anyone try the Oktava 52 ribbon?

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Over on prosoundweb.com forums people say it is excellent on guitar cab. It is supposedly not as good as a Royer or Sank Modded M-260.

Hope that helps
Beez
 
For what its worth - I just picked up an Oktava 52 ribbon microphone for $199. at Guitar Center ($100. off sale).

I recorded my son playing trumpet using 4 microphones simultaneously:
Studio Projects C1 (Large diaphram condensor - more colored)
Studio Projects B1 (Large diaphram condensor - more neutral)
Marshall 603 (medium diaphram condensor - neutral)
Oktava 52 (ribbon, figure 8 pattern)

I ran all the microphones through my Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96 preamps/interfaces. I used channels 1-3 of the first one for the condensors with phantom power on, and channel 1 of the second one with phantom power off for the ribbon. The ribbon needed a bit more gain than the others, but that was expected. None of the microphones had audible noise.

The differences were fairly subtle to my poor ears, but the ribbon definitely won. It was a bit smoother and more accurate than the others. The 603 was noticably brighter - almost too bright. The B1 was more neutral - probably my second choice after the ribbon. Its hard to describe the C1 - it added its own tone to the trumpet -- not bad, but not as clean/accurate. To be fair, the C1 was never meant for this kind of use!

None of the sounds was "bad" such that I couldn't salvage it in a mix -- however, the ribbon microphone sounded best to my ears with no eq or compression applied. I always think that the best non-processed sound is the best starting point for working into a mix.

-lee-
 
yeah that's why I thought it was weird. I thought i remembered reading it uses phantom power and it stuck in my head because that seems abnormally not normal. I'm probably wrong, I am lost in a late night haze of cocaine and male prostitutes . . . .
 
I thought I had also read that about it using phantom power..Long time ago though..possibly a different mod. with a similar number



Don
 
The 52 doesn't use phantom power although they (as does Royer) make a ribbon that does use phatom for some active preamp inside the mic. This however ain't the one.
 
Track Rat said:
The 52 doesn't use phantom power although they (as does Royer) make a ribbon that does use phatom for some active preamp inside the mic. This however ain't the one.

TrackRat has it exactly right. DO NOT apply phantom power to this microphone -- you'll blow it up. There are warnings to that effect in the directions.

I've always wondered why the manufacturers couldn't put a circuit into the microphone to protect it in case someone put phantom power on it.... oh well.

-lee-
 
ML52 definitely doesn't not take phantom power. It's a passive design.

I have one and it's just an OK mic. Very warm, limited high end, low sensitivity. It'd be good for higher SPL with limited range, like guitar cabs or horns. I think it does have a flat response, except the housing seems to resonate a bit.

I modded my ML-52 with a Lundahl transformer. It now does that old, warm vocal sound surprising well. If I want an old recording sound that's reminiscent of something from the 30's, this is the mic now.
 
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