Topic: The AKG Active Project - 2

[rokpunk]

anyway, just rambling at this point I guess.......

yeah, you are



 

[Nick's Picks]

after using the a61 swivels for a while...
actives shmactives

[bluegrass_brad]

I mean look at the situation on the mk46 cables for the 460 bodies. Theyre literally just falling apart after so many years of use/abuse.

Just curious how you arrived at this sweeping statement? I havent seen an epidemic of problems with the cable, and since I own them I do pay attention when I see MK46 in a title.  And curious if you have actually examined an MK46 cable, held it and looked at it? They arent all that fragile, they are very similar in cabling to every other active system Ive ever used. Really similar to MBHO in particular, since there is a mini-connector (in the AKG case a Lemo connector) at the capsule end.  the biggest difference is they aren't made anymore. 

[grider]

I mean look at the situation on the mk46 cables for the 460 bodies. Theyre literally just falling apart after so many years of use/abuse.

Just curious how you arrived at this sweeping statement? I havent seen an epidemic of problems with the cable, and since I own them I do pay attention when I see MK46 in a title.  And curious if you have actually examined an MK46 cable, held it and looked at it? They arent all that fragile, they are very similar in cabling to every other active system Ive ever used. Really similar to MBHO in particular, since there is a mini-connector (in the AKG case a Lemo connector) at the capsule end.  the biggest difference is they aren't made anymore. 

gotta agree with Brad here, the mk46 cables I owned until recently, now used by Aberg, were probably twenty years old and had no appearance of wear or damage, and they certainly were not falling apart, and I think Rokpunk who bought them and sold them to Aberg would both agree, its all solidly made gear

[ts]

I mean look at the situation on the mk46 cables for the 460 bodies. Theyre literally just falling apart after so many years of use/abuse.

Just curious how you arrived at this sweeping statement? I havent seen an epidemic of problems with the cable, and since I own them I do pay attention when I see MK46 in a title.  And curious if you have actually examined an MK46 cable, held it and looked at it? They arent all that fragile, they are very similar in cabling to every other active system Ive ever used. Really similar to MBHO in particular, since there is a mini-connector (in the AKG case a Lemo connector) at the capsule end.  the biggest difference is they aren't made anymore. 

gotta agree with Brad here, the mk46 cables I owned until recently, now used by Aberg, were probably twenty years old and had no appearance of wear or damage, and they certainly were not falling apart, and I think Rokpunk who bought them and sold them to Aberg would both agree, its all solidly made gear

I sent my Mk46 cables out to busman. He's going to re cable them with some Belden 1804a. My cables have become stiff and don't coil easily. I have also been experiencing some issues with what I think is in the lemo end. Getting spikes in the levels while handling the cable and sometimes no signal at all. Probably just a bad connection in the lemo but beyond my capability for repair. Also looking into some new lemo ends.

Which leads me to the question of cell noise. Could this be picked up thru a bad lemo/cable or something else?

[bluegrass_brad]

Which leads me to the question of cell noise. Could this be picked up thru a bad lemo/cable or something else?

Don't really know, Ive never experienced cell phone noise with my MK46 cables. If your bodies arent plugged straight into your pre, you could also be getting the RF interference through your interconnects if they arent shielded well.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I'm really surprised we don't get more reports of RF/cell interferance on TS.  For a while it seemed like most of the few reports we were getting involved the Marantz 660.  Not sure if it was that recorder or the combo of gear typically used with it....

I've long wondered whether quad cable would provide better rejection than single pair... But the problem has been surprisingly minor enough that nobody seems to have bothered doing testing.

[ts]

Which leads me to the question of cell noise. Could this be picked up thru a bad lemo/cable or something else?

Don't really know, Ive never experienced cell phone noise with my MK46 cables. If your bodies arent plugged straight into your pre, you could also be getting the RF interference through your interconnects if they arent shielded well.

