Topic: The AKG Active Project - 2

[Nick's Picks]

well Richard...iv'e got said knuckles.
my 460s are going to be sold, i hope.  but the knuckles i'm going to hang on to for a while to play around.
I dont see how they could help w/an active cable though.  a passive short run..if possible, but thats it.
and thats what i've got going on right now in fact.
dissected knuckle in front of me.

[grider]

well Richard...iv'e got said knuckles.
my 460s are going to be sold, i hope.  but the knuckles i'm going to hang on to for a while to play around.
I dont see how they could help w/an active cable though.  a passive short run..if possible, but thats it.
and thats what i've got going on right now in fact.
dissected knuckle in front of me.

the a61 swivels would be of value since one end fits perfectly and is tooled to screw onto the end of the ck6x cap and the other is fitted the same way but for the 480 body, and its inexpensive, and it would have the hardware to receive and pass along the audio signal, between which a cable could be attached, thus completing the first ever active cable for AKG 480's

[willndmb]

i by no means have knowledge like many here, but i personally feel that some people want to make money (which is fine) and are not sharing everything they know
i feel if everyone worked together there would be an answer - so i commend people like richard who has always shared info on projects

i personally don't want a 480 active just to have it, if it doesn't have the akg sound then its a waste imo
i don't think most want it just to have it, if that were the case we could buy nuemanns or something else

[Nick's Picks]

the "guts" , which make the cable active, have no place to go w/just either half of the swivel.
so, no help really on the active part.  you need to have something made.

so to reverse this, we just need the JKL actives and not the box ?
would that allow for just an active extension cable (if re terminated)

[illconditioned]

the "guts" , which make the cable active, have no place to go w/just either half of the swivel.
so, no help really on the active part.  you need to have something made.

so to reverse this, we just need the JKL actives and not the box ?
would that allow for just an active extension cable (if re terminated)

I can (and have built) the circuit itself.  Very simple.  The problem I ran into was getting a nice reliable contact to the mic capsule.  If you got *anything* the holds the capsule (knuckle, extension tube, broken 460/480, or ?) you can use that to make a solid connection.  Who knows, maybe you can even by 480 parts from AKG, but I have not tried.  The rest is easy.  I've posted schematics in the past, so anyone is welcome to step up and build with whatever economic model works for them.  Remember, those schematics are public so any DIY types can come along later and build their own too.

This is not rocket science, folks.  I would have done it already if I had not: 1) bought a set of Beyers, 2) already spent too much money on taping stuff (including a set of ck63 caps), 3) oh, yeah, out taping shows two nights a week already, lol.

 Richard

[Nick's Picks]

care to point me to the schematics Richard?
I went through the "part 1", 1/2 of part 2 and I dont recall it in this thread either.

[Nick's Picks]

in my first little test...
I took the bottom part of the knuckle apart so the capsule screwed onto its half like normal.  I then extended wire leading down to the plastic piece w/the male end on it which fits nicely in the 460 body.
grounded the mic body and the knuckle.
got A LOT of noise.

the cable is a 28awg coax, silver clad.  not sure of its ohms.  didn't work.
I"m going to try cutting it in 1/2 and seeing how that works. 
then its on to different cable.

the stock wire in there is multi-strand, looks like 32awg.  like tonearm wire.

[illconditioned]

care to point me to the schematics Richard?
I went through the "part 1", 1/2 of part 2 and I dont recall it in this thread either.

Schematic:


Prototype (on bench):


  Richard

[Nick's Picks]

exactly what I was hoping for.
thanks Richard.

Now...., I am self teaching myself how to read schematics.  I've got several good books (one of them is from some EE curriculum) and am getting there.  SmokinJoe has an EE degree from about 100 years ago, so he can help me out w/the parts I can't understand.  But I think I have it.
would it be wiser to start this project from one direction ?  from power to capsule, or from the top down?  I assume that in the end, it doesn't matter.


nobody should ever call me a slacker!
I want to see someone else who actually knows what they are doing have some motivation w/me on this.
I dont mind bucking up for parts, assembly..etc.  I just need a little help.

Richard...you da man.

[grider]

I emailed JK himself last week, to see if he would be interested in manufacturing custom made cables for me for use with the ck6x series of cap and the 480 bodies; interestingly, he did indeed respond, and advised me that it can't be done, which is why he has gone other routes like the DVc preamp box and the ECMS phantom power box; I'm not an engineer or electrician, but I really see no reason why such cables could not be engineered and manufactured, though his reponse is disappointing

[grider]

good, just because one engineer can't do it does not mean others with more determination or skill can't either or at least won't try

[Nick's Picks]

its almost a matter of ...
"if you want active AKGs....buy schoeps"

[grider]

its almost a matter of ...
"if you want active AKGs....buy schoeps"

or a JK Labs DVC  , and actually DPA's would be closer in sound to AKG's than would Schoeps, in which case buy DPA's

[esteyes]

ok, here's my $0.02...
the CKxX caps are really CKx caps with a different rear piece installed that allows the addition of a FET. THAT piece can be made easily enuf. but what most people want/need is the ability to use THEIR CK6x caps (which are larger in size) with THEIR 460 bodies. to me, this presents a problem. namely the internal parts required to create a long term reliable connection that are needed inside the cable ends. the machining in low quantity of the metal ends to screw onto the 460 as well as the caps is not difficult, just overly expensive for the low quantities required.

[esteyes]

ooops, hit the tab button

to continue... i see the active setup as clunky - remember i ran 460>mk46>ck8x for a long time. and it required care to set-up/tear down and usually a recabling after 2-3 years.

   i think it makes the most sense to create the capsule adapter and then "duplicate" the 460 bodies in a small metal box. (personally i am a fan of the preamps that can accept the MK46 cable directly.) i can have the schematic over to a buddy who will do the layout and ness computer modeling for noise issues etc (this guy has been designing audio circuit boards for _many_ years). having short runs of circuit boards done here in the US is now very inexpensive as compared to the old days.
   the A61's could become the source of the metal for the ends, but i do not believe they contain the needed bias ring. i think the machining can be done in this country at a resonable price as compared to using A61's. but i am a little concerned that the contacts might be difficult to replicate here in the usa at a reasonable price. however i have a Chinese friend who just happens to be a manufacturer of audio in china (ever hear of ARC Audio??) who might be able to help us out on the metal end including the innards... i will try this week to contact him and get his opinion. also, i will speak to my machinist here in town and get his thoughts on dup'ing the ends, contacts included. delrin is a very machineable plastic.... and maybe there is something in the auto electronics rebuilder's world that comes close to the bias ring... i will ask my buddy who owns a shop rebuilding alternators etc.


neil in san marcos