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[Debbie Dunkley]

I've spoken into one to test, but never used it on-stage for vocals. It's got a fairly neutral response, though, so I expect it'd work just fine. It's worked on everything else I've tried it on.
I did end up using an M201TG for vocals (with a foam ball on the end) once. Sounded excellent.

Agree with Craig's post above - I have a habit of collecting mics, too. Most of the time I buy them to fix up (AKG D12s with no bass are a speciality), and they often hang around for a while. Occasionally a particular mic will come out on request (people seem to love D12s, not sure why), but they mostly sit in a box until I decide to sell them on to fund useful equipment.
My most oddball/weird mic at the moment features an aluminium diaphragm attached to a piezo crystal. Sounds exactly as you'd expect. Zingy.

Chris

I think collecting mics to fix or mod would be a cool, fun thing to do - not too expensive either compared to some other pieces of a Sound Person's arsenal....

[Chris Grimshaw]

I think collecting mics to fix or mod would be a cool, fun thing to do - not too expensive either compared to some other pieces of a Sound Person's arsenal....

Yeah, it's not bad.

Always sad to find one that can't be fixed, though - the killer is when the voicecoil wire breaks underneath the diaphragm. You can see the issue, but no way of fixing it. Lost an AKG D224E to that - had it working for a week before my soldering failed. Lovely mic, though, and the engineering behind it was excellent. In the end, I set it up like an exploded diagram and attached the components to some nice wood board. It's on the wall in the workshop/study.

The difficulty with modding mics is finding good capsules to put in there. If someone makes a good capsule, it's often already in a microphone. I might see if Sennheiser will sell me their 935 capsules.

Chris

[Mike Caldwell]

One thing to consider with a retro fit mod is that some hand held mic elements use the back cavity of the mic body for the part of the element tuning.

I have amassed some old retro mics, one in paticuler an EV 726 with it's overly large body has always been one I have wanted to retro fit with something modern.
But after a couple of check one two's I'm sure it would end up sitting back on the shelf!!

Here's a couple links for vintage mic info with lots of pictures.

http://w1tp.com/impermic.htm

http://www.coutant.org/contents.html

[Debbie Dunkley]

One thing to consider with a retro fit mod is that some hand held mic elements use the back cavity of the mic body for the part of the element tuning.

I have amassed some old retro mics, one in paticuler an EV 726 with it's overly large body has always been one I have wanted to retro fit with something modern.
But after a couple of check one two's I'm sure it would end up sitting back on the shelf!!

Here's a couple links for vintage mic info with lots of pictures.

http://w1tp.com/impermic.htm

http://www.coutant.org/contents.html

Thanks for the links Mike....
How can some things be so ugly yet so beautiful at the same time??

[Tim Weaver]

Tim: ... I did in fact see your post and pic using taped on PRO45 - forgot about it..... that sounds like an easy fix for me. Grab a 55 and find an inconspicuous way to tape on a better mic. I have a couple of AT4041's.
Question - why use the 55 for monitors? Why not just turn it off and use the better mic for FOH and monitors?

Tim Mc: A dressed up 609 or 906? I have 906's - I wonder if I could dress one up somehow?

It certainly sounds like the factory sound of the 55 (from any era) is NOT one that is desirable for ANY purpose by anyone here. Good to know - I'll have a good think about which way to go.... fun project either way.

I suggested using the 55 for the wedges simply to avoid using a small diaphragm condenser for wedges. You can hack up the 55's EQ to make the wedge work while keeping the condenser neutral for FOH.

Weirdly I never suggest using a Beta87 for any live stage, but for hiding inside a 55 shell that might work well. Assuming stage volume is under control. A beta87 is just the worst vocal mic. I much prefer the SM86 if you want that condenser sound. Or the KSM9 if you want to ball.

[Debbie Dunkley]

I suggested using the 55 for the wedges simply to avoid using a small diaphragm condenser for wedges. You can hack up the 55's EQ to make the wedge work while keeping the condenser neutral for FOH.

Weirdly I never suggest using a Beta87 for any live stage, but for hiding inside a 55 shell that might work well. Assuming stage volume is under control. A beta87 is just the worst vocal mic. I much prefer the SM86 if you want that condenser sound. Or the KSM9 if you want to ball.

Oh that makes sense with the monitors.
Chris (hubby) uses a KSM8 and he absolutely LOVES it. I have tried it on a couple of female singers and they loved it too. Now I would really like to get one of those capsules in that 55.

[John P. Farrell]

Oh that makes sense with the monitors.
Chris (hubby) uses a KSM8 and he absolutely LOVES it. I have tried it on a couple of female singers and they loved it too. Now I would really like to get one of those capsules in that 55.

How often would you use it?  Thats a lot of cannibalizing expensive equipment for a VERY specialized item. 

JF

[Debbie Dunkley]

How often would you use it?  Thats a lot of cannibalizing expensive equipment for a VERY specialized item. 

JF

I wouldn't use it very often but that has never stopped me before 

[Jason Glass]

I wouldn't use it very often but that has never stopped me before 

I also love to mod mics, and have done exactly as what is being discussed here (place a modern capsule in a classic housing) for artists such as Miranda Lambert.  So I totally get it.

But here's a thought: this thread is putting the cart before the horse.  How about listening to the mic and trying to put all of these opinions about it out of your consciousness while you do so?  The 55SH is a perfectly capable instrument for a skilled engineer.

I have it on good authority that Metallica's 55's (admittedly "Super" variant) are bone stock.  I don't know if you went to see S&M 2 at IMAX, but I did, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with the James Vox track.  Went to the Nashville Death Magnetic show and the vocal was superb.  Even with razor bright guitars peeling the paint off the walls, the vocal was smooth, front, and center.

Maybe let your ears make the call?

[lindsay Dean]

I'm going to throw this thing for consideration
why not put a wireless short boom headset mic on the performer
and just make it look like he's using a vintage mic

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