Condenser Microphone Mod Service
Would you like your condenser mic to sound better?
To sound as good as a vintage studio microphone?
You may have noticed many problems with modern condenser microphones: edginess, high-end peaks, uneven response in general, noise. Even in some quality branded microphones, there is excess noise and other issues. The common problem, however, is thin, grainy, overly bright sound.
If you've done any overdubs, you may have noticed the tracks don't blend easily. With the jagged, and often inconsistent, frequency response of inexpensive microphones, it's really not possible to fit multiple tracks together without compounding those same problems. Applying EQ doesn't solve anything, since the problems are across the entire response of the mic. If you put an inexpensive, or almost any modern condenser microphone under $1,600 side-by-side with a good vintage mic, like a Neumann U87, AKG C12, or even a dynamic like a Sennheiser MD421, the problems leap out. It's not because these older microphones are somehow magically superior in design, in fact, most modern budget microphones are copied from Neumann, Schoeps, and AKG—the problems stem from poor quality components, and even poorer component choices.
My component improvements and modifications fix all of this. Your mic will be smoother on everything, handle transients better, and easily blend with other tracks, and that's before you even touch the EQ. You'll no longer be multiplying problems when you overdub, so mixing will be easier and the sound will be better—allowing you to focus on the project instead of fighting with the microphone.
Whether for studio recording, home recording, voice-over work, orchestral recording, church choirs, or anything else, a properly functioning microphone makes mixing and recording easier, and more enjoyable. My goal is to make your microphone sound its best.
When you send your microphone to me for modification, I will remove the sonically inferior electronic components that adversely effect the sound quality, replacing them with the highest quality brands and best suited components, which will clean up the signal and smooth the frequency response. I do not alter the appearance of your mic, remove layers of grille, or make any other cosmetic change that doesn't effect the sound. I only care about making your mic sound as good as it can.
Good Sound is my Passion
Popular Mic Mods
Rode NT1000—Perhaps the best all around mic you can own. Extremely versatile with a neutral-warm sound. Put it in front of anything, and press record.
Rode K2—Superb vocal mic. If you want that warm, deep, rich feeling of classic vocals, this will get the job done. Excellent on instruments, as well. Many have favorably compared my modified Rode K2 to AKG C12 types.
Rode NT2-A—The FET version of the Rode K2.
Rode NT2000—Identical to the NT2-A, with variable pots instead of switches for pattern selection, pad, and roll-off. The FET version of the Rode K2.
Rode NT1-A—Great all around mic, similar in tonality to the Chinese Neumann copies, but a better build and sound quality. It's the cheaper version of the NT1000, with the same electronics, but a more mid-focused capsule.
Rode NTK—A cross between the NT1000 capsule and the K2 circuit. It tends to sound much like a combination of the Neumann U47 and U67.
MXL 990—A ubiquitous microphone for many years now, it is actually a great example of the small diaphragm Chinese copy of Schoeps CMC "Colette" design. A most useful mic to have. It comes in endless flavors: MXL 603, MXL 604, MXL 991, MXL 910, Apex 185, and countless more.
Studio Projects C1—The standard large diaphragm 797audio (Chinese) copy of Schoeps CMC "Colette" design. Again, endless flavors abound, but this one is probably the better built of the lot.
Apex 460—One of the least expensive, and best of the C12/U47 knockoffs available. A modified Apex 460 is a good thing to have for a big sound on a tiny budget.
Golden Age FC1 MKII—Cardioid only version of the Neumann style Chinese mic. In testing, my clients and I find this one to be particularly special.
CAD GXL3000—The basic Chinese transformer output, Neumann style mic. Strictly speaking, you could choose any number of brands of this same mic, but this one sells very reasonable, and has multiple patterns.
MXL V67G—Possibly the most common of the Chinese copies of Neumann style microphones. A very popular mod.
Condenser Mic Repair Service
Is your condenser microphone silent, distorted, or otherwise non-functional?
Inquire with
details of problem for an estimate.
Most problems such as static, noise, popping, or intermittent silence (cutting out), are typically caused by the same components I replace in a standard mod procedure. Sometimes more work is required. Very rarely does a capsule need replaced.
Turnaround time will necessarily be longer for atypical repairs.
