VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Billy James · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 4:38 am Post subject: Mic restoration services?

Just snagged a Webster Univel mic at a local secondhand shop. For my money, this has always been one of the 2 or 3 most beautiful mics ever made. For a 70-year-old, she's still pretty hot, but she needs a makeover.

Anyone have recommendations on antique mic restorers? I'm definitely interested in cosmetic restoration, and would like to investigate having the mic restored to working condition, if possible.

I've got feelers out to Jerry Silvia in California and Darrin Walker in Michigan, both of who do a lot of this sort of thing. Anyone else I should contact?

Tom Greenlee · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 8:29 am Post subject:

I'm not sure if this guy does what you are looking for, but I read an old post about this guy who does Mic mods. It's worth a shot. The worst thing that can happen is he could say no, I'm sorry I don't do that.

Michael Joly

http://www.oktavamod.com/
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todd ellis · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:21 am Post subject:

Enak did a great job on my RCA 77-DX - but he might only work on RCAs - not sure - a tip, though, he responds better to telephone than email.
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject:

Bill, If it's the mic I'm thinking of it's looks a lot like the American DR330.

Jerry Silvia and the boys do excellent work. He would be the first person I would contact. If it were an RCA mic then I would send it to Wes Dooley.

Try contacting the guys over at Samar Audio. Their new MF65 ribbon mic is possibly the best ever made. http://samaraudiodesign.com/Home.html

I would also run it by the Burbank Ribbon Guys over at Royer.
http://www.royerlabs.com/

Mike Joly is a condenser mic man, and if I had a good condenser mic that need work, then I would send it to Klaus Heyne.
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Billy James · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:30 pm Post subject:

@Mike I've actually got a 330 as well. This mic is a good bit larger -- about 3/4 the size of an RCA 77. Quickie iPhone pic here:

http://digdogmedia.com/pics/univel.jpg

The Silvia gang was my first thought when I found this baby. I'm confident they can do the cosmetics, and they're most likely the A-Team for mechanical makeover if it I decide to do that. While I'm waiting to hear back from somebody at Jerry's place, I'll check with Samar and Royer too. Thanks for the tips.
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject:

That will be a sexy beast when it's all done up.

Have you been able to get any sound out of it??
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The Blog:
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Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

Billy James · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:35 pm Post subject:

No cord = no sound. I'm a voice-talker and occasional collector, not an electrical engineer.

Even if it doesn't end up being a working model, a good cosmetic restoration will make it a real showpiece.

If all goes well, I'm hoping it'll end up looking kinda like this one:

http://www.moosenose.com/WebsterUnivel/WebsterUnivel.htm

BTW, what's your opinion of those Crowley & Tripp "Roswellite" ribbon models that Shure bought up a few years ago? The synthetic ribbon material is supposed to be relatively immune to the wind-blasts and p-pops that can be deadly to a conventional ribbon mic. Ever tried 'em out?
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Mike Sommer · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 9:48 am Post subject:

The Crowley & Tripp "Roswellite" is now the Shure KSM353 and KSM313.
It is not a bad mic, but for a little more I would rather have the Samar Audio Design MF65.

http://recordinghacks.com/2011/08/16/ribbon-shootout-voiceover/

http://recordinghacks.com/2011/07/13/too-many-ribbon-mics/
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The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.