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Author Topic: Beyer MV100 mods  (Read 8215 times)

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Offline jbell

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Beyer MV100 mods
« on: February 20, 2011, 04:48:46 PM »
Can the mv100 be modded to have gain knobs instead of the stepped gain switch?  I have seen some old posts on changing out chips, but haven't seen if anyone has added gain knobs.
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Offline TNJazz

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2011, 03:46:23 PM »
I believe Chris Church did this to one (or maybe something like it) but doing that on this preamp far exceeds the point of diminishing returns in my opinion.  Why bother modding it if it's not going to make a significant improvement in the sonic quality?

EDITED TO ADD:  You already have an MP-2 in your sig, and that preamp is a much better one than the beyer.  Just my opinion, and as always YMMV
« Last Edit: February 21, 2011, 04:05:15 PM by TNJazz »
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Offline Church-Audio

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2011, 10:57:43 PM »
Can the mv100 be modded to have gain knobs instead of the stepped gain switch?  I have seen some old posts on changing out chips, but haven't seen if anyone has added gain knobs.

Yes it can between the max and minimum settings. Resistors and a rotary switch are all that is needed. Simple mod.. Again you cant turn a turd into a steak but you might be able to turn it into a hotdog.

Chris
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Offline TNJazz

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2011, 09:31:08 AM »
you cant turn a turd into a steak but you might be able to turn it into a hotdog.

Where's that "Instant Classic" image?   ;D
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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2011, 09:50:49 AM »
you cant turn a turd into a steak but you might be able to turn it into a hotdog.

Where's that "Instant Classic" image?   ;D

This is the third time in as many weeks we've had to look for it, I'm hunting it down and creating a thread just for it when I get a chance.
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Offline jbell

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2011, 10:12:12 AM »
  ???

Can the mv100 be modded to have gain knobs instead of the stepped gain switch?  I have seen some old posts on changing out chips, but haven't seen if anyone has added gain knobs.

Yes it can between the max and minimum settings. Resistors and a rotary switch are all that is needed. Simple mod.. Again you cant turn a turd into a steak but you might be able to turn it into a hotdog.

Chris
« Last Edit: February 23, 2011, 06:19:57 PM by jmbell »
Mics: DPA ST4011ER & 4018ER
Preamps: DPA MMA 6000 | Audioroot Femto
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre-10 II | Sony PCM A10

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Offline hi and lo

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2011, 10:22:31 AM »
ruh roh.

On a lighter note.. I vaguely recall from my dat-head days that someone was modding the mv100 unit to prevent preamp overload. I'd like to see the guts of this unit. I'm sure there's room for improvement and switching out a few caps and resistors might go a long ways to improve a modest unit.

Offline flipp

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2011, 10:23:57 AM »
version 2 and 3

Offline Todd R

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2011, 11:10:46 AM »
ruh roh.

On a lighter note.. I vaguely recall from my dat-head days that someone was modding the mv100 unit to prevent preamp overload. I'd like to see the guts of this unit. I'm sure there's room for improvement and switching out a few caps and resistors might go a long ways to improve a modest unit.

I modded the gain on my mv100 when I had it (about 10 years ago I think?).  IIRC, I re-did the gain so it was something like 12-18-28 rather than 20-40-60.  The mv100 can take a pretty hot mic signal, but it has a relatively low max output voltage.  So it can easily overload on the outputs when you're recording a PA-driven concert (ie, a loud source).

I found that set at 20db gain (it's lowest setting), it would often distort due to overloading the outputs when I was running neumann km184's -- which are pretty typical output for condensors, something like 15mv/Pa. 

Unless you mod the gain structure, if you're using an mv100 for concert recording, I'd recommend using the -10db attenuators on your mics (which km184's don't have), or using attenuator cables.
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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2011, 11:29:41 AM »
version 2 and 3

got the pirate one? I do loves me the pirate classic pic. It always seemed emblematic of our attitude.  ;D

ruh roh.

On a lighter note.. I vaguely recall from my dat-head days that someone was modding the mv100 unit to prevent preamp overload. I'd like to see the guts of this unit. I'm sure there's room for improvement and switching out a few caps and resistors might go a long ways to improve a modest unit.

