quote:

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Originally posted by Flatpicker:
Shortyprs,

It’s not all that difficult once you get the hang of it, and the way to do that is to practice. Get yourself a soldering iron, a roll of “solder wick”, a solder “sucker”, solder, and some extra flux. Find an old junk radio or something and start removing the parts and re-soldering them. You’ll become experienced in no time!

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As much as I'm interested in changing the electronics in stuff, I should really take the time and practice. I need to resolder the D/O's on my Mix Wiz (They're currently set to post fader...which is a pain for recording) Think of the money I could save if I did it myself. Think of the toys I could buy!!!

Would you be interested in performing the mod on four of these for me? I will of course pay for your time. I have zero aptitude, interest or time for doing this kind of stuff. Please let me know.

Thanks!

Doug

quote:

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Originally posted by Jazzooo:
Would you be interested in performing the mod on four of these for me? I will of course pay for your time. I have zero aptitude, interest or time for doing this kind of stuff. Please let me know.

Thanks!

Doug

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Do you mean me? I would be willing to do it but I make no claims to be an expert, incapable of a mistake. As long as there are no guarantees I suppose I could take it on.

Let me know.


Jason A.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason A.:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jazzooo:
Would you be interested in performing the mod on four of these for me? I will of course pay for your time. I have zero aptitude, interest or time for doing this kind of stuff. Please let me know.

Thanks!

Doug

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Do you mean me? I would be willing to do it but I make no claims to be an expert, incapable of a mistake. As long as there are no guarantees I suppose I could take it on.

Let me know.


Jason A.

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Watch out, you could end up in business.

I got my mics back today...doa. Toast. Nothing but static, both of them. The tech I'm using is a nice and reputable guy. He's back working on them, but I was pretty surprised. With the original article and posts like this one as guides, I figured it would be a piece of cake for a real tech. My hats off to you Jason. Plus, if this guy can't figure out his mistake, I may ask you to name a price!

quote:

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Originally posted by shortyprs:

I got my mics back today...doa. Toast. Nothing but static, both of them. The tech I'm using is a nice and reputable guy. He's back working on them, but I was pretty surprised. With the original article and posts like this one as guides, I figured it would be a piece of cake for a real tech. My hats off to you Jason. Plus, if this guy can't figure out his mistake, I may ask you to name a price!

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I can't believe that a tech doesn't have the means to test them before giving them back. I also don't really know what could have been screwed up. It's all pretty simple. Keep us posted.


Jason A.

I was pretty surprised that they hadn't tested them. I've used these folks before with no problems. They're the local recommended service folks for Allen & Heath and Korg. They're an EV service provider, so they do mics. Wierd. Still I'm optimistic. At least, for a while.

The next step in my saga...let my education begin!

I got my mics back repaired. They had a connection reversed somewhere. So I ran a test. One of the mics sounds much smoother, with cleaner highs and lows, but has less output than the unmodded mic. Is that expected? Its not a problem to me.

The second modded mic has higher output with the smoother cleaner highs and lows, but a huge jump in background snow. Anybody know what that could be from? I hate to be an a-hole with folks who have a good rep, but this is getting rediculous.

Its even more rediculous when you know the real problems.

The first problem was that my mics were wired different than in Dorsey's article. The second problem turned out to be the mic capsule. It had been dropped years ago and, I guess, the problems never showed up unitl I did the mods. So we put on various capsules from different mics, all of which resolved the problems and each of which sounded different! How 'bout them apples?

Meanwhile, the mics do sound much nicer w/ the mod...except for the one with the damaged mic capsule.

One of mine had a lower output after mod. It turned out to be a solder joint touching the case. There's more detail on the first page of this thread. I'm not quite sure if you're still having problems except for the bad capsule but if so then you might check that. Especially the joint at the end of the 1 or 2G resistors on top of the post (up by the capsule) It would be real easy to put a big ball of solder there and touch the case.


