Impossible Question But try to answer!

[BSMR]

I recently purchased an octava mk 319 based on the price...$200 including shockmount. Now many posts here insist that quality control on these handmade russian mics are suspect (you know vodka induced concentration failure). How does one tell if he got a lemon if he was stupid enough to buy without a/bing first. I have a couple of dynamic mics and the octava does have much better clarity, I guess the question is: How much better should the octava sound that say an sm58(through a joe meek vc1q)??

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Aha....

We've just uncovered another down-side to cheap mics... the psychological effects of psyching the owner out with continual questions about it's quality (ie, it actual performance vs. its potential performance, had quality-control not messed up!)........

The answer will cost you probably the same as if you'd bought a known reliable brand (the Neumanns, Shure's, AKG's, etc...) in the first place -- 'cos to find out if you have a lemon or not, you'd have to buy yourself a few more to do comparisons. If they all exhibit the same sound qualities as your, then yours is likely fulfilling it's spec.

But in the end, why do you care how much better it *should* sound vs. another mic... USE YOUR EARS! Do you like the sound? Does it do the job for ya?? Is it better than what you had before???

If you answered yes, then keep using it! If you can't live with the mic characteristics, return it (or sell it) and get something better...........


Bruce

 

[dobro]

Exactly. I mean, Shure SM58s have been known to acquit themselves with dignity ab'ed to a presitigious mic like the AT 4050. If you like the sound, well and good. If it isn't capturing the sound, it's time for a new mic.

 

[BSMR]

thank you recording brethren. I sort of already came to these conclusions but i thought it would be an interesting situation to throw out there for pondering. And BTW the octava sounds much much better than sm58

 

[Michael Jones]

Do YOU like the sound of the oktava?
If you do then....
.....thats all that really matters then right?
If you don't, then you're out 200 bucks.