Rode NTK with NOS mullard tubes -totally different animal!

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Hey all. My friend gave me a set of NOS Mullard CV2493's and I put them in
my pair of Rode NTK's. I have done my first tests on ac gtr and my vocals
through an API 312. WOW! Huge difference! Smoother highs and a much more
natural response. Definitely mellowed out the top end. Much less sibilant
on vocals and less annoying pick noise on a freshly strung Martin HD-28.
Also, the low mids felt more robust (not wooly though), but I am not sure if
that feels that way because of the smoother top. I can't wait to hear them
on drums. I was very skeptical, but I am very happy. The mics sound much
warmer and "vintage" in a very good way and now they will be used for more
than just 2nd choice room and vocal mics.

Just my thoughts and I thought you all might be interested.


http://twintwelve.net/
 
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On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:13:09 -0400, James O'Connell wrote
(in article <BD822764.93DD2%joconnel@pacbell.net>):

> Hey all. My friend gave me a set of NOS Mullard CV2493's and I put them in
> my pair of Rode NTK's. I have done my first tests on ac gtr and my vocals
> through an API 312. WOW! Huge difference! Smoother highs and a much more
> natural response. Definitely mellowed out the top end. Much less sibilant
> on vocals and less annoying pick noise on a freshly strung Martin HD-28.
> Also, the low mids felt more robust (not wooly though), but I am not sure if
> that feels that way because of the smoother top. I can't wait to hear them
> on drums. I was very skeptical, but I am very happy. The mics sound much
> warmer and "vintage" in a very good way and now they will be used for more
> than just 2nd choice room and vocal mics.
>
> Just my thoughts and I thought you all might be interested.
>
>
> http://twintwelve.net/

Good to know. I have a friend with a Neumann U67. He has two old tubes for
it. One makes the mic sound very good, the other makes it sound magical. I
have an NTK. I wonder what one of Aspen Pittman's special groove tubes
replacements would do? They really made a big difference in my old fender
amps.

Regards,

Ty Ford






-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com
 
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Ty Ford <tyreeford@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<c6udncfUNvaJxcDcRVn-tQ@comcast.com>...
> On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:13:09 -0400, James O'Connell wrote
> (in article <BD822764.93DD2%joconnel@pacbell.net>):
>
>
> Good to know. I have a friend with a Neumann U67. He has two old tubes for
> it. One makes the mic sound very good, the other makes it sound magical. I
> have an NTK. I wonder what one of Aspen Pittman's special groove tubes
> replacements would do? They really made a big difference in my old fender
> amps.
>

Ty, are there certain clients for which you use the "very good" tube,
and then some clients for which you use the "magic" tube? <g>

Karl Winkler
Lectrosonics, Inc.
http://www.lectrosonics.com
 
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> > Hey all. My friend gave me a set of NOS Mullard CV2493's and I put them
in
> > my pair of Rode NTK's. I have done my first tests on ac gtr and my
vocals
> > through an API 312. WOW! Huge difference! Smoother highs and a much
more
> > natural response. Definitely mellowed out the top end. Much less
sibilant
> > on vocals and less annoying pick noise on a freshly strung Martin HD-28.
> > Also, the low mids felt more robust (not wooly though), but I am not
sure if
> > that feels that way because of the smoother top. I can't wait to hear
them
> > on drums. I was very skeptical, but I am very happy. The mics sound
much
> > warmer and "vintage" in a very good way and now they will be used for
more
> > than just 2nd choice room and vocal mics.
>
> Good to know. I have a friend with a Neumann U67. He has two old tubes
for
> it. One makes the mic sound very good, the other makes it sound magical. I
> have an NTK. I wonder what one of Aspen Pittman's special groove tubes
> replacements would do? They really made a big difference in my old fender
> amps.

Never assume a tube that sounds good in guitar amps will sound good in
studio or hi-fi gear. For example Svetlana's are great value for guitar,
but pretty nasty for full-range use.

The NTK can use any ECC88 variant (E88CC, CCa, PCC88, 6DJ8, 7DJ8, 6922,
7308, to name a few). They come with Sovtek 6922's, even if they have a JAN
Phillips label. A US-made JAN Phillips 6922 is a good upgrade option,
Siemens CCa is probably the best you'll find.

