Topic: powering at943's

[illconditioned]

I never said anything about the AT853 or AT933 (which use the AT853 caps).

That is no longer true.  The old "933" used the 853 capsules.  The current 933 uses the smaller capsules as well as the 943...

OK.  I've bought and sold (too) much AT853 related gear...

The AT943 and ES933 both take the "small" capsules.
The AT853 and related all take the "larger" capsules.
The '933 models ship with either small capsules, or the larger ones, using an adapter.
Same goes for the different series of gooseneck mics, except the small diameter ones always seem to use an adapter and the bigger capsules.

It you got a choice, there is a mild preference for getting the '943 or '933, since you can run both capsule types, small for stealth, and larger for a bit better sound (IMO).  FYI, the adapters are really cheap at soundprofessionals.com.  They were something like $5 each.

As far as powering goes, I can't imagine the 933/943 capsule itself overloading before the (2-wire setup) FET.  Have you verified this in your workshop, Chris?

  Richard

[ninjadave]

the 933/943 MAY overload for some but i ran these for years and at the loudest shows in the world and there was never any specific distortion i got anywhere....sometimes it wasn't the "cleanest" recording and that probably was just me and my ears but these can surely handle all the spl you can throw at them in 2 wire with a 9v BB.

i recently switched to the 853U just to see if they are any better (3wire)....we'll see. have not run them yet. ciao.

ninjadave.

[Church-Audio]

I never said anything about the AT853 or AT933 (which use the AT853 caps).

That is no longer true.  The old "933" used the 853 capsules.  The current 933 uses the smaller capsules as well as the 943...

OK.  I've bought and sold (too) much AT853 related gear...

The AT943 and ES933 both take the "small" capsules.
The AT853 and related all take the "larger" capsules.
The '933 models ship with either small capsules, or the larger ones, using an adapter.
Same goes for the different series of gooseneck mics, except the small diameter ones always seem to use an adapter and the bigger capsules.

It you got a choice, there is a mild preference for getting the '943 or '933, since you can run both capsule types, small for stealth, and larger for a bit better sound (IMO).  FYI, the adapters are really cheap at soundprofessionals.com.  They were something like $5 each.

As far as powering goes, I can't imagine the 933/943 capsule itself overloading before the (2-wire setup) FET.  Have you verified this in your workshop, Chris?

  Richard

I am not sure what "Chris" your talking too... but I will assume its me lol..

Here is the thing.. I have measured these mics wired 2 wire at 114db at 1k the distortion was 0.5% the exact same distortion level as my 4.7k mod. NOW... what might be happening is the distortion is at low frequencies... That is the only thing I can think of as you know finding a transducer that has low distortion at 114 db at say 50 hz is a pretty tall order and I would have to do a free field measurement.. Not ideal for me my nabors would kill me.. So I am not saying that these mics dont overload. I am saying they dont seem to have any issues when wired 2 wire at high frequencies.. So if the distortion does exist I think it must be something to do with the way the diaphragm is tuned or it might be that there is such a small gap between the diaphragm and the back plate that the diaphragm is bottoming out at high spl. This of course would not happen at high frequencies. Only low.. Not to many company's test there microphones at low frequencies for distortion at high SPL because the test is almost impossible to do with out introducing distortion * sympathetic resonation *  So I dont know. I have talked to the guys at the NRC in Ottawa they said they cant even test for distortion below 100hz... This ultra low distortion might be a reason why some people dont have any issues and some people do.

Just a theory.

I am more then willing to test anyone's 900 series mics for free if they want to send them to me. In my tests again at 1k with a 9 volt supply terminated with a 10k bias resistor into a 10k load these mics did not distort at 1000Khz.

Now I did not do a test with an 853 capsule onto a 900 series body.. maybe I should do that and see what happens.. But it might just be that the electrical output of the capsule is higher on the 900 series then the 800 series.. I am not sure. Again all I know is that I could not get them to distort.