Starting common project: hot-rodding the V67 - please read...

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mig27

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Hi everyone,

First of all, I'd like to thank all those who recommended the marshall V67 - I received mine yesterday and started off A/B-comparing it to an U87.

Result: They are both good mics (and that means something):
- U87: better resolution in the midrange, somewhat fuller sound.
- V67: crisper top-end (without being harsh).

Now let me get to the point: I've heard from various mods that can be done, be it the stephen paul one or the mod on the MXL 2001 mentioned in tape op-magazine.

Why don't we put all available information together, get some tech-wizes involved and start a common project on modding the V67.

I mean something properly organized. With informationon on where to get the parts, pictures documenting the soldering works for those who aren't too familiar with it, and so on.

IMHO, a tube-mod would be far too difficult (and dangerous because of 200+ volts...) - let's think about recapping, adding transformer and such things.

Unfortunately, I can't start chipping in, over here in Europe you can't even get a hand on the Tape Op-magazine. Still, I can offer to compile and lay-out a *.pdf or something once we have everything together.

There should be enough V67 owners on this board who won't mistake a soldering iron for an electric screw-driver - I'm very much looking foward to hearing from you.

All the best, greetings from Berlin,


Michael
 
The "mod" in Tapeop was created by Dave Royer and is the "tube" mod. The other "mod" was created by Scott Dorsey and is found in Recording Magazine, which entails replacing the board and all the electronics and just using the case and the cap. The parts total cost about 40 bucks for the Dorsey mod. I offered a while back to mod someones mic for free (labor) if they would let me hold onto it for about a week or two so I can test it. No one took me up though.
 
Is there an amazing difference between the regular v67m and the dorsey mod? I would be willing to try this, but could someone please "school me" on this idea? Is there a big difference between the dorsey and royer mods?

with these mods, what would the mxl v67m sound like after?

thanks in advance!
daniel
 
The upshot of a pro discussion going on at a different bbs is that it will be
an improvement on the V67, however, it won't be in the same class as
a Neumann U47. Much of it has to do with the internal parts, even after the
modification.
 
which mod can be done on the v67m and what is the cost?

thanks!
daniel
 
Ammeth,

Thanks for the input.
I would actually send you my V67 if the shipping costs from Europe weren't so hilarious.

Could you possibly post a link to the article on the scot dorsey-mod in recording-magazine?
A scan of the dave royer-mod featured in tape op would be nice, too. (Once again, we don't get this magazine here in europe.)

I am willing post detailed results of an A/B-comparison of the modded / unmodded V67, as soon as I'm done with it.
A friend of mine owns another V67, so I'll record simultaneously the two mics. This way, we should pretty reliable results.

all the best.


michael
 
Well. it looks like I really could have "googled" before posting this request...

here we go:
scott dorsey mod: http://www.pfarrell.com/music/shanghaimic.html
there are also high res pictures of the circuitry before and after, and a parts list along with information on suppliers.

the article on the dave royer mod can be found issue #25 of tape op (sept/oct 2001). it's not available online though.
so it would be really nice if someone could post a scan of it.

cheers.


michael
 
Ametth,

If your offer is still open, I'd be THRILLED to pay for the parts and have you do the mod. I'm far too busy for the next several weeks to use my V67M.

Please contact me directly for what you need, where to send it, and so forth.

If the offer is off the table, that's OK too. Please just let me know.

Many thanks,

Mark H.
 
is it my browser or is the dorsey article cut-off on the left margin?
 
Mine cuts off on the right margin; however, if you go to Google and search for Dorsey mic mod, you'll find the reference again and it will open correctly. I have no idea why the link doesn't do the same thing.

Also note that the on-line article deletes most of the essential information, requiring you to purchase a hard-copy reprint for $5.95, which is certainly a fair price (but slow to get compared to the Internet).

Mark H.
 
Ametth has agreed to perform the Dorsey mods on my new V67M.

This will be a great chance to try the mods and see if they really do improve a mic that is already very good.

Many thanks to Ametth for his generous offer!

Mark H.
 
i meant the right margin.......you know, to my other left.......:D
 
mark,

so we're all eagerly waiting to hear the results.

I'm actually thinking about buying the dave royer tube-mod kit.
The kit is initially designed for the MXL2001 - will it be OK for a V67?

the upgrade would cost more than twice the price for my V67, but I still have an old disassembled mic from the rare brand "thiele".
its capsule quite looks like an M7 - so it might work out.

BTW, has anybody ever heard of that brand? the mic is labeled "M4".

best.


michael
 
mig27 said:
mark,

so we're all eagerly waiting to hear the results.

I'm actually thinking about buying the dave royer tube-mod kit.
The kit is initially designed for the MXL2001 - will it be OK for a V67?

the upgrade would cost more than twice the price for my V67, but I still have an old disassembled mic from the rare brand "thiele".
its capsule quite looks like an M7 - so it might work out.

