Battery Box Mod

[1westkc3]

I've been using a standard two wire box from SP but ordered some AT853s and need a 3-wire mod to the box.  Seen a number of names tossed around here but I have a bit of a time  issue so I'm looking for someone who could expedite the process.  Suggestions?

[poorlyconditioned]

I've been using a standard two wire box from SP but ordered some AT853s and need a 3-wire mod to the box.  Seen a number of names tossed around here but I have a bit of a time  issue so I'm looking for someone who could expedite the process.  Suggestions?

What are you trying to achieve?  Do you have a battery box right now, or just the mics?  Are you willing to hard wire (ie., solder) the mics to the box?

If you can DIY, check out the information I have in the folder at:
  www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mannr/AT853

Sanjay and I used to do mods, but we are (temporarily?) out of the business.

I would contact Chris Church ("Church Audio" on here) and see what he can do for you.  He can sell you three wire battery boxes, and maybe do custom mods.

Don't expect expediated service though, since both Chris and I are in Canada, and shipping will take a bit longer due to customs delays.

  Richard

[1westkc3]

Without stating the obvious, I'm trying to get the best sound from the AT853s and from searching here it seems the 2 wire SP box I have just isn't going to cut it as distortion is a significant issue.  Yes, I have a SP 2 wire box.  I thought these could be mod'd, no?  As for hard wireing to the box, I'd prefer not to as I do use the box with other mics.

[hyperplane]

If I may jump in here for a minute, it sounds like the best "mod" for your situations, would be the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"...

My reasoning being: a 3-wire battery box is different from a 2-wire battery box, in several ways, one of which being that a 3-wire battery box has TWO input connectors (either mini-plugs or mini XLRs). Thus, for that reason alone, the 3-wire mod would not "work" for your current battery box which you use with other mics.

The 3-wire mod *would* work, but your AT853s would have to have a mini-plug or mini-XLR for each microphone and you would need to get an additional (3-wire) battery box.

Hence, I say, maybe see if Chris Church (Church-Audio) would be willing to do the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"... then, you can still use the same battery box with the AT853s as well as your other mics, AND you can enjoy the benefits of the AT853s being able to take a louder signal with less (or no?) chance of distortion.

[poorlyconditioned]

If I may jump in here for a minute, it sounds like the best "mod" for your situations, would be the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"...

My reasoning being: a 3-wire battery box is different from a 2-wire battery box, in several ways, one of which being that a 3-wire battery box has TWO input connectors (either mini-plugs or mini XLRs). Thus, for that reason alone, the 3-wire mod would not "work" for your current battery box which you use with other mics.

The 3-wire mod *would* work, but your AT853s would have to have a mini-plug or mini-XLR for each microphone and you would need to get an additional (3-wire) battery box.

Hence, I say, maybe see if Chris Church (Church-Audio) would be willing to do the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"... then, you can still use the same battery box with the AT853s as well as your other mics, AND you can enjoy the benefits of the AT853s being able to take a louder signal with less (or no?) chance of distortion.

Yeah "bob cat" on here did a real torture test of AT853 with the "4.7k" mod, and he couldn't cause them to distort.  I don't know about his ears, but the mics worked fine .

Yeah, ask Chris Church if he'll do the mod for you.  It might be a nice line of business too, since there are a lot of AT853 freaks out there.

The big question is when do you need the mics by?

  Richard

[1westkc3]

Ideally I'd like to use the mics at Ratdog in KC 7/7/06.  But that's not an absolute requiremet, I've got others to use and I'm going to patch the Ratdog show at Red Rocks on 7/2.  I want to do what's best for my sound with these in the long run.  But I'm confused by the statement "a 3-wire battery box has TWO input connectors (either mini-plugs or mini XLRs)".  Are you saying it has one of each or are you saying it has two mini plugs OR two XLRs?  I ordered the mics with the standard single mini plug thinking I would use the same battery box with all my mics whether it is what I have now or a new 3 wire.

[bobcat]

If I may jump in here for a minute, it sounds like the best "mod" for your situations, would be the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"...

My reasoning being: a 3-wire battery box is different from a 2-wire battery box, in several ways, one of which being that a 3-wire battery box has TWO input connectors (either mini-plugs or mini XLRs). Thus, for that reason alone, the 3-wire mod would not "work" for your current battery box which you use with other mics.

The 3-wire mod *would* work, but your AT853s would have to have a mini-plug or mini-XLR for each microphone and you would need to get an additional (3-wire) battery box.

