How badly do grill dents affect sound.

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mindwave_21

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Hi all! I just wanted to know if there were adverse effects if the grill of a mk319 was dented (case ringing, RF interference, etc.). The problem is, I ordered from an online company, and they can't get a hold of their new shipments of mk319's, but they have dented ones they were going to send back that I could get. If these dents were merely cosmetic blemishes, I would take one in a heartbeat. Plus, I convinced the store owner to run the mic tests as suggested by the home recording FAQ (key jangling, weird noise check, etc.) to make sure I was getting a non-defective Oktava. Any comments on dents? I plan to use this one mic for vocals, amp micing, and acoustic guitar. I also have a stedman ps-101 pop filter if that effects anything. Thanks all. Bear with me on these stupid questions. Hopefully, they'll gradually become interesting :).
 
Think of water washing around the pilings of a pier... that's the way sound enters a microphone, by wraping around the wire of the head grill mesh. The shape and texture of this mesh has a definite influence on the tone, texture and character of the microphone.

Now, whether a dent in an Okatava mk319 will significantly affect the tone, texture and character of the microphone I can't tell you... but you might want to wait for an example of what the designer was really thinking than taking a piece with a dent in it.

Just a thought, best of luck with it.
 
I have never really thought about this too much, although, I've used quite a few dinged 58's with little discernable difference from a mint condition one. Without actually knowing the answer to your question, I would take a dinged grille, but only if I was getting a significant discount over the *used* price of a mint-condition microphone.
 
mindwave_21 said:
Hi all! I just wanted to know if there were adverse effects if the grill of a mk319 was dented (case ringing, RF interference, etc.). The problem is, I ordered from an online company, and they can't get a hold of their new shipments of mk319's, but they have dented ones they were going to send back that I could get. If these dents were merely cosmetic blemishes, I would take one in a heartbeat. Plus, I convinced the store owner to run the mic tests as suggested by the home recording FAQ (key jangling, weird noise check, etc.) to make sure I was getting a non-defective Oktava. Any comments on dents? I plan to use this one mic for vocals, amp micing, and acoustic guitar. I also have a stedman ps-101 pop filter if that effects anything. Thanks all. Bear with me on these stupid questions. Hopefully, they'll gradually become interesting :).
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Yeah, like Fletcher said.. and yes filters and etc change the sound too... anyway, replacement grills are cheap.
 
Dents in a grill may affect the sound, but my concern would be more with the way it was treated to cause those dents.
Its not just used, its abused.
 
I think it gives it some character....and the memories of the dumbass that dropped it.
 
Thanks guys! I'm only getting offered a $10 discount, so I guess I'll wait until Oktava decides to freakin' ship those things. I've been waiting like 2 weeks now :mad:. Anyways, I figure it's worth it to get a brand new one, because that's what I paid for. Thanks again.
 
Be advised- you may be waiting a very long time, like months. Oktava isn't shipping right now, and there are as many explanations for why as there are hound dogs in Kentucky.-Richie
 
I bought two MK319s from the MF clearance center for $60. They are both pretty badly dented on the grill and both work really well. Nothing adverse sounding fromt eh grill that I've noticed.
 
IMO, most dented grills are no big deal - it's more of a cosmetic thing - as long as the diaphragm or the other components weren't damaged when the grill was dented.
 
A bottom of a drum stick works great to remove dent out of SM58 grills. Or you can buy Audix Om3s and OM5s they don't dent.
 
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