Topic: Nak CM700 questions

[ts]

I haven't had a chance to use my 700's for PA taping yet. Used them a few times for a local acoustic band, non amplified. For those familiar with the 700's, my question is which barrel to use for PA taping. I used the regular barrels for the acoustic stuff and it sounds great, but should I use the -15db barrel for loud PA stuff. Also can these be modded to 48V.
Thanks, ts

[LeftoverSammy]

I haven't had a chance to use my 700's for PA taping yet. Used them a few times for a local acoustic band, non amplified. For those familiar with the 700's, my question is which barrel to use for PA taping. I used the regular barrels for the acoustic stuff and it sounds great, but should I use the -15db barrel for loud PA stuff. Also can these be modded to 48V.
Thanks, ts

Tony,
Happy New Year! Generally use the -15db for PA taping only with loud amplified music. For acoustic recordings use the 0db attenuator.
Yes Steven Sank can mod these to run off 48V.

LoS

[ts]

Thanks sammy, that's what I was thinking, matth also. As far as the Nak noise mentined in that "other thread", I was always under the assumption that the 48V mod really helped to decrease that, no? I sent an email to Sank, but haven't heard back from him. There is a link on his site directing to another company for mic work, so I'm fearful he may be done with his famous mods. I hope not.
Good luck with the remodel, I'm still working on my new house. And as always, thanks for your input  .
Tony

[LeftoverSammy]

Thanks sammy, that's what I was thinking, matth also. As far as the Nak noise mentined in that "other thread", I was always under the assumption that the 48V mod really helped to decrease that, no? I sent an email to Sank, but haven't heard back from him. There is a link on his site directing to another company for mic work, so I'm fearful he may be done with his famous mods. I hope not.
Good luck with the remodel, I'm still working on my new house. And as always, thanks for your input  .
Tony

Tony,
I don't really agree eye to eye with Matt on the self noise issue by switching the att.barrels around, athough this may help lower some noise IMO due to the ability that you don't have to crank your mic pre as high while running the 0db att barrel to abtain the same recording levels - thus lowering the noise to the signal as a result of lower gain requirements from your pre. Depending on how clean your pre is will determine this effect has on your signal noise. Even with the 0db att. the self noise rating of the CM700's while in the flat setting (no low-cut) the self noise rating (A weighted levels) are around 29 to 22db respectively. This compairs to todays higher end mics like for instance Neumanns or MG's that I own for that matter where self noise rating is around 14db respectively (half that of the CM700's). Most higher end mikes, AKG's, Scheops, DPA's etc. are all in the 13~15db range. No matter how you work it the Naks are by design a little more noisy than todays true condenser mics. Remember the CM100, 300 & 700 mics are electet mics, not true condensor mics. The CM1000's are the only mics Nakamichi makes that were true condensor mics. Still not bad for mics that are 20+yrs old and were VERY cheap in the day. I talk to Mark Severson all the time; he lives just 5min from me and we are very good friends. He used to order spare caps and att. barrels from Nakamichi of Canada back in the mid 80's for about $65 for the CP701, CP702 caps, & the att. barrels were just as cheap!!! 

Hope this helps.....

LoS

[ts]

OK, so then the 48V mod really doesn't lower the noise? I was sort of under the impression that it did. I swear I read somewhere that the mod helps lower the noise. Maybe I'll leave them on batt power so I can run them directly to the MX using the 0db attns and use the CM1002 with batt box for the center. So since the 1000's are true condenser's this means the noise is a good bit lower than the 700's?

[LeftoverSammy]

OK, so then the 48V mod really doesn't lower the noise? I was sort of under the impression that it did. I swear I read somewhere that the mod helps lower the noise. Maybe I'll leave them on batt power so I can run them directly to the MX using the 0db attns and use the CM1002 with batt box for the center. So since the 1000's are true condenser's this means the noise is a good bit lower than the 700's?

Tony,
I was not commenting on the 48V mod or that it would not lower the self noise of the 700's; only that using the 0db att barrel would not really lower the noise level as Matt H. felt. As for running 48V instead of 6V, from what S. Sank told me it would help a little. I ened up having Luminous Audio build a custom PS for my 700's that is powered from 9V not 6V and hard wired with silver wire. This helped but not enough.

Not sure much about the 1000's since I have not researched them very much and do not own a pair. Sorry my knowledge is only with 100, 300 & 700 series.

LoS