Alternative Crystal Microphones

[ka4koe]

Given the fact that the D104 is no longer manufactured and since buying used heads is at best a crap shoot, has anyone tried other crystal microphones for our favorite Hi-Z boatanchors? Just doing some research. For instance, the Hohner Blues Master microphone appears to be a reworked Astatic JT-3. They advertise a crystal element (if IT is still under manufacture as well).

There are a lot of good looking vintage style microphones out there, IMHO. Frankly, the venerable D104 was never my favorite in terms of styling, although it sounds great.

I know I will start receiving death threats for some of these statements, but hey, life is short and uncertain in any event.

Philip "Death Wish" Neidlinger
KA4KOE

[WA2ROC]

I use an Astatic 10-C on my Viking 2 with great results.

Not crystal, but the EV 664 dynamic is a low or high impedance mike that I use on my Apache, Marauder and the KWM2-A with excellent audio reports.

Both are cool looking too, and there's a lot to be said for cool.....

[KA0HCP]

REAL Radio Men grow their own Rochelle Salt Crystals!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_sodium_tartrate

http://youtu.be/E1Ct3VUWvhQ
making Rochelle Salt piezo crystals

http://rimstar.org/materials/piezo/how_to_make_rochelle_salt_piezoelectric_crystal.htm

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rochelle-Salt/

[ka4koe]

Have you actually "rolled" your own?

P

[KA0HCP]

No, but since I found those links, it looks like an interesting project. 

The Bliley crystals website has detailed info on grinding crystals... I think it is do-able.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

There are lots of great microphones out there in the new and used market. Drop the vintage-style look and get a microphone that can make you sound good. The D-104 is too highly over-rated. As Dick ROC points out, the EV-664 is a real cool looking mike, even more so if you can find a gold one, and they sound great on vintage rigs. I've used one on my Apache since the 60's when I was a little kid and had to sit on a pillow to reach the transmit switch.

[flintstone mop]

The EV 664 was a very nice mic. Built rugged. We had those as county issued microphones and PA systems in the school system during the 1960's.
But it is a low impedance microphone.. Transformer or wiring trick to get it to high impedance for Ham use??
Fred

[w8khk]

Yes, it is a good mic.  I still have several that I used in the 60's as well.

The mic can be used as a high or low impedance device.  No external transformer required.  Just connect the white wire to pin 2 for high impedance use, or to pin 3 for 150 ohm low impedance, as shown in the attached wiring diagram.  The same configuration is used for the EV-676, which came out in the late 60's.  I used that one for years with the SB-101.

[WB5IRI]

Any one have any experience with the Astatic DN-HZ? Found one at a good price, but don't know if it's a good sounding mic or not. Specs look good. 40k impedance, 50-10k Hz.
Doug

[WA2ROC]

The EV664 was known in the recording and entertainment field as the Buchanan Hammer.

"The story behind the nickname, as I know it, is that during his legendary microphone lectures, the late Lou Burroughs (one of the founders of EV) would beat a 664 against a 2 x 4, and/or use it to hammer nails into a board, and then plug it in and use it for the rest of his presentation. The Buchanan part of the moniker refers to the town in Michigan where the company was headquartered for decades."

[WB5IRI]

Dick, tell me about the Astatic 10-C you use with your Viking. The specs say it's 300 to 3k -- you don't find that too restricted? Designed for SSB work, I think, but how does it sound on AM? I have a friend who wants to sell me one, price is good, but I want to know more about how it sounds on AM phone from someone with some experience using it.
Doug

[WA2ROC]

I opened up the audio coupling caps on my Viking II and found the 664's were just too bassy.  Rather than close up the audio, I use the 10-C with a narrower audio range and have received really good audio reports.

[ka4koe]

I remembered this article by W5TOM, 2003 QST.
    Mar 2003 - QST (Pg. 32)
    Of Mics and Men

Philip

[W7TFO]

The EV664 was known in the recording and entertainment field as the Buchanan Hammer.

"The story behind the nickname, as I know it, is that during his legendary microphone lectures, the late Lou Burroughs (one of the founders of EV) would beat a 664 against a 2 x 4, and/or use it to hammer nails into a board, and then plug it in and use it for the rest of his presentation. The Buchanan part of the moniker refers to the town in Michigan where the company was headquartered for decades."

May be, but the mic I saw with that demo was the 635A beating nails into a board, then back on a stand along with a new one.  You couldn't hear the difference when speaking into it.

This was done at NAB conventions for years, and that poor 635 was devoid of paint and full of dents.

73DG