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Author Topic: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications  (Read 49488 times)

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Offline heathen

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #30 on: January 26, 2019, 07:01:45 PM »
Testing the windscreens this morning in a stiff Santa Ana wind.

Any idea what speed the gusts got to?  There are some points where there's audible wind noise (though I wonder if that would even be audible over an amplified concert).

Thanks for posting the demo of these...those birds were fun to listen to.  At one point I found myself thinking, "we don't have wind chimes...where is that coming from?"  Then I realized the obvious...
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

Offline heathen

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #31 on: January 26, 2019, 07:06:08 PM »
Approximately how much wire do you have to work with once it's free from the usb board?

I've got just under 6 1/4 inches.
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

mcfoster

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Re: - hacks and modifications
« Reply #32 on: January 26, 2019, 07:28:34 PM »
Nice work on these things everybody! I recordered a local funk jam at the crowbar in Tampa last week, clamped about 8' up PAS into my DR-05, nothing else in post except normalize. Sounds nice, a little bass heavy, but they were backed up to the wall. I did mine up with heat shrink and am pretty happy with the appearance and feel that they are fairly strain relived. here is a sample: War Pigs closer with horns, about 12 people onstage.

https://soundcloud.com/user-824235687/tampa-funk-night-011819-normalized16
« Last Edit: January 26, 2019, 07:30:06 PM by mcfoster »

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #33 on: January 26, 2019, 08:25:57 PM »
Testing the windscreens this morning in a stiff Santa Ana wind.

Any idea what speed the gusts got to?  There are some points where there's audible wind noise (though I wonder if that would even be audible over an amplified concert).
Thanks for posting the demo of these...those birds were fun to listen to.  At one point I found myself thinking, "we don't have wind chimes...where is that coming from?"  Then I realized the obvious...


My pleasure. welcome.
15->25mph probably. It was a stout blow event.  Weird, we've been getting them more at night, as night winds.

Regarding your concern about the windscreens, and, the thread set.
The amount of times that I've used screeens on omnis is minimal, and, the last time I recorded a concert outdoors was a decade ago. So, the windscreens were fairly low on my list of priorities.
Now, with tht said,... none of the test had the screens becoming loose. But, I also realize that is not what makes some people feel at ease.
So, to keep the group think alive,... I gave this a go,..
I took a velcro tab, one of the newer style, thin, die-cut, smaller cable tabs, and, I secured it immediately below the mic, on the brass body region.  I wrapped it a couple of times until it was barely too large for the thread hole, and backed it off one coil, or so, until it wanted to fit, snugly. I then coiled it downward away from the mic capsule, creating a conical interface with the windscreen.  That conical interface provided a really snug seat in an interference-type fit.
In theory, you could use the hooks side out on the velcro, and, have the hooks side gripping into the internal threads.

As I have mentioned, I'm considering mounting some adhesive-back velcro onto the mic bodies, permanently, in order to aid in velcro mounting the mics to different surfaces.  WIth that sort of anchoring, I'd be very confident in calling a velcro collar a totally adequate replacement for the threads.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2019, 08:30:10 PM by Moke »

Offline illconditioned

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #34 on: January 26, 2019, 08:38:16 PM »
Best thread ever!
This is taperssection hacker lab right here.Well worth the price of admission.
I've got four now.I wonder if I should buy more.
Please DO NOT mail me with tech questions.  I will try to answer in the forums when I get a chance.  Thanks.

Sample recordings at: http://www.soundmann.com.

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #35 on: January 26, 2019, 08:51:20 PM »
nothing clears up cloudy theory like pictures!

OK,... I mounted the velcro to the mic bodies, just to test this theory.
I'm totally done, and satisfied. It is a nice snug friction fit.  Its not thread tight, but its as good as any other properly fitted foam screen you've ever mounted.

img6127: w/ soft loops side of velcro mounted to mic bodies.

img6128: different angles of velcro/thread hole interface.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 08:52:50 AM by Moke »

Offline heathen

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #36 on: January 27, 2019, 04:11:21 PM »
More progress, and a slightly different approach...

I trimmed a bit of the lip off the flared end of the plastic, as visible in the first picture.

Then I used the K&S 8131 tubing suggested by Moke to give this a bit of a "body," as visible in the second picture.  With that flared end trimmed, the plastic fit nicely in the tube but not snug enough to keep it that way without some sort of adhesive.  My plan is to use the epoxy Moke used to hold it in place...hopefully that little nub of plastic will be enough to secure the tube.  We'll see.

Finally you can see my final plan.  I'm going to attach a gear tie to the "body" (for now I'm just using gaffer tape, and that may well be enough in the long run as well).  I'll then use the gear tie to secure the mic to wherever I want, whether it's a stand or a railing or whatever.  I'll probably run this with just gaffer tape at first to make sure I like it as a mounting option.  Note that the bulb end of the gear tie will not fit inside the 8131 tube.

Next step for me is to attach the extension cable, and then I'll hide the connection point inside the body.  I'll probably back fill that like Moke did.
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #37 on: January 28, 2019, 08:59:18 AM »
Gude got all excited and started into playing dress-up,...

6112 & 6115:
The original HRTF mounting scheme vs. Senn Binaural protocol

6116 & 6117:
Senn MøKE2 as Binaural protocol held in place w/ Gaffers tape.

img002&003:
Original HRTF mounting experiment from around 1985 (nearing 35 years later, I'm declaring success with it).
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 09:08:20 AM by Moke »

Offline Chuck

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #38 on: January 28, 2019, 09:18:51 AM »

Has anyone cut the rubber tubing and mesh screen off this yet? The waterproofing jacket I guess you could call it. Still on the road and haven't had mine in hand yet.

