Condenser Mic Question

[Spin]

have a broken Marshall MXL USB mic which isn't worth getting repaired. The
mic element is 32mm in diameter. Is it feasable to remove the condenser
element & connect it directly into the mic input of my computer sound card?

 

[Phil Allison]

"Spin"

have a broken Marshall MXL USB mic which isn't worth getting repaired. The
mic element is 32mm in diameter. Is it feasable to remove the condenser
element & connect it directly into the mic input of my computer sound
card?

** Told you before - no.

A condenser mic capsule is nothing more than a 20 to 100pF capacitor with
one fixed and one flexible side.

It needs DC polarising with 30 to 100 volts and a sensitive pre-amp with
around a 1Gohm input impedance.



....... Phil

 

[GregS]

"Spin"



** Told you before - no.

A condenser mic capsule is nothing more than a 20 to 100pF capacitor with
one fixed and one flexible side.

It needs DC polarising with 30 to 100 volts and a sensitive pre-amp with
around a 1Gohm input impedance.



....... Phil

And in this case uses a fet near the element to get some juice
going. I was starting to write capsule, and this certainly isn't a capsule.
All the stuff should be allready be there minus the USB.

greg

 

[Eeyore]

And in this case uses a fet near the element to get some juice
going.

The fet has NOTHING to so with 'getting the juice going'. It's simply a very high input impedance
buffer stage.

I was starting to write capsule, and this certainly isn't a capsule.

Yes it is. A capsule is the precisely the correct name for it.

The electret type you may be confusing it with is strictly speaking NOT a capsule becasue it also
contains some electronics (like the aforementioned fet).

Graham

 

[Phil Allison]

"GregS"
"Phil Allison"

"Spin"


And in this case uses a fet near the element to get some juice
going.

** The FET is no use without the polarising voltage or a DC supply.

I was starting to write capsule, and this certainly isn't a capsule.

** The term " capsule" is commonly used for such things.

Just distinguishes the transducer of a mic from the case / handle, matching
transformer and/or internal pre-amp circuitry.

All the stuff should be allready be there minus the USB.

** Shame how power from the USB is used to operate the mic.



........ Phil