A professional microphone is used hard and handled by many people, and most of what fails is at the edges: the connector, the cable entry, the battery contacts and the charging port. The capsule and the electronics inside are more robust than they look, and the first rule is not to assume a good microphone is dead before the cable and the connection have been ruled out.
Blue Apple repairs professional microphones in Amsterdam. The professional microphones page lists the brands we work with, what typical repairs cost and how to send us a request.
What usually goes wrong with professional microphones
- Damaged XLR or jack connector. The most common fault. A crackle that moves when you touch the cable, or a signal that drops, is a worn or broken connector or a joint that has come loose.
- USB or charging port fault. On USB microphones, interfaces, recorders and wireless transmitters, a worn port means no connection or no charge.
- Battery or charging fault in a transmitter. A wireless transmitter that does not hold a charge, or whose charging contacts have corroded.
- Crackling, noise or no signal. Check the cable and the phantom power first. If a different cable and input give the same fault, the electronics or the capsule are at fault.
- Receiver or radio fault. A wireless receiver that loses the link, has weak range or no output.
- Damaged capsule or internal electronics. After a drop or moisture, a capsule can be dented or the internal board damaged. That is specialist work and sometimes not worth doing; we say so.
Brands and models we look at
These are the brands we list for professional microphones, and some of the models with their own pages, each with an estimate of what a typical repair costs.
Brands: Shure, Sennheiser, RØDE, Neumann, Audio-Technica, AKG, DPA Microphones, Lectrosonics, Wisycom, Sony Professional Audio, Electro-Voice, Earthworks Audio, Schoeps, Austrian Audio.
Popular models: Neumann U 87 Ai, Neumann TLM 103, Neumann KMS 105, Sennheiser MKH 416, Sennheiser MD 421-II, AKG C414 XLII, Audio-Technica AT4050, Shure SM7B.
Repair or replace?
A connector, a cable entry, a charging port or a battery is cheap to repair relative to a good microphone, and worth doing. A capsule or a board in a premium microphone needs a closer look, and we give you an honest opinion after the diagnosis about whether it pays.
Looking after your microphone
- Use a pop shield and a shock mount. They protect the capsule from moisture and knocks.
- Store it dry, in its case. Humidity is the main enemy of a condenser capsule.
- Do not plug in or unplug with phantom power on. The surge can damage the electronics.
How a repair works at Blue Apple
The prices for these devices are estimates until we have seen them. Send a request with the model and what is wrong, and we tell you what a repair is likely to cost and how to get the device to us. The final price is confirmed in writing after the diagnosis, before any work starts. You can use the custom repair form, or call 020 239 11 93.
Common questions
Can you repair a wireless microphone system?
Yes, receivers and transmitters from the brands on the professional microphones page, depending on the fault.
My microphone crackles. Is it broken?
Often it is the cable or the connector. Try another cable and input first; if the fault stays, bring it in.
In short
Connectors, ports, batteries, receivers and sometimes the capsule can be repaired on professional microphones, and the diagnosis tells you what pays. See the professional microphones page for the models and repairs, or send us a request. You will find us at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, and you can call 020 239 11 93 with a question first.