Hence, I say, maybe see if Chris Church (Church-Audio) would be willing to do the 4.7k resistor "Church mod"... then, you can still use the same battery box with the AT853s as well as your other mics, AND you can enjoy the benefits of the AT853s being able to take a louder signal with less (or no?) chance of distortion.

Yeah "bob cat" on here did a real torture test of AT853 with the "4.7k" mod, and he couldn't cause them to distort.  I don't know about his ears, but the mics worked fine .

Yeah, ask Chris Church if he'll do the mod for you.  It might be a nice line of business too, since there are a lot of AT853 freaks out there.

The big question is when do you need the mics by?

  Richard

haha nice rich!!!! i just saw your post about the modifaction and mics i bought off you!!! u are right..the mics took the beating but  my ears need a three wire modification or a 4.7 k thing that u did to the mics!!!

haha

[Javier Cinakowski]

I would highly recomened getting the 4.7k mod from Chris Church.   I am going to do the same with my AT943's so I can still use a 2-wire preamp/batt box or just use the mics directly with my HiMD. 

I only have the MicroLine capsules for my AT943's and they are even more prone to distortion then the omni,cards, or hypers.  I taped a show near the SBD and the measurement mic was showing 107dB's.  the AT943's distorted slightly.     

Has anyone verified that this mod will work with the AT933 or 943's?   How about other electrets/lavs?

[poorlyconditioned]

I would highly recomened getting the 4.7k mod from Chris Church.   I am going to do the same with my AT943's so I can still use a 2-wire preamp/batt box or just use the mics directly with my HiMD. 

I only have the MicroLine capsules for my AT943's and they are even more prone to distortion then the omni,cards, or hypers.  I taped a show near the SBD and the measurement mic was showing 107dB's.  the AT943's distorted slightly.     

Has anyone verified that this mod will work with the AT933 or 943's?   How about other electrets/lavs?

The mod will work with them all (AT853, 943, and 831).  In fact, I have a pair of AT831 that came with that mod.  I'm not sure why, but I measured some resistance, I think it was 2.2k, between the yellow and ground wire.

  Richard

[hyperplane]

But I'm confused by the statement "a 3-wire battery box has TWO input connectors (either mini-plugs or mini XLRs)".  Are you saying it has one of each or are you saying it has two mini plugs OR two XLRs?

I'm saying the 3-wire battery box requires either of the following:

option A:   TWO mini-plugs (one mini-plug for Left channel, one mini-plug for Right channel)

OR you can do

option B:   TWO mini XLR plugs (one mini XLR for Left channel, one mini XLR for Right channel)


The point being: each microphone needs to have its own input connector, because 3-wire powering requires that each microphone - both the Left and the Right mics - have their own shield/ground wire. (If I mis-stated that, please chime in, Richard or someone else.)

Has anyone verified that this mod will work with the AT933 or 943's?   How about other electrets/lavs?

Well, take a look at the electret wiring chart here:  http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/pdfs/Sennheiser_electret_wiring.pdf

On page 3 and 4, if I'm not mistaken, it *appears* that SEVERAL various electret microphones have either a 4.7K or 8.2K resistor sharing the same pin as the "red" wire. Again, I could be wrong, but there are definitely 4.7K + RED wire connected to the same pin on some of the electret mics in the list.

Being that some Sennheiser microphones (MKE-40s, and some of the MKE-2 omnis) have 2 conductors + shield, I would imagine this "4.7K mod" would work for those microphones as well. And as soon as I get in the MKE-40s that I won in an ebay auction, I will be checking out how difficult it is to perform this modification on the mics. 

[Javier Cinakowski]

And as soon as I get in the MKE-40s that I won in an ebay auction, I will be checking out how difficult it is to perform this modification on the mics.

I don't think this mod is nessesary for the MKE40's (the MicMadness ones anyway).  I recorded some seriously loud shows with them and they did not distort at all.  The MKE2's are rated at less then the MKE40's in SPL and they don't distort either.   The AT's distort way before the Sennheisers.  my $0.2

[hyperplane]

And as soon as I get in the MKE-40s that I won in an ebay auction, I will be checking out how difficult it is to perform this modification on the mics.

I don't think this mod is nessesary for the MKE40's (the MicMadness ones anyway).  I recorded some seriously loud shows with them and they did not distort at all.  The MKE2's are rated at less then the MKE40's in SPL and they don't distort either.   The AT's distort way before the Sennheisers.  my $0.2

It may not be necessary for the MKE-40s... I plan on testing them as is, once I get them (after I get the cable ends modified accordingly, I think lemo 4pin connectors are too pricey to simply make a dual lemo > mini-plug cable).