Hi everyone,

I can't believe I got this off eBay for only $73. The guy that sold it knew nothing and never tested it. The switches are missing but I can use a screwdriver. I was the highest bidder! I took a chance that it would work. It does! 100% looks almost brand new. No pop filter or shock mount. I found a pop filter non-branded version that looks the samenfor $10. I have a shock mount already no need to get one of those. The mic IMO sounds amazing! I contacted blue microphone company and they said they don't sell switches or replacement parts. I was actually surprised.?

Anyone know where I can replacement switches? I looked everywhere.?

I was looking up specs and to my surprise the old original version had a self noise of 5.5 dB. The SL version has a self noise of 10.8 dB. How did this happen? Because of the switches? Is there extra ways to reduce noise down on the mic? I know I may be going a little bit extreme when it comes to self noise. But I want as low self noise as possible!

Thanks,
Jesse

Here is a pic!

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I was looking up specs and to my surprise the old original version had a self noise of 5.5 dB. The SL version has a self noise of 10.8 dB. How did this happen? Because of the switches?

Certainly not because of the switches!

I see two probable explanations:

One is that the measurement method has changed and the first was over optimistic. You must remember that some data are doctored by the mktg dept...

The other is that a significant design change happened. The only way to get to that low noise level with a 1 inch diaphragm is the use of an underdamped capsule, which has an intrinsic exaggerated midrange, and thus needs some EQ in the head amp. Although the frequency response is linearized, the transient response is considered inferior by many users.

Is there extra ways to reduce noise down on the mic?

In any half-decent mic, noise is governed by the capsule, so I don't thin there is any way of significantly improving the noise performance. Remember that with any mic, half of the performance is in correct placement.

I just tore one of these down a month ago and dropped a RK47 capsule into it.? The switches have posts that have "Beauty" covers on them that come out of the mic body.? They are basically a gold painted plastic with a drilled center that slides over the switch posts, easy to replicate and replace.? Black felt covers the switches and creates a blackout effect a preforms as a dust cover.? The "beauty" covers just pull off to slide the body off the mic.

Stock, the mic performs wonderfully.? I'm still on the fence with the RK47 and the EQ built into the mic.

Bryan so how does it sound with the rk47? I heard it works great for the blue bird since the k12 cap in it has sharp Sss sounds. Baby bottle fixes that issue. I love the sound of both caps. If I ever got another baby bottle for cheap I wouldn't mind putting a rk47 it. Post a sample?

Well, I'll let you have a listen for yourself.? Just me talking my fool head off per normal.? ?

https://soundcloud.com/bryan-anderson-426366078/blue-baby-bottle-sl-rk47-swap?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Thank you Bryan for your post! A few thoughts myself. I really wish you had a test with the orginal capsule in the mic. From what I thought the capsule in the baby bottle was the k12 type and I thought the eq was was built around that not the k67? Now I could be wrong though. Camparing my own voice which I don't have a deep voice so I can't compare, here is what I hear. With the baby bottle with the stock capsule in it, It has a dark, more lows in my vocals which I like. The upper mids seem just a little scooped, and the highs has a presense boost. The presense boost I will honestly say I don't care for it but that is easily fixed by eq. The highs are not harsh and it does not have spiky highs like the blue bird did on my voice.?

Bryan, for your modded version with the rk47 it seems to knock out that presense boost in the highs. To me it sounds a little less darker in the lows but that is because I hear the upper mids boosted or much more present which causes the lows to not seem as dark. For me I don't like the extra presense in the upper mids because I have a higher pitch voice. For you it seems to work great! Not too much lows not too much upper mids.?

Best Regards,
Jesse

Oh, I probably have other narrations around in my backup hard drives with the original capsule.? And, you might be correct with them using a K12 capsule, however, between the Blue and my 3U Audio CM1 mic that does use a K12 the difference was night and day.? Blue played it close to the vest with the SL build and what they used with the mic. I work in the Aviation industry, so my hearing decreases on a yearly basis, so sometimes I'm a bad judge of sound.?

What I tended to noticed, pre-capsule change, was the original was seriously harsh with sibilance to the point of accentuating it.? With the RK47 capsule, that flattened out, which is why it probably sounds "darker" to me.? Like I said though, the low frequencies (Subwoofer from cars or someone stomping up the stairs) creates a strange looking waveform...solid, wide, rounded pattern.? ?I can't hear it during playback, but I see it well enough.??

I would advise not using an RK47 in an Aston Spirit though, they don't mix well.

On 5/30/22 14:53, Bryan Anderson via groups.io wrote:

I work in the Aviation industry, so my hearing decreases on a yearly basis, so sometimes I'm a bad judge of sound.

You need hearing protection, the real thing. Highly recommended.



-Scott

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---- Scott Helmke ---- scott@... ---- (734) 604-9340 ----
"I have ceased distinguishing between the religious and the secular,
for everything is holy" - Joe Henry

Bryan I can't claim I am the best judge of sound either. :) Some days I get lost listening and can't think anymore. lol. I only record vocals so as far as a mic I am more after vocals than anything. The k47 does do great on the upper mids and high end! Fixes that nasty harsh sounding highs!?

I did some vocal test between the baby bottle vs akg c900 mic. And the baby bottle vs ae5400. Unfortunately I have an open room and a laptop that has jet engine fans. I need a new quiet desktop and foam. But it was just for fun if anyone to listen. I am about 3 inches away from the mics.??

? ??

I love mics. Messed with many of them. My wife thinks I am a bit crazy but it keeps me out of trouble! :) So she is letting me build a few from scratch. Thanks to others on this forum they pointed me to a place where I can buy mic parts and build myself. I want to build a k12, k47, and electret mic. I want the feeling of "I put this all together"?

Thanks everyone!

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Thank you Mark! Yes what I was looking for 100% That explains why the mic looks brand new. The person probably opened it and broke the switches and then just sold it on ebay.?

BTW I am loving the baby bottle on my vocals! Still can't wait to build my own mic though!

Best Regards,
Jesse