WEEKLY TIP: GETTING CONNECTED...
One of the invisible aspects of getting your harpmic's signal to your amp is the various connectors that, yes, CONNECT your gear together.
For the most part we simply assume that components that look similar will perform in a similar fashion. It ain't necessarily so... From experience many have learned that some 'bargain' knock-off recreations will not satisfactorily or dependably mate with the big-time name brand connectors. I've found this to be most common in off-shore production runs of 1/4" phone plugs and jacks -males and females. This became apparent when it was found that coin-of-the-realm Switchcraft 1/4" phone plugs would not stay seated/engaged in offshore-produced copies of Switchcraft's 151 deep panel 1/4" female jacks. The BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ of bad continuity and actual plug "drop-out" was the common complaint. Reason? They're close, but no cigar in the "fit" tolerance department.
The most consistent solution? This week's tip: THINK SAME-SAME. The most consistent success comes when mating like-brands with like-brands of connectors.
Hello Tom,
The big Electro-Voice stand-mounted dynamic mics remind me of the old Mopar Hemi engines: Big, heavy, a lotta torque and horsepower. To complete this objective you're looking at a few possible transitional steps and choices here... Since your intention is to apply the 630 for chromatic usage, I'll ask if you intend to stand-mount it or go hand-held?
First, Stand-mounted: The 630 typically sported an AMPHENOL MC-3 or MC-4 output connector, the asymmetrical cousin of the XLR family -altho these cousins never mate. Find a washer that fits the external diameter of the existing connector. Mount the intended SWITCHCRAFT 2501's 3/8" base thru the washer and wire it up. Make sure you have the cable retaining AMPHENOL ring nut handy. The Bakelite pin socket of the AMPHENOL can be extracted from the base of the 630 (remove the set screw and pull with needle-nose pliers) and the wires diconnected. The HI-Z and ground leads can then be run to the pre-wired 2501 on the washer, this assembly inserted into the threaded AMPHENOL base, and the AMPHENOL ring nut "collar" retainer threaded over the washer to secure it. PRESTO!
I'll be back to explore adapting the 630 for hand-held use shortly...
Hey Fritz, I would prefer to use the EV630 as a handheld mic for Chromatic. What do I need to do to convert it to a Switchcraft 2501MP connector. Thanks, Tom Bader
Hello Tom,
630 and a chromatic? Man, that's a handful! As for converting the current Amphenol MC-3 or MC-4 of the 630: Figure pin socket #1 of the mic's connector is the 'GROUND'. You'll want to confirm which of the other connections is carrying the correct signal impedance and single it out for contact to the "HOT" center contact of the thread-on 2501MP. You'll need the threaded collar from the Amphenol MC-3 or 4 cable, a washer that fits between the threaded end of the mic's current connector and inside the rim of the matching threaded collar. The washer's hole needs to accommodate the 3/8" shaft of the 2501MP. Thread the two operative wires thru the supplied 3/8" nut and assemble the 2501 and washer. Solder wire #1 to the inner channel of the 2501 (if an eyelet washer wasn't supplied with the nut) and the "HOT" lead thru the center contact of the 2501MP. You're now ready to thread the Amphenol's outer collar in place over the washer/2501 combo. THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!
Now... IF -in the interest of hand-held use- you were to want to lose the entire lower assembly below the pivot point, you'd have a significant amount of reconfiguring and machining to do...
I found an EV 630 mic that I want to use for chromatic harp. I hooked it up using alligator clips on the connector leads and it sounded great. Very clean and crisp. I want to know how to use a Switchcraft 2501 MP connector to connect a 1/4" cable to my amp. The original connector has a 5/8" outside diameter, and the housing has a 45/64" inside diameter. What would I need to do to make this work? Please advise. Thanks. Tom Bader (tomandmarilyn.bader@gmail.com)