Service FAQ
- How do I send my products for service?
Please fill out the Service Return Form before each shipment and include a printout of the form with your shipment. We cannot perform service without this information.
The sales partner you purchased from is familiar with the process and can certainly give you competent advice. In a country with a SCHOEPS distributor/Premium Dealer, this is the appropriate contact address. This person regularly ships and receives goods from Schoeps, so shipping costs are minimal in this case. He is also competent and experienced in dealing with customs and repair costs.
Dealing directly with Schoeps is also possible, and may be a bit faster, but the shipping costs will be higher than with a combined repair shipment by a sales partner.
You can send us your products directly from anywhere in the world to:SCHOEPS - Service
Bienleinstorstraße 30
76227 Karlsruhe
GermanyBefore sending, you must fill out the Service Return Form and send it to [email protected] to get an RMA number. The RMA number must be clearly noted on the package/delivery bill. No processing can be done without this RMA number. The shipment must be free. Please note the information under "What do I have to pay attention to when sending in products in terms of customs?"
We will keep you informed:- at the time of arrival of the package
- during the service: only in case of questions
- when your products are ready for shipment: you will receive the invoice with request for payment. We will ship directly after we receive the payment.
- What do I have to pay attention to when sending in products in terms of customs?
Please send your delivery bill together with the service return form in advance by e-mail to [email protected]. We need this information for German customs. Without it we will not receive the repair, and there will be additional costs as well as a large loss of time due to the return and re-sending. Information about the shipping service provider and their shipping number is also helpful.
The delivery bill must include the RMA number (see "What is the process for repairs?"), the sender’s complete address, and a detailed listing of all products in the package along with their value and serial numbers, if available. The number of items on the delivery bill must exactly match the number of products in the package; thus, each individual product must be listed separately.
Proforma invoice or the copy of the waybill/customs declaration should be sent in advance in the ticket (reply to the e-mail of the service procedure).
A copy of the delivery bill must be attached to the outside of the package so that customs can view it without opening the package. Otherwise, there will be delays in customs clearance.
Customs clearance must be completed or your microphone will not reach us! In general we recommend using the services of your dealer/distributor, which may also be less costly because of combined shipping costs with other repairs from your country or region.
Please note that the tracking service may already report "Delivered" when the goods arrive at customs, but are not yet at our company.
The package must reach us without any open charges. We do not accept C.O.D. packages or pay any charges incurred due to incorrect shipping documents. - I have an older SCHOEPS microphone. Can I still have it repaired?
Our products are very durable, and most of the time we can repair all products, even if they are well over 20 years old. However, even we eventually run out of spare parts. Therefore, in general, we can no longer offer service for any tube microphones, MK 6 three-pattern capsules, CMTS stereo microphones, the VMS 02/52 preamplifiers, or any microphones older than the Colette series (ca. 1974), e.g. the CMT series or the Strässer CM 640. For safety reasons, power supplies of these series can no longer be repaired, either.
All other models can be sent in directly at any time. Please note that our service fees (below) are staggered according to the age of the microphones. Beyond 20 years we quickly reach 50% of the list price and more.
If you conclude that it makes more sense or is more economical to purchase a new microphone, please ask for a quote; under such circumstances, we may offer you a price reduction for a new microphone in exchange for the older product. Also, don't forget that a product may have carried the same name for many years (e.g. MK 4 or CMC 6), but have undergone significant technical improvements during that time.
Older microphones or capsules and risk of total loss
The product must be opened or disassembled in order to prepare a cost estimate and/or to carry out the repair. However, with old microphones (particularly capsules) sometimes we find that we cannot restore any residual function that may have existed before. Occasionally it is impossible even to reassemble the capsule–for example, when the housing is damaged. In this worst-case situation, the capsule or amplifier can be returned only in disassembled form, i.e. as individual parts. If a repair should no longer be economically reasonable or technically feasible, we will contact you and discuss alternatives (see below).
- Upgrade CMIT capsule to Generation D for CMIT 5 / MiniCMIT
This upgrade brings the shotgun capsule up to date. Among other changes, the upgrade also makes the capsule more resistant to high humidity. The upgrade is offered exclusively for CMIT 5 and MiniCMIT produced before 2021 (SN < ~9200). CMIT 5 and MiniCMIT manufactured in or after 2021 already contain a Generation D capsule.
Details about the generations of CMIT 5 and MiniCMIT microphones can be found here and here. See also SCHOEPS microphones in extreme weather conditions.
Please note that this upgrade replaces only the capsule (and potentially) capsule housing of the microphone, not the electronics or the amplifier housing. Thus it may result in slightly different colors of the capsule housing versus the amplifier housing.
The CMIT 5 and the MiniCMIT have been continuously improved over the years. Purchasing a new microphone can be the better solution, especially if you plan to use the microphone on wireless transmitters.
No. 283001 Upgrade CMIT capsule to Generation D, Costs: 300 € + the standard "small service fee" (#282003/13/23): 55€/155€/205€, according to the microphone’s age (see table below)