VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Mike Elmore · Guest

I have a problem here....maybe......Can anyone tell me what happnens if a diaphragm is damaged or blown in a microphone?? I got this mic on ebay (GREAT!!!) it was awesome....excellent sound...etc...then this morning I was doing an ISDN session with one of my CW affliates....I sneezed just slightly off mic...and CRACKLE, CRACKLE.....I knocked lightly on the side of the mic, checkced the cable.....and ended up blowing a VERY light puff of air into the end of the mic.....this stopped the crackle.....I was done with the session so I didn't have anyone to ask to compare the before CRACKLE and AFTER crackle sound. I blew lightly into the side of the shotgun mic again...and CRACKLE...blew again and it stopped....(after a few puffs)...does this sound like a blown or damaged diaphragm??? Have never had that happen before and am thinking it probably8 was happening...and that is probably why it was being SOLD ON EBAY....I am beside myself here.>> any ideas if this could be it of hw much it might cost to fisx this.....

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:53 am Post subject:

Sennheiser/Neumann service department can fix this and it'll be around the $600 mark.

Ed Gambill · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:14 pm Post subject:

Might be a high moisture problem. I have put microphones with too much moisture in the body in the oven with just the oven light on. This will help dry it out after several hours.

In the OLD DAYS it was a common practice to store microphones in a special closet/locker with a light bulb on to drive out moisture. That’s where the expression microphone closet/locker comes from. It might take 3 to 4 hours. This might be the solution it may not. It won’t cost very much.

Blowing breath in the front of any microphone is not a good thing to do. It just helps more hot wet air get into the microphone. I hope you are using a pop/blast screen, aside from the plosives it will cut down on hot warm air getting into you microphone.
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CarynClark · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject:

Mike, if you do a search of the archives in this section (Gear) you can read my threads (there are a couple) re: the same sounding problem with my 416, and relive my saga.

In the end, I sent the mic back to Sennheiser (I had purchased mine from Sweetwater). They were VERY nice folks there. They tried to replicate the problem for a couple of days, couldn't, so they just sent me a brand-spanking new mic.

You're in FL aren't you? Maybe it's a FL humidity thing (though we keep the ac on in our house, but still).

Here are the links to the threads.

http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5329&start=0

http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4459&highlight=snap+crackle

As you will read, me and my friends here really tried everything in the book before we figured out it was my mic. I hope this saves you some time and give you some direction. Smile

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Caryn Clark... The Hip Chick Voice!

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Mike Elmore · Guest

We are just running into each other all over the place lately. Here is how I feel....you know when you are tilting back in a chair and you ALMOST go too far and ALMOST fall back?? That's how I feel...ALL THE TIME right now wiht this mic issue..lol.....It hasn't happened again and I just did another session with it with Power106 in LA.....the guy running the session said it sounded amazing "just like a 416 should".....so.....I guess it is cool FOR NOW...but talk about kid gloves....hate this feeling...and I got it on Ebay so there is nothing I can do if it craps out...other than pay 600.00 to fix it...which is what I paid for it...lol...GRRRRRRR EAT!!!!!

Thanks for the thread links Caryn

CarynClark · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject:

Ha! I know... we are running into each other everywhere.

I hate to say it, but I have a feeling it'll keep happening, Mine started in Oct. then stopped for a couple of months, and started again in Jan./Feb. Like I said, the guys at Sennheiser are great... I mean. really really REALLY nice. I think the guy I dealt with was David. He replaced mine for free (I'd had it for 18 months). I would definitely call them and get an estimate on the cost yourself. They'll likely just ask you to send it to them to see if they can replicate the issue, and work with you on the repair/cost.
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Caryn Clark... The Hip Chick Voice!

"A positive mental attitude and having faith in your ability is quite different from being irresponsible and downright stupid." - Dave

Yoda117 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

Jowillie · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

I had a good experience with Sennheiser Service:
http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3642&highlight=testify[url]

Can't you imagine the fear and panic of your prized investment "sizzling" just at an opportunity to make you shine? Gasp

Let us know what you find out.[/url]
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Frank F · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject:

Due to the SPL level on a 416 your description of what is occurring is normal.

