problems with my Shure Beta 52A

[Berberman]

I am very afraid of the answers i will get to this question since i just bought this brand new Beta 52A a few months ago only. I really don't want it to be ruined this fast.

Here's what's happening:
After having this mic working great, i plugged it in my firepod today and i got a wimpy recording signal. i tried to record but i only got a very very week sound, kind of like hitting a cardbox with all the trebles EQ'ed very high while having all the middle and bass all the way down.
I checked the XLR cables, the firepod's input channel and the settings on my sequencer. It's definatly coming from the mic not picking up any low frequencies anymore. I really mean none.

I remember droping it from my hand the last time i used it..could something have broken? can i open it up and check?

Thanks for your answers.

 

[Berberman]

anyone's got something on this?

 

[el_guapo]

Okay....
So the mic was fine...you dropped it...now it doesn't work.
What's the problem exactly? Yes you broke it. Return it under warranty and don't mention dropping it.

 

[Berberman]

My question is not why is it broken if i dropped it, my question was is there a way to open it up and what part should i check. Just looking for people with the same experience.
I am about 8000 miles from the nearest guitar center

 

[ez_willis]

My question is not why is it broken if i dropped it, my question was is there a way to open it up and what part should i check. Just looking for people with the same experience.
I am about 8000 miles from the nearest guitar center

If you open it up you'll void the warranty. So go ahead and open it up.

 

[jimmy2sticks]

Noramlly, dropping this microphone won't cause damage to it. I am sure you did this, but did you check your firepod with otehr mics to be sure that the firepod itself isn't faulty? If you have, then you can contact the Shure service department to get it repaired or replaced. There is a two year warranty on all Shure microphones. The number is:

1.800.25.SHURE (74873)

Again, this microphone should be able to handle many drops. If it is the mic, this a a faulty product and should be returned so we can evaluate the situation.

 

[dgatwood]

I remember droping it from my hand the last time i used it..could something have broken? can i open it up and check?

My money's on a cold solder joint in the connector. That said, I'd call Shure. I'm told they're pretty good about taking care of stuff like this.

 

[boingoman]

My money's on a cold solder joint in the connector.

Concurrence.

Dude, if you have the skills, loosen the connector, pull it out (gently!) and resolder it. The only tricky part is that when you turn the screw CCW to loosen it, it goes in to release the connector, not out.

 

[alonhilel]

Solution

I am very afraid of the answers i will get to this question since i just bought this brand new Beta 52A a few months ago only. I really don't want it to be ruined this fast.

Here's what's happening:
After having this mic working great, i plugged it in my firepod today and i got a wimpy recording signal. i tried to record but i only got a very very week sound, kind of like hitting a cardbox with all the trebles EQ'ed very high while having all the middle and bass all the way down.
I checked the XLR cables, the firepod's input channel and the settings on my sequencer. It's definatly coming from the mic not picking up any low frequencies anymore. I really mean none.

I remember droping it from my hand the last time i used it..could something have broken? can i open it up and check?

Thanks for your answers.

--

Well you have probably sent Phantom power to the mic for a significant amount of time. That's what happened to mine according to what you write.
SOLUTION :
1. Unscrew the grey wind screen.
2. Using a THIN flat screwdriver, CAREFULLY take out the whole cartridge - just pull it out with the screwdriver. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE TWO LITTLE CABLES RUNNING FROM CAPSULE TO A SCHEMATIC!!
3. Using the same screwdriver open the grey head of a capsule - it is sort of glued to a capsule. VERY CAREFULLY!!
4. There is a transparent plastic membrane which is probably stuck to a capsule itself - cause of overheating and sticking because of +48. TAP ON IT CAREFULLY AND BLOW ON IT.
5. While its all opened, connect XLR to your interface and check the mic once again.
Mine worked brand new after that...

Cheerz,
Alon.

 

[Tomm Williams]

Phantom power does absolutely nothing to a dynamic mic. Might damage a ribbon depending on design, doesn't effect dynamics. I would contact Shure directly, they may have some troubleshooting suggestions or there could be a warranty center closer than you think.

 

[Tomboul]

Solution



--

Well you have probably sent Phantom power to the mic for a significant amount of time. That's what happened to mine according to what you write.
SOLUTION :
1. Unscrew the grey wind screen.
2. Using a THIN flat screwdriver, CAREFULLY take out the whole cartridge - just pull it out with the screwdriver. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE TWO LITTLE CABLES RUNNING FROM CAPSULE TO A SCHEMATIC!!
3. Using the same screwdriver open the grey head of a capsule - it is sort of glued to a capsule. VERY CAREFULLY!!
4. There is a transparent plastic membrane which is probably stuck to a capsule itself - cause of overheating and sticking because of +48. TAP ON IT CAREFULLY AND BLOW ON IT.
5. While its all opened, connect XLR to your interface and check the mic once again.
Mine worked brand new after that...

