ScottK
11 posts
Feb 09, 2017
11:36 AM
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After many hours of determination I decided that I wont be able to get this mic working- unless someone comes along and says- oh yeah I had the same problem and...
I'm not really looking for the answer and at this point, I know now I need to just get another. As a newbie as far as mics and amps I want to right now use what I already have which was this mic sm545sd or find my 57 that I haven't used for a while and is somewhere MIA in my basement or garage.I also have a couple 58s which I've used and tried using taking the ball off. I'm not looking for a mic with this post-I know about the great mics available (thanks to much info on this forum!) which someday I hope to pursue- Just sharing my story. (unless of course someone really does have the answer :)
So Its a mic I acquired when I let my daughters dance studio borrow my pa a coupe years ago and it ended up in my bag and they let me keep it. I never thought off using it for harp until a few months ago when I started learning more about harp mics and amps and realized it was a good mic for me to use.
As I've been learning and looking/trying out small amps I had been using it for a a month or so, and then it just stopped working some weeks back, when I was using at home trying it out with an old maxi mouse amp I fixed up- and had been using with a little, and my regular PA. and It def wasn't working, tried various cords, different pa channels etc..No sound is picked up
So in the past week little by little and a lot of hours using you tube some (not so much available on this mic but some for 57) I took it all apart, except for the on/off switch which is glued in but wires leading to it look ok, Took the top parts apart to view the 2 tiny wires on the cartridge, diaphragm, which all looked ok, xlr plug all look ok, made sure connections were tight, changed the impedance conector from lo to hi on the plug to see if that would work. A couple main wires came off the connection from unscrewing the top half off multiple times so I re soldered, and then when I took the top capsule apart I took all the wires off, cleaned up the terminals real nice from all the old solder, which was a lot from my first attempt, re-spliced and re-attached wires and soldered which was the last thing I did this morn hoping that would be the fix. (and it looked so nice...)Nope. No sound will come through except some handling noise, and tapping on the on/off switch makes a louder sound. When the mic is plugged in It does make a hum sound when switch is turned on, just still no sound will come through.
The good news is: (If it was really worth my obsession)
I know how to take a sm545sd completely apart, except for the on/off switch which is glued in) So I assume I can take apart an sm57 too
I know how to solder a wire to a connection(I had the soldering tool from trying to fix something some years back) but I watched YT video this time and am better.
I can strip the end of a very thin wire without cutting the wire...
I know I need another mic...
I tried.
Scott
Last Edited by ScottK on Feb 09, 2017 11:39 AM
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Killa_Hertz
2204 posts
Feb 09, 2017
2:53 PM
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I just wanna take a shot in the dark. Sounds like the transformer is shot.
If your getting handling noise but nothing else .. That leads me to belueve its the xfnr.
But ask greg heumann. Im sure he could tell you for sure. Unless its vintage .. Its probably not worth fixing. But im sure greg could tell you that too.
Everything ive said is just speculation btw. Just want to see if im right .. Lol.
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ScottK
12 posts
Feb 09, 2017
7:24 PM
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Hey Killa Thanks!
I guess that's the one thing i didn't know about. I just googled info so I guess that's the yellow piece in the center, I thought it was part of the switch. I just looked in the mic, I get it now. Ya I bet it really could be that. And I just googled xfmr definition read it and found out the synonym is transformer. so thanks for the new knowledge!
Just did a quick search and found replacement transformer for sm57 and 58 at a place I've used before online for about $10, so If I find out I can use or get another one for 545, and I can find how to remove it- I see a clip- but will wait till the weekend or I'll stay up all night.
And ya, It's not a vintage mic.
Thanks! I'll let you know, Much appreciated!
Scott
Last Edited by ScottK on Feb 09, 2017 7:25 PM
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Killa_Hertz
2208 posts
Feb 10, 2017
4:26 AM
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Yea sorry xfmr is a common thing in my line of work. I never realised people didnt know what it meant.
Transformer is just such a pain to spell out on these darn phones.
I suspected it could be a cheap part. But becareful small xfmrs are not bulletproof. They can actually be fried quite easily.
Even if you plan to do the work yourself ... I would still get ahold of greg for some tips. Might save you a ton of trouble in figuring out the hard way.
Im also not 100% sure that the xfmr is your problem. It was just an educated guess.
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Feb 10, 2017 4:28 AM
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ScottK
14 posts
Feb 10, 2017
5:46 AM
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Ya thanks, no worries, I know it might not be it. At this point if I can easily (and very cheaply) get a part and easily put it in, I'll prob try it. Since i did all other parts of the mic I might as well if I can. I'll email greg too. I appreciate the help. And any new tech terms are good with me!
The sm58's xfmr is embedded in glue or whatever that is. This mic sm545sd is not and there's a type of clip on top of it, so maybe its easy to remove-once i find out how.
