Topic: AKG B.i.G./CK91 (NEW MOD) detachable Blueline series caps

[igene]

Jon,
So yours is $99. per side ?
$198. for stereo ?
sounds like the same price !

The cost of my mod reflects 45 - 60 min's of cutting, boring, grinding, shaping and polishing the spacer/ferrel.
Then disassembling the capsule and internals, de-soldering the connections, re-wiring, soldering, fitting the connector
and attaching the spacer to the coupling (and some other stuff too) That's 90 min of solid work per mic.
Maybe in the future I can figure out some way to cut down times, or find a metal shop to do the ferrels in bulk...
then maybe drop the price ? for now it's all labor intensive.
It all depends on how much demand there is.

I also wanted to add this as a clarification of what I do to make this mod happen.

I've owned AKG Blueline mics since they were introduced in the early 90's.
They have always sounded great to me. I know lots of folks like them and wish they
could have them as actives. I've read it many times in the forums here.
I just hope that there enough interest for me to invest in the materials to make a bunch of them.
They are reasonably priced mics, but to buy a bunch of them is not cheap.
The only other active mod in this aprox. price range I know of is the Franken-Nak.
(aside from yours).
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note:
I actually wouldn't mind powder coating the ferrel to match the cap.
That would be a nice touch.

[tgakidis]

Richard, Jon
So yours is $99. per side ?
$198. for stereo ?
sounds like the same price !

[igene]

Sorry about the wrong name...I do that all the time.
I have a hard time remembering user name vs. actual name.
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As far as buying caps...
I'm just offering it as an option.
I'd prefer if folks supplied the caps.
I saves me the out of pocket expense.

I'm exploring all options here...this is all new to me.

I'm considering some other options too.
Like miniXLR cables, custom mini battery box, and possibly a custom suspension.
I'm still working out the details...
Some of it is still in the design stage.

[Chuck]

Not trying to compete as I'm not doing a ck91 mod, but my ck6x coupling will probably be $99 including the (mono) PFA.  I am not doing the metalwork though, I will hire that out, which will run in the $10-$15 range per unit, depending on volume.  I also hire out powdercoating, which costs me about $0.50/unit.

Jon, is that with 18" PFA wires? I know that I'd rather have 12' to 15' wires with the capsule coupler on one end and the full sized XLR PFA on the other end.
That's very reasonable pricing too. 

[acidjack]

FWIW your pricing seems pretty fair to me.  Cheaper than buying bodies for sure! 

I would recommend (as someone who owned a similar, albeit less sturdy, setup in the past) that if you can, definitely try to offer a battery box with it as well as potentially a custom kwon bar or other mount.  I had some trouble finding one I liked when I ran these.

[igene]

JBou, no worries.

There are tapers new to this that just have basic mics or are overseas that may
consider it a useful option...or even something else I haven't considered.
It doesn't hurt to add it as an option or suggestion.

That really is the least of my concerns.

I'm taking on a long term commitment, and that takes a lot of planning.

Besides that, I'm trying to design a complete custom package.
The suspension mount is next.
I think it's more important than a BB right off.
Folks can get a CA-9100 pre w/ miniXLR's or a tinybox.
BOTH GREAT OPTIONS.
miniXLR cables can be easily made or purchased elsewhere...

Finding a way to mount the mics is more of an issue.
I have a new design in mind, I'm just waiting on supplies to make a pair.
It's going to match the mod. It's a very cool idea. I can't wait.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

the point of the PFA output is to be balanced low-impedance, which the PFA lav cable isn't.

Really?  The PFA output being balanced is a nice touch! 

Are you giving any thought to supporting other capsules?

[illconditioned]

Not trying to compete as I'm not doing a ck91 mod, but my ck6x coupling will probably be $99 including the (mono) PFA.  I am not doing the metalwork though, I will hire that out, which will run in the $10-$15 range per unit, depending on volume.  I also hire out powdercoating, which costs me about $0.50/unit.

Count me in!  I've got a pair of ck63 caps looking for a connection...

  Richard

[EarlyMorningRain]

read through all the posts, but as far as the mod itself goes - looks pretty pretty damn slick to me!

As far as pricing, I think you priced this mod pretty well. I know back when I got my ck91 caps modded (by dano420 here) his mod cost was in that same ballpark (might have been a bit higher but it included a 9v battery box).

Anyway, great job on the mod! And if you get some type of kwon-esque bar (t-bar) made, if that will work for my setup, count me in!
 

[Church-Audio]

how did you get the connector to stay in ?
It's kind of tight in there.

I use a tap that was made for me to tap out the inside of the connection so I can screw in the microdot. With an adapter sleeve. Then locktite it so it does not unscrew.

[igene]

how did you get the connector to stay in ?
It's kind of tight in there.

I use a tap that was made for me to tap out the inside of the connection so I can screw in the microdot. With an adapter sleeve. Then locktite it so it does not unscrew.

Nice.
thanks for that...
I'm going to use locktite as well.
It will be too easy to unscrew the way I have it.
Also, for protection against coming loose from vibration.

[illconditioned]

Here is a link to a schematic I got from AKG tech support a while ago:

http://Soundmann.com/CK91_conn_set.pdf

Note that a "standard" 3-wire battery box may or may not power this thing correctly.  Or, it may appear to power it, but only at moderate sound levels.  I built this circuit for the past (two?) units that I sold here.

It sounds like Chris has "4.7k" or otherwise modded the capsule itself to work with "two wire" battery boxes.  A nice idea IMO.

 Richard

[igene]

Note that a "standard" 3-wire battery box may or may not power this thing correctly.
Or, it may appear to power it, but only at moderate sound levels.  I built this circuit for the past (two?) units that I sold here.
It sounds like Chris has "4.7k" or otherwise modded the capsule itself to work with "two wire" battery boxes.  A nice idea IMO.
Richard

Thanks Richard, I'm going to check that out.

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Richard,
I don't have a battery box built or handy...but I did a test with a preamp.
I  did the test running a mic ~2 feet from a BIG Cerwin Vega speaker powered by a Crown amp at 50% vol.
That is VERY loud !!! Especially at that close of a distance.
I was using a CA-9100 w/ no filtration.
I ran that into a Sound Devices HX-3 in MONO mode into a Roland R-05 (monitored w/ Sony MDR-7509HD cans)
The gain was around ~40% on the Church pre and ~30% gain on the SD HP amp, Roland R-05 gain @ 10 with good strong peaks.
NO DISTORTION ! clean full sound.
no issues, as expected.
I'm not sure what think the problem would be...it's fine with a 9V. pre.
Would it that much different with a BB ?
I believe in a pragmatic approach. I did the testing, and it sounds great.

Here are the pics of the test setup, and a random 2 min clip of a P-Funk SBD from 1978
I recorded at the levels I stated before.


test clip is wave 44/16
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=58QFCZ4U





here's the complete show for comparison >
http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=90656

[Chuck]

Here is a link to a schematic I got from AKG tech support a while ago:

http://Soundmann.com/CK91_conn_set.pdf

Note that a "standard" 3-wire battery box may or may not power this thing correctly.  Or, it may appear to power it, but only at moderate sound levels.  I built this circuit for the past (two?) units that I sold here.

It sounds like Chris has "4.7k" or otherwise modded the capsule itself to work with "two wire" battery boxes.  A nice idea IMO.

 Richard

Thanks for sharing this circuit Richard. 

[F.O.Bean]

Looking good iGene