“Matched pair” questions

Mickster

Well-known member
Many years ago I bought 2 Oktava MC 012 Mic’s from GC in LA. It’s think the sales person told me they were a matched pair but I’m not sure he said that. It was a LONG time ago and I had lost them during a move 20 years ago or so. I recently found them in an old box of old clothes I had never reopened. Guess I had put them in there for protection.

So......how would I know if they are matched. And........what is the main benefit of a matched pair? I have to admit I have no real idea.
 
In theory they were tested at the factory and deemed to be equal in sensitivity across their frequency spectrum. Equal being something defined by the folks selling them, i.e., +/- some dB(s) or fraction thereof.

You could probably get a sense of how equal by putting them in front of a good full-range monitor and sending pink noise through it, recording a short sample, and then looking at the frequency spectrum (e.g., in Audacity).

I see videos saying that here and there you don't need a matched pair, or even a pair of the same model, for some uses, but I wouldn't go so far as to mix models for uses where you are capturing something with either a very wide spectrum, like a piano perhaps, or even something that pushes the ends, and then you'd wide pan the two different mics. IME this can create a bit of an odd wandering of the point source in the stereo image. You can tame this with EQ, but it's just easier to not have to worry about it.
 
Thanks keith.......the mics each came in their own box. Would a matched pair have been in one box only? In your opinion........what is an example of a circumstance that would require a matched pair...........or benefit the most from it?
 
Thanks keith.......the mics each came in their own box. Would a matched pair have been in one box only? In your opinion........what is an example of a circumstance that would require a matched pair...........or benefit the most from it?
I don't think you'd necessarily expect the mics to be in the same box, though some are sold that way.

I'd say any situation where you're using two microphones (using a stereo technique) to capture anything and plan to pan those two tracks wide would be one where you'd usually want the mics to be the same, assuming they're both capable of capturing the full range of what they're pointed at, of course.

My one example of where I didn't use my matched pair was a violin/viola duet and I used my favorite mic on the violin and another good mic on the viola. The problem was that the mic on the viola actually had a pretty good bump in the highs, i.e., it was more sensitive to high frequencies than the favorite/flatter mic. So, when the violin parts went up high, it actually picked up more of the violin. Then, when listening to a wide-panned mix, especially in cans, it seemed like the violin was actually moving toward the viola. Not a happy moment.
 
Also...some manufacturers when selling a matched pair, would assign sequentially serial numbers after matching them...but not all manufacturers, sometimes the serial numbers come first, then they test 7 match them.
So check the serial numbers anyway...it they are in sequence, it's a good indicator they were most likely tested & match.
 
Back in the day, Oktava QC was known to be very loose. The original US importer would do the actual quality control and cull out examples that fell below their quality standards. I seriously doubt that any real "matching" was ever done.
 
Yes, at the budget end they probably do little more than pick close sensitivities.

Good way to check matching is, set for equal gain on noise then flip the phase of one mic. Any differences will stand out.

AFAIK 'matched pairs' usually come with a stereo bar all in one box, if you don't have that, not likely a pair.

The MS technique of course gets over the matching issue.

Dave.

---------- Update ----------

Yes, at the budget end they probably do little more than pick close sensitivities.

Good way to check matching is, set for equal gain on noise then flip the phase of one mic. Any differences will stand out.

AFAIK 'matched pairs' usually come with a stereo bar all in one box, if you don't have that, not likely a pair.

The MS technique of course gets over the matching issue.

Dave. (did not double posts but had the "Leave this page " ***t. Gremlins again? )
 
The best case for needing matched pairs is usually ensemble recordings in the same environment. If you have a pair stationed at two spots and are capturing a performance live off the floor, then having two mics within a few cents of each other as far as sensitivity and frequency response is always a good idea.

A lot of the budget mics from that many years back used the "matched pair" as a marketing ploy and would briefly test mics to 'get it close'. The high-end products have much more stringent quality control throughout the build that a person would be hard-pressed out in the user world to determine the differences from mic to mic even bought individually and at different times.

I own three 'pairs' of SDC mics two sets of which are matched. One set has consecutive serial numbers and the other "matched pair" does not. In a blind test the differences are negligible. The other pair is a set of relatively higher end mics and though they are a couple of years apart as far as their birth dates, they are very similar in all aspects. The manufacturer in this case would never claim these mics to be a "matched pair" as the truly matched sets they sell are.
 
Thanks to everyone who has replied. I really appreciate it.

To turn the subject a bit.......It seems like you guys might be saying the Oktava MC-012 was a budget mic. I'm curious as to what others might think. As I mentioned earlier.......I "lost" these mics for about 20 years or so and only recently found them again (like a Christmas morning) so I have no real experience using them yet. I don't remember what I paid for them. I did try one of them on a Martin and one just with some vocal just to get a listen. All in all they seem smooth and "balanced" with a pleasing top end but not an extended one. The bottom seems to be fairly accurate......but all that is subjective of course.

Anyone use them and have any feedback?
 
Not true. Many mics can be obtained as a matched pair without those extra goodies.

Ok, not INVARIABLY true but every set of such mics I have ever seen advertised or reviewed DID come with a bar. You used the term "obtained"? Rather different from an off-the-shelf purchase. I dare say all the major mic mnctrs will supply matched pairs if asked and you are prepared to pay for them!

Dave.
 
I personally have never worried about the matched pair thing, I have often bought a second mic of a model I already have to make up a pair and they sound fine together. Maybe if I was buying 2 mics brand new and the opportunity to get a matched pair was there I would, but I don't loose any sleep over it.

