a future GB, I will reverse the shipping process. In other words, those who get their mics last (this GB) will get their mics first, next GB. (Sorry AJ) LOL

A.j. said:
Chance,

I was actually the very first person to receive his mics. It was great to be the first (hurray!),
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chance said:
Excellent info. This metalurgist is NOT into audio at all so he has no idea how ribbon mics work. However he LOVES solving problems.
OK the ribbons are 0.08" thickness. Anyone know the width, angle, and if sharp or radius folds?
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Hi Chance,

I am afraid the thickness is missing quite a few zeros ;)
The 2um is 0.00008".

In order for the ribbon "remember" the shape of "folds" the corrugator needs to be of very high precision and of certain shape.

I payed about $2.000 for a couple custom made gears alone for my corrugator. Mind you, I have precision mill and lathe with digital readouts, but could not machine with NEEDED precision (!!!).

It is not a big deal to make and corrugate the ribbon itself, but the biggest challenge is to install it properly with very tight tolerances (I use a microscope), and precisely tune it (sometimes it can literally take hours).

I highly doubt Chinese manufacturers would go that far. In any case, it will boost the price significantly, so why would they bother, if it can somehow sound OK?:p
 
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Amazing the value of a zero, A ribbon with .08, wouldn't work too well. But it wouldn't sag. LOL. A man with machinists experience. I love it. (Do you know where I can get a 3 jaw chuck for an old south bend vertical turret lathe or parts for a Bridgeport) sorry OT LOL
 
Also, I just want to suggest this early, but the if the Gearwire dot com MVP award is an annual thing (apparently voting just ended for this year's award-- good luck homestudioguy), we should make sure that chance is not only nominated next year, but wins in a landslide :D

I know of this incidentally because of this thread:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=252488

The winner apparently gets a prize package of software and other music-related stuff.
 
Hey Marik - great to see you here! Don't be a stranger - we need all the help we can get. :D
 
chance said:
Excellent info. This metalurgist is NOT into audio at all so he has no idea how ribbon mics work. However he LOVES solving problems.
OK the ribbons are 0.08" thickness. Anyone know the width, angle, and if sharp or radius folds?
Click to expand...

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo!!!

They are 0.000008" thick. That's 0.08 thousandths. He'll go, "Oh, that's a little different."

What we really need is carbon nanotube ribbon.
 
apl said:
NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo!!!

They are 0.000008" thick. That's 0.08 thousandths. He'll go, "Oh, that's a little different."

What we really need is carbon nanotube ribbon.
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:)

And now that's a zero too much :eek:

The carbon nanotube is a very good idea. I highly doubt though it is gonna be a budget mic, by any means, as the technology itself is very expensive, with lots of R&D dough involved. But the idea of actual "growing" the ribbon is very attractive.

I'd suggest to not even go there, without proper licensing. Guys @ C&T lab made it very clearly...;)
 
apl said:
I don't think they're patent would hold up. Anyone familiar with the art would think... "Hmmmm, what's light and conductive?"
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Well, I looked at and studied their patent very carefully. It is quite well written, I have to say... something to expect from someone with over 100 patents...
 
What is the purpose of the corrogations. Is it increased surface area?
 
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