No, my bodies are not plugged into pre. Never tried that as it makes for to large a gear bag. I'm using the shorty ra xlr interconnects on the pre side that most use, but have also used regular ra xlr's. However I don't recall if I got the noise with both. I'll have to try a test.

[bluegrass_brad]

Im using interconnects too, but they are well shielded. The cable brand I used to build them escapes me at the moment, but no problems in the several months Ive been using them both.

[ts]

I'm really surprised we don't get more reports of RF/cell interferance on TS.  For a while it seemed like most of the few reports we were getting involved the Marantz 660.  Not sure if it was that recorder or the combo of gear typically used with it....

I've long wondered whether quad cable would provide better rejection than single pair... But the problem has been surprisingly minor enough that nobody seems to have bothered doing testing.

My cell noise experiences have been MK46 cables>460 bodies>interconnect(silver clad stuff)>722. When I use the V3 and no MK46 cable, ie: 461's>silver clad mic cables>V3(analog out)>722, I get no cell noise.

[spreadheadtom]

I bet that is a sweet combo you have there Tommy. The fast/transient/detailed response of the ck6x>jk labs paired with the warmer, more analog-ish sound of the ACM 671/722 has got to sound sweet as all hell

Tommy, do you have any recordings you'd consider GREAT/KILLER of your jk labs>acm 671 combo on the LMA that would be geared towards my musical tastes ala moe/Lotus/STS9/Biscuits/etc Thanks in advance bud!

Bean

I'll be recording the Disco Biscuits 10/17.  I'll let you know when I get it done.


In the meantime....I have this  Booker T and the MG's (http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8b05f549c0c3e277ab1eab3e9fa335cadcf4316cb6b6d335 ) that was recorded from the 4th row (stealth in hat)  ck61 > JKLabs > h120

[dennisrtyler]

I bet that is a sweet combo you have there Tommy. The fast/transient/detailed response of the ck6x>jk labs paired with the warmer, more analog-ish sound of the ACM 671/722 has got to sound sweet as all hell

Tommy, do you have any recordings you'd consider GREAT/KILLER of your jk labs>acm 671 combo on the LMA that would be geared towards my musical tastes ala moe/Lotus/STS9/Biscuits/etc Thanks in advance bud!

Bean

I'll be recording the Disco Biscuits 10/17.  I'll let you know when I get it done.


In the meantime....I have this  Booker T and the MG's (http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=8b05f549c0c3e277ab1eab3e9fa335cadcf4316cb6b6d335 ) that was recorded from the 4th row (stealth in hat)  ck61 > JKLabs > h120

yeah that Booker T sucks

[Todd R]

744 only has 2 preamps tho I know you have the v3 but just saying

I would run:
AKG>744(7xx preamps)
AND
Milab>V3>744

THAT my friend would be, as we say, BUTTA

Do we have a Homer salivating emoticon?  Mmm, donuts.  Err, uh, I mean mmm, 744.

[F.O.Bean]

744 only has 2 preamps tho I know you have the v3 but just saying

I would run:
AKG>744(7xx preamps)
AND
Milab>V3>744

THAT my friend would be, as we say, BUTTA

Do we have a Homer salivating emoticon?  Mmm, donuts.  Err, uh, I mean mmm, 744.

We need one brotha

+T

[esteyes]

greetings all.

as far as induced RF noise, AKG used a triaxial cable for the MK46's. if you lost the shield, you would definately be able to introduce noise into the system. as far as wear and tear, i found that the method of assembly of the body>cable and cable>cap increases or minimizes damage to the cable. i hold the cable end and spin the body /cap onto the cable end. also, i would be leery of using anything

the 451 & 480 series of mics are the most difficult to seperate as they have no bias ring in the bodies. for those series of mics, my first plan is to investigate the cap>umbilical>xlr to deck/pre option first. that is why i indicated that samples would be built first so that they could be passed around and we can discuss sonic issues. also, as a byproduct of this portion of the project, the bias circuitry needed for the caps might get fitted to the body end of the 480 umbilical so we can test sonics of that as well.

hope this helps
neil