I get the impression that the most realistic criticism of a Chinese microphone is the incredibly wide range of  capsule sensitivities that is experienced in a production run.

There are many popular $2k mics built around $50- Chinese capsules... that must give the product mangers a stomach ache.

Some guys make their own capsules for consistent QC but then they use the cheapest stuff they can find for everything else. That didn't interest me very much.


The Made in China supply chain is generally plagued with quality control inconsistency... so you can learn of accounts where very good samples are observed but the next shipment is out of bounds... and it can be the transformer, the circuit board, what ever. The guys over there will do what they have to do. If it's your turn to get stuff they'll put what ever they have in the box and send it to you.

I personally know a few guys in the mic import business... they say their greatest expense is in screening for QC and sending stuff back... or sending it to the dumpster because the shipping exceeds the value. They say it requires constant vigilance and the only thing you can trust is that you are going to get a horrible batch as often as you get a good batch.


I specifically asked the fancy brand mic guys I have been corresponding with about the mic capsules they use and they replied by stating that the small workshop capsules they use are hitting 99% acceptance rates after QC testing.

That led me to assume that if I source my capsule from one of the trusted fabricators that I will not have to worry that I don't have the capacity to test for QC.

Fingers crossed! :-)


best regards,
mike

  Looks like fun for a guy who enjoys building these kinds of things. You almost gave me the bug looking over the kit.

 I think a lot of it is about perceptions. We have a fair number of people here who build their own and enjoy doing so.

 I don't think the term "discount" ever enters into the picture for the builder who has a dual interest in electronics.

 I think you can get a decent mic either way. Is it about the end result or about the journey? For some people it is both,for some it is all about the end result. 

One thing that' manufacturer's are doing now that really bugs me is, they are putting on their products "Made in U.S.A." for instance. But, when you read the fine print on the box, it says "Designed and Engineered in the U.S." Then below that it says, "Made In China".

I was looking at getting some headphones and was looking at some AKG's.

On the cans themselves, in big bold letters ... "Made In Austria"

On the back of the box in tiny little print is 'Designed and engineered in Austria, made in Chine'. In real tiny print.

To me, that's false advertising, but I've seen it on several items now.

I don't want anything made in China because I don't trust them. The manufacturer doesn't really know what they are putting in to their product. I was reading somewhere, can't remember where, that when Gucci orders say, 1,000 hand bags, they'll set the equipment up to run 5,000 and sell the rest on the black market.

I don't trust anything made in China but it's almost impossible to avoid it any more. Even things that say Made In *Insert Country Here* you can't be sure of any more.

I recorded my last vox and acoustic guitar track with a radio shack rip of of a sure 58  microphone I bought in 1986 for 50 bucks 


Sounds great 


Ok I am just kidding 


That microphone broke in the 90s 


I had you though 


I got you 


Hahahahahaha

Mooch4056

I recorded my last vox and acoustic guitar track with a radio shack rip of of a sure 58  microphone I bought in 1986 for 50 bucks 

Sounds great 

Ok I am just kidding 

That microphone broke in the 90s 

I had you though 

I got you 

Hahahahahaha

I recorded my last 4 songs on my 20+ year old Audio Technica ATM41HE stage mic. It's all bent, banged, and scraped. Still sounds great.

So you did have me there Mr. Mooch. :)

The thing is... I believe you.


I'm not the gear snob some assume. :-)

I just happen to like gear... and I do like listening to it.

I have mics that sound great... and I can hear the things I like about them in the hi res wav files and I can prove it with ABX testing. Then it becomes obscured when I get into the mix and the mp3s. In the end the mic choice doesn't make or break the mix...and I can't hear the difference. I can prove I can't hear it with an ABX test. :-)






My current interest is in how the mics, and the monitor chain actually effect a performance. That raw moment before the track gets mangled into a mix is where the qualities of the mic seem really apparent and I think it effects the performance of the singers. Many are used to hearing unfamiliar things coming back through the monitors... I want them to listen to them selves sing and think they sound like rock stars. I'm just exploring stuff... not trying to say much more than that. :-)

I bought a fancy FET mic a couple years ago... it's really smooth and coherent in the low frequencies. I just got a bread and butter tube mic from a guy that makes really fancy mics... the bass is even smoother and more detailed in the bass frequencies. It's a jaw dropper how apparent it is.

None of that seems to matter in the final mix but it sure seems to inspire the singer to go for it.

For example; if your mic has a case of the uglies in the lower mid range... the singer is going to compensate for that and still do a good job. However, if the mic sound beautiful down in that range the singer is going to feel more free to belt it out... and now you are able to quantify a more impassioned performance which does translate beyond the mix. That interests me.


Anyways.... just kinda babbling.


all the best,
mike

   Mooch have heard similar stories that were true..

 Bub I don't think theres any getting around it. The workforce here are mostly raised on video games and junk food. When they get out of college most of them don't want to make things,fix things or learn how....not all of them but most.  If you took away all of the things made in China  now...well there's a word for what we would be that I can't or shouldn't use here. I have found that some of the things made in China are actually pretty good just depends on what it is. 

 Most guitars come from Indonesia,China and North Korea. You can buy an American made Gibson here for double the money.  The Schecter I just bought lists for around 800.00. I got it for 399.00...I could have dickered but I didn't. Made in Indonesia and could probably beat up a Gibson any day of the week. A crude example maybe...

 I think the same applies to Mics. They order it from China and use their own quality control before shipping. Say a few need to be returned...so what... they still make money and the customer gets a decent product.

 I wish things were different but they are what they are.

Mooch4056


I recorded my last vox and acoustic guitar track with a radio shack rip of of a sure 58  microphone I bought in 1986 for 50 bucks 


Sounds great 


Ok I am just kidding 


That microphone broke in the 90s 


I had you though 


I got you 


Hahahahahaha

That's the only mic you'll let Bapu record his vocals with, ya?

I found a person over at groupDIY that has commissioned production runs of a typical tube mic power supply chassis and is selling them at very favorable prices. I had thought I would buy a generic case and make the holes myself but this seems ideal at the price:




I've asked to order one. The DIY scene seems to be supported by a lot of people that make products as an after hours hobby... I corresponded with the vendor and now I'm waiting for my invoice and hoping to secure this part.



best regards,
mike

Cool story, thanks for sharing.