Topic: CAD e70 - Great Budget Mic's (Samples Inside)

[Neilyboy]

Figured I would post this here as there was a thread some time ago that archivalaudio posted when these guys first came out. I was lucky enough to find a pair for a pretty good deal on fleabay about 5 months ago. I decided to finally unbox them and give them a shot at a Backyard Tire Fire show a couple weeks ago. The results are pretty darn good if you ask me!

Hit up my LMA post: http://www.archive.org/details/btf2009-10-03.cad.e70

I really enjoy the sound of these things. I have been running my 4041's for some time now. I have always enjoyed them but I feel that they roll off a bit of the low end (which some prefer) but these cad's seem to do a great job. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Neil

[chris319]

These are fantastic mics! I used them just last night to record a rehearsal and I am very pleased with the sound. Below is a monaural clip using the cardioid capsule (it is a youth orchestra and you can hear the conductor giving bowing directions):

www.miclisteningroom.org/MSLMYSO/CAD_e70_short.wav

I must point out that this mic was modified. The ceramic capsule-to-FET transistor was replaced. See this picture:

www.miclisteningroom.org/pics/CAD_e70.jpg

The center ceramic capacitor in the cluster of three orange capacitors was replaced with a polystyrene capacitor. It helped tighten up the low end. For the daring, the replacement capacitor is a Xicon 23PS147 available from Mouser. It is an axial lead cap, meaning the leads stick out from the ends. It is mounted on the bottom of the circuit board and is a snug fit, with the leads wrapped around the ends of the capacitor. The center capacitor is then destructively removed (yank it out).

[chris319]

As requested, here are the "after" pictures of the CAD e70 with the stock ceramic capsule-to-FET capacitor replaced with a polystyrene cap. The first picture shows the cap mounted to the "back" of the board. Note that it is an axial mount. NOTE: it is helpful to hold the capacitor in position with double-face tape prior to soldering. Also, make sure the capacitor leads do not come in contact with any of the solder joints on the back of the board. The second picture shows that the middle of the trio of ceramic caps has been removed. Simply grab it with long-nose pliers and wiggle it free.

The result of this mod is a more cohesive low end. This is not a warm-sounding mic. It has a nice crisp sound which I was seeking.

[Neilyboy]

Thank you so much for the pictures! It answered my question I just did not understand why you would solder it to the bottom of the board but it looks like it was just too crowded on the top for a solder iron to get in there and play around! I may have to look into this mod as I like your sample a lot. Have you used them in the field to record any other music yet or just the orchestra so far? I would be interested in hearing them now in a higher spl area.

Neil

[chris319]

No, this orchestra was the test drive.

[Neilyboy]

very nice! well I am going to run them stock tomorrow night for blitzen trapper but may have to think about running the mod on these. As I do like the sound of your recording there quite a bit.. I am just afraid to open the thing up lol (for fear i may break it lol). Do I just screw the screw in to allow the xlr to drop out the bottom?

Neil

[chris319]

Yes, just screw the screw in and pull on an XLR pin with pliers and the connector and circuit board will slide right out. I believe you turn the screw clockwise when removing the circuit board -- I've put the mic away so I'm not going to try it. Also be sure to touch ground first so as not to fry any components with static electricity.

Again, the improvement in sound isn't dramatic. It's quite subtle, but the lows seem to be a little better defined.

[Neilyboy]

good call thanks for the info I may have to try this out!!

Neil

[ArchivalAudio]

Neil,
sounds great
from what I can here so far

what I don;t know is how large (or small) is the venue and how high caliber the PA is?
so you were next to the FOH mix position at 15' from the stage?

I assume you ran cardioid?

did you use an array or mic pattern? such as DINa 90° @17cm  or ORTF 110° @ 17cm?
 or were they just PATS (point At The Stacks)?
if they were PATS
you might try DINa
the 17cm is the average distance of the human ears
if give some width and separation between channels

or try some spaced omnis, spaced about 8' FOB
or for a band w/o vocals
spaced Omnis onstage- would be very sweet!

I do like what I hear

hopefully you can record some other stuff and share it too.
perhaps a larger venue,  with a huge phat sound mice up about 10- 12'...

any way I am glad to hear these mics

and would recommend them for new tapers
some day I might pick some up myself - heck they are more versatile than a SM 57 or SM 58 and cheaper, and sound waaaaaaay better ta boot!


Peace
-- Ian

Edit:

Nice: This is my Post # 666  super sweet!

[Neilyboy]

Cocount Louie's is a pretty small place. There is a half wall in which the soundboard sits on (where this was recorded from).
I did run with the cards...
I ran them in a shure vert bar XY just crossing the heads at a 90 one on top of the other.

I was able to run them this Friday (two days ago) at the blitzen trapper show at the canopy club in Urbana.

I have linked a couple of samples from there. I ran these again about 45 foot from the stage quite a ways up there.
Hard to judge how high it was as the floor slopes up but from where I ran it it was about 8' high.
I again ran XY 90.

I was able to get a board feed as well (as its a boomy room) I have linked a sample of just the e70's and then a quick mix of board and e70.
Keep in mind this is not what will be released as I have nothing here at the girlfriends house to listen to this through.
I am just listening to the mix through the built in notebook speakers on this vaio laptop.
I only mixed the two to get an idea of what it could sound like. But again its for this sample only so if it sucks dont worry its not a final mix. I just have no way of listening to it.. (I just opened them both in audacity alligned them and saved a sample so its just a 50/50 mix, although the board feed is probably a couple db louder than my pull)

e70's: blitzensamplee70.wav
e70's + sbd: blitzenmatrixsamplee70.wav

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=1622cf7e13cd90781f8e0fff488e27e0e04e75f6e8ebb871

Let me know what you think. If you are in the states and want to borrow these ever let me know ill package them up and send them your way.

Neil

[chris319]

On the "matrix" sample, which I assume is a mix of the board feed and the e70s, I hear major phasing problems on the vocals as your room mics fight with the stage mics. There is also a background noise problem on the room mics.

[Neilyboy]

well as im still here at the girlfriends place with only a laptop and its speakers what can I do to tinker with this? phasing as in something wrong with the stereo feel? what type of background noise are you hearing? I listened to my room mic's through my stereo at home the morning after the show and it sounded ok to my ears.

Neil

[chris319]

Listen to the mix of room mics and board output and listen carefully to the lead vocal. Your room mics are fighting the stage mic and that's making the lead vocal sound hollow. That's the hazard of picking up the same source with two different mics. Plus, your room mics are probably getting the lead vocal from the P.A. system, adding to the trouble.

[Neilyboy]

I got no good way of listening here as this laptop sounds alright to me. Ill have to try it on my stereo at home. I am not sure what else to try when running a matrix recording as all the matrix recordings I have come across are a mix of both aud mics and sbd.. how is it that they are phasing are you thinking my right and left channel are opposite of the sbd feed? as for the noise you are hearing I am curious as to if you heard it in my tire fire pull as I used the same exact hardware and exact same setup... if it was not present there I have no idea where the noise is coming from as it was recorded identically.

take care,
neil

[chris319]

Neil -

Let me know when you can listen to this material on good speakers.