DanieldH

Some minor update: I found a supplier with self configurable retractable cable reels including a slipring and spring. They where kind enough to send me empty samples with preinstalled springs. http://www.dyhretractable.com I've ordered 2 each of the 1816 and the 1806 (for a ridiculous amount of shipping cost). And played around with Belden 1804a and presumably some Mogami W3031 I had around. The locking mechanism seem rather useless or needs to be improved, but I won't need it anyway fore my purpose and it can be left out for a permanent tension configuration. The 1806 retracts a bit over a meter of the Belden cable. Not enough for my purpose. The spring however seems to have a lot more potential. The 4 core slip ring (I've used only 3) worked without audible constraint. The 1816 seems to just fit my needed 3 meters. I have not fully assembled this yet, but I might even go for the thinner W3031 as the reel will host way! more length.

Thanks for the input. I did ask DPA some time ago what they used for the DAO4000. After some back and forth they said it is "3031-40 black" and seems to be the big brother of the 2697. When I did some spool tests, I was surprised, what difference 0.192mm in nominal diameter makes.

This forum has taught an helped me so much over the years, thank you so much, Jeff! I consider my donation an investment I should have done a long time ago.

Thnx. The X symbol looked somehow familiar.

I came across this photo on a China based offer for XLRs but could not identify the TX holder.

Not the heads, as far as I remember, but the cables:

Well here is the current state in situ. After 1,5 days, I think only the lower two disks have an effect. It is indeed a starquad Belden 1804A. I've made my experiences on how to treat the cable well. Eventually, I'll have it on a retractable reel. I've been thinking of cotton sleeves, but I think the damping effect is minimal and the stiffening effect would be a lot better with some plastic. But both make the cable thicker, obviously and I might eventually implement a retractable reel, that will prevent the cable hitting the boom issue.

Well, it glues. I bought it for a phone repair project and I like the small tip that allows for precise application. I have never removed it, as of yet, but as I believe it comes soft with heat application. Cleaning petrol, Isopropyl, spirit, orange oil based cleaners would be my first approach.

I have an older QX5100 that came with internal cabling when I bought it used in like new condition. I began to like straight internal cabling for various applications but this still brings disadvantages. Most annoying is the cable management, when you have a TX on the bottom of the boom, but also noise when the cable is bouncing in the boom when fully expanded. Since the cable that came with it got stuck a lot, mistreated and crincled the boom needed a new cable. The boom was also on a beach catching some blowing sand and it was time for some new velours as it also started to squeak with heavy load. As all that maintenance was due anyway, I've asked a friend to print me some washer like disks that keep the cable in place. They do not eliminate cable noises inside the boom as much as expected, but still a bit. What they do well, is guiding the cable when it is pushed out during collapse. I still have to see if the disks hold, but I wanted to share the project with you, even if it turns out to be a failure.

I am experimenting with some mods on my QX5100. I've replaced the velours and I am rewiring with 1804A. A friend printed me these disks that perfectly snap in on the end of the pipe and glued them with B7000. I'll see, how they hold. In first tests, it seems, that there is less cable noise with 1804A and the disks, but not as much as expected. However, the disks seem to help a lot in pushing out the cable keeping it straight. The 1804A is a lot less stiff than the original cable Ambient used, which is not a wanted feature for pushing out the cable. I am waiting for some spring loaded reels to arrive that I can hopefully fit the 1804A with. I'll continue in a new DIY thread.

What are your considerations for a Supershield? IMHO it only shines in point of strudyness, protecting the mic from heavier impacts but with its fixed basket design it creates resonances/rumbling noise as any fixed basket. The Pianissimo could also be an option vs the Piano. I am waiting for my Cosi to ship and a resonance killing upgrade from Rycote for my Nano.

Covering the interference slits was never a great idea, but industry standard maybe for decades, as only (?) Rycote and Sennheiser provided "Zeppelins" back in the days with clips suspended on rubber rings that needed to cover some slits and that was not a deal breaker for 416 operation. Most Zeppelins in ENG and film school kits I came across in the 2000s had a crumbling foam, permanently on the mic, with either clips or lyres at the slits for quick outdoor indoor changes. Handling noise and zeppelin resonances included. The 416 is a heavy beast after all. The way Simon mounts it hardly covers the slits but a foam with a slit won't cover complety. I'd guess, either way may not be perfect, but not that relevant. And yes, there are quite relevant reasons to use a different shotgun and a different wind protection, today. However, Simon, you did not ask where to throw money at, but you might want to check out / ask your dealer, if using the stiffer grey lyres or a duo lyre at the end of the mic would prevent the foam hitting the rail.

I am not sure, what setup you have. I'd suggest you post a foto or a model number, but if I understand correctly: you can make a slit in the foam of your 416(?) where the front lyre (or rubber ring suspended clip?) fits. BTW, the original Sennheiser foams start to crumble at some point and there are cheap 3rd party foams that work well.

Jepp, I thought about the Nanopole (carbon version) and might even get one eventually. You won't put that on slopes, the wadden sea, thicket or in significant wind though. I am not mainly a nature recordist but a filmsound guy. So I usually have a boom around and it was the easiest to just use that.

And get better pres.