BTW, has anybody ever heard of that brand? the mic is labeled "M4".

best.


michael
Click to expand...

I'll definitely be posting some recorded samples before and after. Both mods will work for most of the chinese mics, v67, 2002, Nady, and a bunch of other cheapies...

The Royer mod costs will run about 230 bucks.

Would you like to sell that thiele? I've been looking for a project mic...
 
I've been avoiding posting to this thread, mainly because of a small nagging feeling that something is wrong with the concept here, but I haven't been able to put it into words until now.

Scott Dorsey is a dear friend and one of the sharpest audio guys you'll ever meet. His modification is basically to replace the cheap electronics and transformer in the Marshall MXL-2001 with a circuit similar to the circuit used in the Shoeps microphones. He eliminates the ringing transformer and makes it a balanced TL output instead. So far, I have no problems with that. It's very clever, typical of how cool Scott thinks about this stuff.

Now we all know the Marshall V67 uses a lot of the same stuff as the 2001, so you'd think Scott's circuit should also improve the V67, right? Maybe; maybe not.

I'm gonna assume a lot of us here are also guitar guys. Suppose I told you I had a "mod" for your old Fender Twin reverb amp (or Mesa Boogie, or AC30, or Marshall) that eliminated the tubes and transformer, and made it much cleaner, quieter, and gave you flatter response in the process.

Would that be of interest? It wouldn't be to me. I like those amps because of all those "flaws" (ok, I'd give up the noise in a heartbeat), but those other qualities give an amp its desirable sound. Do I want to sacrifice that tone for a quieter amp, or a cleaner amp)?

If you eliminate the transformer in the V67, I'm afaid that some of the things people love about the mic may also disappear. I don't know.

The David Royer mod is also clever - it's basically identical to the tube circuit in the old Neumann mics. It might improve the sound of the Marshall V67, but it would almost triple the cost of the mic. And David uses a classic output transformer design circuit, using a $66 Jensen transformer.

I guess my problem is whether the mods will actually "improve" the sound quality of a V67, or will it make it radically different? I guess I'll join everybody in waiting to hear from some of you more adventurous souls.

Stephen Paul "IS" modifying my V67s, but his mods will consist mainly of better quality transistors and capacitors in key circuit locations - he is leaving the capsule, basic circuit design, and transfomer alone.
 
I agree that the v67 as is should probably be left alone, it's a useable mic as is. Will the Dorsey mod make it a better mic? Dont know...it sure will be much more transparent, which may or may not be a bad thing. The thing about the mods is, you can always go back, and with the Dorsey mod, your out 40 bucks. I think a better candidate for modding is the v63, it's about 79 bucks or the nady scm(something)...it'll run about 69 bucks.

I'm very curious to what these mods actually sound like, thats why I am doing the work for free, if I or whoever had the mods done doesn't like the sound of the mic..it's easy to go back.

Truthfully, David's mod is much more interesting to me, it takes a proven design and puts an ok cap on it...the idea of getting a very useable mic from a 2001 or v63 for a couple hundred bucks is an outstanding idea.
 
If you are willing to try some modification, you may get som
inspiration from Pat`s Tube Schematics web-site:
http://nanaimo.ark.com/~pat/record.htm
He writes:
My MAIN referance mics are a pair of CLASSIC TWO, which have the wonderfull remote pattern switching, which gives possibilities that you simply have to hear to appreciate. I must ADD though, that i DIFFER in opinion with RODE about some transformer and component choices, because i have heard things they havent, as yet. I changed the transformer on my classic TWO, for the one i have custom wound for me, and use on my mic pre kit, tube headphone amps, etc..and the differance is simply NOT TO BE BELIEVED.
I have compared the result of this with the top models of NEUMANN and BRAUNER,
LAWSON, DPA, TELEFUNKEN, AKG,etc...and they have become my referance standard.

I have a Marshall V67 mic and several of the transformers
he mentions. You can find the trannie he uses on his tube head-
phone amp on the web site. I have yet to try and see if there is physical room for this new transformer in the V67. By also chang-ing some of the capacitors for better sounding polypropylene caps, you MAY get a change in sound for something "better" (very sujective term) or shall we say better linearity and smoothness. If it works, you can hear it.
Ola
 
Pat`s Tube Schematics (see link above) also sell Royer`s
modification papers for Marshall mics. You can probably
get them as E-mail attachment.
He writes:
`U-47 mic conversion information..
turn those inexpensive Marshall mics
into a decent tube condenser...!`
Ola
 
Ola Lagarhus said:
Pat`s Tube Schematics (see link above) also sell Royer`s
modification papers for Marshall mics. You can probably
get them as E-mail attachment.
He writes:
`U-47 mic conversion information..
turn those inexpensive Marshall mics
into a decent tube condenser...!`
Ola
Click to expand...


sheesh, what a scam. those "modification papers" can be had for free....and it's not a U-47 conversion....hmmmmm
 
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