Topic: New MXL Mic...606

[OOK]

Looks cool... at only 4.3 inches long seems like a neat little mic...not sure the elctronics are any better...but definately smaller.

http://www.mxlmics.com/products/Studio_mics/606/606.html

[chris319]

It says "Patented" but I couldn't find any patent documents on it.

[OOK]

Holy crap only 59.95 at B+H.....I imagine the elecetronics can't be that good....

[kirk97132]

There was some talk at micbuilders.  The picture shows a body that looks the same as the Behringer C-4.  Most likely very similar with surface mount electronics.  Which for me would make mods almost impossible. Don't know if my solder skills would be up to it and not sure I trust any of the homebrewed ideas about flux mounting in an oven etc. 

[illconditioned]

There was some talk at micbuilders.  The picture shows a body that looks the same as the Behringer C-4.  Most likely very similar with surface mount electronics.  Which for me would make mods almost impossible. Don't know if my solder skills would be up to it and not sure I trust any of the homebrewed ideas about flux mounting in an oven etc.

The main question is the capsule.  My guess is that it is built at "797 Beijing", which is an OK mic manufacturer.  The question is, is the capsule electret (cheap) or externally polarized (OK).  Externally polarized is comparable to Behringer B5 and Studio Projects C4.  The electret is probably comparable to Behringer C-2, which sounds terrible.

  Richard

[illconditioned]

You don't use an oven to rework SMT, depending on the part in question you use a hot air station or just a soldering iron.

There is also no reason for an electret to be worse than an externally polarized capsule; a bad capsule is a bad capsule, irrespective of polarization.

In fact, I would make the argument that a mass-produced electret is likely to be most consistent than an externally polarizated capsule build to sloppy tolerances.  The good electret manufacturers make millions of capsules a year so they are pretty good at it . . .

Yes, that is true.  Quality of the capsule is all that matters.

The Behringer C2 (and the Audio Technica AT2020) use a "transsound TSB-140a" electret capsule.  It is OK, but not great. Certainly of less quality than the Behringer B5, Studio Projects C4, which use a (better) permanently polarized element.

Note that the construction techniques of capsules can be either standalone capsules, or they can be built into the housing.  That is, the diaphragm is glued to a ring, and the back element (charged or not) is put behind it and the whole lot is inserted into the mic housing.  Examples of electrets built this way are TSB-120 (transsound) and AT853.

  Richard

[Chuck]

They keep getting shorter, don't they.

[illconditioned]

They keep getting shorter, don't they.

I agree TSB140 is pretty uninspiring, I'm surprised AT would use it.  Their LDC electret in 2035/3035/3060 is really good.

Exactly.  AT used (or manufactured?) many nice electrets.  I've been using the capsules from AT822/825 stereo mics.  These are nice self-contained capsules, gold diaphragm, pretty good sound.

  Richard