May 12th, 2015
Chinese mics (and their boutique relabeled versions) almost all suffer from the same problems. In fact, AKG, Neumann, and many other big name manufacturers do not design their own internal power supplies, shielding, grounding, and RFI protection well enough. Now with today's super sensitive mic elements with high gain circuitry, and more radio frequencies emanating from computers and cell phones, such shortcomings can appear more obvious – these signals can invade mics or preamp wiring, causing noise, hash sometimes confused as mic noise, and hiss. Our mods correct those shortcomings. Most Chinese mics like the Apex 460 can be modified with better, more correct capacitors, welded chassis grounds, and multistage RFI filters to lower the noise floor and improve long term use.
I like modern mics quite a bit, but quality control can be an issue. Sometimes you get an off spec capsule, tube, or FET, but we test and heat run all of our items to ensure that we only sell the best products. That testing (and our guarantee) is part of the modification, too.
Many people have been misled with supposedly high-end name brand capacitors, resistors, and other components, but this is not the important issue. Some recommend changing out the capsule; that is a totally nonsensical issue, because the elements are so good already - and you could buy the “different” mic for less than the mod, anyway! A change of capsule may not match the correct polarizing voltage on the capsule or even match impedance to the front end circuit, so the noise floor of the mic will almost always be made worse.
A modification which some technicians do is to simply add a filter to roll off low or high end frequency response; but really, you have equalization at the preamp for that. Find David Bock's article in Tape Op from years ago. He explains that most mics are mechanically similar, and most "designers" are simply changing equalization, gain, or filters inside the mic. Same element, different sound. Admittedly, some transformer change-outs can make an obvious difference, but I don't see the cost efficiency of this. Remember that most vintage mics achieve a different sound through the use of equalization in the mics' own internal preamp design. But what I've found to be true is that a certain “thicker” sound character can be created when the transformed mic is loaded to a transformed preamp input.
Ultimately, it's all about how you use the mic. Indeed, some designs are intentionally slightly “warm” and low gain, and are therefore more correct for close field (6 inches to 1 foot) instrument recording. The Apex mic is more suited to midfield distances (1 to 6 foot) when recording. It's a full bandwidth mic, and if placed close to the source, it can sound almost too bright and detailed.
I could alter an Apex mic circuit to have less gain and roll off the highs, a sound somewhat like an older Neumann. So really, all the debate about the sound of various mics misses the real issue. Many virtually identical condenser, dynamic, and ribbon mics have some, or are entirely made out of, Asian originated parts and design. Apex is the supplier to countless expensive, high-end brand names. The real question to ask is: what are you using the mic for? If you want super clear, high definition sound with a slight tube "veiling" (in other words, warmth), then an Apex 460 is a nice choice.
To be clear, my mods are really about changing out some crucial better quality caps and RFI, shielding, and better grounding (lock washers on grounds and a welded board ground).
In my opinion, many expensive mics are all about sentimental marketing by companies who simply import a special color version of a basic design. There is no doubt a somewhat conspiratorial effort in today's market to maintain an illusion that quality microphones must be expensive. Ironically, in most cases, high cost mics are simply a matter of finish quality (yes, Neumann does excellent nickle plating) and the cost of labor to Q.C., burn in, and test the unit again.
For tube design mics, selecting the lowest noise and most easily available replacement tube or element is also very crucial. This careful selection of the tube is part of the "mod" we do. The Apex 460 has a good history of nice spec tubes and capsules, and Apex supplies all the parts very inexpensively – I actually use their parts to fix many other brands' products.
In the past I wholeheartedly recommended Audio Technica mics as comparable, and even superior, to any of the old big names. And indeed, in this digital era, engineers and studios now place A-T at the top of the list. The irony again, though, is that they raised prices and other makers may offer a better cost/performance deal. The truth is, the best top shelf mics sometimes may have a slightly better noise floor, but in this era it's only 2 or 3 db better at most, and the mics cost double for just that one tiny step up. Today's preamps are quieter and modern mics have enough dynamic range and headroom that it obviates a 2 or 3 db noise floor difference.
Even more ironic is the fact that some modern inexpensive mics can actually perform past the limitations of many mic preamps. Today's mics can receive 140+ db of total dynamic range (or more), and most older mics cannot. This is why many older designs can seem "softer" sounding, which can add some pleasant character to the recording; but again, a modern mic like the Marshall V77 (a tube design) intentionally allows the tubes and transformer circuit to squash the sound a little. An Apex 460 is in that same category. The sound is nice and clean, but slightly compressed at the top end dynamics. In my opinion, it's the best of both concepts.
It's important to choose a mic for your needs – for example, certain mics capture mid-range vocals a little better, and some do far field recording better. Also, many modern mics have incredibly wide frequency bandwidth capture, so close field mic techniques give the impression of too much detail. But again, changing a few equalizer parts in the mic's circuit can “warm it up.” It's all about taste and what will set up nicely in the mix. If you want a deeper opinion, then explaining the use and which preamp might narrow the selection. I'm most enthusiastic about a CAD 8000 or an Apex 460, which has a wide range of constantly adjustable pick up patterns, no doubt making it an obvious, crucial and valuable recording tool. Such capabilities allow you to voice the mic for its position, depth, and instrument or vocal use.
Parts of this article were written previously to customers who e-mailed in with similar questions, so please forgive any drifting around the subject I may have done. If anything was unclear, if you have any questions that I haven't answered, or if you need information and advice about anything else related to audio, please feel free to call me at (617) 926-8020 or e-mail sales@audioproz.com.
- Vince
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