Topic: Modding S502's?

[lsd2525]

I know there was some chatter around here a while back about some mic mfgs possibility modding Superlux S502's. Anyone know if anything came of that?

[waltmon]

Chris from Busman was doing one...but he relocated from California to Austin.  Haven't heard from him since summer. Will shoot him a note and post if I hear anything back

[TSNéa]

I had found this thread:
http://fr.audiofanzine.com/microphone-statique-transistor/superlux/s502/forums/t.490124,superlux-s502-amelioration-du-circuit-d-entree.html
It's in French but you can go directly to the two last lines, kind of conclusion after studying some possibilities. It says:

Donc, la modification indispensable est de remplacer les 2 condos de 10µF 50V CMS par des 47µF 63V standards mais de qualité, il y a la place en les positionnant à plat.

So the to-do modification is to replace the two 10µF 50V SMC condensers with standard but good quality 47µF 63V; there is some room if you set them horizontally.

All the discussion before is about the proper noise of the mics (he says it's about the same than Oktava Mk-12), the defaults some units may have (noise on one channel, faulty component, non paired condensers or transistors...),  circuit design, and the possibilty to choose the amount of bass.

There is also a link to another thread including a comp modded Superlux S502 vs Oktava Mk-12, and two diagrams: original and modification.

Hope this helps...

[NOLAfishwater]

Sounds like I need to send mine to you.

[TSNéa]

+1 . 

[DSatz]

This reminds me of the story about the guy who's down on his hands and knees in the street one night, looking for a key that he's dropped. A passer-by wants to help, and asks him, "Did you drop it close to this streetlamp right here?" The man says that, no, actually it was about half a block away--but he's looking beneath the streetlamp because the light there is better.

Most of the sound quality of any condenser microphone is determined by its capsule(s). And the main problem with the Superlux (I actually happen to own one, which I bought a couple of years ago out of curiosity) is its mediocre capsules. The average hobbyist can't do anything to improve those--even most professionals can't--so instead, people look for modifications to the circuitry. And who knows--maybe the amplifier could be made a few dB quieter with more careful selection of some key parts.

But you can't expect that to make the microphone actually, you know, sound good.

[Nick's Picks]

i've been pointed to someone who mod's this....
but his $300 modification...which will "bring it inline with schoeps" sounds sheisterish to me.
I'm asking to hear what he does with a little more detail...but no chance am I spending $300 on turd-polish

[waltmon]

This sounds like the s502 mod guy I chatted onlinebwith. I asked for mod specifics all he would say is " I help it be the best it can be"

[waltmon]

Would you say the Peluso cards sound better than the ksm141's?

[waltmon]

I understand...makes sense. Are many people using the 141's? Kinda cool they are multipattern.

[carlbeck]

I understand...makes sense. Are many people using the 141's? Kinda cool they are multipattern.

Well if you're looking for a Schoeps ripoff, it's a better option than a $300 mod on a Superlux.

I guess the question is though is the sound like the Schoeps, that's more than likely Waltmons point. I know they are highly regarded in the studio as a good all arounder but who has used them in the field doing what we do? Someone must have? A quick check on Archive will probably answer the question. The resale is no doubt better than the Superlux.

[2manyrocks]

Plush has commented favorably on the shure ksm 141 several times on GS.  It has been curious to me that there aren't many posts here about them.  The switchable omni/card pattern would be a plus.   I've seen used sets go for reasonable prices.  No way I'd spend $300 modding the superlux. 

[carlbeck]

Plush has commented favorably on the shure ksm 141 several times on GS.  It has been curious to me that there aren't many posts here about them.  The switchable omni/card pattern would be a plus.   I've seen used sets go for reasonable prices.  No way I'd spend $300 modding the superlux.

I've read a few of his comments as well which is why I'm surprised we don't hear more about them here either. They use a version of the Schoeps circuit with different caps but I don't generally see many people compare them directly to Schoeps except for a few tracks on GS which I always question if they apply to what most of us do around here. In others words one track usually isolated to a single instrument to me doesn't necessarily mean it works taping a jam band in a theater. But, what do I know, most of it is over my head, especially when they discuss circuit design then go into the additional gear/steps used to master the track. Anyway, they do look interesting & the frequency graphs look like something I might like to hear, I'm just not spending the money unless I heard them in the way I'd normally use them & loved them.

