MCA SP1 Mod - Microphone-Parts.com

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Mustang Martigan
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MCA SP1 Mod - Microphone-Parts.com

Post by Mustang Martigan » Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:29 pm

I have a pair of MCA SP1's that I use for OH mics that I use with the Glyn Johns drum mic technique. I use this method for two reasons...one because I like the sound and the other because my mic locker is pathetic. Besides the SP1 pair I have a SM57 and a crappy $40 Shure AXS 2 I'm forced to use as a kick mic. Making a kick drum mic my obvious next choice for my mic locker. I've been looking into getting the pair modded at Microphone-Parts.com, but it costs around $150 per mod. Has anyone gotten this mod done? What are your thoughts? It seems legit, but $300 is pretty expensive, especially for my broke ass. I can either afford the mods or a kick mic...and depending on which kick mic I buy, I could also get a second mic, or some other piece of equipment. Maybe new drum heads so I can tune my kit properly or even a used guitar amp. I'm currently without an amp and use a POD XT thru my PA.

I could even get a used CAD M179, which I've read great reviews on for the price of on SP1 mod. When using the two OH required for the Glyn Johns technique, is it recommended to use a common pair, i.e. would it be a bad move to use one non-modded SP1 and a M179?

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Post by floid » Mon Jan 09, 2017 8:27 am

First get your kit sounding good - new heads, variety of sticks, experiment with blanket over the kick / overhead, etc.
Then get an m179. See how it works against the mics you have.
Then get an MCA modded. Or get another m179. Or ...
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Post by vvv » Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:10 am

"I use this method for two reasons...one because I like the sound ..."

Then why mod them? Are you sure the mod would even be "better"?

As floid said, get the source right.

Me, I've a shiteload of mic's, because for me, fooling with 'em is fun and I can (more or less) afford 'em. But I started recording drums with GLS 57 clones in Recorderman, a 58 on the snare or kick, or a MXL LDC on the kick. It made "a sound". In that I didn't particularly like that sound, I went on from there, to getting mic's to get sounds I like, or sounds that I needed (ex., a floor tom-driven song needed a MD421, my drummer needed a bigger kick, etc,).

But if you like the sound your getting, apply the $ to something that needs it.

A used E602 II can mebbe be found around US$90-100, but Shure PG's are cheaper, and there are CAD's, etc,. even cheaper. But first, try the '57 on the kick.

Me, I hate Pods, much prefer the analog Zoom GM200, or a pre or pedal into a Microcab, if I hafta forgo amps, which I hate to do.

With only US$150 I might look for a Micro Terror, or a Peavey Transtube might be more useful.
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Post by Mustang Martigan » Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:20 am

vvv wrote:"I use this method for two reasons...one because I like the sound ..."

Then why mod them? Are you sure the mod would even be "better"?

As floid said, get the source right.

Me, I've a shiteload of mic's, because for me, fooling with 'em is fun and I can (more or less) afford 'em. But I started recording drums with GLS 57 clones in Recorderman, a 58 on the snare or kick, or a MXL LDC on the kick. It made "a sound". In that I didn't particularly like that sound, I went on from there, to getting mic's to get sounds I like, or sounds that I needed (ex., a floor tom-driven song needed a MD421, my drummer needed a bigger kick, etc,).

But if you like the sound your getting, apply the $ to something that needs it.

A used E602 II can mebbe be found around US$90-100, but Shure PG's are cheaper, and there are CAD's, etc,. even cheaper. But first, try the '57 on the kick.

Me, I hate Pods, much prefer the analog Zoom GM200, or a pre or pedal into a Microcab, if I hafta forgo amps, which I hate to do.

With only US$150 I might look for a Micro Terror, or a Peavey Transtube might be more useful.
I "like the sound" because I really have no choice but to...they're the only mics I have. Don't get me wrong, they sound decent, but there's no doubt in my mind that I could do a lot better. I had never even heard of the CAD M179 until reading about it on this forum. I'd really like to try a pair of SM81's for OH's. However, money restrictions keep me from expanding my mic locker. I think that a kick mic would be the most logical choice for my next mic purchase. I found a couple used SM57's for $25 a piece, so I might but a couple of those just to have some more mics in the arsenal without breaking the bank.

