Should I be laughing or learning from this?

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antispatula

antispatula

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Out of curiousity, I disected one of my cheap 10 dollar mics. The mic was kind of heavey, so you'd THINK it would be more high quality or something, but turns out, when I opened it up, the only reason it was heavey was because there are a big stone on the inside! Does the rock play any part in the mic or did they put it in to make it seem more expensive?

Either way, all that was in there was the mic capsule thing that picks up the vibration and then a switch. I ripped off the switch and rewired the XLR output directly to the mic's capsule thing, just for my own learning and fun.

Another question I have is this: All there was essentially in the mic was the battery-sized magnet, and a thin copper ring around it to pick up the vibration. That was it, besides the wires that connected to the output. What role do caps and resistors and transformers play in a mics design? This is simply so I can understand them better, and I'm just curious. Thanks!!
 
You got the one with the rock? That's the $10,000,000 grand prize sweepstakes winner! Hope you didn't toss it...Richie
 
dude, having that inside the mic only makes your music rock!...?
 
haha well it wasn't just a rock, it was carved in a circular way with a notch in it where the wires could run through......still pretty funny though.
 
Maybe it was a vintage mic with those old rock RF filters :D
 
Back to the OP...

Yes, you can, technically, make a dynamic mic with just a magnet and a coil. The EMF that forms the signal is created simply by the motion of the coil moving around the magnet.
Chances are the magnet used probably wan't all that powerful, hence it's relativley massive size. Similarly wit ha ribbon mic you don't NEED any circuitry- the ribbon moving in the magnetic feild will produce and EMF.

You're more likely to find circuitry in a condensor mic. Remembering that the capsule in a condensor doesn't create any EMF. That's what the other circuitry does. This is also why you need phantom power for a condensor- something needs to powe the circuit that turns a varying capacitance (from the capsule) into a varying voltage

Also, when you start adding things like pads, filters etc to a mic, you obviously need supporting circuitry for that.

If you ever get the chance to hack up an SM58 you'll find it's practically devoid of circuirty as well... I believe there's a transformer buried deep within the hot-glue that fills the casing of the mic, but have never actaully confirmed that fact.

EDIT:
I jsut confirmed it as a fact- the SM/Beta 57/58 DOES have a transformer inside it, by teh looks of the cct diagram it's to step up the voltage and/or balance the signal
 
That's basically a cement cast that's put in the mic to give it a more weighty feel.

& what did you expect to find in there?.........................;)
 
Well, a rock is completely low tech but the general idea isn't that uncommon.

There's a bit of history in the mobile radio industry actually. Years ago, handheld microhpone cases were all made of metal...this made them very heavy and for the officer driving car 54, if the drunk in the back seat acted up, he could swing the thing around and give the guy a proper whack. Later, when plastic became popular and the cheaper alternative, the police and firemen really took issue with this lightweight cheapie. They associated quality with the heft of the old school gear. Some manufacturers came up with the "heavy duty" microphone which had nothing more than a cast metal "confidence" weight which was placed inside.

Did you feel better about the mic when it weighed a little more? Come on, you know you did. But a rock! That's so lame.
 
punkin said:
Well, a rock is completely low tech but the general idea isn't that uncommon.

There's a bit of history in the mobile radio industry actually. Years ago, handheld microhpone cases were all made of metal...this made them very heavy and for the officer driving car 54, if the drunk in the back seat acted up, he could swing the thing around and give the guy a proper whack. Later, when plastic became popular and the cheaper alternative, the police and firemen really took issue with this lightweight cheapie. They associated quality with the heft of the old school gear. Some manufacturers came up with the "heavy duty" microphone which had nothing more than a cast metal "confidence" weight which was placed inside.

Did you feel better about the mic when it weighed a little more? Come on, you know you did. But a rock! That's so lame.
Click to expand...

haha yes, it's true! Heavier things make me feel like I've got better equipment. That's one of the reasons I love sm57s!They're so dense and heavy! But my reel to reel recorder is 78 pounds, and my fender rhodes is about 150 pounds......that doesn't make me feel anything but annoyance. :rolleyes:
 
I've taken apart similar cheap mics,...

& it's cement. A cement plug. Simple as that. :eek: ;)
 
Where was i? I forgot
The point that I was making
I said if I was smart that I would
Save up for a piece of string
And a rock to wind the string around

Everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string around
Everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string around

Throw the crib door wide
Let the people crawl inside
Someone in this town
Is trying to burn the playhouse down
They want to stop the ones who want
A rock to wind a string around
But everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string around

Throw the crib door wide
Let the people crawl inside
Someone in this town
Is trying to burn the playhouse down
They want to stop the ones who want
A rock to wind a string around
But everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string around

If I were a carpenter i’d
Hammer on my piglet, i’d
Collect the seven dollars and i’d
Buy a big prosthetic forehead
And wear it on my real head

Everybody wants prosthetic
Foreheads on their real heads
Everybody wants prosthetic
Foreheads on their real heads

Throw the crib door wide
Let the people crawl inside
Someone in this town
Is trying to burn the playhouse down
They want to stop the ones who want
Prosthetic foreheads on their heads
But everybody wants prosthetic
Foreheads on their real heads

Throw the crib door wide
Let the people crawl inside
Someone in this town
Is trying to burn the foreheads down
They want to stop the ones who want
A rock to wind a string around
But everybody wants a rock
To wind a piece of string around

--They Might Be Giants
 
Ummm...I know a great therapist. He also has a license to dispense certain medications.
 
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