How to take care of my mic?

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Robbb

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I just bought a Neumann TLM 102. Super excited, and I want to take good care of it. What is the best way to store my mic while its not in use? Do I need to unplug it and put it back in the box between recordings?
 
You can leave it out on a stand but keep it covered with a clean plastic baggie to keep dust and other crud from getting to the capsule.
 
Ha, I’ve never looked after a mic ever. They always supply lovely cases and boxes but they never get used here. The only mic I take care of is a ribbon, because of the fragility. Everything else just sits in the mic case, or for the ones I use all the time, they’re on stands, sitting in the drawer or sitting on the ledge underneath the monitors. I don’t abuse them but never, ever had a dust problem that involved cleaning. I just never leave them in the van. The case always lives indoors.
Just sat down for today's work and there are 5 still laying around since last time I used them. I really should take better care, I suppose - but decent mics just sort of do their job?
studio-mics.webp
 
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I have had mine (2) on stands in my studio for 12 years or more. They are my go-to mics for acoustic guitar, vocals, drum OHs - well everything.

I made sure to put weights on the bases to keep them from tipping over.

I mount them upside down for reasons RRuskin mentioned.

Enjoy :)
 
I keep my AT-2020 on it's boom, covered with it's storage bag. My apartment has an incredible amount of blue dust in the air which collects on the vent openings of all my electronics - wouldn't do to let it into my mic.
 
It does depend quite a bit on your own "environment" as these posts suggest. If you have a very dusty place, then I'd cover it, or even put it away if it's not being used for some time. And, if it's at risk of being knocked over, that's another reason to just pack it up. Mics can be impacted by humidity, too, so if you've got wide climate swings, and high humidity that's not controlled, it's another reason to maybe put it back in a box, even with some of those desiccant packets if you're being extra cautious. I do think putting a bag (maybe like one of those old Crown Royal ones) over a mic is not wasted, if you want to leave it out and have concerns or a dusty environment but packing it up daily is slowing you down.

Me, like others, don't do much. Some of my mics are out on stands for months at a time, but when I'm done trying them out, they do go back in a box and into a cubby, mostly just to keep something stupid from happening. My space is in a converted bedroom with a door that's always closed, so is relatively dust free compared to the rest of the house. And, while it's rarely dry (i.e., as in southwest/Arizona-kind) here near the Gulf Coast, and we have pretty efficient HVAC that keeps things from getting moldy :).
 
When I was gigging regularly with a band, I set up our stage PA and mics. I kept all the mics (SM58s) in one gear bag with a couple bath towels, mainly to keep them from banging around. No special coverings, bags or boxes.. just loose mics in a bag. They lasted at least the 20 years I had them and now they're probably in the ex BL's basement somewhere, still in that same bag. I'll wager they're still in great condition.
 
spantini said:
When I was gigging regularly with a band, I set up our stage PA and mics. I kept all the mics (SM58s) in one gear bag with a couple bath towels, mainly to keep them from banging around. No special coverings, bags or boxes.. just loose mics in a bag. They lasted at least the 20 years I had them and now they're probably in the ex BL's basement somewhere, still in that same bag. I'll wager they're still in great condition.
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The SM58 is arguably in a class by itself. (Even the 57 has the problem with the plastic bit.) I would be willing to bet a lot of nights we did not even take them off the stands when we tore down and threw everything in the back of the van. I've got a pair that are 40+ years old, if I'm guessing right. I replaced the fairly crushed screen on one and inner foam (screen one) one both; well, "replaced" is an exaggeration because there was barely any black dust remaining. And one has a bit of foam over the diaphragm that was snipped out of a handbag lining (leather bag the wife was tossing I salvaged for clamp pads). Like they say, probably used for a hammer, fish scaler and other things, including microphone use. Taking care of them seems to almost be wrong ;)
 
keith.rogers said:
Taking care of them seems to almost be wrong
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When George Harrison was busted for possession of drugs on Paul McCartney's wedding day, he said “I’m a tidy man. I keep my socks in the sock drawer and stash in the stash box.” That's how I am. Everything has its place and because I have no room exclusively for recording, there's no way I ever leave anything out, especially microphones, even my 58. I know they're tough, I once recorded the bass drum with it in a bucket of water {it was wrapped in plastic}.
Before we had kids, my wife and I did have a spare room which became my music room and my wife's clothes room {it had some wardrobes in it} and I did have the drums set up permanently and covered in a sheet when not being used and obviously, I didn't put away the piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond. But everything else has always been put away, even the cello and double bass. Even when I lived alone, I converted a cupboard into my storeroom and even fitted a lock once I'd bought my portastudio {my upstairs neighbour wasn't happy with me chiselling away after midnight but it took longer than I thought as it was my first time}.
In point of fact, I've always used used my putting away time to listen to what has been recorded that day and more often than not, other pieces of music come to me that will go with the recording. It's one of my most productive times, unwittingly !
 
I don’t think it’s just mics. I’m just terribly untidy. I’m off to the other studio in a while. I’ll post what I walk into when I get there. It will be a mess. Just me I think!
 
Keep it covered on a stand/boom but make up a 'sacrificial' cable. Something about 1/2mtr and cable tied to the stand. Put a loose knot in it to isolate cable borne thumps.
The connector of any device is the most subject to wear or damage, don't keep pluggy-plugging in and out of expensive kit!

Dave.
 
rob aylestone said:
I don’t think it’s just mics. I’m just terribly untidy. I’m off to the other studio in a while. I’ll post what I walk into when I get there. It will be a mess. Just me I think!
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Don't matter. I was once told army rifles don't 'shoot out' (in peacetime) they get CLEANED to death!

Dave.
 
My wide said don't do it - everyone will think I let you get that untidy! So I lied - the studio is extremely neat and very tidy - honestly!
 
I have one mike, my go-to NT1, on a stand all the time. It's been there since I bought it. The other mikes are in a pair of aluminium cases, and I take them out and put them away as needed. So it's a mixture of slothfulness and dilgience.
 
A word of caution about foam lined boxes: The foam will break down over time and start outgassing into the capsule. A friend of mine ruined his Neumann KM86 from such a mishap.
 
I leave them on the boom, but move the mic where it won't get bumped or have something like a fan or sunlight hitting it. My house is pretty dry because of AC being on all the time, so I protect the capsule area of the mic with an elastic wrist band (like people use to wipe sweat off their forehead when playing tennis). They are thick enough to absorb bumps as well.
 
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