bazzzzou
109 posts
Aug 26, 2012
11:22 AM
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I want to put a very warm an old sound into my green bullet wich one should I take?
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Greg Heumann
1754 posts
Aug 26, 2012
12:06 PM
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Which shell?
What's your budget?
How advanced are your microphone skills?
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/Greg
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bazzzzou
110 posts
Aug 26, 2012
1:01 PM
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its a standard new 520dx green bullet
I would say under 300
and I cup this mic very well even if its big, i am use to playing with this microphone.
I am looking for a very old warm and glassy tone.
I am also interested by your Ultimate Airline 77 System with the sm57.
But I just want to start with the old sound for my bullet, i also have another mic with a 99c86 element in it and it is very dark and distortioned so want something a litle warmer. I love to have diffrent mic for diffrent styles.
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Jehosaphat
285 posts
Aug 26, 2012
1:40 PM
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I bought a C/M element from Greg.It arrived post haste from the states to NZ .
Great price and it is an awesome element in my astatic T3
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Greg Heumann
1755 posts
Aug 26, 2012
2:18 PM
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Any of the CM's are an improvement- I would go with a single impedance CM or better.
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/Greg
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bazzzzou
111 posts
Aug 26, 2012
2:54 PM
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what do you mean by better, and how much $$?
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Greg Heumann
1756 posts
Aug 26, 2012
9:13 PM
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Hi - here's how I characterize the various Shure elements: the Shure CM's and CR's are excellent elements with that "brown sound" - anything from the single impedance CM on up is very, very good. Let me try to describe the difference this way:
1 - dual impedance CM (99S556)
2 - single impedance CM
3 - premium CM
4 - white label CR
5 - black label CR
The difference between a 1 and a 5? Anyone can hear it. The 5 is warmer, fatter and grittier. Between a 2 and a 4? Most good players can hear it. Between any two adjacent numbers? A really good player can hear it - but the variation from one element to the next of the SAME category is as big or bigger a difference. In other words, moving from a 4 to a 5 improves your odds, but may or may not result in an appreciably better element. The price IS driven by both tone AND scarcity which is why the price begins to get really steep. I put #2 elements in my wood mics by default and they are very, very good elements. (In fact, the difference between 1 and 2 is a good deal greater than any other interval.)
These are my prices - does not include shipping or gasket:
99S556 dual impedance CM (what was in a Shure 520D) | $85 | in stock |
99A86 / 99B86 CM (what was in a Shure 520) | $145 | in stock |
99G86/99H86 white label CM's, Other "premium" CMs | $195 | in stock |
| 99H86 / 99G86 white label CR's | $265 | in stock |
| 99A86 / 99H86 / 99G86 black label CR's | $295 | in stock |
| Astatic MC-151 Crystal 100% output | $245 | in stock |
| Astatic MC-127 Ceramic | $265 | in stock |
| Shure R7 Crystal - 80% output | $345 | in stock |
| Shure R7 Crystal - 100% output | $395 | out of stock |
| Brush Crystal - 80% output | $295 | in stock |
| Brush Crystal - 100% output | $365 | in stock |
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/Greg
Last Edited by on Aug 26, 2012 9:14 PM
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Jehosaphat
286 posts
Aug 26, 2012
9:17 PM
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I didn't get a brush Crystal ;-)
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shbamac
209 posts
Aug 27, 2012
6:29 AM
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Last vintage CM I bought - $28 including shipping...
You'll never know if you are going to like they way it sounds untill you get it, set it up in your shell and play it through your rig.
I've grown fond of Mexican 99S556's for certain tones. They tend to be a bit brighter but just as if not more grittier but more nasally than any of the other elements. That's been my experience of them anyway.
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NiteCrawler .
190 posts
Aug 27, 2012
6:50 AM
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@shbamac I agree with you on the Mex CM 99S556 (cream color)to my ears compared to my blackie CR,151,s,127,s sound the best but with that said its a matter of the players taste.I like a dirtier,fat bottom end for alot of our tunes and for a thinner/higher end sound I go to the crystals.And all elements although they may have the same #,s can and will have different tones.One ques. that I have asked before and never got a response to was about the hotter than hell crystal element marked W 7 in a turner shell that I bought some yrs back,does anyone have any info on these and also can it be tamed down in any way?Thanks if you can help.
