Marshall revives the V77s Tube Mic in a newly designed body...

  • Thread starter Thread starter kidvybes
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Flatpicker said:
I'm betting 6 micron, but only MXL knows for sure.

Thanks for the ribbon assessment. Keep us posted. :)
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As per my conversation with MXL yesterday the V76 is using a 6 micron diaphragm. I forgot the guys name (Eric or Richard?) I was talking with but he said the V76 has a fat midrange and smoothes out the top end a bit. He indicated it would be a good match with a female vocalist that tends to be on the shrill side of vocals. I'm thinking of ordering one to try on a vocalist that fits that description. If I do I'll post the results. He also indicated the V76 sounds excellent on acoustic guitar but he also pointed out the new V6 Silicon Valve was outstanding on acoustic guitar as well as most string instruments.
 
ljmaxx said:
As per my conversation with MXL yesterday the V76 is using a 6 micron diaphragm. I forgot the guys name (Eric or Richard?) I was talking with but he said the V76 has a fat midrange and smoothes out the top end a bit. He indicated it would be a good match with a female vocalist that tends to be on the shrill side of vocals. I'm thinking of ordering one to try on a vocalist that fits that description. If I do I'll post the results. He also indicated the V76 sounds excellent on acoustic guitar but he also pointed out the new V6 Silicon Valve was outstanding on acoustic guitar as well as most string instruments.
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...An interesting sidenote to this is that I was informed by a gentleman at 797Audio in China, via email, that they had designed the original V77s for Marshall...he also told me that the same design was later purchased by ADK (for use in the TC) and Nady (for use in the TCM1100)...now Nady has moved production to another facility, but the TCM1100 remains identical to the original V77s and continues to utilize a 3-micron diaphragm...on the other hand, ADK has implemented a 6-micron capsule for the TC, which is a generally well liked mic at a much higher price point (about $599. street price)...I wonder then, if this new V76t has a bit more in common with the ADK TC (both utilizing the original 797Audio transformer-coupled design circuitry, but with 6-micron diaphragms instead of the original 3-micron used by 797Audio)...with a $400. difference in price, that would make the V76t quite a bargain...
 
kidvybes,

Here's a list of the Tube mics I currently own (all with upgraded tubes except the Royer & Rode), listed in order of most preferred (#1) to least preferred/ignored (#5):
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How would you compare the V77's with the V69ME?

Obviously you like the 77's a little better.

I was thinking of picking up a V69 and it would be my one tube mic but if the 76t is indeed as good as the 77 is it worth waiting for?

Also how would you describe the typical difference between 3 and 6 micron capsules on similiar mics?

I am guessing the thinner diaphragm is going to be more desirable in frequency response...
 
P.S.

The GC June Summer savings flyer is listing the MXL 9000 Tube Condensor for sale at $199.

Is it the private label 67t or not?

Those of you who know Scott etc at MXL please find out for me ASAP.
 
Scooter B said:
kidvybes,
How would you compare the V77's with the V69ME?
Also how would you describe the typical difference between 3 and 6 micron capsules on similiar mics?
I am guessing the thinner diaphragm is going to be more desirable in frequency response...
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SB...the V77s is a very neutral/natural sounding mic...it captures sound very accurately...it does NOT impart it's own color/flavor to the recording, as the V69 tends to do...therefore, it's more versatile and easier to work with in the final mix (IMHO)...the V69 has more edge/color...it's great when you want to add that to a particular vocal sound (a somewhat compressed/tube sound)...they're both great for the price, but if I had to chose one, I'd recommend the V77 as a first choice (I don't know anything about the V76t at this point)...the 3 micron diaphragm is more sensitive, and combined with the transformer-coupled output, gives the mic great detail (very defined sound)...less edgy on the high end than the V69 IMO...if you're in the market right now, I recommend you try to grab the one below...if it goes for around $200, it's a steal!...you will enjoy using this mic...easily holds it's own against much more costly competition...

check out this one "new-in-the-box":
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41466&item=7327824286&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
 
I'm all confused again. same companies different mics, different companies, same mics, old designs, new designs w/ old parts, old models updated microns, harsh upper ends, I'm just not buying any more untill I figure out if I can work w/ what I have....
 
I've been trying to figure out this MXL mic confusion myself, and I stumbled on the following thread at the Prodigy-Pro forum:
http://www.prodigy-pro.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=8101&sid=35d7e1dda89058d39270b2ae1e01da80

Apparently the V67t has the capsule with a frequency response of 30Hz-20Khz. In the latest Guitar Center brochure I got it says the MXL 9000 has a 20Hz-20Khz freq. response and mogami cabling. So maybe 9000 is not the same as v67t. If the V67t is supposed to be an updated V77 (but with different capsule!), then what the hell is a 9000? Does it have a transformer? Does it really have a 3-micron capsule? Am I going to have to buy it and check it out? I'm confused! I think I'll just go get a new good dynamic mic instead.
 
nuitronic said:
I've been trying to figure out this MXL mic confusion myself, and I stumbled on the following thread at the Prodigy-Pro forum:
http://www.prodigy-pro.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=8101&sid=35d7e1dda89058d39270b2ae1e01da80

