MICROPHONE CHOICES AND VERSIONS?

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521 Houston
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MICROPHONE CHOICES AND VERSIONS?

Post by 521 Houston »

This is the start of a mic guide to be transferred to the other section later once the info is compiled.

Based on what I am seeing and reading, there are several different factors to consider before buying a studio mic for your equipment.

A microphone that is designed to work on tube equipment isn't usually the best choice to use on solid state equipment, and vice-versa.

Additionally, all tube station mics are not the same. I purchased a Heil Studio mic a while back with the intent of using it on my Johnson Ranger, but after talking with the people at Heil, they inform me that the mic I bought is not the best choice for the equipment I am wanting to run it on.

My hopes here is to put together a small reference guide for all those seeking to buy a studio type mic for their equipment, so as not to make the same mistake and buy the wrong mic.

With that being said, WHO wishes to start this ball rolling?

Here are a few examples of equipment... let's see what the experts recommend for mics:


TUBE TYPE SETS

Yaesu FT-101/200 based tube sets:

Johnson Viking based tube sets:
a) Heil GM Vintage

Tram 201/Browning Eagle type tube sets:

Robyn/Teaberry type tube sets:


SOLID STATE TYPE SETS

Cobra/Uniden/President Bases:

Teaberry/Tram Solid State Bases:

SBE Bases:

RCI-Ranger/Galaxy/Texas Ranger and similar:



Hopefully this will get the ball rolling.
Please feel free to submit any choices you'd like to add to this list,
and let's see what the experts come up with.
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Reverend Bow
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Post by Reverend Bow »

Mics can be directly related to the users wallet size..

If you figure a stock CB style radio is setup to TX 300-3500 Hz of audio, then any mic with a 80-15000 Hz pass band is plenty.

Radio Shack sells some in the $20-30 range that would be perfect.

I run a MXL V57M that I picked up on clearance for $40.. way overkill, but I use it for more stuff than CB audio... and requires 48Vdc Phantom Power..

I have also run a Nady RSM-4 ribbon... great mic, not to expensive, but quality is a bit hit and miss, I ended up having to re-tension the ribbon for starters (not a job for the faint of heart), then replaced the internal transformer with a high quality unit.

Shure SM-58s, SM-57s or any of the clones of these mics will go well also.
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Goldfinger
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Post by Goldfinger »

Hey Ronin.... did he just say experts???? :lol:

hehe

On tube type Tram's and Brownings (or any all tube transmitter) without rack gear, they usually sound best with a high impedance crystal or ceramic. I've tried a 70's style, quality high impedance studio style dynamic on a Tram once, sounded boomy and kinda muffled. The Heil may have not been high enough impedance to match you radio if it was a Ranger, 521.

With rack gear, better find a way to match the 470K-1M input impedance of either brand to match line or XLR out. (changing the resistor between the control grid and ground of the first stage mic amp tube, sets the input impedance of the stage). If you change it to match, remember you have to change it back to make the radio respond to a high impedance stock mic again.
(see the 1M resistor on the left/input side)
Image
Or Rg in this schematic:
Image
Rg is the input impedance, Rl is the "load" or output impedance, Rk sets idling bias and also partly to stage gain. Most of the stage gain is set by Ck. Rgs is the Grid Stopper Resistor (to prevent parasitic oscillations) in the schematic, but not seen much in real world audio amp stages.

Another option is to use a high impedance matching transformer:

http://tinyurl.com/6743fg

Either will work, but converting the input stage tube to match the rack gear will sound better.

It's not as complicated as it seems, just changing that one resistor (Rg) to 600 ohms (XLR), 1K ohms (Modern CB mics) or 47K ohms (line level) puts you in business.
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Reverend Bow
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Post by Reverend Bow »

Goldfinger wrote:Hey Ronin.... did he just say experts???? :lol:

hehe
True..

I better step out... :shock:
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Goldfinger
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Post by Goldfinger »

heheh, naaaaaa.... you know your way around a circuit no problem. Your info is always valued and appreciated here. :wink: :)
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