Here's a page with all the compatible types and a good european source for
vintage tubes:
http://www.machmat.com/sales/ecc88.htm

Of the tubes listed I'd say the NOS Tesla E88CC's are the best value at
24euro or 59 for a matched pair.
 
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On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 16:21:49 -0400, Karl Winkler wrote
(in article <82150ded.0410011221.681b25cc@posting.google.com>):

> Ty Ford <tyreeford@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:<c6udncfUNvaJxcDcRVn-tQ@comcast.com>...
>> On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:13:09 -0400, James O'Connell wrote
>> (in article <BD822764.93DD2%joconnel@pacbell.net>):
>>
>>
>> Good to know. I have a friend with a Neumann U67. He has two old tubes for
>> it. One makes the mic sound very good, the other makes it sound magical. I
>> have an NTK. I wonder what one of Aspen Pittman's special groove tubes
>> replacements would do? They really made a big difference in my old fender
>> amps.
>>
>
> Ty, are there certain clients for which you use the "very good" tube,
> and then some clients for which you use the "magic" tube? <g>
>
> Karl Winkler
> Lectrosonics, Inc.
> http://www.lectrosonics.com

Hi karl,

Well they were his mics not mine. I found it pretty interesting. I had
thought that the tubes were basically there to perform an impedance change
function, rather than an audio function. Maybe you could shed some light on
the 67. I'm guessing that different tube mic might use the tube differently.

Regards,

Ty



-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com
 
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"Ty Ford" <tyreeford@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:V-WdnRPGzfzqIsPcRVn-tw@comcast.com...

>
> Hi karl,
>
> Well they were his mics not mine. I found it pretty interesting. I had
> thought that the tubes were basically there to perform an impedance change
> function, rather than an audio function. Maybe you could shed some light
> on
> the 67. I'm guessing that different tube mic might use the tube
> differently.
>
With such incredibly high impedance at the capsual, I would have thought
that even the subtlest of changes around the impedance convertor could
potentially have a huge impact on the sonic performance of a condensor mic.
Any variation of capacitance or inductance across the capsual is going to
have a big effect on the mic when you are talking about giga-ohms of
impedance. Fets are virtually an open circuit at the gate, but I would
guess that the internal capacitance of tubes would vary from model to model.

Bill Ruys.
 
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Bill Ruys <bill.ruys@nospam.siliconaudio.co.nz> wrote:
>
>With such incredibly high impedance at the capsual, I would have thought
>that even the subtlest of changes around the impedance convertor could
>potentially have a huge impact on the sonic performance of a condensor mic.
>Any variation of capacitance or inductance across the capsual is going to
>have a big effect on the mic when you are talking about giga-ohms of
>impedance. Fets are virtually an open circuit at the gate, but I would
>guess that the internal capacitance of tubes would vary from model to model.

FETs are much more ugly loads than tubes... they not only have input
capacitance, but that capacitance varies with modulation (imagine a varactor
diode). Tubes don't have that problem, but they do have Miller effect which
results in an input capacitance that is effectively multiplied by the stage
gain.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
 
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"Bill Ruys" <bill.ruys@nospam.siliconaudio.co.nz> wrote in message news:<qV98d.9792$JQ4.652878@news.xtra.co.nz>...
> "Ty Ford" <tyreeford@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:V-WdnRPGzfzqIsPcRVn-tw@comcast.com...
>
> >
> > Hi karl,
> >
> > Well they were his mics not mine. I found it pretty interesting. I had
> > thought that the tubes were basically there to perform an impedance change
> > function, rather than an audio function. Maybe you could shed some light
> > on
> > the 67. I'm guessing that different tube mic might use the tube
> > differently.
> >
> With such incredibly high impedance at the capsual, I would have thought
> that even the subtlest of changes around the impedance convertor could
> potentially have a huge impact on the sonic performance of a condensor mic.
> Any variation of capacitance or inductance across the capsual is going to
> have a big effect on the mic when you are talking about giga-ohms of
> impedance. Fets are virtually an open circuit at the gate, but I would
> guess that the internal capacitance of tubes would vary from model to model.
>
> Bill Ruys.

This seems reasonable enough, although I honestly don't know enough
about tube electronics to say it's true or not. But different tubes of
the same designation sound different in every other type of circuit
(IMO) so this would suggest the same thing for mics.

Karl Winkler
Lectrosonics, Inc.
http://www.lectrosonics.com