[Harp-L] amplification question.................



Steve,

I realize I was going off topic a bit, but I'm more of a mic "nut" than a "fifth position" guy and I couldn't restrain myself........:D

To me, just my opinon, USA CM's and Mexican CM's sound little different to my ear. I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the meter other than testing to see if in fact the element works and it gives me a base-line for were on the scale it will fall......nearer hot vs. fat so I know where to begin..... I've got a little of most everything that's been avaiable at one time or another so here's "my take" (my opion doesn't mean much) so it's just my take:

I love the warmness of crystals although I recently got rid of all my crystals for fear of loosing their "value" when/if they go bad.

CR's give me a "perma grin".........FAT deep basses........

CM's, depending on model are the work-horse of the bunch. Far more of them were made than anything around and do a good job in most cases.........some are hotter than others and some have more bottom than others. They ALL have their own personalities just like people. When I mentioned "going nuclear" I was in fact refering to being able to cut through the basses of the band. The problem when cranking it up and goin' nuclear is that feedback becomes an issue. Folks swear by the Kinder AFB's of which I don't have one.........YET, and they even tell me that they kill it completely with it.

I NEVER turn down an element.......ever, the price is going up and up and they're not gonna come down...........

Please keep in mind that my opinon is just that, my opinion, others feel completely opposite.

Jeff



Interesting, Jeff.
A pinch off the topic, but going Nuclear has got me interested in your
findings.

I"ve got several HiZ ones laying around and only 2 have hot output and
neither are hotter than any USA CM I've ever had.   THe shrill factor was
unbearable unless ran through a very warm amp, although, I've had so many
hot USA CM's over the years that I haven't bothered given them my sneaky
warming up mods.  Next on my list of to do's.  Of course with a loud and
warm amp one can just turn it up, but the crunch factor is something I've
never heard in a Mex CM like the USA CM's have.  (I'm getting that mad
scientist feeling again since I have so many laying around and I have an
idea).

A friend of mine bought a custom mic from a fairly well known guy with a
Mexican CM with a high 1.48K ohms (I don't pay attention to the ohm rating
in the majority of CM's....it's all in the ears), but the output on the HI Z
side was only about 60% of a good USA CM with no crunch factor
whatsoever......go figure. You Hi Z a Low Z CM and you'll get about 1.9K
but they just don't have the usual screamin' parameters that the HiZ vintage
ones do, but I do know a sneaky little secret with oddball tranny's.
***One exception I've found in terms of screamin' output is one oddball CM
99H561 1H I have that's about as hot as it gets when HiZ'd......I kept that
one.


You read Dave Kott's info and he'll tell you that he can't hear much
difference in the Mex and the USA. If he's right then the quality control
must be such a crapshoot that one never knows what he's going to get with
those Mex CM's. I've never had one even close to any of my custom USA CR's
and CM's, Dynamics, Crystals or Ceramic mics....ever... and that's why when
somebody sends me a mic with a Mex CM they just tell me to keep the
element.....and I keep them as one can never have enough elements. Back to
the Laboratory......LOL




On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 5:05 AM, Jeffrey Spoor <jeffrey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

Jim,

If you are using an early 90's green bullet with a Mexican Shure CM element
instead of the current Mexican Dynamic element, that is why you're having NO
problem cutting through the guitar player. They have powerful highs and are
a little thin on the bottom end but blast straight through on the highs.


I just answered an email this morning concerning the same thing. I've got
several mics with that same element in them and they ALL can go nuclear if
needed...........:)


Jeff



I use a Mexican green bulet and Lee Oskar harps. I need much less of an amp
than the guitarist. 9 watts can be too loud in most small bars. I use a
2x12
speaker cab.


--
Rainbow Jimmy

-- Jeff Spoor Harpmicgaskets - Cumberland Custom Cases www.harpmicgaskets.com - www.cumberlandcustomcases.com

317-894-8699     Shop
317-363-9431     Cell



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