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[Glenn (Jakeandthephatman)]

Hey All- here is my ordeal...

I acquired this mic about 3 months ago. It's a Fairchild Syncron AU7A. I never knew that Fairchild produced a condenser, so I was more than excited to get it. (It's in mint condition mind you, looks brand new.)

The only issue is that it takes batteries? AA batteries wont fit, and AAA are too small...

After doing some research on my own I found out that a few of the first solid state microphones (pre-phantom power) used batteries; there are a few Neumann models, however I'm not sure exactly which ones.
At any rate, does anyone have an idea of whom I can get to modify the mic and get it working (with a power supply?)
Thanks in advance guys!  

[Mike Cleaver]

The Neumann U87 (original version) uses two Eveready 505 or equivalent batteries, which I believe are 22.5 volts.
These still can be obtained from some photo stores or specialized battery dealers.  I am almost certain your mic would use similar batteries of a similar voltage.  I have seen the Fairchild mics before but not for many, many years.  A qualified mic tech should be able to convert the mic to operate from 48 volt phantom power or it may already be capable of being run this way.  Is there an internal switch?  The Neumann U87 uses a (spring loaded brass pin between) the Cannon connector pins to activate a switch to turn on the battery power.

Check to see if your Fairchild uses the same system and do a Google search.  It may turn up some documentation.

[Glenn (Jakeandthephatman)]

Thanks for the heads-up. I am going crazy trying to hear what this mic sounds like! Anyhow any recommendations on who can build the power supply for it?

[compasspnt]

I think Fairchild just rebranded these, did they not?

Was it perhaps made by Sanken?

I was always under the impression that these mics were Japanese.

[Glenn (Jakeandthephatman)]

terry you ever hear them? Its killing me! The conctruction on the inside looks cheap.. definitely not german quality..

[New Orleans Steve]

I think I remember seeing this one in the E.Q. column ‘microphily’, or something like that. It was a column where they would profile an odd ball mic, one each month. If I remember it can be converted. It may have had some fatal flaw, like the diaphragm was way too thick. Again, it has been a while, but I think the particular one pictured was Dan Kennedy, the gear designer.


Steve

[Dominick]

Oh Lordy! First place I worked had 2 of them. They were our 2nd line (after we deployed the U47, U48 and U87). Often used them as overheads and occasionaly on piano. I remember they sounded pretty good in those apps, having a less forward upper-mid then the Neumanns.

They have a miniature multipin amphenol-like connector that turned battery power on when connected to the mic body. If you forgot to unplug the connector from the mic, you'd have a dead battery the next morning.

[jeffrudisill]

A few months late, but I just acquired a couple of these beauties, and I'm also looking for a solution to the power supply issue.
There's a more complete history of the mics my neighbor and friend just posted at http://www.coutant.org/syncron/index.html.

I've found a replacement for the 4.2 volt bias batteries, and I'm hoping I can use regular phantom power to charge the capsule in place of the pair of 21 volt mercury batteries they originally used.

Anyone have a schematic of the mic?

Jeff Rudisill


PS - I was able to learn that the mics were made in Wallingford, Conn.
An interesting interview with Doc Cavalier can be read at http://tinyurl.com/2xs6e6. Apparently the Syncron mic company was in the same building as his studios. I'm guessing Fairchild became the West Coast distributor for the brand?

[bushwick]

I am really going out on a limb but I think I recall that Dan Zellman had a hand in these. Not sure but I would try to ask him.

[bushwick]

Hey there-

Ok. I called Dan Zellman and he did indeed have a hand in the creation of these mics. He also said that he has built a tube pre amp for these. Give the guy a call. He is deeply knowledgeable about all things audio and certainly these.


DANIEL ZELLMAN:

zeltec@worldnet.att.net

Best,
josh

[djosephson]

Since there hasn't been a response with Dan Zellman's comments, I'll add what I know. The Syncron AU7/AU7A aka Fairchild F22 were made by Syncron in Wallingford, Connecticut. They also made the S10 cardioid, which is the subject of an article in the Journal of the AES.  I've seen two versions of the AU7 capsule; one looks like a CK12 but with only the front diaphragm connected, the other uses half a CK12 capsule with a perforated plate replacing the other half. In each case I've seen, the diaphragm is 25 micron polyester, 3 to 4x as thick as it should be, with predictable results.

Jeff's information on the 21 volt mercury batteries is right -- they are no longer available. The circuit is very simple and adapting it to 48 volt phantom is not difficult. But Jeff, would you post the original link to Doc Cavalier's interview? tinyurl links go away, just like ebay ones do, and this one is 404.

The connector seems to be a homemade hybrid using small Tuchel/DIN threads and an Amphenol multi-pin insert. The Amphenol types are still available from WPI (www.wpi-interconnecto.com) but the threaded ring and cable clamp seems not to be.

At some point the wireless microphone maker Vega, in Santa Clara, California began selling the Stanford-Omega omni and the S10 cardioid as Vega/Syncron mics, but the AU7 was available only from Fairchild. If someone has more information on this, it would be good to know (Klaus, you don't need an archivist, it happens here automagically, as long as people don't post tinyurl's!)

[NATE352]

Recently I acquired a Farichild F22, in good shape, and dead batteries. The batteries total up to around the 48VDC supply you would expect. Someone screwed up the connector, but I'll just put an XLR in it's place.
I plan to fix it, but have no actual use for it. Are they of any value? I have photos if you have interest in seeing what this capsule looks like. It appears to be a copy of a C12, with an aluminum coating, not gold.

[Rod Affleck]

djosephson wrote on Fri, 27 July 2007 17:41

But Jeff, would you post the original link to Doc Cavalier's interview? tinyurl links go away, just like ebay ones do, and this one is 404.

David,

the tinyurl is still active, but you have to remove the stray period at the end of the link. Here's the original url:

http://www.doccavalier.com/interviews/prm_int.html

cheers,
Rod Affleck

[Raster.]

Hi, I was Googling Syncron mics, wondering if the company still existed.

The years 1963-68 I worked for Natec Sound Studios here in Sydney as an engineer, we had Syncrons and here's what I remember about them.

They came from California new, looked like a small electric shaver with a light tan body and dark grey grill. They were side address cardioids and had a small socket on the lower back for their own power supply. It recharged an internal battery in the mic.

We used a pair of them spaced over the strings on our Marshall grand piano. They were popular with the jazz, and classical pianists. HTH.

[compasspnt]

Sadly, Doc passed away a couple of years ago, so some of that information may now be lost.