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Post by Tbone81 on Feb 12, 2024 16:55:07 GMT -6
Can anyone identify what might be causing this distortion? This is a Lawson L47, bought used and working perfectly until just a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was just normal plosives but its quickly becoming very common. So common that it ruined several takes of a live performance I was tracking two days ago.
The wave form looks crazy, the sound seems to drop out, and its not really connected with how loud or how hard the singer is hitting the mic. A pop filter does seem to help quite a bit, but in the examples posted the vocalist was singing pretty quietly and not pointed at the mic (with a pop filter). I've had this happen with two different artists now, both times they were approximately 12-18" from the mic.
Thoughts on what could be causing this? I've heard of moisture building up on diaphragms of u87's and causing weird cut outs and distortion, is this the same thing? Maybe the mics internal shock mount is wonky?
Wave form screen Shots:
Sound Files:
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Post by wiz on Feb 12, 2024 17:00:28 GMT -6
sounds to me like moisture on the capsule....or the capsule needing a good clean.....my U87i did a similar thing once.... I put it under a light globe for a while and it was good...
If you give it a good old plosive on purpose does it cut out completely?
cheers
Wiz
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Feb 12, 2024 17:50:54 GMT -6
I was actually going to post about similar problem today that I'm having with my UT FET47. Mine just gets distorted and softer and then slowly gets louder like a compressor pumping.
I was also wondering if this was a wet capsule maybe? Singer was pretty close to the mic on a prior session with no pop filter. But there were no plosives or anything and it was a soft part so I let it roll. Hoping I didn't destroy the mic.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Feb 12, 2024 19:35:14 GMT -6
Can anyone identify what might be causing this distortion? This is a Lawson L47, bought used and working perfectly until just a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was just normal plosives but its quickly becoming very common. So common that it ruined several takes of a live performance I was tracking two days ago.
The wave form looks crazy, the sound seems to drop out, and its not really connected with how loud or how hard the singer is hitting the mic. A pop filter does seem to help quite a bit, but in the examples posted the vocalist was singing pretty quietly and not pointed at the mic (with a pop filter). I've had this happen with two different artists now, both times they were approximately 12-18" from the mic.
Thoughts on what could be causing this? I've heard of moisture building up on diaphragms of u87's and causing weird cut outs and distortion, is this the same thing? Maybe the mics internal shock mount is wonky?
Wave form screen Shots:
Sound Files:
Give the folks at Lawson a call, their service has its equals but nobody better. |
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Post by chessparov on Feb 12, 2024 23:49:59 GMT -6
I was actually going to post about similar problem today that I'm having with my UT FET47. Mine just gets distorted and softer and then slowly gets louder like a compressor pumping. I was also wondering if this was a wet capsule maybe? Singer was pretty close to the mic on a prior session with no pop filter. But there were no plosives or anything and it was a soft part so I let it roll. Hoping I didn't destroy the mic. I bet Chad's great too.  |
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Post by Blackdawg on Feb 12, 2024 23:53:14 GMT -6
Either capsule or Phantom power circuit has an issue.
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Post by svart on Feb 13, 2024 8:20:52 GMT -6
Sounds a lot like a humid (and possibly dirty) capsule problem.
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Post by doubledog on Feb 13, 2024 8:35:47 GMT -6
probably a great time for a reminder to just buy some silica gel desiccant packs. they are cheap. -- www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YJH2J6Qput them in every mic case or pouch and then close the case/pouch (otherwise the desiccant pack is trying to remove moisture from your whole room and it never will succeed) I had an SDC that was getting some weird crackles/pops while recording. after a couple days in a zip lock bag with some new desiccant packs, it worked great again (and I run a dehumidifier as well as the A/C or heat). Apparently a lot of mics are very sensitive to moisture that you don't even know is in your studio/room/place of recording. I have not had a problem since putting these with every mic. |
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Post by jmoose on Feb 15, 2024 18:44:01 GMT -6
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Feb 15, 2024 22:55:40 GMT -6
Hey Moose, the rechargeable Silva packs are nice, but I have another option. The color changing packs that tell you they are giving BG up the Ghost. The problem is you never know if the other packs are working till you absolutely positively know they are not! Also ziplock bags Silca is spec’ed for a specific area so why not limit it, plus they keep debris from typical decaying mic box/ bag foam out of the mic. |
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Post by doubledog on Feb 16, 2024 8:01:58 GMT -6
probably a great time for a reminder to just buy some silica gel desiccant packs. they are cheap. -- www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YJH2J6Qput them in every mic case or pouch and then close the case/pouch (otherwise the desiccant pack is trying to remove moisture from your whole room and it never will succeed) If we're gonna go the silica pack route then at least get rechargeable packs... Stick 'em in the microwave to dry out and reuse over & over. Those single use ones have a limited life and if your grabbing them from something that you already bought they're probably used up and no good anymore anyway. the silica gel packs I linked are also "rechargeable" and reusable. |
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Post by dok on Feb 16, 2024 12:07:57 GMT -6
the silica gel packs I linked are also "rechargeable" and reusable. also something I learned recently is that they are NOT EDIBLE |
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Post by Tbone81 on Feb 16, 2024 12:18:39 GMT -6
Its in its way back to Lawson as I right this. We’ll see what they say. |
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Post by chessparov on Feb 16, 2024 12:59:31 GMT -6
the silica gel packs I linked are also "rechargeable" and reusable. also something I learned recently is that they are NOT EDIBLE Uh oh. Guess I'll cough up the one I just swallowed. Thought it might improve my DRY humor! Hit me Drummer! Chris P.S. Best of luck. |
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Post by Ward on Feb 17, 2024 17:56:01 GMT -6
the silica gel packs I linked are also "rechargeable" and reusable. also something I learned recently is that they are NOT EDIBLE Challenge accepted. |
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Post by doubledog on Apr 2, 2024 11:06:57 GMT -6
Its in its way back to Lawson as I right this. We’ll see what they say. so what did they say? is it fixed? |
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Post by chessparov on Apr 2, 2024 11:09:57 GMT -6
also something I learned recently is that they are NOT EDIBLE Challenge accepted. And...Is Ward finally down to just... One pack a day? Chris |
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Post by Ward on Apr 2, 2024 16:20:19 GMT -6
And...Is Ward finally down to just... One pack a day? Chris I am Down with the Sickness . . . maybe I ate too many? |
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Post by Tbone81 on Apr 2, 2024 17:55:23 GMT -6
Update: Lawson said the diaphragm was collapsing against the backplate and shorting out. It required a new capsule. Waiting for the repair to be finished, excited to get my mic back.
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Post by doubledog on Apr 2, 2024 18:30:45 GMT -6
cool, hope it's working like new!
I bought a used Mojave MA-1000 a year or so ago. It sounded like the ocean - white noise and variable whooshing sounds. It came from eBay and a pawn shop if I remember. The mic did not work (they said it did - but they didn't have the cable so I was pretty sure they did not test it). I was able to negotiate a partial refund which paid for me to ship it back to Mojave. Mojave is great. They replaced the capsule and the tube (even though I suspect the tube was not the problem, the tube is soldered in so it saves me from doing it later). I had tried the rice bag, silica gel, even putting it under a (incandescent) light bulb to promote some drying, but whatever damaged it had taken its toll before I got it. Anyway, got the mic back (with new tube and new capsule) and it works great and the cost for the repair was quite reasonable (I got a short troubleshooting conversation with David Royer before I sent it in so that was fun too).
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