Can my Oktava mc-012 be fixed?

[Booda]

I have a pair of Oktava mc-012 and recently one of the bodies has lost 1/2 it's signal and top end. They're about 7 years old. The last I used it (a few weeks ago) it was functioning fine and it's never been dropped or abused. Now the signal is less than 1/2 of the other one and when I crank up my Pre there is very noticable loss of High End.

I did check cables and tried the capsuls and -10db on each body and it is the body. ANY suggestions on a way to fix it... should I try to take it a part... hit it w/ a hammer?

It must be the Female of the 2...
It probably figured out it's been replaced by a better more attractive mic (Peluso CEMC6) and is giving me the Cold Shoulder. While the other Male mc-012 is like... well at least I'm still gettin some action once in awhile.

Thanks,
B.

 

[mshilarious]

Could be something simple like a broken lead to one of the pins.

 

[PinkNoise]

Warm, dry storage helps!

It might be a damp or condensation probem. Is it noisy or making plopping sounds as well? Try placing it in a warm place with a bag of silica-gel for 24 hours. This often revives them!

 

[musical5]

If I can get in on this. I have one that is also hosed. The body amplifies the sound of it being touched, but the head does not reproduce the sound being made in front of it. Any thoughts? Just the capsule?

 

[TaperChuck]

If you are carefull, you can open it up and have a look inside to see if there is something that is obviously wrong. There are a couple of small screws that you have to screw in, then the whole thing will come apart. It's not very complicated inside. I Dorsey modded a couple of them once.

 

[cannabis]

here's a link to pics

and a schematic of the 012 if helpful

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/5054/63237/0/#msg_63237

 

[Booda]

It might be a damp or condensation probem. Is it noisy or making plopping sounds as well? Try placing it in a warm place with a bag of silica-gel for 24 hours. This often revives them!

Damn! I thought this was going to work. I tried it... On one of my cables it does make the poping, crackles but the poping goes away on other cables. Funny thing... my other MC-012 doesn't make the poping sound w/ that one (Blue Kiwi) cable. It looks like I found a bad cable now too... I think I have a few Gremlins running around.

On the body there are 3 screws 2 tiny ones and 1 larger one. Of the 2 tiny screws one is screwed in much further to the body than the other and the bottom of the mic is a tiny loose where as my other MC-012 is not loose at all. I think I'll try and take it apart this weekend.

Thanks for the Help and suggestions.
B.

 

[travelin travis]

just remember to TIGHTEN the screws to take the mic apart and LOOSEN the screws when putting it back together.

 

[Booda]

just remember to TIGHTEN the screws to take the mic apart and LOOSEN the screws when putting it back together.

Are you joking or are they reverse threads?

 

[TaperChuck]

You have to screw the screws in, not out on this microphone.
Actually, by screwing them in (righty tighty) it separates the internal circuit board from the body. It's quite easy to screw them in too far, making the small screws fall into the circuit. Just be careful.

 

[Gonny]

They are reverse threads.

I have an 012 that died - no sound whatsoever. The capsule from the dead mic works on my other 012 body so I figured it might be something inside the body. Figured I'd open it up and take a look inside. I screwed the set screws in....and in.....until the fell out on the inside. Couldn't seem to get the thing open after that. Now I have a dead mic with three little screws jangling around inside.

Thanks to the link cannabis supplied, I now know how It's supposed to pull apart. I guess I assumed the XLR pulled out like on an SM57. I'll have to give it another yank tonight and see if I can get it open.

 

[travelin travis]

I guess I assumed the XLR pulled out like on an SM57. I'll have to give it another yank tonight and see if I can get it open.

i tried the same thing the first time i took a small condensor apart. i think most of the low budget condensors are built this way.

Are you joking or are they reverse threads?

i was'nt kidding. i don't remember the threads being in reverse. look at the pic of the oktava above to see how it opens up and you'll understand what i mean.

 

[Gonny]

Oops, you're right Travis. They are not reverse threads. They are headless screws that you need to screw in to get it apart.

 

[Booda]

My Screws Loose

Ya know, it dawned on me that my Female Oktava 012 as I said earlier has one screw that is much further in the body than the other... the bottom of that Mic is also a tiny bit loose. Well, I wasn't thinking that it was a loose screw... I thought it was too tight.

2 questions...
1. So to take it apart the screws go in, but not too far, or they fall in side the Mic? I'm pretty mechanically inclined but that is a baffling situation to me. I know once I take it a part it will all make sense but thinking about it is a little perplexing on me brain.

2. Where do you find such a tiny screw driver?
- $.99 store ?

B.

 

[TaperChuck]

BTW, I have a small number if the right size "screws" that are used to hold the Octava MC012 microphones together. It is very easy to "strip" the slot edges off the standard little screws. I bought some that are black and have a female hex head, so they don't break or strip. If anybody needs some, let me know.

 

[cannabis]

booda

screw them into the mic until the tops

clear the outside sleeve's inside diameter

then the body (sleeve) should come off



you can get appropriate screwdrivers

at a hardware store, sears

or my favorite - harbor freight tools

and yes, many dollar stores have them too



i've made them before in a pinch

by filing down the end of a paper clip

or even a coat hanger

into a screwdriver wedge shape

 

[travelin travis]

booda

screw them into the mic until the tops

clear the outside sleeve's inside diameter

then the body (sleeve) should come off



you can get appropriate screwdrivers

at a hardware store, sears

or my favorite - harbor freight tools

and yes, many dollar stores have them too



i've made them before in a pinch

by filing down the end of a paper clip

or even a coat hanger

into a screwdriver wedge shape

i've done that too. it works.

 

[Booda]

i've made them before in a pinch by filing down the end of a paper clip or even a coat hanger into a screwdriver wedge shape

That Rules!

Have you heard of the guy who traded a red paper clip all the way up to a house? If he knew that his paper clip could also double as a screwdriver... who knows what he would have ended up with.

I found one at the $.99 store today (in a eye glass repair kit).

Thanks again,
B.

 

[travelin travis]

That Rules!

Have you heard of the guy who traded a red paper clip all the way up to a house?

I would be very interested in hearing that story.

 

[kojdogg]

I would be very interested in hearing that story.

I heard about this; short version-- the guy did it through Craigslist barter making trade after trade and is writing a book about it. Apparently the keys were when Corbin Bernsen (no joke) heard about it and offered a small role in a c-movie in exchange for a Kiss snow globe (because Corbin Bernsen is an avid snow globe collector apparently) and then some town in Canada decided to put town money into buying the guy a house in the town (land and property is apparently also pretty cheap there).