I want these to be as small as possible but thinking of a way to maybe adapt them somehow to fit back into a portion of the housing to be able to mount them in the open using the windscreen.

I'd be interested to see what it looks like under that rubber boot too.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 09:37:20 AM by Chuck »
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

Microphones: AKG C 480 B comb-ULS/ CK 61/ CK 63, Sennheiser MKE 2 elements,  Audix M1290-o, Micro capsule active cables w/ Naiant PFA's, Naiant MSH-1O, Naiant AKG Active cables, Church CA-11 (cardioid), (1) Nady SCM-1000 (mod)
Pre-amps: Naiant littlebox, Naiant littlekit v2.0, BM2p+ Edirol UA-5, Church STC-9000
Recorders: Sound Devices MixPre-6, iRiver iHP-120 (Rockboxed & RTC mod)

Recordings on the LMA: http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/ChuckM
Recording website & blog: http://www.timebetweenthenotes.com

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #39 on: January 28, 2019, 09:52:38 AM »
Chuck,
You asked about powering them, in paraphrase,...
Can you plug these into a 9v battery pack, and good?

My first test was into my mod'd DPA MMA6000.  The MMA6k outputs 7vdc. THis worked, no problem.
I also have a mod'd DPA microdot batt pack that I took the microdots out of, and mod'd into two 1/8" stereo inputs (in case one breaks live) and a single 1/8" stereo output.  This device oututs 9vdc.
So, I grabbed the new pair, and, looked into that dark black hole, and, astuck it in, and, low and behold,..... wait for it,.....
perfect signal.
9vdc is fine.


Offline Chuck

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #40 on: January 28, 2019, 09:59:37 AM »
Thanks Moke. I'm set with 9v battery boxes.
What about SPL handling? They don't need a 4.7k (or other value) resistor mod to handle loud sources?
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

Microphones: AKG C 480 B comb-ULS/ CK 61/ CK 63, Sennheiser MKE 2 elements,  Audix M1290-o, Micro capsule active cables w/ Naiant PFA's, Naiant MSH-1O, Naiant AKG Active cables, Church CA-11 (cardioid), (1) Nady SCM-1000 (mod)
Pre-amps: Naiant littlebox, Naiant littlekit v2.0, BM2p+ Edirol UA-5, Church STC-9000
Recorders: Sound Devices MixPre-6, iRiver iHP-120 (Rockboxed & RTC mod)

Recordings on the LMA: http://www.archive.org/bookmarks/ChuckM
Recording website & blog: http://www.timebetweenthenotes.com

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #41 on: January 28, 2019, 10:09:45 AM »
Most welcome.
regarding SPL:
You got me there. I have no idea. My world is exactly the opposite of that (loud factor).

Offline heathen

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #42 on: January 28, 2019, 10:39:51 AM »
For anyone trying to get the jacket off those inner red and blue wires, a trick I read somewhere else is to use heat to melt away the end of the jacket.  I tried it with a lighter and it seems to have worked...damn things are so tiny though I can't tell if there are still traces of plastic left, but it doesn't appear so.
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

mfrench

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #43 on: January 28, 2019, 11:07:01 AM »
More progress, and a slightly different approach...

I trimmed a bit of the lip off the flared end of the plastic, as visible in the first picture.

Then I used the K&S 8131 tubing suggested by Moke to give this a bit of a "body," as visible in the second picture.  With that flared end trimmed, the plastic fit nicely in the tube but not snug enough to keep it that way without some sort of adhesive.  My plan is to use the epoxy Moke used to hold it in place...hopefully that little nub of plastic will be enough to secure the tube.  We'll see.

Finally you can see my final plan.  I'm going to attach a gear tie to the "body" (for now I'm just using gaffer tape, and that may well be enough in the long run as well).  I'll then use the gear tie to secure the mic to wherever I want, whether it's a stand or a railing or whatever.  I'll probably run this with just gaffer tape at first to make sure I like it as a mounting option.  Note that the bulb end of the gear tie will not fit inside the 8131 tube.

Next step for me is to attach the extension cable, and then I'll hide the connection point inside the body.  I'll probably back fill that like Moke did.

looking good.

The epoxy backfill was an attempt to isolate the solder joint as much as possible, to keep it stable and free of motion.  I appled some cyanoacrylate "Crazy Glue" gel glue, to the inside of the heat shrink, prior to shrinking it, to attempt the same isolating.

epoxy tip:
To center the cable, use three toothpicks, triangulated around the cable. You'll only be able to fit the tips in. Make sure to pull them out before the glue goes hard.  I mix on a paper plate, and, leave the leftover behind to test for curing.

JB-Weld has great flow characteristics!  Fill your void, and then hang the mic capsule vertically over a towel bar, or whatever, and, the epoxy will flow into and fill the voids perfectly.

Building layers of epoxy is easier than trying all at once.  I did a major sub-filling, and then a finish top-off.

Denatured alcohol cleans up JB-Weld, quite well.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 02:22:30 PM by Moke »

Offline heathen

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Re: Sennheiser MKE2 Waterproof GoPro mic - hacks and modifications
« Reply #44 on: January 29, 2019, 11:27:31 AM »
Thanks for the tips Moke.  I was actually thinking about PM'ing you with questions about using JB Weld because I've never used it before.  The lav cable I need for this is on the way, and I'm hoping to do more tinkering as soon as it arrives.
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

 

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