I'd also like to buy new drum skins. I'm probably gonna go with the Evans G2 Coated 2 ply 7mil thick skins. I just bought the snare skin; all the other skins are in good shape. I would eventually like to replace all the skins with that brand of Evans.

I'm not a big fan of the POD XT either, but it does the job at the moment. It actually sounds hald decent when I plug it into my PT DAW interface.

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Post by vvv » Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:57 am

Everything we do in this artform is a compromise, of course, and a simulation, even.

I just am prej'd against POD's as there was a time a few years ago I had to mix some 50 tracks with them on. I still have presets in my DAW's EQ to deal with them and their "fizz".

Re the M179, it's a nice all-purpose mic and the variable pattern is very cool but I confess that I did not like them as much as I did AT4040's; I found the M179 to be accurate, but kinda without soundstage depth, and uninspiring. They are said to be excellent on toms, and so may work well on kick.

Drum skins I know nothing about, they are in the purview of drummers, and them folks is crazy, what with all the violent banging on stuff they do. :twisted:
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Post by eh91311 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:26 pm

Before you spend Microphone-Parts money for a MCA SP1 mod, try the simple mod kit for sale on ebay: search for "MCA SP1 ebay mic mod".

Invest in a soldering iron & kit and try it. This mod only works on earlier versions with circuit boards with thru-hole parts. The newest MCA SP1's have SMT boards, ebay mod won't work on those.

Instead of spending $300 on modding the SP1's try the simple ebay mod, and put that $300 toward a kick drum mic (original 421?) or better overhead mics.

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Post by Mustang Martigan » Sun Jan 22, 2017 3:09 pm

eh91311 wrote:Before you spend Microphone-Parts money for a MCA SP1 mod, try the simple mod kit for sale on ebay: search for "MCA SP1 ebay mic mod".

Invest in a soldering iron & kit and try it. This mod only works on earlier versions with circuit boards with thru-hole parts. The newest MCA SP1's have SMT boards, ebay mod won't work on those.

Instead of spending $300 on modding the SP1's try the simple ebay mod, and put that $300 toward a kick drum mic (original 421?) or better overhead mics.
You're talking about the 3 capacitor mod? I actually just bought one and received it in the mail the other day; I've read good things about it. Gonna do the mod tomorrow and buy another one (so I can mod my pair) if I like it.

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Post by Jim Williams » Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:14 am

Don't expect much from that. These SP-1 mics have a rather harsh sounding capsule, improved electronics just makes it worse.

I bought 16 of them back in 2001, all brass bodies. All were rebuilt inside. The designs were sold to Microphone-parts. I use their capsules in these and all are excellent and useful. The RK-12 is probably the best match.
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:17 pm

can't speak for the mic mod or about much else without knowing yr situation more intimately

I can say there are a lot of youtube drum videos that were recorded with one mic and then compressed that sound absolutely great

this might be the cheapest way to get a good drum sound

keep in mind in every case..the drummer is skilled and the drums are great sounding in the room before the mic/compressor

if ya drums sound dope and you really are at the point of expanding yr mics

I'd be hesitant to just throw money at a random mod without knowing it would make me happy and maybe opt to get one better mic instead

If you think about in terms of

what do I have that I like already in my sound? (make a list)
what am i missing in my sound ? (make a list)

you might have an easier time asking specific questions

if you have not experienced how the polarity (phase) button changes the sound and how pinpointing the positions of the mics makes or breaks your sound you ought not to be looking at new mics and just spend some more time practicing multi-micing

If you haven't messed with the heads you are thinking about I would definitely not hold any illusion as to how you think they would sound on your drums in your room or how much better anything would be with them.

single ply heads can be muffled to sound more like double plys but not vice versa therefore they are more versatile though of course not as tough

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