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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: SxPxDxCx on January 27, 2024, 05:06:07 PM

Title: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 27, 2024, 05:06:07 PM
I had someone gift these mics to me pre pandemic and they have been sitting in a box since then.  I ran across them again this week and just tested them out.  I can get no signal out of them.  The cable looks a bit rough so I'm not too surprised.  Are these worth anything?  Is it worth getting them repaired?  Are they repairable?

Some pictures here.
https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: schoepsnbox on January 27, 2024, 06:22:19 PM
I had someone gift these mics to me pre pandemic and they have been sitting in a box since then.  I ran across them again this week and just tested them out.  I can get no signal out of them.  The cable looks a bit rough so I'm not too surprised.  Are these worth anything?  Is it worth getting them repaired?  Are they repairable?

Some pictures here.
https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html


PIP on?
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 27, 2024, 06:29:08 PM
I had someone gift these mics to me pre pandemic and they have been sitting in a box since then.  I ran across them again this week and just tested them out.  I can get no signal out of them.  The cable looks a bit rough so I'm not too surprised.  Are these worth anything?  Is it worth getting them repaired?  Are they repairable?

Some pictures here.
https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html


PIP on?

What is that?  I know nothing about these.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: schoepsnbox on January 27, 2024, 06:43:44 PM
I had someone gift these mics to me pre pandemic and they have been sitting in a box since then.  I ran across them again this week and just tested them out.  I can get no signal out of them.  The cable looks a bit rough so I'm not too surprised.  Are these worth anything?  Is it worth getting them repaired?  Are they repairable?

Some pictures here.
https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html


PIP on?

What is that?  I know nothing about these.

They require plug in power..the sony m10 and roland r-07 have plug in power..not too sure of other decks that have it.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 27, 2024, 07:55:45 PM
I did try it with my battery box I use for my AT mics.  No dice.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: jefflester on January 28, 2024, 07:18:39 PM
Probably not worth any effort then. Leonard closed up shop more than 5 years ago.
https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=183633.0;all

They were a cut above the Core Sound Binaurals, but not as good as DPA4061/HEB or the AT/SP offerings.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: moondust.and.solitude on January 28, 2024, 09:06:35 PM
Probably not worth any effort then. Leonard closed up shop more than 5 years ago.
https://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=183633.0;all

They were a cut above the Core Sound Binaurals, but not as good as DPA4061/HEB or the AT/SP offerings.

I disagree.  They are absolutely worth the effort ... my friend sent his to MicMadness and they recabled his ... and they are a GEM. These mics are 100% worth saving.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: kuba e on January 29, 2024, 03:15:04 AM
I also really like the sound of these microphones. I've heard some great recordings with them. From my point of view, they are definitely worth to try to fix. But make up your own mind, there are a lot of recordings with them on LMA.
https://archive.org/details/etree?query=DSM+6&page=3&sort=-date (https://archive.org/details/etree?query=DSM+6&page=3&sort=-date)
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 29, 2024, 04:25:22 PM
I also really like the sound of these microphones. I've heard some great recordings with them. From my point of view, they are definitely worth to try to fix. But make up your own mind, there are a lot of recordings with them on LMA.
https://archive.org/details/etree?query=DSM+6&page=3&sort=-date (https://archive.org/details/etree?query=DSM+6&page=3&sort=-date)

Thanks for the comment and the links.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: jb63 on January 29, 2024, 06:41:33 PM
There should be a little white strip somewhere on the cable that Identifies the sensitivity of your pair.
No pics of the 'windscreen' side of the mics bodies, though. Is the foam protector intact?
Looks pretty clean actually. You ought to be able to get these up and running with any recorder that provides plug in power.
can you share a picture of any damage to the cables, and the front of the mics?

Definitely keep them! You can get these working with a little help.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 30, 2024, 11:40:28 AM
There should be a little white strip somewhere on the cable that Identifies the sensitivity of your pair.
No pics of the 'windscreen' side of the mics bodies, though. Is the foam protector intact?
Looks pretty clean actually. You ought to be able to get these up and running with any recorder that provides plug in power.
can you share a picture of any damage to the cables, and the front of the mics?

Definitely keep them! You can get these working with a little help.

I updated the pictures here.    https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html

The white sleeve on the cable don't have any sensitivity info I could see.  I have no windscreens.  These shots are all I have of this setup.

The last foot of cable up to the mics just looks like it had been used a lot.  Some dings and pulls but no splits or exposed wire.  I'm leaning to getting them repaired. 
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: jefflester on January 30, 2024, 01:05:13 PM
I updated the pictures here.    https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html

The white sleeve on the cable don't have any sensitivity info I could see.  I have no windscreens.  These shots are all I have of this setup.
You've got windscreen on the red/right one. Yeah, that's the windscreen.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on January 30, 2024, 02:53:12 PM
I updated the pictures here.    https://thatsthethingaboutthat.blogspot.com/2024/01/dsm-6-mics.html

The white sleeve on the cable don't have any sensitivity info I could see.  I have no windscreens.  These shots are all I have of this setup.
You've got windscreen on the red/right one. Yeah, that's the windscreen.

Oh I see it.  It's tiny.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: audBall on January 30, 2024, 04:01:58 PM
Side note: Did the manufacturer create his own type of "injection mold" style to build his right-angle connectors (e.g., drilled connector shape into wood or PVC or something)? Did he use silicon or some type of epoxy? I was always impressed by these and the transparency of them.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: Gutbucket on January 30, 2024, 04:10:05 PM
He did.  I always admired Leonard's right angle mini-plugs as too.  Not sure exactly how he did it or what they were cast from, epoxy likely.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: neutrino on February 05, 2024, 02:26:10 AM
I really wanted to like the Sonic Studio mics as some of the samples I heard shortly after they were released were really stellar. But I was recording a lot of loud guitar rock bands in small to medium sized indoor venues and immediately dealt with a lot of distorted recordings that were very bass heavy. I upgraded to the models that could handle higher spl's and again with the battery box module that had bass role. They just ended up being a money pit that continuously produced unremarkable results. I quickly realized that I needed to jump ship to DPA's which solved both the SPL handling issue and the bass roll-off issues. If only I had bought a pair of MK4's in the late eighties.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: SxPxDxCx on February 05, 2024, 06:09:14 PM
I really wanted to like the Sonic Studio mics as some of the samples I heard shortly after they were released were really stellar. But I was recording a lot of loud guitar rock bands in small to medium sized indoor venues and immediately dealt with a lot of distorted recordings that were very bass heavy. I upgraded to the models that could handle higher spl's and again with the battery box module that had bass role. They just ended up being a money pit that continuously produced unremarkable results. I quickly realized that I needed to jump ship to DPA's which solved both the SPL handling issue and the bass roll-off issues. If only I had bought a pair of MK4's in the late eighties.

Ok interesting.  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: tapeheadtoo on February 05, 2024, 09:05:00 PM
He did.  I always admired Leonard's right angle mini-plugs as too.  Not sure exactly how he did it or what they were cast from, epoxy likely.

I still have two pairs of those epoxy right angles he made for me.  It will be a sad, sad day if I ever lose them.  Sounds strange but they are the most priceless pieces of gear in my kit as they are irreplaceable.
Title: Re: Sonic Studios DSM-6 questions
Post by: phil_er_up on February 06, 2024, 06:48:56 AM
Ran my Sonic Studios DSM-6 into a sony D6 for many years. It can make good recordings. Easy to record with on glasses. Still have mine. Ran it once with the sony M10 with PIP and it worked. Makes binaural recordings.

Here is one of my recordings that came out pretty well:
https://archive.org/details/NMB2008-08-21