Having your Condenser Mic UPSIDE down.....

  • Thread starter Thread starter un1que
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My Rode NTK has sat in the same place for 5 years and it still works. No cover, just a spit guard. When the tube goes, I'll replace it.
 
ido1957 said:
My Rode NTK has sat in the same place for 5 years and it still works. No cover, just a spit guard. When the tube goes, I'll replace it.
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Ido you gotta stop spitting at your microphone from across the room. :D
 
But all in all turn that mic upside down ... For the love of DAVE ... turn that mic upside down.
 
Which side of the mic is the upside? Are you sure?

Seriously, the reason you see vocal mics oriented with the cable coming out on top is because back in the day, there used to be a music stand involved. It is easier to read the music on the stand when the cable isn't in the way.
 
jimmys69 said:
I don't think a plastic bag is a proper storage means. Condensation bad. But what do I know?
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Not sealed stored, mic's on a stand "loose enough to breathe a little."
Anyway, condensation happen when you lower the tempreture below the dew point
Go here, read the stickies.
PSW Recording Forums: Klaus Heyne's Mic Lab Stickies
He says 'plastic bags, I add 'ziplock only as it allows you a means to snug it up and hold on to the mic a little.
 
Turns out you can do it either way:
beatlesU47sm.jpg

Q.E.D.
 
I keep my mics sideways and lie down when I sing.
 
That's a lie. I don't sing.

But I do lie down a lot.
 
jimmys69 said:
I don't think a plastic bag is a proper storage means. Condensation bad. But what do I know?
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Condensation from what? Condensation is formed by warm air cooling and releasing its' water. If the bag is sealed and kept at a relatively constant temperature where would condensation come from? I keep all my mics in freezer bags and have never had any problems with wet capsules or any kind of corrosion or oxidation or anything else related to humidity.
 
If you use them as vocal mics, they'll be colder than the breath. If the room is not climate controlled, or you adjust relative to the outside temps to save some cash. If the room is a vocal booth and it gets up to 98.6F and humid while tracking. If your studio is/was in New Orleans. If if if if if... But then again if you never use the mics, keep them sealed up, have some form of de-humidifier in the studio and other things. But I think the original point was that a ziplock bag doesn't breathe and doesn't allow for evaporation of already existing humidity on the capsule. If you seal that up, you'll get mold issues.
 
Shadow_7 said:
If you use them as vocal mics, they'll be colder than the breath. ...
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Going to grab that link ealier, of cource I had to read some of it again- never hurts to get a refresh on this stuff :) ..Anyway interesting this bit about condensation (and the bag'..
_____
...The best, cheapest (free) and all around easiest way to preventing a condenser capsule from deteriorating is the good old plastic bag from your supermarket's produce or cereal/candy department (you may have to look a little harder for a bag that is made of a bit thicker plastic material, but it will last longer.)

Just put the bag over the mic on the stand, if you cannot tear down the recording set up for positioning reasons. Then, after the session is finished, permanently store the mic in this bag inside its proper case. No need to seal the bag tight. You can let the mic breathe.

If humidity in the room was excessive, you would already have had moisture back- down on the capsule, so no need to worry if the bag fits too tightly. If anything, a bag over a warm tube mic will force redistribution of the higher humidity sitting on the capsule towards the drier amp region of the mic, so the bag will somewhat act as a capsule dehumidifier.

The main idea of the bag over the capsule is that of a physical barrier- to prevent the electrostatically attractive capsule from sucking in particles from as far as six feet away, and letting these contaminants act like salt crystals which catalyze fog formation: If there is any amount of a dirt layer, it becomes that much easier for moisture to form droplets and start a conductive path to short out the two plates of the condenser (diaphragm and backplate.) ...

PSW Recording Forums: Klaus Heyne's Mic Lab Stickies => How To Keep A Condenser Capsule Clean and Dry
 
One reason to put a mic upside down is if you're reading lyrics. The mic doesn't block your view.

That's all I got.
 
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I always thought that it was microphone torture.
Torturing the microphone by hanging it upside down till it acted correctly.
 
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