🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <CAFD5v.8t3@xstor.com> tompelli@xstor.com (Tom Pellicer) writes:
>Help...
>
>I have a friend who has let me borrow his Neuman U87 microphone so that
>I could record some vocal tracks.  My board does not supply phantom 
>power, so I borrowed (from another friend) an AKG phantom power unit
>which plugs directly into 120 AC.

Make sure it's a 48V (not a 12V) phantom supply.  The U87 needs the 
juice, as I recall.

>My problem is occasionally the mike level will just drop out for
>a few seconds and then come right back up - almost like someone pulled
>the vocal fader down and up real quick.  I tried a number of different
>channels on my board and it seems to happen on all of them.  I made
>sure that the U87 was switched to the external power, as well.  I also
>tried both jacks on the AKG power unit.

Sounds like something is intermittent.  Could be the connector in the
mic, could be the power supply itself (before the voltage is split out
to the teo connectors), or it could be a microphone cable.  Whatever
it is, you likely have a loose connection somewhere.

>I don't own another mike that requires phantom power, and I don't
>have another phantom power unit.  Any suggestions?  Please tell me it
>is not the mike.

I can't tell you that.  But microphone cables are more inclined to fail
than microphones.  The easy, unscientific test is to start wiggling
things until you find the connector that's bad.

--
     Gabe Wiener -- gmw1@columbia.edu -- N2GPZ -- PGP on request
 Sound engineering, recording, and digital mastering for classical music
   "I am terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music
	 will be put on records forever."  --Sir Arthur Sullivan

tompelli@xstor.com (Tom Pellicer) writes:

> Help...
> 
> I have a friend who has let me borrow his Neuman U87 microphone so that
> I could record some vocal tracks.  My board does not supply phantom 
> power, so I borrowed (from another friend) an AKG phantom power unit
> which plugs directly into 120 AC.
> 
> My problem is occasionally the mike level will just drop out for
> a few seconds and then come right back up - almost like someone pulled
> the vocal fader down and up real quick.  I tried a number of different
> channels on my board and it seems to happen on all of them.  I made
> sure that the U87 was switched to the external power, as well.  I also
> tried both jacks on the AKG power unit.
> 
> I don't own another mike that requires phantom power, and I don't
> have another phantom power unit.  Any suggestions?  Please tell me it
> is not the mike.
>

Hi...
I used to freak out thinking that my FAVORITE Neumann U87 was going.
It is really expensive to send it on a "mike vacation" to get repaired!

Don't worry... You probably had it on cardioid and got too damn close...
Your "P" pop overloaded the internal circuitry by momentarily forcing the 
capacitive plates (very large disks inside) together.

Use a windscreen. keep them off the mic. Use a coathanger and snag some 
pantyhose from your neighborhood drugstore. Make a O out of the hanger about
8" in dia. and stretch the hose over it. (Buy NEW HOSE for pete's sake!)...
you can put it on the mic stand and move it out about 6" AT LEAST.

This will also keep the vocalist off the mic.
Use Omni. Much flatter, and I think it doesn't sound so boomy...
you also won't pop so much!

You CAN'T replace a nice mic like a Neumann... Be careful with it...

Oh BTW ... use the pad on the mic before you use the pad on the console!
Much cleaner!
If you have 2 try "mid-side" or L-R bidirectionals= COOL! STEREO!

=brian c carr

ex engineer, ex strat player,
now a solder jockey in SA!



--
carrbc@ephsa.UUCP (Brian C. Carr)
Rivercity Matrix  --  +1 (210) 561-9815/21

In article <1993Jul19.214816.11699@news.columbia.edu> gmw1@konichiwa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener) writes:
>In article <CAFD5v.8t3@xstor.com> tompelli@xstor.com (Tom Pellicer) writes:
>>Help...

>>I have a friend who has let me borrow his Neuman U87 microphone so that
>>I could record some vocal tracks.  My board does not supply phantom 
>>power, so I borrowed (from another friend) an AKG phantom power unit
>>which plugs directly into 120 AC.

>>My problem is occasionally the mike level will just drop out for
>>a few seconds and then come right back up - almost like someone pulled
>>the vocal fader down and up real quick.

>Sounds like something is intermittent.  Could be the connector in the
>mic, could be the power supply itself (before the voltage is split out
>to the teo connectors), or it could be a microphone cable.  Whatever
>it is, you likely have a loose connection somewhere.
....
>I can't tell you that.  But microphone cables are more inclined to fail
>than microphones.  The easy, unscientific test is to start wiggling
>things until you find the connector that's bad.

When I used to work in the studio we found that cables were the worst
offender.

And we found a solution that cured virtually all of our problems.

When we got some new Neumann's from Gotham Audio (they were the old
Neumann distributor) we got some cables from them.

They were thinner than the average, and much more flexible.  They were
also 3 conductor + shield vs the standard 2 conductor + shield.

We wound up buying spools of the cable from them - I do NOT remember
the brand of cable if it did have a brand - and replaced all of our
cables with this eventually.  It was just about the same price as
regular cable.

I don't know if having a true conductor instead of shield made that
much difference in the phantom powering, but we discovered the
differences when substituting these cables almost always cured any
problems, be it intermittent, low level, or noise.

These cables were so much easier to use too.  As I mentioned above,
thinner and more flexible.   Never had a coiling problem, kinks, etc.

Bill
-- 
Bill Vermillion - bill@bilver.uucp  OR  bill@bilver.oau.org

In article <CAFD5v.8t3@xstor.com> Tom Pellicer, tompelli@xstor.com writes:
>My problem is occasionally the mike level will just drop out for
>a few seconds and then come right back up - almost like someone >pulled
the vocal fader down and up real quick.  I tried a number of >different
channels on my board and it seems to happen on all of >them.  I made sure
that the U87 was switched to the external >power, as well.  I also tried
both jacks on the AKG power unit.

Sounds like a capacitor problem to me.  Either the power unit or the
microphone itself may have a capacitor that has a poor ground, or is
intermittently failing.  I would get my trusty multi-meter and start
measuring the linear elements.  But if you are not comfortable with doing
that (especially since it is not your equipment) you might consider
paying for the bench time and parts at the shop.

Just a few thoughts...

dan