I modded the gain on my mv100 when I had it (about 10 years ago I think?).  IIRC, I re-did the gain so it was something like 12-18-28 rather than 20-40-60.  The mv100 can take a pretty hot mic signal, but it has a relatively low max output voltage.  So it can easily overload on the outputs when you're recording a PA-driven concert (ie, a loud source).

What *is* the max output dbu anyway? I mean, it looks like a sax but it's not based on what's inside.
"This is a common practice we have on the bus; debating facts that we could easily find through printed material. It's like, how far is it today? I think it's four hours, and someone else comes in at 11 hours, and well, then we'll... just... talk about it..." - Jeb Puryear

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Offline flipp

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2011, 11:34:04 AM »
version 2 and 3

got the pirate one? I do loves me the pirate classic pic. It always seemed emblematic of our attitude.  ;D


I don't think so, at least my search terms didn't find it on my HD.  :-[

Offline Todd R

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2011, 01:40:58 PM »

What *is* the max output dbu anyway? I mean, it looks like a sax but it's not based on what's inside.

Interesting.  The manual for the mv100 is available in the ts.com archive section, and it states a max output of 15dbu.  With condensors like the km184's and a minumum 20db gain setting, that implies it won't overload until about a 125db SPL.  That does seem like the mv100 may not have been the culprit in the overloading I used to experience.  I thought I investigated it way back when and determined it was the mv100 overloading, not that it overloaded the inputs to my recorder (an Aiwa HD-X3000 back then, same as the HHB1 or Marantz PMD700).

At any rate, fixing the gain structure on my mv100 fixed the problem.
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Offline Tim

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2011, 03:04:22 PM »
Todd, I and some friends had similar issues with the mv100 in the chain with km140s and an ad500e/1k
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Offline jbell

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2011, 04:57:23 PM »
 :yahoo:
« Last Edit: February 23, 2011, 06:21:26 PM by jmbell »
Mics: DPA ST4011ER & 4018ER
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Offline Todd R

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2011, 05:06:53 PM »
Todd, I and some friends had similar issues with the mv100 in the chain with km140s and an ad500e/1k

Good point Tim, I forgot I was sometimes running the mv100 directly into DAT and sometimes was running into my Apogee AD500e.
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Offline jbell

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2011, 05:25:09 PM »
If you run directly into a deck is it less likely to overload?

Todd, I and some friends had similar issues with the mv100 in the chain with km140s and an ad500e/1k

Good point Tim, I forgot I was sometimes running the mv100 directly into DAT and sometimes was running into my Apogee AD500e.
Mics: DPA ST4011ER & 4018ER
Preamps: DPA MMA 6000 | Audioroot Femto
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre-10 II | Sony PCM A10

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Offline Todd R

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2011, 06:33:02 PM »
If you run directly into a deck is it less likely to overload?


In terms of having clipping/overload on the output of the mv100, no it doesn't matter what you run it into.  What you run it into only matters in trying to determine what you're overloading, if you're hearing that distortion on your recordings.

The mv100 supposedly can output a 15dbu signal, so with typical condensor mics (say ranging between 7mv/Pa to 20mv/Pa in sensitivity) you will be able to record in settings with sound pressure levels in the 120db to 130db range without clipping the output of the mv100 (assuming you're at 20db gain).

Your recorder or A/D can also overload if fed too hot of an input.  The mv100 can put out 15dbu, so you're recorder/AD will need to be able to handle that hot of a signal.  The D50 can for sure (I think it takes up to 24dbu), but I don't know about the R09.
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Offline jbell

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2011, 06:38:45 PM »
^Thanks
Mics: DPA ST4011ER & 4018ER
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Offline hi and lo

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Re: Beyer MV100 mods
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2011, 08:18:31 PM »
The D50 can for sure (I think it takes up to 24dbu), but I don't know about the R09.

I believe it's ~18dBu. I've overloaded it many times with the nbox's +20dB fixed gain. The HR version is better (~24 I think)

 

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