The AKG Active Project - 2

[MarkF]

Here you go



The 2 screws hold the end to the center swivel part.





There are two screws on this end also.  You see part of them.  They are covered by a gasket.


I didnt take the center swivel part apart.  I assume the wire just passes through and is all mechanical.

[poorlyconditioned]

Here yoy go



The 2 screws hold the end to the center swivel part.





There are two screws on this end also.  You see part of them.  They are covered by a gasket.


I didnt take the center swivel part apart.  I assume the wire just passes through and is all mechanical.

Nice job!  Perhaps we can get some clues how to connect to the "center pin" of the capsule now.  I wonder what that connector is on the small circuit board.

  Richard

[johnw]

+T
So it is possible to separate the capsule from the body by at least 2-3cm using only a wire and grounding the other 2 connectors. Wonder what the maximum distance is? Thanks for doing this!

[MarkF]

Nice job!  Perhaps we can get some clues how to connect to the "center pin" of the capsule now.  I wonder what that connector is on the small circuit board.

  Richard

The connector in the third picture is the female socket, where the pin from the capsule goes.  The metal ring on the underside looks like it is some type grounding spacer.

[johnw]

BTW - how did you disassemble the ends?

[MarkF]

BTW - how did you disassemble the ends?

There is a retaining wire clip/spring that holds the two inserts in.  I removed the wire clip and the "guts" slide out.
BE VERY CAREFUL - I broke the wire while pulling out the male end, but was able to solder it back on.
If there is resistance while sliding out the ends, it is due to the wire not giving and it will break.  The wire is very thin.

I would also make sure the swivel is straight, not angled so the wire that connects the two ends together can slide easier.

I could not remove the side metal stickers to expose the screw that is suppose to disassemble the hinge.

[willndmb]

+T
So it is possible to separate the capsule from the body by at least 2-3cm using only a wire and grounding the other 2 connectors. Wonder what the maximum distance is? Thanks for doing this!

yes big +t

john the vr62 is 3 ft so we know at least that far, assuming it is basically the same guts
do you think it is?

[OFOTD]

+T
So it is possible to separate the capsule from the body by at least 2-3cm using only a wire and grounding the other 2 connectors. Wonder what the maximum distance is? Thanks for doing this!

yes big +t

john the vr62 is 3 ft so we know at least that far, assuming it is basically the same guts
do you think it is?

So what does three feet get you though?    Can you really see taping your bodies to a stand because you only have 3 feet to play with?

Remember eye on the prize here.  It seems to me that many generations of tapers have tried knocking down the door of the extension cables.  Maybe we need to focus on other means. 

Again I continue to go back to the thought that you need to figure out your goal and work back from that. 

[johnw]

+T
So it is possible to separate the capsule from the body by at least 2-3cm using only a wire and grounding the other 2 connectors. Wonder what the maximum distance is? Thanks for doing this!

yes big +t

john the vr62 is 3 ft so we know at least that far, assuming it is basically the same guts
do you think it is?

So what does three feet get you though?    Can you really see taping your bodies to a stand because you only have 3 feet to play with?

Remember eye on the prize here.  It seems to me that many generations of tapers have tried knocking down the door of the extension cables.  Maybe we need to focus on other means. 

Again I continue to go back to the thought that you need to figure out your goal and work back from that. 

Actually yes 3 feet would be fantastic. Maybe not perfect but I could definitely stealth under a hat with 3 feet of separation. And my 9ft APIC stand is pretty top heavy with the bodies on the Tbar. Moving the bodies down 3 feet and keeping only the caps up top on a Vark bar or a modified Kwon would make my stand more stable and also lower profile. These two benefits would be worth a couple hundred dollars to me.

I have no idea whether the VR62 has the same basic design or not, that's why I want the service documents. I wouldn't have expected any electronics in the A61 but could see where something would be needed for a longer separation. I think the next step here is to take apart an A61 and re-connect the 3 solder points on each end using increasing lengths of wires while measuring the output and checking to see if movement of the wires introduces noise. It sounds like the cable ends have already been machined by several people and what is needed is the "guts" from one of these A61s for the center pin and female receptacle.

EDIT: My goal is an extension cable. I don't want to replace my bodies with another box to carry around. That said, if extension cables truly are impossible to make, then I would happy to add another flavor to the AKG sound (assuming I could afford an NBox setup).

[aberg]

+T
So it is possible to separate the capsule from the body by at least 2-3cm using only a wire and grounding the other 2 connectors. Wonder what the maximum distance is? Thanks for doing this!

yes big +t

john the vr62 is 3 ft so we know at least that far, assuming it is basically the same guts
do you think it is?

So what does three feet get you though?    Can you really see taping your bodies to a stand because you only have 3 feet to play with?

Remember eye on the prize here.  It seems to me that many generations of tapers have tried knocking down the door of the extension cables.  Maybe we need to focus on other means. 

