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Author Topic: Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: How Long Do They Last?  (Read 4264 times)

klaus

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Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: How Long Do They Last?
« on: March 24, 2015, 02:48:02 AM »

It's been about 45 years since the first Tantalum capacitors were introduced in Neumann transistor ("FET80") mics.

They rarely gave me trouble in the past. Aside from the occasional blow-out after a massive voltage shock from phantom-power oversupply (they don't like to digest much higher voltage than what is printed on them), they've been pretty stable. Their lousy sound is another issue for another topic.

But lately I have found that if I do any service work where other components are replaced, or if I just look at those red buggers the wrong way, these Tantalum drops are starting to give out more and more, steepening that long, almost straight line of the reliability curve over time of the past forty-five years noticeably downwards.

So, if you find your Neumann Fet mic from the early 1970s suddenly without output, look there first.
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Klaus Heyne
German Masterworks®
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soapfoot

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Re: Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: The End is Near
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2015, 08:15:18 AM »

aluminum electrolytic and even film types are now being made in very small form factors. Do you recommend going that way for replacements, or sticking with tantalum?
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Jim Williams

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Re: Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: The End is Near
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2015, 11:00:21 AM »

If there is space I prefer low impedance 105 degree rated electrolytic caps. Newer formulas like Nichicon HE and Panasonic FR have 1/3 the impedance of a tantalum cap. They are now rated at about a 40 year life, much improved.

Tantalum and electrolytic caps have a slow transient response, those benefit from adding a small value, fast film cap as a bypass to lessen those effects.
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J.J. Blair

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Re: Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: The End is Near
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2015, 03:50:40 AM »

We are speaking of dry tantalum caps, not wet slug tantalum, such as is found in the 251, correct?  My understanding is that the wet slug tantalum caps has been used in missiles and spacecraft, due to their robustness.  No?
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klaus

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Re: Tantalum Capacitors in Neumann Mics: The End is Near
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2015, 01:33:46 PM »

Yes. I discussed the type of Tantalum capacitor that looks like a tear drop. Mots often bright red, some blue and a few green, which Neumann used throughout the 1970s and 80s in all of their FET mics.
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Klaus Heyne
German Masterworks®
www.GermanMasterworks.com
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