Nice Vocal Chain under $200 - MOD RECIPE

:grin:

That's all I have to say.

Nice work... :thumb:

[quote author="buttachunk"]"it's just all design, components don't make a difference in sound". [/quote]

Who says that? Who needs a slap?... :green:

Good work Butta. :thumb:
The last few days I was wondering if there is any cheap mic worth to mod/upgrade. It it good to hear the MXL990 is one of them. Thanks.

chrissugar

So do new manufacture tubes sound better in starved plate configurations? I would imagine they are designed for this application because so much modern commercial gear with 12AX7's are 'toob'. One time I used the Behringer version of the tube MP that I modded out similarly and I swear a Sovtek that I found on the floor sounded better than a bunch of my NOS USA and European tubes. That damn Sovtek which sounded like harsh utter shit in any guitar amp made that Behringer sing.

got any pics :twisted:

Hey, Butta,

You think this recipe would work for the Aphex 107/207 preamps? I like the stock Aphex units over the stock ART units any day of the week already, but wonder if similar treatments would offer similar improvements still?

I got a buddy with two Aphex 207's, and something like this might be really cool for him.

JC

[quote author="rascalseven"]You think this recipe would work for the Aphex 107...?[/quote]

Oh no! don't try this! :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

Whatever you do don't put BB in it!! :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

Then it will be like mine...

I wouldn't say it is "stellar" maybe, but quite a useful piece for not a lot of $. But I HATE the wallwart!

I hope this doesn't seem like a super dumb question who carries WIMA capacitors. I can't find them at mouser, digikey and I think I looked at newark also.

Well, then it's a good day to buy one of these. (New link)
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-Mic-Preamp?sku=180581

[quote author="Flatpicker"]Well, then it's a good day to buy one of these (Only today - Link won't work tomorrow).

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid?src=3TP6K3A[/quote]

Hmmm.... Why it is so cheap, no transformers?

990 is the same as a 603 for those who wondered..

I would be interested to hear what that combo sounds like.

I saw this earlier which was interesting:

http://home.att.net/~crazydoc/ART_Tube_MP_Modification.pdf

good call on the $90 chain...
I already have a art Tube MP, and bought 3 more at $29 a pop. got the MXL900 as well not bad for $59 with shockmount and case....

I'm gonna try to figure out how to rack up the 4 art's after I mod them...
I use my Art Tube MP as a guitar to line box and it works great for guitar and synths, clean, quiet, and easier to get rockin' than DI/pre combo.

I have a tube MP and also the rackmount Dual MP. I use the little guy as a DI for acoustic guitar with piezos - works very well for that! The dual sits in my rack and only gets used when I want some gritty overheads - works well for that too! (using MXL603s which is pretty much the same mic as the 990 I believe) Thanks for outlining the mods for the MP. I'm assuming the dual will be pretty much the same. My dual has a faint buzy sound when ever I use the DI - been meaning to try different tubes.

I also have a Aphex 107. My favorite vocal chain these days is a Oktava MC012 through the 107! :shock: singing into the 012 takes much skill and concentration, but it's really dimentional sounding when I pull it off without pops and rumbles. I have changed the tube in the 107 (It's just 1!) I just put in a mesa 12ax7 when I replaced some tubes in my amp last. the 107 has a trimmer that is sort of a "blend" for the tube. Turn that down a bit and it's really good stock.

The 990 is the same capsule as the 603 no?

black lion warns that the opamp needs to be able to handle 30vdc and most can't (like the MC33078). have you had any problems blowing opamps?

i think this is why he uses the lm6172, but its a much more complicated mod.

ok i think it can take +36v. here are the part numbers from digikey. I assume all 10 panasonic FC's were 10uf?

is that right?

thanks

3 497-1953-5-ND IC AMP DUAL OP LOW NOISE 8 DIP
7 338-1045-ND CAP 330PF 500V MICA RADIAL
7 338-1047-ND CAP 33PF 500V MICA RADIAL
10 P10316-ND CAP 10UF 50V ELECT FC RADIAL

I'm going to put this together this weekend if the parts show up

thanks again!!!!!!

I'm going to try finding one of these puppies cheap and modding it.

buttachunk - I'm a big supporter of improving audio gear with circuit modification and/or component replacements. I've done this many times with mics, pres, and other signal processing gear. It's even more gratifying when you start off with something really cheap and end up with something that rivals gear costing many times more. Comparing your modded mic/pre combo to a $5k vocal chain may be a bit of a stretch, but I'm sure the end results sound stellar.

I would love to hear what this mic sounds like as you didn't replace the capsule. Any sound clips of before and after? Also, is this mic transformerless?

The ART mic pre that you modded is the "Project series". The $29 special at Musician’s Friend is the "Studio series", which raises the question "how are they different inside?" Has anyone compared the two?...circuit topology...no of gain stages and voltage gain per stage, same differential input stage/transistors...component types/values, etc. A schematic of each would reveal all. The only real concern here though is determining which capacitors and op-amps are in the audio chain, but knowing the internal differences would help a purchase desision.

As for the MC33078 op-amp, it is rated at 36V. http://www.onsemi.com/PowerSolutions/product.do?id=MC33078 Have you tried using a OPA2604? This is usually the op-amp I generally use when modding audio, it's also rated for 48V.

Although I'm not a fan of "starved-plate" designs, I'm gonna give this mod try. I might be a bit optimistic, but the JJ Tesla tube could just be the ticket for that giant leap improvement in a starved-plate pre. You may be onto something here.

Still same price. (Different link)

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ART-Tube-MP-Studio-Mic-Preamp?sku=180581

the circuits are definately different as far as the number and value of caps. Ill try to post my tube mp studio schematic when i get home. I basically replacing about 13 caps in the studio mp and using the recomended opamp and see where we get.

blacklion also cleans up the power by replacing 9 power filter caps and upgrading the diodes (and almost every resistor in the thing!!). ill see how far i get with caps/tube/opamps first.

thanks again!!