Apparently the V67t has the capsule with a frequency response of 30Hz-20Khz. In the latest Guitar Center brochure I got it says the MXL 9000 has a 20Hz-20Khz freq. response and mogami cabling. So maybe 9000 is not the same as v67t. If the V67t is supposed to be an updated V77 (but with different capsule!), then what the hell is a 9000? Does it have a transformer? Does it really have a 3-micron capsule? Am I going to have to buy it and check it out? I'm confused! I think I'll just go get a new good dynamic mic instead.
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...actually the MXL 9000 has the same specs as the V76t (you've got it as the V67t above)...I suspect the GC brochure has inaccurate specs...the 9000 has been available in Europe for a bit longer than in the US...this link for a German retailer list the specs as similar to the V76t (and the physical appearance of the 2 mics is near identical):

http://www.music-station.de/index.cfm?374,5,91913,1,0,1,1,10,0,9

...I think, as I stated in an earlier posting, that these 2 mics are the same (released to different retailers in "private label" form)...the 2 mics are visually identical with slightly different finishes (the power source on the 9000 even has the same "T" designation)...the circuitry is based on the V77s (with transformer-coupled output), but since MXL no longer deals with 797Audio (who supplied the original 3 micron diaphram for the V77s) they have gone with the 6 micron diaphram they use in many of their other mics...this configuration of a T-C output circuit and the 6 micron capsule make it very similar the ADK's more expensive (well liked) A51TC...at $200 that should be a decent deal (assuming the mic sounds somewhere between the V77s and the ADK TC)...hopefully, someone will purchase one of the versions and we'll get a "hands on" review soon...
 
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I've been keeping an eye on this thread as I'm interested in checking out the V76T. I hope you're right about the 9000 being pretty much the same mic as the V76T kidvybes, it'll make life much easier (and less expensive) for us folks in Europe.

Thanks for the thommann link, in fact thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread.
 
Kevin DeSchwazi said:
I've been keeping an eye on this thread as I'm interested in checking out the V76T. I hope you're right about the 9000 being pretty much the same mic as the V76T kidvybes, it'll make life much easier (and less expensive) for us folks in Europe.

Thanks for the thommann link, in fact thanks to everyone who's contributed to this thread.
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If I get the chance to call Scott at MXL, I'll ask him to confirm or deny the similarities in the 2 models...I have an older MXL V93M which was Mars Music's private label version of the standard MXL 2003...same mic with a platinum finish instead of the 2003's matte black...I suspect the V76t and 9000 share similar status...I'll post whatever details I can get...
 
kidvybes said:
If I get the chance to call Scott at MXL, I'll ask him to confirm or deny the similarities in the 2 models...I have an older MXL V93M which was Mars Music's private label version of the standard MXL 2003...same mic with a platinum finish instead of the 2003's matte black...I suspect the V76t and 9000 share similar status...I'll post whatever details I can get...
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Thanks I want to buy one tube mic this year and it will be between these two.
 
...OK, I had a chance to contact Scott at MXL, and he was kind enough to give me some of the (very interesting) details about the MXL9000 and the V76t...as he explained, the 9000 was originally made as a US exclusive for Guitar Center (private label, much like the MXL 960 is built for Musician's Friend), and it is also distributed through European retailers as well...the V76t, on the other hand, is an upgraded model available thru most other MXL retailers (other than GC) in the US...based on the 9000, the V76s has higher quality (larger) caps and components, mostly sourced from higher grade Japanese manufacturers (the Japanese components are an upgrade from the stock Chinese parts)...the output circuitry has been tweaked quite extensively, while both models share the same 6 micron diaphragm...
...the most interesting issue Scott explained was the grill treatments...MXL has found that grills that have been plated (gold/silver) impart a positive influence on the microphone's sound quality (as opposed to those which are simply painted)...like the plated grills of the V67 and V69M (both gold), the V76t has a plated grill, but this time a silver plated finish was chosen...the 9000, on the other hand, has the standard painted grill...in "blind" listening tests, MXL discovered the plated grill versions were repeatedly chosen over the same models with painted grills...so the plating is not just a cosmetic improvement, but truly affects the quality of the mic's sound...
...so that's the story...both have MXL's 6 micron capsule, but it would seem that the V76t is the "better deal" (IMHO)...higher-grade components, tweaked/upgraded circuits, grill plating and a metal road case (the 9000 ships in a padded cardboard box) give the V76t the extra edge...now if I can just convince Scott to lend me one for testing, I can give a true "hands on" review for this thread...
 
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Some really interesting info there. It's disappointing (and fairly typical) that the lesser mic is the one that's more readily available in Europe. I'll have to keep an eye out for a V76t seller on ebay who is willing to ship to the UK.

Your efforts are much appreciated kidvybes.
 
kidvybes said:
...MXL has found that grills that have been plated (gold/silver) impart a positive influence on the microphone's sound quality (as opposed to those which are simply painted)...
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Interesting. So that would mean the older Mars V93's versions are better than the 2003 versions because of this.

Did you ask him if the 2003 still used a 797 capsule?
 
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