Topic: Mic trouble

[Mojowill]

I recently purchased a used pair of AKG 480's with the ck/63(hypers) caps.  I ran them for Los Lobos on 6/13/04 and they were doing fine at first, but about 2/3 way through the show one of the mics level went down a noticeable bit.  I balenced it out by cranking the preamp(WUA-5) Does this mean the capsule is dying.  Even with the one level on the pre amp all most pegged it still made a great tape.   But should I worry and get a new set of hypers?
TIA

[John Kelly]

I would think that "WUA-5" means a Warm Mod UA-5...

[Chris K]

can you reproduce the same problem at home

i wouldnt think your caps would be bad.

i have read on the oade board that the 480's some times have intermittant problems, but by loosening and re-tightening the screws on the bodies may correct it

my guess is its either the bodies, pre-amp or cables

[Mojowill]

I'll try to reproduce it at home.  But I switched everything around and marked things as to how they were set up and I still got the one lower channel.  I am fairly sure it is the mic and not a pre amp or cable prob, I'll test the cables again with my volt meter tomorrow.

[mirth]

If you don't have anything in the next ~6 weeks you may want to consider sending them to AKG USA for a checkup... Never a bad idea, especially if it happens again....

[Mojowill]

Unfortunately I'v got a Primus show on the 25th and Derek Trucks the 26th and then All Good.  After All Good I am off for a bit though.  And I always have my trusty Supersluts(luxes).

[goose]

Sounds like it may have to do with phantom power.  I doubt that your capsule would go in the middle of the set.  If the phantom power drops, the output of the mic will drop (and some static may occur).  If you have a ps-2, try using that in front of the ua-5 (with phantom power OFF), and see if the problem persists.  You may also want to ensure you are supplying enough power to the ua-5 through fresh batteries.

Just another possibility.