Wrapping Up the little Red Monster Mod
Red Monster Wrap Up
Saturday, February 17, 2024
The original plan for the Monster was to swap the OEM capsule for a Mic-Parts RK-12 and go for a C-12 sound profile. After electronic mods and some testing and loaning the mic to friends for their opinions, we found we like the sound of Alctron’s ’67 capsule, at least this particular one. It’s on the airy, bright side of neutral, but the high frequency peak is broader and not as tall as most Chinese ‘67s. It can be EQ’d if need be since it is a curve rather than a spike.
I did try an RK-12, but the tube circuit didn’t do anything super special for it, so the original capsule was reinstalled and measurements were made to confirm our impressions from listening.
What does the frequency response look like?
Cardioid
Flat from 30 Hz to 3KHz with a 2dB rise at 4500 and a 4dB rise centered on 12 KHz
Typical of a good ’67 style mic.
Omnidirectional
Gently falling from 20 Hz to 4KHz, a 3dB dip at 5K, and a 6dB rise centered on 12KHz
This is what they say a Sony C800 sounds like. I wouldn’t know. I don’t have one.
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Figure 8
Rising from 30 Hz to 3KHz with a 4dB rise at 4500 and a 2dB bump centered on 12 KHz
More ’47-ish upper mid-focussed.
Intermediate patterns fall between cardioid and omni or cardioid and fig-8. The mic sounds good on vocals in cardioid, no mud, clear diction without being sibilant. Slightly on the airy side which can be tamed with a gentle 10KHz shelf in post. It has an “87” character over all. The response variations with pattern changes can be used to good effect now that they are known.
Update: Feb. 17, 2024
My local Guitar Center has reduced the price again on the “used” Weird Audio mics. The LRMs are now $250, and I bought another one. This one appears to have been opened and turned on, but is in new cosmetic condition. It worked, but there were some low level noise bursts that sound like popcorn popping. The sleeve was grounded, but once again the Bandito logo was not, and hummed when touched. This one might have been returned because of the noise bursts.
I did the ‘Fox 460’ mods to the second one so it matches the first. While it was apart, I cleaned the circuit board of flux and stray bits of solder. With a JJ 12AY7 tube and all the mods burned in for 24 hours, it’s quiet now. I’m undecided whether to keep the Alctron ’67 style capsules or switch to RK-12s. The first condenser mics I recorded with were AKG C-12s before transistor mics were invented, so there is a certain nostalgic appeal to a C-12, but these bodies don’t look anything like a C-12. There are a lot of C-12 reproductions, which would be closer to the original headbasket, etc., and would likely be closer sonically. For now, the ’67 style capsules stay. They have a useful response which isn’t a duplicate of any of my other mics.
