mic connector

[Bob Bruner WB4TAJ]

>>Is that the old style connector with the solder blobs for  pins?

NM

No, the "screw-on, solder blob" connector is a type MC.  It is still  in
production by Wire Pro, who bought the tooling from Amphenol.  It is  available
from Newark.  Switchcraft second-sourced this connector, and in  my experience,
you were more likely to get the Switchcraft version from  Heathkit.  In fact,
as I look around the shop here, every Heathkit in sight  has the the
Switchcraft plug on it.  Switchcraft still makes them, and they  are sold by MCM.  Two
advantages of going with the Switchcraft version is  that a new one, today, is
about half the price of the Wire Pro, and IMHO, it is  a more attactive
design and has better ergonomics.  Both MCM (MCMinone.com)  and Newark
(Newarkinone.com) have on-line searchable catalogs.  Use the  "Advanced Serach" as their
"quick" searches are usually useless.  Unless  you already know their exact
part number, all you are likely to find is the  message saying you didn't find
anything.

The Amphenol "MC" series connectors were widely used and actually consisted
of three different types of connectors.  The MC connector is the screw-on
job.  The MC2M is the approximate 1/2-inch diameter "Heathkit" microphone
connector as used on the SB and other series radios.  They were also  used by other
people and were popular in insturmentation as probe connectors,  etc. There
was an MC1M connector which is identical in appearance, but with  only 1 pin.
These were used by Electro-Voice, for instance as microphone  connectors on a
low-priced series of PA microphones such as the 631.  Then  there were the
approximately 7/8-inch members of the MC family, the  MC-3, MC-4, all the way up
to MC-7.   The MC-3, was used by Shure on  several of their microphones, most
notably, the Shure 55 series so popular with  overseas collectors.  The MC-4 is
the mic plug on old GE and Motorola  two-way radios and also was used by
Electro-Voice on their older PA mics, such  as the 664, another popluar collector
microphone.  MC-4s were also commonly  second sourced, and you saw a lot of
these "other brand" connectors on the above  referenced 2-way radio gear.   Old
PA equipment is another source of  these connectors, all of them were used by
one amplifier maker or another as  chassis plugs. "MC-n" is the core part
number for these.  There are  prefixes or suffixes depending on the manufacturer,
Male/Female, cable end or  chassis type.

The Wire Pro versions of all theses seem to be identical in appearance and
quality to the original Amphenols, but the prices are an order of magnitude
greater.  The best source is to keep your eyes peeled at a hamfest for
junky-cluttered card tables with little boxes full of salvaged parts.

Bob Bruner
W9TAJ

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