Scott
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1847
3998 posts
Feb 10, 2017
8:37 AM
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you could try one of these transformers these were discussed here at one time.
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ScottK
15 posts
Feb 10, 2017
11:12 PM
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Thanks 1847 I will check them out!
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Spderyak
123 posts
Feb 11, 2017
4:12 AM
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I can tell you are hoping to fix it yourself. I did want to mention when I had an amp that worked with batteries, but not with the cord...when I asked at the local music store they sent me to a TV repair place..the fellow fixed it the next day for next to nothing for cost. It had never crossed my mind that they would also know how to do stuff like that, but I'll remember it now.
I don't know if they would work on a microphone...maybe..
Last Edited by Spderyak on Feb 11, 2017 4:15 AM
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ScottK
16 posts
Feb 11, 2017
7:30 AM
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Thanks Spderyak good to know!
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Greg Heumann
3313 posts
Feb 11, 2017
7:55 AM
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Sounds like you did everything you could. Chances are the element itself is what failed. Those transformers are bullet proof UNLESS one of the wires got yanked. It is easy enough to tell whether its the transformer - just hook a test lead directly to the element and plug it into your amp. Turn your amp WAY up as the element output is very low impedance and weak without the transformer - but if you hear sound - its the transformer. If you don't - its the element. You should see a low resistance across the element terminals (disconnect from transformer to measure.) If it is OPEN, then one of those angel hair wires is indeed bad.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
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ScottK
17 posts
Feb 11, 2017
2:09 PM
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Thanks Greg, much appreciated! I'm going to try that test lead. I'm going by radio shack later to get one.
I guess if it is the element then it's toast, but are those angel hair wires repairable? From what I saw they were connected to the terminal covered by the yellow tape and didn't see any breaks, but they seem not easy to repair, if at all (and from me a novice) Is that right?
another possible sign it was failing was it had a lot more handling noise than a 57 or 58 and i thought it was the nature of the mic but maybe it was a connection.
thanks-scott
Last Edited by ScottK on Feb 11, 2017 3:13 PM
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Greg Heumann
3314 posts
Feb 11, 2017
4:30 PM
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They are repairable if they don't break right where they emerge from the voice coil. But that is enameled wire, and you have to strip the enamel to be able to solder to it. THAT is really tricky. I have had the best luck by using 400-600 grit sandpaper and a very light touch. Some people say they use paint removed I've tried that applying it with a q-tip - and it didn't work for me.
There are people who do it, like Mark Wilson of LeWilson mics in Oregon. He has better tricks, steadier hands (or both) than me.
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***************************************************
/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
See my Customer Mics album on Facebook
Bluestate on iTunes
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ScottK
18 posts
Feb 12, 2017
2:15 PM
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Thanks Greg and all for your help!
I did hook a test lead from the element to the xlr connections and then plug into amp and indeed it did not work. I then did a test lead from a 58 element to the 545's xlr and that did work. Since I had both mics apart I did the same using the 58's xlr and again the 58 worked but the 545 did not. Actually though that might be simple for others it was pretty cool fro me to learn how to do that.
I took the element apart and out of the 545sd shell again. I couldn't see a low resistance between the terminals on the top of the element, but the wires were connected to the terminals, unless the element comes apart even more and its inside? However i don't have steady hands and wont be trying to repair that...for now. So my search for a mic will continue and the mic is now in a zip lock bag for parts.
The good part is:
I learned how to do all this stuff and thanks for help you guys. Now I can do a test lead, that was worth the $7.95 from radio shack!
From Spyder's suggestion I called a TV repairman and the guy was so cool, he offered to talk me through replacing the transformer if that was the prob. and I got the part. Then he said, You know i have a box of a bunch of mics that someone gave me and told me to call him next week he's be happy to give me, so ya Im giving him a call!
I did pick up a gb520dx from guitar center just to try and could return (i figured Id be returning it). I used this weekend to record harp I was asked to play on a few blues tunes and he asked if I had a bullet, The sound for the recording was great, but I wouldn't want to use it live all the time. I'm using that return toward an amp I'm ordering from guitar center, and also seeing how much gs (my local one is great!) may give me for a pair of used EV speaks, and if its good that will go towards my amp too. Because my wife is nervous that I'm buying an amp....
When my $ is not so tight and I dont come up with mic (still searching for my missing 57)then I'll save up for a mic. I like the stick mics and I'd love to try a bulletini.
Thanks again all,
Scott
Last Edited by ScottK on Feb 12, 2017 2:29 PM
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SuperBee
4500 posts
Feb 12, 2017
2:55 PM
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'Stick mic' somehow reminds me of the story about the guy who asked for deodorant and was offered a choice of stick or aerosol, which confused him because he wanted to use it for his underarms
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ScottK
19 posts
Feb 12, 2017
8:22 PM
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Ha ha, I guess that could be the same guy that asked for hair gel and was offered mousse or brylcreem...
a little dab will do 'ya
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