Very high SPL levels are not a good thing, as shotgun microphones are far-field condensers. The shotgun is designed to pick up audio from a distance, thes mics are NOT near-fields.

Contact Sennheiser/Neumann and get your diaphragm replaced. This would be your only logical solution. Henceforth, keep your mic away from LOUD noises.

Toodles

F2
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CarynClark · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:51 am Post subject:

Hmmmm... Frank, you have my curiousity now.

What's an SPL level?

You're making me think... right now I'm doing several very high energy toy commercials. I'm definitely loud. I'm back off the mic probably a foot. I'm hoping that's good enough.

edited to correct spelling
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Caryn Clark... The Hip Chick Voice!

"A positive mental attitude and having faith in your ability is quite different from being irresponsible and downright stupid." - Dave

Deirdre · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:04 am Post subject:

SPL = Sound Pressure Level = LOUDNISS
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Frank F · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:

Thank you D.B. for a much shorter explanation than I would have written.

Caryn, Backing off the mic, as you have indicated you are doing, is an easy technique which eases the volume of air moving past the diaphragm. Moving yourself off -axis is also another technique used with non-shotgun microphones to alleviate the amount of pressure into the diaphragm.

With a shotgun microphone moving off axis will not help as the pick-up pattern is so delicate.

O.K., I know - wordy, but I hope it helps.

Toodles

F2
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CarynClark · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:33 am Post subject:

Ahhhhh.... thank you!!

When I do these types of reads, I also dial back my Symetrix gain a tad. That likely makes NO difference whatsoever in the actual SPL though, and the possible effect on the mic, right?

I wonder if I should use a different mic for these types of reads.
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Caryn Clark... The Hip Chick Voice!

"A positive mental attitude and having faith in your ability is quite different from being irresponsible and downright stupid." - Dave

Ed Gambill · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject:

It might be a good idea to back off from the microphone.

What is microphone sensitivity?
A microphone sensitivity specification tells how much electrical output (in thousandths of a volt or "millivolts") a microphone produces for a certain sound pressure input (in dB SPL). If two microphones are subject to the same sound pressure level and one puts out a stronger signal (higher voltage), that microphone is said to have higher sensitivity. However, keep in mind that a higher sensitivity rating does not necessarily make a microphone better than another microphone with a lower sensitivity rating.

International standards have established 1 Pascal (Pa) as 94 dBSPL.
This reference point is now accepted for specifying the sensitivity of microphones.
(the above taken from Shure’s Web site and http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-transferfactor.htm

.................................................. 416.......................................... U47
Pickup polar pattern.............super-cardioid/lobar.............9 – Switch-able
Frequency Response..............40 Hz -20,000 Hz..................20 Hz to 22,000 Hz
Sensitivity..............................25mv/pa...................................12mv/pa

Note that for the same pressure level expressed in PA that the 416 puts out twice the electrical signal expressed in mv- mille volts

Also take into consideration the inverse square of the distance rule for sound. I means if at point A distance to the capsule, you have 25 mv and you back up so at point B you are twice the original distance you will have ¼ of the output from the capsule.

Two things happen with any condenser at close mic-ing distances. HOT BREATH with lot of moisture (BAD FOR CONDENSERS) and high sound pressure (ALSO NOT GOOD FOR CONDENSERS). In the case of a supper sensitive shotguns, loud close micing doesn’t help. Turning down the gain on the amplifier doest not reduce the sound pressure on the diaphragm.

THERE WILL BE AN OPEN BOOK TEST NEXT WEEK. Wink

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BenWils · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:

Yelling into any mic is bad news. Some can handle it better than others. Backing too far off a mic, especially when in a booth will make you sound like you are in a box. Which you are...but who wants to sound like that (unless asked for)

I will say mix backing up off the mic some and reducing the pre-amp gain so you don't sound like Caryn in a box. Wink

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