KVR Audio

DiLate · Post by **DiLate** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:57 pm

hey..

I run a small home studio with not much wiggle room. I also injest a massive amount of cannabis on a daily basis due to mental health issues that im sure are more appropriate for another forum.

I always keep the door to the recording booth [bedroom] and contol room [another bedroom] shut whilst smoking in the living room, but could the smoke that gets in under the door, through the AC vent, during entrance and exit, etc.. damage the condenser mics?

As of right now, when the mics are up, or if im just about to put them up after i smoke, i try to do drive around and smoke so the apartment air is clean, but for legal reasons, i wish to discontinue this behavior. Also, i live in an apartment complex, so i cant do it on the balcony.

Any advice as to how much exposure is required to damage condenser mics?

Hovmod · Post by **Hovmod** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:02 pm

As your lawyer, I advice you to stop smoking in your studio right away. I can dispose of the pot for you. PM me for the address.

DiLate · Post by **DiLate** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:04 pm

Polite Company · Post by **Polite Company** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:26 pm

I doubt that such limited exposure would be enough to damage any gear. If you were blowing smoke directly into the mic that would be a different matter...

I've talked to a guy who smokes in his studio and lets bands do the same. He says everything works fine as long as you clean it. (people actually lend him gear for safe keeping.)

bleebsen · Post by **bleebsen** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:27 pm

The magic of condenser mics lies in the very small mass of the diaphragm. Anything that condenses on there will increse the mass. While I have no clue how much is gonna condense there I would prefer to put expensive mics away.

shanecgriffo · Post by **shanecgriffo** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:29 pm

hmmm , ithink you might be just a wee bit paranoid about it...

bleebsen · Post by **bleebsen** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:33 pm

... which is a side effect of marijuana, innit?

Rusty Shackleford · Post by **Rusty Shackleford** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:34 pm

i assume you're worried about smoke particles sticking to the capacitor plates in the mic mainly... It sounds like it's nothing too serious if you're not smoking in the same room as the gear. At my old apartment I used to smoke copious amounts of pot in the same room as my gear and the only problems I got over time were an excessive amount of dust in my G5, which I'd flush out every couple months. If you're really worried about your condenser mics while you're not using them you could wrap them up in plastic to be sure smoke's not getting to them though.

Out of curiosity where do you live? I never worried about smoking on my balcony, but I was living in Montreal at the time and people are really lax about smoking weed there. I never once worried about smoking on my balcony, but I realize there's some places in the world where smoking pot requires a bit more care...

chrisj · Post by **chrisj** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:53 pm

i would treat your mics better than you treat your lungs - mics don't breathe so they don't clean themselves out like your lungs do.
i don't know if you have a cleaner called 'glen 20' in your part of the world, but i've used that to clean out ciggy & weed smells + spit from neumans & the like.
i would pack the mics away if you're planning on having a dutch oven in the same room as them.
happy smoking!

where02190 · Post by **where02190** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:54 am

There's a reason why the vast majority of recording studios are smoke free. It won't happen overnight, and because of that you won't notice the deterioration in your gear, but it happens.

Go outside or on another area to fry your brain.

jplanet · Post by **jplanet** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:19 am

I wonder about this whole smoke/mic thing. Does anybody really think that any famous record from the 70's was recorded in a smoke free studio? Please.

DiLate · Post by **DiLate** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:29 am

Hey.. what about like a rycote windscreen type of cover, you know that make the mic all feathery and whatnot.. could that help protect a mic if set up after a medicating?

pw · Post by pw » Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:34 am

chrisj wrote:i would treat your mics better than you treat your lungs - mics don't breathe so they don't clean themselves out like your lungs do.
i don't know if you have a cleaner called 'glen 20' in your part of the world, but i've used that to clean out ciggy & weed smells + spit from neumans & the like.
i would pack the mics away if you're planning on having a dutch oven in the same room as them.
happy smoking!

classic! bring on the 'glen 20' chris!

bleebsen · Post by **bleebsen** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:03 pm

FWIW, I've been visiting the SAE 10 years ago and we've been told to *always* store away mics after use. So nobody can drop them, steal them, smoke em or whatever.

If it's expensive better be safe than sorry. Never mind if it's a T-Bone or a Behringer though..

opia · Post by **opia** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:17 pm

use your old sandwich bags to cover the mics while you smoke.
I just keep my mic case partially unzipped and slip it over the mic on the stand when i'm otherwise preoccupied

Microphones and Marijuana / Cannabis and Cardioids