Topic: Misbehaving CSB's

[travelinbeat]

I have had a set of CSB's for a few years now (3-ish?) and recently my left channel has been acting up.  Frequently it does not work at all, occassionally it does.  I've noticed that sometimes gently twisting the capsel is enough to "wake it up," and it will then record.  With increasing regularity however it is creating an entirely unpleasant air of static and distortion over it's recording (this, again, when it chooses to record).  I've considered upgrading, however I won't be able to afford it for quite a while (broke college student studying abroad).  I've contacted Len at CS and he's offered to "look at them" pending their postage to him;  My questions are basically:

- What could be going on with the mic?
- Can I fix it easily (having no technical knowledge)?
- What does Len generally do in these situations?  I can't really afford a new set of mics, I just want my babies back in working order =(

Thanks for everything in advance guys, I love knowing that TS is here to listen to (and knowledgably respond to) my questions!

<3


EDIT:  Rather than create a new thread for a new question, I figured I'd save the potential for SPAM by just piggybacking it on this thread.  As I said, I'm considering buying a new setup eventually.  My question is about the stealthability of card's / hypercards.  I purchased my CSB's as the first "serious" set of mics since I got into live recording, and I'm now wondering if I might do well to change my mic recording pattern.  I generally tape nontaper-friendly loud rock concerts in closed venues.  Admittedly my recordings are largely dependant upon the acoustics of the venue, and I'd like to be able to count on myself for a good recording rather than the venue.  My only concern is that cards/hypercards seem to demand stability.  Am I right to assume that it's damnhard to create a stealth recording with these recording fields?  It seems like the tight field would create a quite considerable amount of phasing from even the slightest bumps or shuffles.  Input?
Thanks again

[lonewolfrecords]

Hi,

My guess would be that there is a loose connection forming in the microphone that is giving you problems. Since you can gently twist the capsule and then it works makes me think that is the problem. I have never attempted to open the CSB microphones, so I have no idea how easy or hard it would be to fix. If you know someone who is good with soldering, you may consider talking to them first before sending back to core sound. Maybe someone on this board may have more experience with this and can help. For what it is worth, I have heard both good and bad things about how fast Len is with fixing microphones and getting them back to people.

Regarding your other question, I would recommend staying with omni-directional microphones (like the DPA 406x) if you mostly stealth. If you are able to get close to the PA at most shows, you shouldn't have any problems. Omni's seem to be much more forgiving to subtle head movements than directional microphones like card's or hypers. That said, I have heard many excellent stealth recordings that were done with Schoeps cards or hypers, so it is all in the technique I quess.

Now, if you are generally far back in the venue at most shows, you may want to consider going with cards.

Many years ago (20 or so) I used to always use a Sony single point stereo lapel microphone that had a card pattern. I had always clipped that to my shirt pocket or jacket lapel and got great recordings. But those were all in small clubs for the most part, and I stood in front of the PA.

Hope this helps.

T.

[hobbes4444]

My experience with getting my DPAs fixed by Len was less than stellar in terms of timing.  Many months later I have a very unmatched set of caps (4-5 dB difference).  Now I chose that option rather than paying for a whole new set.  I had to pay for one new capsule ($425-$450 plus shipping).  And from what I can tell, I should be able to replace the older cap and get another closely matched new one - incremental replacement i guess.  The big issue is that it just requires a bit of post-production work to get the levels matched.

One solution for your quandry is to go with a set of switchable mics.  AT makes small bodies with interchangeable capsules ("sound professionals" is one one vendor,and IIRC in the yard sale or retail sales area here someone is offering up a set of AT831s with different capsules).  So you can have your omnis for outdoor or up front shows where you might groove a bit.  Then you can have your cards or hypercards for larger venues.  I have the DPA omnis and AT933 hypercards for big rooms.  You should try to be as still as possible when wearing any mics, and as noted, the omnis are a little more forgiving for sure.  But you can make fine recordings stealthing cardioids; it's not extremely difficult. 

Personally, i think cardioids are the most versatile option if you can only have one mic.  They will sound fine close up on the stacks and will do a better job than omnis in large halls since you need a mic that rejects more ambient sound from sides/rear.

Not sure how the $$ adds up tho.  I guess replacing one CSB cap will cost $75-$100, but the AT set will run maybe $150-$200 used or close to $300 new.

Good luck. . .