I found I have that catalog in my collection. I was going by memory. Yes, the ceramic element is only about 3db less sensitive than the crystal. Same ratio for other ceramic vs: crystal mics in the catalog. I also remembered the model number as C-104, maybe in an earlier catalog or advertising. I got it someplace. Not in this catalog.
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On 2/23/2024 3:52 PM, Jim Shorney wrote:
I suppose you mean the D-104-C? In catalog 197 it is listed only 3 dB lower than the crystal version. Interestingly they don't specifically say which is in the T-UP9-D104 "Silver Eagle". That suggests to me that at some point they did begin to quietly phase out the crystal and replace them with ceramic. Who's going to know? You would have to open one up and few would want to do that. I have a garage sale find Golden Eagle and two T-UG8 models all gelded with the 470K resistor mod. I used the Golden Eagle on my TR7 for a while. I still plug it in now and then for fun. It looks like hell, the lacquer coating on the stand neck is trashed. I also have a NOS cartridge tucked away in a drawer but I'm not going to cut it open.
Maybe I'll replace those 470K resistors with low noise film resistors... :D
Admittedly it may be urban legend that the crystal cartridge was phased out in later years but I have heard and read about it being so since sometime in the late 70s. Another bit of lore is that you can "make it sound better" by poking a pin hole in the diaphragm but I think all of us here are smarter than that. Take it all for what it's worth.
Here's a reference that appears to be wrong based on catalog info:
Some nice pics on this page:
Does anyone remember seeing the D-104 on a short non-G stand (probably an E-1 stand) used as a broadcast mic in the SciFi channel Battlestar Galactica reboot?
73
-Jim
NU0C
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
SKCC 19998