Cheerz,
Alon.

Thank you and congratulations, it worked for me. I had a very weak signal, and now it’s okay.

 

[Tomboul]

Phantom power does absolutely nothing to a dynamic mic. Might damage a ribbon depending on design, doesn't effect dynamics. I would contact Shure directly, they may have some troubleshooting suggestions or there could be a warranty center closer than you think.

Yes, you are right, but it is when activating the phantom power supply and when connecting/disconnecting the microphones that we can have problems.

 

[rob aylestone]

In 50+ years I have NEVER damaged any microphone - ribbons included from connecting them with phantom connected. My phantom is on 24/7 because I'm lazy. I even did a video connecting and disconnecting a ribbon. As ribbons have to have a transformer (because otherwise they are a virtual short circuit) no voltage coming down the cable will get to the ribbon.

 

[Papanate]

In 50+ years I have NEVER damaged any microphone - ribbons included from connecting them with phantom connected. My phantom is on 24/7 because I'm lazy. I even did a video connecting and disconnecting a ribbon. As ribbons have to have a transformer (because otherwise they are a virtual short circuit) no voltage coming down the cable will get to the ribbon.

I think it wasmostly the RCA Ribbons that were vulnerable to Phantom - most others were robust enough - but also Phantom on early Pre 1965 boards varied a lot - 24v to 120v - so when applying Phantom in those days one could never be sure of what they were getting - unless you had an engineer who measured the output beforehand - still from what I’ve read over the last years - one should still be careful - unless you have active ribbons which require phantom.

 

[Tomboul]

In 50+ years I have NEVER damaged any microphone - ribbons included from connecting them with phantom connected. My phantom is on 24/7 because I'm lazy. I even did a video connecting and disconnecting a ribbon. As ribbons have to have a transformer (because otherwise they are a virtual short circuit) no voltage coming down the cable will get to the ribbon.

You seem to work mainly in a recording studio. I’m talking about live concerts, not always in the best electrical conditions with a table that is over 20 years old and has only general phantom power on all channels.
But indeed, in 30 years and more than a thousand concerts, it has never happened to me; this may not be the explanation for the malfunction I had with my Beta 52A; in any case, the remedy proposed by Alonhilel worked.

 

[ecc83]

What has most likely happened is that the diaphragm has been displaced a fraction of a mm and jammed in the magnet gap, that is a classical cause of no bass! Same thing happens to speakers. As Jimmy 2 sticks says, the mic should survive a drop (1m is I think the standard drop test to concrete?) with no more than a dent and a scratch. DO NOT ATTEMPT REPAIR. Shure will just stick a new capsule in it costing them nanties.

And yes, phantom power never does any harm to mics. Do be careful though not to let it get to outputs.

Dave.

 

[rob aylestone]

You seem to work mainly in a recording studio. I’m talking about live concerts, not always in the best electrical conditions with a table that is over 20 years old and has only general phantom power on all channels.
But indeed, in 30 years and more than a thousand concerts, it has never happened to me; this may not be the explanation for the malfunction I had with my Beta 52A; in any case, the remedy proposed by Alonhilel worked.

No - until this month, I have been in live theatre, so that's audio touring and fixed. I'm also often on my own, so face the problem of needing to try a mic swap with the fader up a bit, so there's always a crack and a shouted "sorry' when you unplug and replug live, and that of course is even worse with phantom connected as the XLR never quite connects pins 2 and 3 at the same time. I did lose an HF driver once doing this, but while there are much better solutions, like using a pad on the wifi to mute, or a second person, sadly I guess I'm lazy. As Dave says, drops can do weird things!

 

[ecc83]

No - until this month, I have been in live theatre, so that's audio touring and fixed. I'm also often on my own, so face the problem of needing to try a mic swap with the fader up a bit, so there's always a crack and a shouted "sorry' when you unplug and replug live, and that of course is even worse with phantom connected as the XLR never quite connects pins 2 and 3 at the same time. I did lose an HF driver once doing this, but while there are much better solutions, like using a pad on the wifi to mute, or a second person, sadly I guess I'm lazy. As Dave says, drops can do weird things!

Not wanting to get into "grannies and eggs" Rob but have you considered the use of a wireless mains switch in your rigging? The power amps can be turned off while you swap mics then remotely powered up. I have them on lots of things about the house, most notably my monitors so I can save them from pops.

Dave.

 

[rob aylestone]

Well. I could just walk from stage to mixer, or remember to mute it on my phone or an app, but I just don't. Bad practice of course, but I'm full of those.