[Boatanchors] D-104 Replacement Element

[Glen Zook]

The Kobitone 25LM022 makes a excellent replacement for the original Astatic cartridge.  One does have to make something to hold the cartridge in place because it is smaller in diameter.  I use a styrofoam sheet cut to the diameter of the microphone and then cut a hole for the cartridge in the center of the sheet.

However,  I believe that Kobitone has stopped making these cartridges.  Mouser used to handle them but stopped well over a year ago.  I don't know if Allied, or another of the large parts suppliers still have any around.

I still have a couple of these cartridges but am being selfish in that I am keeping them to replace in my D-104 when the Astatic cartridge goes bad.  I was fortunate in that I was able to obtain one of the last replacement cartridges available from Astatic.

The factory cartridge in the D-104 is relatively fragile and can be easily damaged by dropping the microphone, by hitting it soundly, and by high humidity.
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com



On Saturday, February 15, 2014 5:16 PM, Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> wrote:
 
As far as I know the best thing is another working Astatic element.
You have to suck it up and go to hamfests and look for D104s.   Hope
you get a good one.

You can maybe get another old crystal mic and get the element out of
it.   Astatic and Electrovoice? made xtal mics for things like tape
recorders in the 1950s.
There are Japanese xtal mics made in the 1960s that turn up.  Those
Kobetone elements that were around a few years ago have a reputation
for not being all that good.


73
Rob
K5UJ

On Sat, Feb 15, 2014 at 5:04 PM, Richard Solomon <w1ksz at earthlink.net> wrote:
> I need to replace the element in my NON-amplified D-104. What
> do folks recommend I use ?
>
> Tnx es 73, Dick, W1KSZ
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