[2manyrocks]

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/remote-possibilities-acoustic-music-location-recording/464377-ultimate-affordable-omnis-main-miking-large-orchestras-3.html#63

Wonderful live recording by Norsehorse using KSM141s with hint of Rode NT45. 

[BonoBeats]

Haven't used the 141 but have taped a show or two with the KSM 137 (card-only version). Results were good for indoor shows; didnt care for them as much when used at greater distances outdoors (side note: they are great instrument mics, particularly if you like mics with fast transient response):

https://archive.org/details/LOS2013-04-27

They're built on the Schoeps circuit, and are just slightly dark, with some meat behind them; I liked them quite much. I've heard from several people that the omni pattern on the 141 is the "special" pattern of the two.

[bluewingolive]

FWIW, I have run S502s.....no modding necessary.  Good bang for the buck.

[Nick's Picks]

What this guy tells me..., is that the board is very similar to the schoeps design for their ORTF mic.  Only difference being extremely crappy and cheap parts on it.  He
claims to gut most of it and replace them w/the same circuitry that the German design employs.
Will it be worth it?
I bought this thing over a year ago...paid under $200 for it.  NEVER intended to get rid of it because...
- its sounds decent
- great big ORTF soundstage is fun sometimes, in the right spot.
- it's just a cool stereo mic,and I like stereo mics. 
Overall, I think its F'n awesome for the price.    Schoeps ?   No, not in the ballpark in most areas...like, quality of detail and realism...but I'll say it's prob. 70%
on the way there.
If I plunk down 3 bills, get it back and it sounds even marginally better....., I think that's a win.  I'm still what, $2300 ahead over the Schoeps mic or there about.
and have a decent little setup that sounds good and makes grate recordings.

IF...I were to sell it some day, maybe I'd ask 300 for it.   That would be attractive, me thinks.   seeing how you can go brand new for 2....and get what would cost
3 more in mods for an extra hundred.   I'm sure it would sell pretty fast.
But, I'm planning to keep it.   It's bad-ass as a drum overhead or in front of the toms in the Brewins Den (our studio).

[carlbeck]

Do it so I can hear it & not have to spend the money, win win!

[Nick's Picks]

I hear ya. 
If I could solder accurately on that small of a project (that board is small), I'd go for it myself...cause I'm brave and not knowledgeable enough to do it. 

[Nick's Picks]

Do it so I can hear it & not have to spend the money, win win!
[/quote

I will...once you pick up those 184's and let me use them unconditionally.

[chris319]

Plush was consulted by Shure in the development of the KSM-141, and he doesn't let anyone on gearslutz forget it.

[DSatz]

The Shure KSM141 uses mechanical pattern switching, which is a huge advantage for stereo location recording with a small number of microphones. The omni setting gives you a true pressure transducer, with full low-frequency response, no proximity effect, and greatly reduced sensitivity to wind noise and mechanical vibration, while the cardioid also uses a single membrane, thus allowing it to remain a true cardioid even at low frequencies.

These qualities often don't matter as much in studios, where the majority of microphones are used as spot or solo microphones, and their signals arrive at their position within the mix by means of a "pan pot" even if a main (overall) pair is also being used. But they're crucial for the main pair (or trio, or foursome).

Mechanical pattern switching was formerly the subject of a number of Schoeps patents. Some were assigned from NWDR while others were originated by Schoeps (the actual lab work being done by Dr. Kuesters, who co-founded the company with Dr. Schoeps). But those patents have since expired, and the rest of the world is welcome to this technology.

Shure has some very capable design engineers. In recent years they've been trying out several new (for them) areas of microphone technology, mostly with pretty good success in my opinion. That's the way to keep good design engineers--give them something interesting to do, which isn't just the 47th knockoff of the same decades-old German design. They still have to aim for the sound that the American studio market seems to want, which still equates condensers with artificially clear/bright/present sound to some extent, but within the bounds of those commercial limitations, I think they do an excellent job. Their microphones are also far more consistent and reliable than the typical cheap far Eastern knockoffs.

--best regards

[smokenburn]

https://soundcloud.com/user203526/yonder-mountain-string-band-2015-04-18-drown-s502-sample

Here is a sample of the s502.  Yonder Mountain String Band at Wanee ("Mushroom Stage") 2015.  These recordings came out well.  s502 > Tascam DR-100 mk2. VERY good for a $200 mic and $300 recorder rig.  The master sounds better than the soundcloud mp3 stream.