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More microphone questions......

WX2MIG

WX2MIG

Still Alive & Well
Dec 10, 2008
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Somebody had mentioned in my other thread concerning Heil microphones that I might consider a Shure 450, or 444....(I think it was SR385, not sure)....

Anyway, I was trolling FleaBay again this evening and found both a Shure 450 with the Hi - Low impedance switch, and a Shure 444 with a Normal - VOX switch. Other than that they both look pretty much the same....

I'm actually thinking about one of these mic's for my Icom IC-2200H since I use it as my base station 2 meter. The one thing that may be a problem is the fact that the IC-2200H uses one of those damn modular mic plugs, so the question is, "is there"...... and if so....... who makes an addapter to transform from a standard Foster type mic plug to an Icom modular.....?

I would imagine one of those modular type plugs would have to be pressed on by a machine, I can't ever remember seeing just the plug for sale anywhere's......

Also, what's the general consenses on these Shure mic's....good, bad, or ugly......?

We got a couple of Shure 450 Series II mic's at our fire stations that are used for the in-house PA systems, but they aren't used on any of our radios, so I can't say I've ever heard what they some like on 2 meter FM......
 

The 444 is a DX frequency response, very narrow, rolls off the bottom end sharply. Great for noisy conditions, not so hot for pleasing mellow audio.

The 522 is a similar design physically, but has an entirely different element in it, it's a full range and very tight pattern noise cancelling element. It will give you much nicer, wider audio, but you have to use care to stay about 3" no more from the element and stay right on center or you will drop out quickly. Great for a noisy shack.

Not sure about the 450.

If you look them up on the Shure site, they have the manuals with the frequency response plots...it may not make much sense but if you compare the 444 with the 522 you may notice the different curves with the bottom dropped out of the 444.
 
The modular plugs are just RJ45's like what an ethernet cable uses. You can crimp them yourself if you get a cheap hand crimper. You could even make your own adapter by cutting the end of an ethernet cable, soldering it up to an adapter...
 
SR385......

Thanks Chris, that's a help. It doesn't sound like the 444 is what I'm looking for, from your description it's a lot like Heil's HC-4 element for that high pitch DX drive, and I'm looking for a full range natural sound.
I'll have to look them up on Shure's site and compare the frequency charts....

Mole......
That's also a help, I thought they might be the same as an ethernet plug, but wasn't totally sure about it. I have a few spare ethernet cables laying around, so if I do get a mic for this rig I can use one for an addapter......
 
there was another brand ribbon mic that reports good. looked interesting with base stand.

i'll see if i can find it. it was about $80
 
Thanks C2....

I don't know that I want to tie up too much money in a microphone collection though, that's why I'm asking all these questions....in hopes I find one or two that do the job without accumulating a pile from trial & error......:wink:

Went through the collecting thing with guns and guitars, can't handle anymore collections and expect to keep the Queen happy......:scared:

As I said in the other "Heil Microphone" thread, with all the really good audio reports I'm getting with the D-104, I'm not going to replace that mic unless I stumble on a really good quality Heil that's flying under the radar and going for cheap. The reason I'm even looking at these Shure mic's is for my 2 meter base rig, and because every decent Heil that gets listed on FleaBay ends up getting bid up to the price of a brand new unit, so it ends up not being any kind of bargin. These Shure desk mic's must not be as popular as the Heil's because they seem to go fairly cheap.

Side note:....I did see one being sold by that scam artist "Radio-Mart".....as soon as I saw it was him, I hit the back button and kept on going. That's one eBay power seller I do not trust at all......
 
WX2MIG said:
Side note:....I did see one being sold by that scam artist "Radio-Mart".....as soon as I saw it was him, I hit the back button and kept on going. That's one eBay power seller I do not trust at all......
Click to expand...

Wise decision.

Never ever deal with Radiomart or gottahaveit1995 who is the same person.

It is not safe to sell to him either.
 
moleculo said:
The modular plugs are just RJ45's like what an ethernet cable uses. You can crimp them yourself if you get a cheap hand crimper. You could even make your own adapter by cutting the end of an ethernet cable, soldering it up to an adapter...
Click to expand...

Yeah hard learned lesson with RJ25/11/45 mic connectors. They are truly meant for solid core wire and really if you have an uninsulated stranded shield...don't even try to get that slipped into the connectors. If all the conductors are insulated, but stranded, sometimes you can get a good enough bite on them to have them work.

What I do is make pigtail adapters with telephone or CAT5 wire. To splice it in, it isn't pretty, but I've just butt soldered and carefully taped the splices if I couldn't avoid it any other way. For a hand mic, I then tend to heat shrink over top of the messy taped up splice for further strain relief and rigidity. So far so good with the half dozen or so I have kicking around.

One other thing, most of the manuf's make adapters, the Icom part is OPC-589 it converts 8 pin to RJ45.
 
SR385 said:
Yeah hard learned lesson with RJ25/11/45 mic connectors. They are truly meant for solid core wire and really if you have an uninsulated stranded shield...don't even try to get that slipped into the connectors. If all the conductors are insulated, but stranded, sometimes you can get a good enough bite on them to have them work.

What I do is make pigtail adapters with telephone or CAT5 wire. To splice it in, it isn't pretty, but I've just butt soldered and carefully taped the splices if I couldn't avoid it any other way. For a hand mic, I then tend to heat shrink over top of the messy taped up splice for further strain relief and rigidity. So far so good with the half dozen or so I have kicking around.

One other thing, most of the manuf's make adapters, the Icom part is OPC-589 it converts 8 pin to RJ45.
Click to expand...

I've got a few old ethernet cables laying around, I figured push come to shove I'd do exactly that Chris, chop one up and splice it, that way I wouldn't have to dick around trying to crimp one of those little bastards with wire not suited for the task.....

However, knowing that OPC-589 is the Icom part, I might just grab one.
I'm watching a Heil ICm Mic on eBay, if the clowns don't drive the price up over the roof, I'll take a late entry stab at it, if I get it I'll use the OPC-589 addapter. If I end up with one of those Shure mic's, then I'll do the ethernet cable splice......

Thanks again Chris.....:thumbup1:
 
shure mic or ge 19b209694p1?

hi all i have what seems to be a shure non amplified desk mic..controlled magnetic 19b209694p1 is on a sticker on the bottom plate...trying to find out if indeed this is a shure manufactured mic.. if so whats the true model number ? if not, whats the ge model number.... and where to find wiring diagrams and other data on the mic.?



john,kb9ikh
 

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GM: Looks like a Shure 444M(D)....Shure private labeled a bunch of variations of that mic....
Drake/Swan/Dukane....etc...
There were a few differences in the elements...but have not heard one that sounds bad or really ugly unless you hook them to a "Clip joint" radio....
I have run one on my Kenwood TS130 or TS450 for years....
All the Best
BJ
 

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