Topic: Advices needed for SP-CMC-4U "saturation" problem

[mauxworld]

Has anyone ever disassembled the microphone capsule? you need to use a special screwdriver compass ?

http://imageshack.us/a/img821/5926/t23a.jpg[/img]]

[achtungpop]

These mics need to be wired three wire or be modified to handle high spl you can put 12 volts on these mics hell you can put a million volts on this mic it will not change the overload issue. I offer two solutions a mod * you send me your mics * $50 + Return shipping. I recable the mics and do a few other mods to this mic that I am not sharing publicly. Or you can buy my ca-9200 three wire preamp and have me reterminate your mics with mini xlr connectors. This is the more expensive option but the most flexible. I also offer a new 3 wire battery box option that allows you to turn the mod on and off and provides proper power. All options require you to send me your mics. NO adapter can be made to work with 3.5 mm that will reduce the distortion issues you are having.

thanx but you already told me that, that was not my last question lol

[red]

I recently attempted 3 stealth recordings with SP-CMC (4u's, and 8's) -- two w/ sp mics with the 4.7k mod (excellent results), one without (disaster lol, but the disaster could also have been a faulty battery box, I need to isolate the issue)...here is a description of my results:  http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=164258.0   ...

[Church-Audio]

These mics need to be wired three wire or be modified to handle high spl you can put 12 volts on these mics hell you can put a million volts on this mic it will not change the overload issue. I offer two solutions a mod * you send me your mics * $50 + Return shipping. I recable the mics and do a few other mods to this mic that I am not sharing publicly. Or you can buy my ca-9200 three wire preamp and have me reterminate your mics with mini xlr connectors. This is the more expensive option but the most flexible. I also offer a new 3 wire battery box option that allows you to turn the mod on and off and provides proper power. All options require you to send me your mics. NO adapter can be made to work with 3.5 mm that will reduce the distortion issues you are having.

thanx but you already told me that, that was not my last question lol

Adding the resistor to the fet housing is not a DYI project. It requires special abilities to solder fine things. And the knowledge and back up parts incase you screw something up. So yeah you can do it but its not advisable. If you want to do it your self just get a big switcraft 3.5mm plug and do the mod inside there.

[jbraveman]

I just got a pair of SP-CMC-4u with the card and omni caps and a 12v battery box.  I'm running it into a m10 through the microphone input with the plug in power off.  This was my first recording at an acoustic, but amplified show.  2 guitars and a stand-up bass. The SPL was not very high.  I ran the recording with conservative levels.  Mic sensitivity was set to low.  The limiter was off.  Recording levels were on manual. There was no clipping on the wav form.  The bass, unfortunately is distorted.  I've attached a sample.  I haven't done any editing with it.  My understanding of the mod was for high spl shows.  Recording level was set at "2" on the m10.

Am I doing something wrong or do the mics need the mod to sound good?

http://joshbraveman.subsonic.org/share/SaBsQ

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q19omey24vfyn45/AADmgNRlD51J6_chI4ym9NH1a?dl=0

[yousef]

I'm only listening through laptop speakers (with a toddler running around the room) so can't really hear the distortion. But:

I know the M10's mic input can take a fairly hot signal but that's the first thing I'd change - I always go line-in unless it's a desperately quiet show and I need some extra gain. Having said that, I'm not sure I've ever done that with the M10.

And is your battery box's battery fresh?

The fact that you had to set the M10's gain so low (I usually need go no lower than 5/6 - often higher) suggest to me that you were overloading either the mic input or the mics themselves. As per similar threads here and elsewhere, I suspect you may need to run modded mics or use a 3-wire box. I do the latter when using At853s and have never once had an issue even at very loud shows.

[Gene Poole]

I just got a pair of SP-CMC-4u with the card and omni caps and a 12v battery box.  I'm running it into a m10 through the microphone input with the plug in power off.  This was my first recording at an acoustic, but amplified show.  2 guitars and a stand-up bass. The SPL was not very high.  I ran the recording with conservative levels.  Mic sensitivity was set to low.  The limiter was off.  Recording levels were on manual. There was no clipping on the wav form.  The bass, unfortunately is distorted.  I've attached a sample.  I haven't done any editing with it.  My understanding of the mod was for high spl shows.  Recording level was set at "2" on the m10.

Am I doing something wrong or do the mics need the mod to sound good?

http://joshbraveman.subsonic.org/share/SaBsQ

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q19omey24vfyn45/AADmgNRlD51J6_chI4ym9NH1a?dl=0

It sounds like the vocals are what is distorting, or some harmonic of the vocals and the bass.  The bass notes when there are no vocals sound fine.  Maybe the PA (or whatever the vocals were running through) was overdriving it and had nothing to do with your mics.  The highest SPL seems to be the applause at the end and it doesn't distort at all.

[jbraveman]

It seems like I inadvertently ran down the battery in the batt box.  I left it plugged in to the mics before the show not knowing that this would drain the battery.  I am curious about the 3 wire mod.  Does it lower the sensitivity or just make the signal path more resistant to overloading?

[lukpac]

It seems like I inadvertently ran down the battery in the batt box.  I left it plugged in to the mics before the show not knowing that this would drain the battery.

The battery was actually drained? My recollection is that generally takes a long time. I believe I left some plugged in overnight once and the battery barely registered a change the next day.

I am curious about the 3 wire mod.

It's worth noting that the "mod" actually wires the mics how they were designed to be used in the first place. Running them via plug-in power is a bit of a kludge.

[jbraveman]

It seems like I inadvertently ran down the battery in the batt box.  I left it plugged in to the mics before the show not knowing that this would drain the battery.

The battery was actually drained? My recollection is that generally takes a long time. I believe I left some plugged in overnight once and the battery barely registered a change the next day.

I am curious about the 3 wire mod.

It's worth noting that the "mod" actually wires the mics how they were designed to be used in the first place. Running them via plug-in power is a bit of a kludge.

I left them plugged in overnight.  Likely many nights.  I was used to using a box with an on/off swtich.  My mistake.

What is the best option for a small form factor phantom power box?  Something in the size range of the m10?

[adrianf74]

It seems like I inadvertently ran down the battery in the batt box.  I left it plugged in to the mics before the show not knowing that this would drain the battery.

The battery was actually drained? My recollection is that generally takes a long time. I believe I left some plugged in overnight once and the battery barely registered a change the next day.

I am curious about the 3 wire mod.

It's worth noting that the "mod" actually wires the mics how they were designed to be used in the first place. Running them via plug-in power is a bit of a kludge.

I left them plugged in overnight.  Likely many nights.  I was used to using a box with an on/off swtich.  My mistake.

What is the best option for a small form factor phantom power box?  Something in the size range of the m10?

Seeing that Jon @ Naiant has left the game as far as preamps go, you're pretty much left with Church Audio.  A CA-9200 preamp is probably what you're looking for.  Chris has a 9200 option that's 3-wire if you need it (Mini XLR) or 1/8" if your mics are terminated that way.

-a