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shbamac
210 posts
Aug 27, 2012
7:54 AM
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Crystal element marked W7... seems like I recall seeing some crystals marked W7. I'd have to go through my stash and I'm out of town. But now I want to check... Would like to see some pictures of that element (front and back) if you can. As far as taming it down I would use a in-line volume pot. That's what I've done in the past anyway. I've got a EV 920 with the original crystal that I don't use anymore that's to hot...
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sustaireblues
22 posts
Aug 27, 2012
1:09 PM
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Okay, basic ignorance here. Can someone explain what these terms mean? CM, CR, Crystal, Ceramic, Brush Crystal, etc.
And where do you get a vintage CM element for $28?
Thanks,
Joe
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shbamac
211 posts
Aug 27, 2012
4:08 PM
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A good place to start if you want to learn what these terms mean got to www.greenbulletmics.com.
Basically
CR = Controlled Reluctance
CM = Controlled Magnetic
CR and CM are the same thing
Crystal element is made of bimorph rochelle salt
Ceramic is a man made version of a crystal made of ceramic
Brush was a manufacturer of mics and elemets
Elements can be had from many different places. The one I bought for $28 was off ebay. I typically do not buy elements off ebay though. I took a chance on that one not knowing what kind of element it was or if it even worked. But it did and works just fine.
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Greg Heumann
1758 posts
Aug 28, 2012
12:38 AM
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CR and CM are not the same thing. They are similar but CR's had a little metal "hat" crimped onto the pin that leads from the diaphragm into the coil. That interacts with the vibrations of the diaphragm differently than the drop of glue used on CM elements.
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/Greg
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shbamac
212 posts
Aug 28, 2012
5:19 AM
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Jesus... nitpick if you will... I knew someone would chime in. Yes the contruction of the CR and CM is different. That information is clearly outlined on the above website. And in that sense that are not the same thing. But they are "BASICALLY (to indicate that a statement summarizes the most important aspects of a more complex situation)" the same thing. I quess I didn't make it clear that all statments below the word bascilly fall under that assumption.
This is very similar to the fact that speakers are/or can be used as a mic. In two of my mics I use speakers as the elements. So in that sense the speaker and the mic element are "BASICALLY" that same thing...
Last Edited by on Aug 28, 2012 5:38 AM
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sustaireblues
23 posts
Aug 28, 2012
5:56 AM
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Thanks guys, I'm learning.
Joe
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shbamac
213 posts
Aug 28, 2012
6:54 AM
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To true atty. I've blown to much money on gear because I didn't want to wait and with the thought that this or that would make me a better sounding player or make me happy (and starbucks... drinking one now, how sad am I?).
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Greg Heumann
1759 posts
Aug 28, 2012
9:15 AM
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I would also add that, if at all possible, you shouldn't make a decision based on what you hear from others, especially over the 'net. Every player varies as does his or her rig, along with the recording environment and the compression of web-delivered audio/video - and these all conspire to hide the nuances which most clearly express the differences from one element to another. The very BEST way is to A/B two elements back and forth, back and forth - as YOU play them - to hear what works best for you; 2nd best is to hear someone else A/B them for you - at least everything else will be consistent. I know that is often not possible but as you begin to play out, go to jams and meet other harp players, you'll find many are interested in exactly the same question, and might be willing to get together for such a comparison test.
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/Greg
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bazzzzou
113 posts
Aug 28, 2012
2:34 PM
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thanks greg, I'll think a litle and I'll try to ear some comparison of diffrent elements.
I have another question for you, do you change the element in your ultimate sm57 and does your mods affect the sound of the mic??
Thanks alot!
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naptown jack
8 posts
Aug 31, 2012
7:22 AM
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If anybody needs mic work done, mr. Heumann is THE MAN. He built 2 of his classic personalized wooden rigs for my sons, replaced dead crystal elements in a JT-30 and T-3, changed the cable on my old greenie and did some work on my friend's two ancient rigs. He is a craftsman. He's prompt and thorough and even honest. Hard to believe in this day and age. He put 99A/B86's in my rigs and they're fine. It's the player,dudes! Someone once told Chet Atkins how good his guitar tone was. He laid it on the floor and asked " how's it sound now?" Greg, you thought it was a big deal when Hummel endorsed ya, consider yourself oficially endorsed by Naptown Jack. You better hire some help 'cause the business is gonna pour in!
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Greg Heumann
1766 posts
Aug 31, 2012
8:45 AM
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@Bazzzzou: The Ultimate 57 uses the stoc Shure SM57 head. Tone change is minimal. It is just much more comfortable to hold and easier to manage thanks to the volume control.
@naptown jack: :)!
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/Greg
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