Topic: CA-11 Interchangable caps - Can someone explain?

[jagraham]

So I have CA-11s purchased in late 2007.  The pair needs rewiring so it is not in use at the time.  I thought I had seen previous transactions where people traded and sold the card and omni caps for the CA-11s.  I put my card caps up for sale in the YS yesterday and was contacted by Chris Church who advised me that "You cant sell my cardioid caps.. Because they are NOT matched. They are matched to the body of the mics not to each other. They can not be used with out the original bodies."  I responded to Chris for an explanation but he has declined to return the PM as of yet.  Why exactly can they not be sold?  I have seen people sell and trade them before, so why were their CA-11 caps useful and not mine?  I thought the whole point of detachable caps was so that they could be changed out.  Any input is appreciated.

[Church-Audio]

So I have CA-11s purchased in late 2007.  The pair needs rewiring so it is not in use at the time.  I thought I had seen previous transactions where people traded and sold the card and omni caps for the CA-11s.  I put my card caps up for sale in the YS yesterday and was contacted by Chris Church who advised me that "You cant sell my cardioid caps.. Because they are NOT matched. They are matched to the body of the mics not to each other. They can not be used with out the original bodies."  I responded to Chris for an explanation but he has declined to return the PM as of yet.  Why exactly can they not be sold?  I have seen people sell and trade them before, so why were their CA-11 caps useful and not mine?  I thought the whole point of detachable caps was so that they could be changed out.  Any input is appreciated.

Card caps are never sold by them selves. They are only sold with fets. The fets or capsules can be off from one another but when they are paired up to another capsule they can matched. When you unscrew a ca-11 card cap you must be careful to always screw it back onto the matching fet / cable it came with failure to do so results in unmatched mics for output.

[vanark]

I was never careful to put the card caps back on the same bodies (this is the first I'm hearing of this) - how would I know if there is some issue I am not aware of?

Edit to clarify: Chris, is there a way I can tell if I put the caps back on the wrong body?  Either physically or sonically?

[fmaderjr]

I was never careful to put the card caps back on the same bodies (this is the first I'm hearing of this) - how would I know if there is some issue I am not aware of?

Chris never made much of a point of telling us that when he started selling CA-11's with interchangeable caps. I did't think about that either.

I would think you could just make a test recording and see if they appear to be closely matched in output. If not, just try switching the caps and make another test.

[Church-Audio]

I was never careful to put the card caps back on the same bodies (this is the first I'm hearing of this) - how would I know if there is some issue I am not aware of?

Edit to clarify: Chris, is there a way I can tell if I put the caps back on the wrong body?  Either physically or sonically?

anyone with ca11 mics should play a 1k tone through a single speaker place both capsules in your hand side by side and right up against the grill of the speaker laptop works good plug them into a daw package and check the left and right levels if they are off switch the capsules. now I mark one capsule with a mark on it.

[F.O.Bean]

mark one capsule w silver sharpie and same w body

[adrianf74]

No offense, but that suggestion is not exactly a solution for everyone. I'm not even sure to anyone. A 1k tone? Um...okay

Maybe something simple and straightforward.

Easy enough to do in Adobe Audition / Cool Edit Pro.  I don't see the issue.