Topic: Static electricity and our gear? Pics included...

[manitouman]

I've got a question...How does static electricity affect mics, in particular, when choosing what kind of "box" to store them in while in our gear bags?

I've been looking at a way to cut down the packaging part of carrying mics around in a gear bag. I think I've found a great solution. I borrowed the idea from another TS.com'er who ordered the Otter Box for his mics. Great idea, but I wanted even smaller in size. So I found something like this...< http://cgi.ebay.com/OLD-LEATHER-CIGAR-CASE-HOLDS-2-CIGARS-GOOD-CONDITION_W0QQitemZ380012209412QQihZ025QQcategoryZ60782QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem >. (sorry for the long ass link). So does leather create static electricity? What if the mics are snug in the case? What if I wrap the mics in that anti-static plastic that computer electronic components come packaged in? Should I even be worried about it?

Thanks for any info and sorry if it sounds like I'm babbling.....Coors lights are kicking in....

[mblindsey]

Funny you should ask.  I just purchased two new pelican cases this week to store mics in from the Bass Pro Shop, and searched this site for sources on foam.  I came across this long thread:  http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,78025.0.html

I decided to go talk to the IT guys where I work and they gave me some anti-static foam from some packing materials (Dell motherboard, to be exact).  It ain't pretty, and I don't even know that it is necessary to thwart static damage, but it was free and it keeps the mics from rolling around.  This isn't what you want in terms of size, but maybe that link will help you make a decision.

--Michael

[manitouman]

Thanks Michael, very interesting (and long) read. Although that pertains mostly to the Pelican cases and the foam inserts. I had a 1060(?) case a while back with the pluck foam and never even thought about static electricity. And according to some of the information in that thread you provided, it seems there is a slight chance and it may only affect certain components of certain mics. Still a cheap investment just to eliminate another possibility of jacking your mics up.

What I have been looking into is a cigar case that is made of leather. It's dimensions are 7 1/2" X 3 1/2" X 1 1/4" so it is really small in a gear bag. I have the PB AR-7 + RM multi for the Sound Devices 702. I have limited space in the bag where a Pelican case would not work. So I thought of these cigar cases and especially the leather ones. They are small and would amount to something like the leather cases you purchase for phones. I can get a bigger one and wrap the mics in bubble wrap to further protect the mics. But I think it's very durable and would withstand bumps from being in the bag. I don't think it would withstand a drop to the floor but I'm hoping I'll be a bit more careful than that.

For the MBHO 603's (thanks Ryan!  ) the diameter is 21 mm, and cigars come in "ring" sizes that go up to 64 (= 1 inch). For example if a cigar is a ring size of 54, you divide 54 into 64 and I got 0.84 inches. the MBHO is 0.83 inches, so it will be a snug fit. I couldn't find a two cigar case but did find this snazzy 3 cigar case. I just left the cardboard tube in the middle so that the two mics would not bump together. Everything is very snug fitting, but not too snug that you have to jam the mics in and have trouble getting them back out.

What do you guys think? It's leather but it's that printed stuff so it looks and feels like alligator skin.

[dmonkey]

Now that's stylish!

[manitouman]

Oh! and the case was only $20 at the cigar shop.

[F.O.Bean]

very nice. a lightbulb jut went off. i should get one of those for my 603a's and cut the end off so i can run my rt-angle xlr's thanks for the idea my man.

and that cigar case is SWEET

[manitouman]

Thanks Bean! I always wondered what you guys kept the bodies in while running an active set-up. There's all kinds of cigar cases that would work. I just wanted something cheap but very durable. For $20 it's not bad.

[F.O.Bean]

Thanks Bean! I always wondered what you guys kept the bodies in while running an active set-up. There's all kinds of cigar cases that would work. I just wanted something cheap but very durable. For $20 it's not bad.

mine was free and came w/ my mics. its just a plano bait box w/ foam

[DSatz]

manitouman, I seem be missing something very basic here. What is your specific concern with regard to static electricity? How do you expect your microphones to be exposed to it, and what harm do you think that it might cause?

The only time I worry about it is, I generally use a type of microphone in which the capsules are removeable and interchangeable (a modular microphone series, in other words), and once every few years for reasons of time pressure, I may leave the mikes powered on while changing capsules (though I don't like doing that since it hits the preamps fairly hard). During that time, one contact to the input to the FET is exposed. But it's protected against high voltage to a considerable extent, and I don't think that in practice, the FET of this type of microphone is ever damaged in this type of situation. The microphones' manufacturer demonstrates their microphones this way all the time, and while they don't say flat out in the instruction manual to "go ahead and do it 1,000 times a day" (during a lightning storm in the desert while one is standing on the back of a large cat, etc.), informally it's considered to be quite safe.

--best regards

[manitouman]

manitouman, I seem be missing something very basic here. What is your specific concern with regard to static electricity? How do you expect your microphones to be exposed to it, and what harm do you think that it might cause?

Hello DSatz!

I guess my point for posting would be to find out if ANY leather case is capable of carrying static electricity. I've read several threads where people are concerned with the plastic pelican cases and the foam inserts. Several folks claim that the original foam carries static electricity and that the foam should be changed to anti-static foam. So I was under the impression that perhaps this is something to worry about BUT would a leather case have the ability to carry static electricity. So to add to the discussion....

1. Can leather carry a static charge?

If yes, then can I wrap the microphones in anti-static bags (like the ones that electrical components come in) then place in the leather case and would that be enough?

I also read in the threads in an earlier post here, that I should not have to worry about static electricity unless I have the caps off of the microphone body. If that is the case then I should not worry about anything because the mic bodies will never be without a cap on. I guess that may have answered your second question..."How do you expect your microphones to be exposed to it, and what harm do you think that it might cause?"

Another question I should be asking is "are my microphones safe in this type of case?" That is probably the answer I'm looking for. I've never seen anyone attempt to use a leather case, so this is all new to me. I've used the Pelican cases before but they take up a lot of room in the small gear bag. I understand that this leather case will not absorb the shock a Pelican case can or that it can be subjected to moisture. What I was looking for is to cut down on the size of the case and protect the mics to some degree.

I hope I didn't confuse things further!

[DSatz]

Yes, I get all that--but why do you think it would be dangerous for microphones to be exposed to static electricity when they're not even on?

--best regards

[rokpunk]

just how large of a cat are we talking?

[DSatz]

The size of a subway train at least.

Speaking of which--have you ever recorded a cat's purr? OK, I know it's a naive misconception (believe me, I know!), but I still find it hard to fathom such low frequencies coming from such a small "instrument." There's significant fundamental energy between 25 and 30 Hz.

Somehow, some time in this life I would like to record the vocalizations of some really big cats. (Anyone here ever do that? What's the best microphone under $300 for tigers and leopards?)

--best regards

[rokpunk]

The size of a subway train at least.

Speaking of which--have you ever recorded a cat's purr? OK, I know it's a naive misconception (believe me, I know!), but I still find it hard to fathom such low frequencies coming from such a small "instrument." There's significant fundamental energy between 25 and 30 Hz.

Somehow, some time in this life I would like to record the vocalizations of some really big cats. (Anyone here ever do that? What's the best microphone under $300 for tigers and leopards?)

--best regards

The size of a subway car?
How 'bout the size of a monorail car....

[trustthex]

monorail... monorail... monorail... monorail...

just couldnt help myself, and now i'll have to dig up this:

http://www.archive.org/details/moe2002-10-31.mk4v.shnf

(& i could have sworn they played a monorail jam at somepoint?)