Jason A.

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason A.:
One of mine had a lower output after mod. It turned out to be a solder joint touching the case. There's more detail on the first page of this thread. I'm not quite sure if you're still having problems except for the bad capsule but if so then you might check that. Especially the joint at the end of the 1 or 2G resistors on top of the post (up by the capsule) It would be real easy to put a big ball of solder there and touch the case.


Jason A.

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Yeah, the tech retouched the joint up by the resistors before we tried using a different mic cap. I haven't put the mics back through the paces yet. I'll have time later tonight. Thanks for all the follow-up Jason

Hey, Jason--

Yes, I meant you! Sorry, meant to mention you by name and kept meaning to go back and clarify. I just got back from a little vacation. I understand that you're not a pro modifier! Just test them before you send them back to me.

Seriously, if you're game, how about shooting me an email at [email protected] with what you'd like to get for modifying four of 'em. What the heck, you know?

Ditto-

I've got a set that could use the love, and I'm not even CLOSE to thinking that I'm competent to try to mod them...

If someone w/Skeelz wants to do them for me, I'd be willing to pay...

I sat down to record a comparison between an unmodded and modded mic. While I was at it, I was going to contrast my new A-Designs pre. Well, I set everything up and let it all get nice and warm...and I'm watching the vu meter jumping like a bunny on one mic. I checked and rechecked, switched mic heads, everything...one of the modded mics is still crapola! The big cheese at the repair shop is supposed to look at it next. I'm pissed. I'm bummed. I'm damn glad I didn't try to do the work!

Help! I got my mc012's back for the 4th time, and they're both screwed up. You can hear a sample at the listening station, Kudos and a plea for help. I desperately need someone who can fix my mic. I'll ship. I'll pay!

Please, please, please!!!

The output is most likely to be lower with the Dorsey mod.
I have redrawn the MC012 circuitboard completely, including moving all components to one side. I build everything from scratch.
We started selling these upgrades little more than a year ago and so far we sold about 100 of them.
Oktava really uses crap components and after upgrading more than 100 MC012's I have found that most of them look completetly different from each other. It seems like they have some random way of selectig the components. Maybe they are blindfolded or something...
I love the MC012 capsules though, they are great. But it's the same thing with these. They are of very uneven quality, and I would definitely test and match before buy.
The small diaphragm Okavas are better than the large diaphragms though.

I just finished this mod on another 4 mics and I had to make a minimum buy on the hard to find FET's (I forget the number). If anyone needs some I'll be more than happy to sell them for what I paid for them.

Also note that Ohmite has discontinued the R1 resistor stated in the article. I found out the hard way after miscounting the number I needed and then not being able to get the remainder. I emailed Scott Dorsey and he said the .5W ones work fine but are a tight fit. Actually, the .5W ones are discontinued as well but Digikey still had a few in stock. Theoretically the .25W and the .5W should sound the same. I put the .25W in one pair and the .5W in the other. I didn't hear a difference in the rough tests I did.

I also have a few of the resistors if you need them but not many.

Let me know.


Jason A.

Jason-

Any interest in taking on a mod job?

Like I stated earlier in the thread, I have neither the time, patience, or skills to mod these myself, but would like to get one of my two sets done.

E-mail me at H2oskiphil(at)aol(dot)com and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Phil

Phil,

Sent you an email


Jason A.

Hello
I buyed a pair of o12 a few years ago and I am very interested in the mod.
The links to the parts didn't work.
Can anyone give me a place where I can find it ?
I live in Holland

DPA Steven

Hello everybody.
I am very interested in the mod of the octava 012, but the magazine with the article is sold out. Do anyone have a copy of the article they would like to share with me?
Also, Erik, since you did so much work on redesigning the board etc. Are you still selling the mod, how and where can I get it, or would you be willing to share it with me? I quite like the oktavas the way they are, but the thought that they could be even better appeals to me.
Thank for your attention...