UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc)

Notices

Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 25th Jul 2008, 7:18 pm   #1
G Barham
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 46
Default AKG C12A Microphones.

Hi,

I've just acquired a pair of AKG C12A Mics plus their little boxes. Although they work they've been sitting in a room for the last 20-30 years.

They seem to make random weird rustling and crackling noises and in the absence of any decent service diagrams I'm reluctant to start stripping them down.

Anyone know of a decent repair place ?

Regards

Tony.
G Barham is offline  
Old 25th Jul 2008, 7:44 pm   #2
coil1234
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Almeria, Spain
Posts: 221
Default Re: Akg C 12 A

Hello Tony,
I'd be VERY wary about touching these myself as they are very collectable and in good condition worth quite a bit of money - although not as much as the original C12.

However, given that, the symptoms sound like 'condenser crackle' and a few days in a warm room to remove humidity may do the trick.

Again I emphasise caution about dismantling as the capsule diaphram is only microns thick and easily damaged.

Yours enviously
Mike A
coil1234 is offline  
Old 25th Jul 2008, 8:37 pm   #3
G Barham
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 46
Default Re: Akg C 12 A

Mike,

Thanks for the info ..but I've done a bit of fiddling and discoved that the pops and crackles are in fact coming from the old amp and especially the jack plugs and pins which look to be silver plated but have tarnish on them.

I've cleaned up one set of pins and the jack plug on one of the leads and little box and hey presto ....nice clear audio with hardly any noise...

I did also carefully unplug the tiny little plug in valve in the mic head just to make certain that the pins were clean...which they were, bright and shiny, and popped it back into it's socket...

I've never seen valves as tiny as those ...I'm used to KT88 and even huge 2ft long triodes but these little fellows could almost pass unnoticed.

I've no use for the mics but picked them up with a couple of Reslos and a couple of professional reel to reels, a Revox and a Brenell.

I suppose it will all have to go to the big auction house in the sky...my days of professional audio have long since passed.

Thanks again for your info - appreciated.

Regards

Tony.
G Barham is offline  
Old 25th Jul 2008, 9:03 pm   #4
coil1234
Pentode
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Almeria, Spain
Posts: 221
Default Re: Akg C 12 A

Tony,
The small valve is a Nuvistor, whereas the original C12 used a normal size valve. When you consider selling or auctioning these I would be grateful for a PM as I may well be interested.

Regards
Mike A
coil1234 is offline  
Old 26th Jul 2008, 3:00 pm   #5
G Barham
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 46
Default Re: AKG C12A Microphones.

Hi Retro,

If you have any contacts for servicing these units I'd be most pleased .... depite them making less noise now there is still a bit in the background....

I think it may be the nuvistors - they still seem to be about at reasonable prices but I'd like to get dome sort of estimate on them to see if it's worth having them ovehauled or just sell them like thay are.

Thanks for the advice avout the boxes - I'll do that.

Best regards

Tony.
G Barham is offline  
Old 6th Aug 2008, 1:20 pm   #6
jamesperrett
Octode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,870
Default Re: AKG C12A Microphones.

Hello Tony - have you tried contacting AKG themselves?

These mics are extremely collectable and a pair would probably be worth a few thousand pounds if the sale attracted the attention of the right people.

Cheers

James.
jamesperrett is offline  
Old 1st Nov 2008, 8:49 pm   #7
G Barham
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 46
Default Re: AKG C12A Microphones.

Well,

I've just got my pair of AKG C12As back from being serviced and they sound lovely...

I have to thank whoever it was for suggesting SATURN SOUND to me because they did a fantastic job... a bit pricy, but what specialist service comes cheap nowadays ?

Regards


Tony.
G Barham is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:05 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.