New Bargain "Pre-Modded Tube Mic" For The Soldering Skill Impaired...

Yeah...crazy stuff, eh?...a lot of the posts have been deleted and one thread was locked so far...things get pretty heated lately...it's quieting down for now...geez!...
 
...I sourced the parts that were used to build this mic just to show the value (for those mod newbies)...you buy a Nady TCM1050 ($229)...then you buy a 6-micron mylar 35mm K-67 capsule ($75), a dual-bobbin BV8 type transformer ($58) and a new re-issue premium TungSol EF806 tube ($29)...modify the original circuit, using higher quality caps, to accommodate a plate-follower EF86 circuit and you're there!...or just buy the mic, pre-modded, pre-tested, and burned-in for $350 from Peter at Stellar Sound...no-brainer for me...
 
kidvybes said:
...I sourced the parts that were used to build this mic just to show the value (for those mod newbies)...you buy a Nady TCM1050 ($229)...then you buy a 6-micron mylar 35mm K-67 capsule ($75), a dual-bobbin BV8 type transformer ($58) and a new re-issue premium TungSol EF806 tube ($29)...modify the original circuit, using higher quality caps, to accommodate a plate-follower EF86 circuit and you're there!...or just buy the mic, pre-modded, pre-tested, and burned-in for $350 from Peter at Stellar Sound...no-brainer for me...
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WOW! Below consumer cost! With no work involved. Like you said Kid no brainier.
 
...OK...I had an artist I'm working with in my home studio for a songwriting session and I asked him to just sing a verse or two just so you guys can get an idea of the CM-6's tone...I'm giving you a totally raw vocal...no processing at all...my chain was: CM-6 > GR ME-1NV > Echo Audiofire 4 > PC Cubase

...you have two tracks...a very raw MP3 vocal, as well as a ruff MP3 riddim track...you can download the MP3 vocal and MP3 riddim track and import them into your DAW to see how the vocal sits in the mix (feel free to process the vocal as you like)...Adam (the singer) likes to "ride the mic" and use the proximity effect which seems to work well on this mic...a metal pop filter was about an inch from the CM-6's grill and Adam was right up on the pop filter...

...if you'd prefer to just listen without downloading, or you'd prefer to download a vocal WAV file, please go here:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/6140483-post111.html

...to me the CM-6 has a very "analogue" sound...not bright, and kind of vintage sounding...what I noticed right away was if the singer backs off this mic, it becomes more bright, but as you move closer, the proximity effect seems to add thickness while diminishing brightness...I would be happy using this mic to track Adam, but I'd just spend a bit more time trying slightly different distances between the singer and the mic to find the best placement...this was a very impromptu test...the upcoming shootout should prove to be more conclusive...
 

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There has been a lot of discussion here as well as at GS about swapping K67 type capsules to K47 type capsules. I would give the capsule in this mic a fair listen, it is not your run of the mill, shrill sounding K67 capsule. I installed this the very same capsule that comes stock in this mic, into an older ADK TC mic and it was a huge improvement.

DB
 
I thought he could back off from the pop filter a bit.
Your description of the sound was excellent.
Couldn't disagree with one word of it.
By the way, I just used the first link and got both tracks to play (pretty close) together.
A perfect blend to my ear.
 
Jim Lad said:
I thought he could back off from the pop filter a bit.
Your description of the sound was excellent.
Couldn't disagree with one word of it.
By the way, I just used the first link and got both tracks to play (pretty close) together.
A perfect blend to my ear.
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...yeah, Adam likes to work the proximity effect to the max, but there wasn't any distortion, even at that close range...thanks for your positive input!...
 
...OK...here's another quick vocal snippet...this time it's a female vocalist with a very broad dynamic range...once again, this is a raw, untreated file...recorded about 1 to 2 feet from the CM-6...the second file is the same vocal with just a touch of treatment...this is vocalist Jesse Kussack...
 

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kidvybes said:
Yeah...crazy stuff, eh?...a lot of the posts have been deleted and one thread was locked so far...things get pretty heated lately...it's quieting down for now...geez!...
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Thought this was time for a bump . . . honestly, I get my daily entertainment from the mic modder wars on GS, they are truly hilarious.

Food for thought regarding your frequency response curve on the CM-6 and the analysis thereof: first, I *highly* doubt there is a formant between 47Hz and 101Hz. That's far more likely breath/wind noise and/or 60Hz hum rendered at a low FFT resolution. Unless the VO artist is Barry White or Isaac Hayes or Melvin Franklin, but they are all dead :(

It's important to note that speaking voices aren't greatly different from singing voices in that there will be the same harmonic series, so it's odd to have a gap of 5x from the fundamental.

Instead, I would suspect your fundamental is a more typical 130Hz-ish, with harmonics at 260, 390, 520Hz. That is consistent with the peaks in your chart, even though it's hard to be conclusive at the low resolution shown.

Anyway, I don't think it could be 70Hz because it gets difficult to explain the missing 210Hz. What is your singing range?

But mostly importantly, I can't agree with the assertion that a male speaking voice will not demonstrate presence peaks. That is entirely untrue; that's like the definition of sibilance!

So the frequency response of a microhone cannot be derived from any given male speaking voice, especially on a directional mic.

As evidence, I submit this graph, this is my voice's averaged response over a 2 minute VO (I read from "Heavy Metal Mater & Other Tall Tales", by Disney/Pixar), using a calibrated flat-response omnidirectional microphone. Does it *look* flat-response? Of course not, because I am not flat-response ;)

View attachment 64506
 
...yeah, just when you think you've heard it all over there, lookout!...seems like someone is having a meltdown if you ask me...anyway, just got the first of the prototypes for the Stellar C12 style mic and it's very impressive...I'm expecting 3 different variations for us to audition (plus we have an Avant CV-12 and an Advanced Audio CM-12 for comparison)...should be interesting...
 

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Nah, don't look, it's like a soap opera, you miss a couple of weeks you have no idea what's going on :D

Still, kidvybes, note that graph: if one starts with a faulty premise (especially one based on a giant appeal to authority), one will reach a faulty conclusion.

There is no need to apologize for an 8kHz peak that may not exist . . .

I read now that an actual circuit designer of repute has issued a mini-smackdown . . . how I wish we had that popcorn smiley :)
 
mshilarious said:
Nah, don't look, it's like a soap opera, you miss a couple of weeks you have no idea what's going on :D
Click to expand...

Well, I'd respectfully disagree! Even if you've never seen it, you still know perfectly well what's going on there! :cool:

Best, M
 
Well, back in the '80s anyway, in addition to sex there was quite a lot of gunplay, space aliens, and of course the ever present major characters going into extended comas on a regular basis! :D
 
moresound said:
And is this microphone at an unbelievable price as well Kid?
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...yes...should sell for the same $350 I believe...

mshilarious said:
I read now that an actual circuit designer of repute has issued a mini-smackdown . . . how I wish we had that popcorn smiley :)
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...yeah, that was great seeing Dave Bock and Marik both noting corrections...I rather enjoyed it!...:D

Marik said:
Well, I'd respectfully disagree! Even if you've never seen it, you still know perfectly well what's going on there! :cool:

Best, M
Click to expand...

...true dat!...;)
 
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