About this 25mm condenser microphone capsule

[Willen]

Hi,
These type of 25mm condenser capsule has been rated around $4 in some sites. Cheapest 34mm capsules costs more than $20 in same site. So comparatively the 25mm sounds pretty cheap. I am just curious about its internal structure. Are they true condenser capsule which needs 48V phantom power? Or are they electret capsule which has FET inside?

If anyone have used already then I would be curious to read about its performance? (If really it has 25mm or little bit less diameter diaphragm then I hope it should perform well.)

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Hi Willen,

I've seen those online & just looked at a few listings again, but nothing makes it 100% clear what they are.
They could be electret without a built-in preamp, or they could be condenser.

The only way to know is try one without bias voltage to start with and see if it gives any output?

 

[audioguru]

Why would a company make those things without spec's and applications for them?

 

[Willen]

Why would a company make those things without spec's and applications for them?

I think these are Chinese and they manufacture no spec parts and sell to another manufacturer. The 2nd manufacturer just labels it and sell with brand name and spec.

I tested small electret capsule and they sounds pretty nice high frequency but poor with low. So I guess the 25mm capsule should work nice with low frequency, because of its large diaphragm.

 

[audioguru]

Most electret mic capsules are about 6mm in diameter and have a very flat frequency response from about 20Hz or lower to 20KHz or higher like this one:

 

[Willen]

Most electret mic capsules are about 6mm in diameter and have a very flat frequency response from about 20Hz or lower to 20KHz or higher like this one:

If the capsule has no internal FET then one can use very low noise FET like 2SK118 and can achieve nice quality audio. Wow!

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Hi Willen,
yes, I would be very interested to know how well they work, at that price!

AG - That Panasonic capsule is incredibly good, though they seem to be discontinued.
Small electret capsules with a genuinely good frequency response are relatively scarce, most have either poor low end, poor high end, or both.

A lot of mics sold as "Condenser" (with the implication that they are true condenser rather than electret) are scams, usually with tiny electret capsules.
Even some big-name ones are electret, though they avoid using that word!

eg. AT2020 "Studio condenser" microphone - from the specs:
"ELEMENT Fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser"
An electret, in other words..

Traditional "Studio condenser" class mics have capsules such as this:

http://cdn.recordinghacks.com/images//mic_extras/mxl/mxl3000_3way.jpg

 

[audioguru]

I think that all electret mics use a low noise Jfet in them.

The third electret mic at Digikey is from CUI and its datasheet says 20Hz to 20kHz and shows a flat response from 20Hz to about 7.2kHz then a +4dB increase at about 16kHz. Its output at 20kHz is down about 1.5dB. It costs only $1.28US.

 

[audiosource123]

As first, I had to go through the torture of registering to be able to reply.
What a bullshitting advertising gibberish.
Now to the question :
THIS CAPSULES ARE NOT ELECTRET, THEY NEED EXTERNAL BIAS,
at least the ones I have received from ebay are true condensers.
Sound is not bad.
P.S. I asked the seller several times about the specs, but
the chinese don't know anything about stuff they sell, it is same
if they sell microphones, fake fingernails, toys or whatsoever

 

[audioguru]

If you buy cheap Chinese no-name-brand then you do not know what you are getting.

 

[Willen]

I am just curious if it has really large diaphragm than common electret then it should have nice high frequency and booming deep low frequency response.

 

[AnalogKid]

At that diameter and price, it might be a crystal microphone. No bias voltage needed, higher output voltage than an electret, but poor low frequency response.

ak

 

[audioguru]

A 1" diameter mic produces fluctuations and directionality in high audio frequencies. Its diaphragm might be too heavy so it produces booming bass sounds instead of having a non-resonant tight response.

 

[gary350]

I have used 6mm and 10mm electret mics. 10mm is several times more sensitive to pick up hard to hear sound. I can hear people 400 ft away talking like they are standing next to me. 10mm cross sectional area is about 3 times larger than 6mm that may be why 10mm picks up sound so well. My 386 circuit is very loud with 10mm mic but not loud at all with 6mm mic. Voltage makes a big difference too, I am using AA batteries meter shows new battery to be 1.6v each. 6 batteries = 9.6v not much sound, 7 batteries = 11.2v works better, 8 batteries = 12.8v it work very well, volume control is necessary. I have never tried 25mm mics. I bought my mics from china on ebay package of 20 mics $2 free shipping arrived in 10 days.

 

[Willen]

A 1" diameter mic produces fluctuations and directionality in high audio frequencies. Its diaphragm might be too heavy so it produces booming bass sounds instead of having a non-resonant tight response.

But 34mm large diameter true conderser microphone has high end of professional quality, equally great at high and low.

 

[audiosource123]

Willen I will answer Your question again - the mics are having no FET inside and are not polarised.
I tested them using schoeps original body - preamp.
Sound is quite ok, but not overhelming.
It is comparable to most chinese low - mid cost mics.
What made me try these is the fact that chinese do
sell some good stuff for no money, after they produced long enough parts for more expencive products.
I will use them for special multichannel recording, and they are perfect for my purpose.
If You are able to build circuit to polarise and properly power
true condenser Mics, than it is a more than good Mic Capsule for the price.
I know that maybe there are Electrets arround looking similar,
but this one which is currently offered all over the place on ebay,
ali, banggood etc is as I am telling You : true condenser.
If You want similar - and easier solution,
take JLI TSB 2555 - it is polarised, and that will make circuit much simpler.
2 FETs and few resistors, capacitors and off You go

 

[Willen]

Willen I will answer Your question again - the mics are having no FET inside and are not polarised.
I tested them using schoeps original body - preamp.
Sound is quite ok, but not overhelming.
It is comparable to most chinese low - mid cost mics.
What made me try these is the fact that chinese do
sell some good stuff for no money, after they produced long enough parts for more expencive products.
I will use them for special multichannel recording, and they are perfect for my purpose.
If You are able to build circuit to polarise and properly power
true condenser Mics, than it is a more than good Mic Capsule for the price.
I know that maybe there are Electrets arround looking similar,
but this one which is currently offered all over the place on ebay,
ali, banggood etc is as I am telling You : true condenser.
If You want similar - and easier solution,
take JLI TSB 2555 - it is polarised, and that will make circuit much simpler.
2 FETs and few resistors, capacitors and off You go

Some of these have been rated $20 and some around $4 in Aliexpress. Both looks same and price is making me confused about the type of capsule.

 

[audiosource123]

Large Diaphragm Microphone Anti-interference Condenser Cartridge Core,25 mm for sale | eBay

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------------
Description:

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Specification:

- Material : Aluminum Alloy

- Size : Approx.2.5x1 cm / 0.98x0.39 inch
-----------
I bought mine as pack of 2 for 10 Euro