Again I continue to go back to the thought that you need to figure out your goal and work back from that. 

Actually yes 3 feet would be fantastic. Maybe not perfect but I could definitely stealth under a hat with 3 feet of separation. And my 9ft APIC stand is pretty top heavy with the bodies on the Tbar. Moving the bodies down 3 feet and keeping only the caps up top on a Vark bar or a modified Kwon would make my stand more stable and also lower profile. These two benefits would be worth a couple hundred dollars to me.

I have no idea whether the VR62 has the same basic design or not, that's why I want the service documents. I wouldn't have expected any electronics in the A61 but could see where something would be needed for a longer separation. I think the next step here is to take apart an A61 and re-connect the 3 solder points on each end using increasing lengths of wires while measuring the output and checking to see if movement of the wires introduces noise. It sounds like the cable ends have already been machined by several people and what is needed is the "guts" from one of these A61s for the center pin and female receptacle.

I think the "guts" from the A61 could be used with Richard's design to provide the cap > active > batt box type of setup. That could be interesting. What's the going rate for swivels and how hard are they to find?

[Shawn]

I think the "guts" from the A61 could be used with Richard's design to provide the cap > active > batt box type of setup. That could be interesting. What's the going rate for swivels and how hard are they to find?

swivels from boxy run about $350 a set. Typical boxy shipping times.

[johnw]

Swivels are about $175 from Boxy and there is a single one for sale in the yard sale right now. Assuming no real electronic design is needed, just machining parts, basic soldering and hacking 2 A61s, I think people would gladly pay $4-500 for a pair of cables. Also, there's a chance that the parts needed from the A61 could be ordered individually if a service document ever turns up.

Again, my offer stands to chip in on a single A61 to use for parts for a prototype cable. Maybe Richard would consider incorporating a hacked A61 into his design so the capsule doesn't have to be hardwired?

[aberg]

Swivels are about $175 from Boxy and there is a single one for sale in the yard sale right now. Assuming no real electronic design is needed, just machining parts, basic soldering and hacking 2 A61s, I think people would gladly pay $4-500 for a pair of cables. Also, there's a chance that the parts needed from the A61 could be ordered individually if a service document ever turns up.

Again, my offer stands to chip in on a single A61 to use for parts for a prototype cable. Maybe Richard would consider incorporating a hacked A61 into his design so the capsule doesn't have to be hardwired?

I'll chip in for this too. That's a good idea.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Found some parts that might work well for the pin contact problem.. I wish my lathe wasn't in storage..

The MG2000 body doesn't use a socket, it uses a spring loaded contact pad. The pad contacts just the rounded tip of the capsule pin. Maybe something like this:

http://www.mill-max.com/pin_rec_catalog/productInfo.cfm?webpartnumber=0907&start=1&leaddiameterrange=&pin_or_rec=pin&Part_Description=Spring%2DLoaded%20Pin&taildiameter=&tailtype=&mountingfeature=&mountinghole=&bodylength=&search=&pr=pin

Though I'm wondering if the signal path is via the spring or via a sliding contact?  I'd really want to solder directly to the socket and not have the path via the spring, etc.

For sockets, maybe:

http://www.mill-max.com/pin_rec_catalog/productInfo.cfm?webpartnumber=0490&start=1&leaddiameterrange=%2E065%2D%2E082&pin_or_rec=rec&Part_Description=Receptacle%20with%20a%20Standard%20Tail&taildiameter=showall&tailtype=Soldertail&mountingfeature=&mountinghole=&bodylength=&search=&pr=rec

I like the idea of tip contact over a socket. Seems like less wear and tear on the pin. But I guess it depends on how tight the socket is.

[aberg]

Found some parts that might work well for the pin contact problem.. I wish my lathe wasn't in storage..

The MG2000 body doesn't use a socket, it uses a spring loaded contact pad. The pad contacts just the rounded tip of the capsule pin. Maybe something like this:

http://www.mill-max.com/pin_rec_catalog/productInfo.cfm?webpartnumber=0907&start=1&leaddiameterrange=&pin_or_rec=pin&Part_Description=Spring%2DLoaded%20Pin&taildiameter=&tailtype=&mountingfeature=&mountinghole=&bodylength=&search=&pr=pin

Though I'm wondering if the signal path is via the spring or via a sliding contact?  I'd really want to solder directly to the socket and not have the path via the spring, etc.

For sockets, maybe:

http://www.mill-max.com/pin_rec_catalog/productInfo.cfm?webpartnumber=0490&start=1&leaddiameterrange=%2E065%2D%2E082&pin_or_rec=rec&Part_Description=Receptacle%20with%20a%20Standard%20Tail&taildiameter=showall&tailtype=Soldertail&mountingfeature=&mountinghole=&bodylength=&search=&pr=rec

I like the idea of tip contact over a socket. Seems like less wear and tear on the pin. But I guess it depends on how tight the socket is.

Nice, I like where this is going... Richard, what do you think?