New circuit board

Chassis and old circuit

New RK-12 capsule

Original MXL capsule & mount

MXL’s circuit is surface mount tech, not DIY upgrade friendly.

New RK-12 capsule and modified wedge headbasket from Micrphone-Parts

Microphone-Parts TL3 circuit board kit assembled ready to install.

The usual electroless- nickel-gold plate. It won’t tarnish and become hard to solder.

There’s more stuff in this circuit than MXL’s so a small daughter board is needed.

Note these two sockets.

A capacitor can be plugged in here to tailor the high frequency response to suit your capsule.

The circuit is M-P’s version of the Schoeps CMC5 with added features such as a 10dB pad, Omni, Cardioid, and Fig-8 patterns, and the provision for HF capsule EQ for ’87 and ’67 style capsules. The parts come matched and selected resistors optimize the JFET bias, so all you have to do is solder the parts to the boards. The manual is clear and detailed. If you’re handy with an iron, you shouldn’t have any trouble. Probably not a kit for a beginner, though.

How it works -- next article -->