Alan.
 
I remember seeing a very old TV programme and (I think it was Neumann) each mic got a proper test of frequency response and critically, polar response. Two that were very close were made a pair, sold in a double box. I think AKG just serial numbered them sequentially, and sold them at a price premium.

When you have a coincident pair of microphones, the stereo imaging comes from changes introduced by the interaction of the polar pattern. Little bumps in the frequency response, if only in one of the pair cause image shift as one capsule responds more than the other, and differences in the polar pattern from one to the other do the same thing. Worst case is a different polar pattern that changes with frequency, as most do. I had it explained to me as this.

Image your stereo pair above the conductors head in a neutral room, capturing an orchestra. Your microphones are precise and detailed enough to record the trumpet and trombone players swapping seats. In a pair of random off the shelf good quality, same model microphones, this seat swap might happen when they play a C, but swap back by the time they get to F. In the matched pair - they appear to be in the seat they are playing in - if they swap you hear it.
 
You guys have all laid out very clear explanations about matched pairs........how they work and sort of how they're sold. As usual......this forum is awesome! I'm the OP for this thread.

However.......in an earlier post in this thread.......I asked if anyone had any experience working with the mics in question......specifically the Oktava MC-012-01. I've read up on them on line but would like some first hand knowledge if anyone here has that.

If not......thanks for your help.
 
Thanks to everyone who has replied. I really appreciate it.

To turn the subject a bit.......It seems like you guys might be saying the Oktava MC-012 was a budget mic. I'm curious as to what others might think. As I mentioned earlier.......I "lost" these mics for about 20 years or so and only recently found them again (like a Christmas morning) so I have no real experience using them yet. I don't remember what I paid for them. I did try one of them on a Martin and one just with some vocal just to get a listen. All in all they seem smooth and "balanced" with a pleasing top end but not an extended one. The bottom seems to be fairly accurate......but all that is subjective of course.

Anyone use them and have any feedback?

I owned a pair of those a long while back. And I bought them from GC. Like I said earlier, this was at a time when the term "matched pair" was a selling point especially for the lower end mics being produced at that time. QC for Oktava was a bit lax and you could never be sure what you might get past a simple plug it in at the store and see it works....The set I bought came in a single case with each mic having it's own box-in-a-box...there was a stereo bar and two sets of mounts...a suspension and a hard mount for the bar set-up. I didn't pay a lot for these and needed more mics like I needed a hole in my head....but I bought them anyway. I also bought an Oktava MK319 at the same time because they were blowing them out. I went through their entire stock until I found one I liked. Still have it and it's a Russian built one. Still sounds unexpectedly good.

The 012's were a different story. They weren't close to being a matched pair in sound. I already had a pair of Shure SM81's and a pair of AKG C451's so like I said I didn't really need the Oktavas...Individually I thought they were really quite smooth and there were two different caps in this kit they were selling and I wound up using these as spaced pairs in omni as room mics for a couple of years. They weren't bad. Then I sold them to a drummer I worked with as his live overheads. I think he still uses them. I know they still make this model and they still sell the "matched pair" sets and from what I can tell and hear, they are actually a much better mic than the early runs and they may indeed be matched at this time.
 
My Oktava 319s are old enough to be considered Cold War mics - and it's interesting that even on the official web site, much of the history is not as I remember. The 319, for example, is referred to as the successor to the 219, but it was sold in parallel for quite a few years, and certainly when I bought mine in the mid-90s, there was a choice. The 219 was quite well received for it's sound, but the subject of some amusement for the physical quality. The cast housing didn't meet very well when fitted together as the flow marks were often poorly ground off, so the cases wobbled a bit, and the better made 319 was much better received for the attention to the mechanical parts. There was no chance of getting a matched pair - the pair I have still sound similar, but different - always did. I suspect it's the mic capsule that does this - different membrane tension I suspect. I still use mine because they don't sound bright. all the modern condensers sound brighter as a design feature. I always thought the 319s sounded like a clean dynamic, rather than a sterilised condenser.

If you still have your pair - it's probably because you like the sound. If you don't care about fashion, they're a nice mic for the price they were.
 
I still use mine because they don't sound bright. all the modern condensers sound brighter as a design feature. I always thought the 319s sounded like a clean dynamic, rather than a sterilised condenser.

I’ve had a few days to experiment with my two MC-012-01’s and you’re exactly right IMO. They’re not bright but are still open sounding and the bottom end is excellent. They tracked a nice Martin beautifully and as you stated.......it’s very much like working with good all around dynamic that has some warmth to it. Believe it or not........and it could be just me......but I like the way it tracked my vocals. I guess I’ll be using them from time to time.
 
Thanks to everyone who has replied. I really appreciate it.

To turn the subject a bit.......It seems like you guys might be saying the Oktava MC-012 was a budget mic. I'm curious as to what others might think. As I mentioned earlier.......I "lost" these mics for about 20 years or so and only recently found them again (like a Christmas morning) so I have no real experience using them yet. I don't remember what I paid for them. I did try one of them on a Martin and one just with some vocal just to get a listen. All in all they seem smooth and "balanced" with a pleasing top end but not an extended one. The bottom seems to be fairly accurate......but all that is subjective of course.

Anyone use them and have any feedback?
They were considered budget mics because about 20 years ago guitar center was blowing them out of $99 each (or something like that). They are good mics, they were just inexpensive for a couple years.

I had a pair of these, I used them all the time for acoustic guitar, hi hat, overheads, ride, even snare (with the pad). They were a really good utility mic. Open sounding but not bright.
 
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