Topic: AKG Blueline Active Cable mod (step by step pictorial)

[igene]

Measure to find out what you've got. Is it about 1/2" with some copper exposed.
When you tin /solder the wires, the tubing will shrink back a bit more.
so 3/8" of tubing with 1/8" copper for the ground wire is great


Tin up your wires, and cut them back. The yellow (2nd wire to be soldered) should be a little shorter as shown.
The red / hot lead can be the same length. Leave enough tinned wire to wrap around the center pin when you solder.

Leave a bit of extra solder on the leads. I actually left too much on the yellow, and ended up taking it of later.
It's actually easier to hot wipe some solder with your iron, than to add some more later...

[igene]

Bend the leads on the ground and the yellow coated wire to right angles.
It will be in the correct position to solder to the connector. Leave the RED lead straight.


Secure your connector in some sort of holding /clamping device (NOT TOO TIGHT) do not deform the connector.
Position for best access to solder. Test with your soldering iron what the best access postion would be without heating or soldering (YET)

Line up the ground to the bottom contact, and solder it on QUICK.
You must have a Decent quality soldering iron with a good thin sharp tip.
Otherwise don't bother, you'll destroy the part, and you can't get another one !
Not so fast that you have a cold solder connection...liquidy shiny solder...but get out the second you are done, and blow on it to cool.
Don't move the connection, or you'll have to re-do it. You don't want that. The more you heat this plastic connector, the more likely you are to melt it.
IT MELTS REAL EASY !!!
Watch what your soldering iron is touching with the rest of the hot iron body. Don't brush it against the plastic, it will melt in a heartbeat !

Do the same for the next contact. Then wrap the HOT (RED) lead around the top contact point and solder it.
Then cut off the excess.
It should look something like this when you are done >

[igene]

Install the protective plastic cover, and you are ready to install the connector into the shell.
This is almost as difficult as the soldering (that was a real pain in the ass, NO ?)
You may need to flex the wire a bit with pliers, to be closer to the inside shell wall.
Line up the wire with the notched hole in the connector.
You know it lined up right because the outside tabs of the connector are lined up with the grooves inside the shell.
There's no real accurate advice here, you basically have to go slow (and don't yank out the connection you just soldered)
and slowly pull the wire from the bottom of the shell and line up the plastic body as it slowly slides into position.
(you may end up doing this 10X and yelling some as well...#$&@!##! POS...go in already...!)

[igene]

Holy shit...It's in !
Stop here, and go have a drink (or smoke) you deserve it !

Now when you come back with less agitation, line up your 2 washers (compression and flat)
FLAT goes in first, then the compression (the wavy one)

Then screw in the the last part, tighten it up, and you are done with this side.  WHEW !

[igene]

Time for the miniXLR. (Screwdriver method) strip back and expose some cable.

Get out your DMM and set it to continuity [the beeping sound : ) ]

cut the sheathing down, strip back the leads, and tone out the wires (TRS) from the other end.
Cut off the ones you don't need and twist up your ground, and you're ready for tinning.

Cut a piece of shrink tubing, shrink, pull back the sheathing, slide it under the sheath then push the sheathing over it as well (a neat tuck)
Solder and cut down the wires.
should look like this >

The New Neutrik/ REAN miniXLR connector >

[igene]

insert the back locking cap onto the cable


secure/support and tin the connector

[igene]

Solder up the connector as follows > Pin 1: shield(WHITE), Pin 2: Hot +(RED), Pin3: Cold (YELLOW)
colors refer to my cable, your colors may vary...
manage your shrink tubing as before... overlap your sheathing on the wires and tubing.
It should look something like his >



slide the body into the connector

[igene]

Screw it together and WOO-HOO - you're done !!!!







Now attach your capsule of choice and test it.
Good luck, I hope you didn't screw it up !
Should be perfect if you followed directions exactly.

If not, I'm not reviewing troubleshooting, you're on your own  :^(

[igene]

whew ! that's a lot to digest 
I'm done for the day.
That was almost as much work as the actual mod.

time for a 

[ArchivalAudio]

super F'ing cool!
very nice documentation

and those REAN - Neutrik Mini XLR's are sweet!

thank you very much!
--Ian

[F.O.Bean]

That was almost as much work as the actual mod.

That's what I was going to say

Nice work bro!

[OOK]

This got me thinking.  Dangerous I know.....   But we should have a modification sub category where people can document their mods to anything from mics to t-bars.... TS one stop shop, sort of a archive for DIY's.. 

Peace OOK

[DigiGal]

Thanks for the picture documentation of this project igene. 

BTW, I'd be interested in the original AKG connectors to the se300b mic bodies if you don't need them anymore.

[igene]

Digigal -

I'm actually saving them for another MOD in the future
(No wasted materials over here)
I'll be connecting some unknown mic elements to the SE300 bodies...

I don't know which I'll use, but I'd like to experiment with a bunch.
(don't know when...just > 'in the future...')

I was thinking about this as I was cutting off the ends.

Thanks.

[kirk97132]

Thanks for the picture documentation of this project igene. 

BTW, I'd be interested in the original AKG connectors to the se300b mic bodies if you don't need them anymore.

I can give you the list of part numbers for both the male and female ends...I was researching it before we "met".  The cost of the parts is extremely high IMO.