octava mk-012

  • Thread starter Thread starter mfro98
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:cool: Have 3, Like 'em. Build quality is good at best, sound adds vintage effect to recordings.....



da MUTT
 
I use the MC012s religiously. I think they are terrific for OHs. Wonderful on violin and mandolin. My only comment is that they have a bit of a boost in the low mids which sometimes makes it a bit tricky getting a good sound out of acoustic guitar. The other day I took both mics and ran a peak frequency analysis. The analysis showed a gentle sloping rise around 125 Hz. From 250 Hz on its fairly flat up to 20 kHz. The other thing I realized is that the graphs were for the most part identical. And thats on two MC012s (MK012) that I hand matched at Guitar Center.
 
You should try a Marshall MXL603S on your acoustic guitar.. they works great, just place it for taste, no EQ... it's a no brainier.
 
I got a pair yesterday for $99.99. Pulled them apart and checked them out and they were OK inside - no cold joints, matching components, etc.

I did a fairly crude test on them a while ago:

Ran them into two channels of my recording setup with nominally-identical cables, set them up side by side exactly the same distance from a 440 A sound from a tuner and then adjusted the two channels to each show 0dB on the meters - then unplugged and switched inputs.

Still 0dB on the meters!

I realize that this is a very quick 'n' dirty test that doesn't address the entire audio spectrum, but it's at least indicative of a pretty passible match. People routinely complain of much worse matches, four or five dBs throughout.

For a hundred bucks, I'm satisfied.
 
One thing is for sure, opinions vary on the MC012's usefulness for acoustic guitar. I think this is a combination of differences in the mics, the guitars, and taste. On the MP-3 mixing clinic, check out Crawdad's post "Summer of Love". He did that with an 012 into a DMP-3, and I've never gotten results that good with that mic. I really don't know if it's placement, the pre, the mic itself, the guitar, or even the room. Almost no one hates them on overheads, but reports and results on acoustic guitar have varied a lot.-Richie
 
It definately matters which guitar and even how it's being played. It seems that the more I listen to the 012's, they seem to be perfect for bright, strumed guitars and finger picking if picks are used. They're not as flattering on nylon stringed guitars or finger picked steel strings with no picks. There something like a KM-184 or the Earthworks gets more detail and air.
 
Richard Monroe said:
One thing is for sure, opinions vary on the MC012's usefulness for acoustic guitar...I really don't know if it's placement, the pre, the mic itself, the guitar, or even the room. Almost no one hates them on overheads, but reports and results on acoustic guitar have varied a lot.
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I was pretty amazed in my tests. I was thinking, "Oh yeah, just another microphone, big deal..." Then I whipped out my Gretsch acoustic, which is a surprisingly rich-sounding guitar, and tried fooling around with a MK-012 in various positions. It sounded pretty good. Then, just for fun, I tried the second MK-012 along with the first and after a little fiddling, I was really amazed at the sound - it was great, at least to my ears.

I don't recall ever seeing any bad reviews of the MK(MC)-012 on acoustic guitar on r.a.p.
 
I agree with what Richard said...

To date, my favroite overheads are the AKG C451's.

But on the cheap budget mic's... I prefer the MXL603S's over the MC-012's on acoustic guitar. And I prefer the MC-012's over the MXL603S's as overheads.
 
Just a couple of tips for anyone new to the Oktavas- The threads on the modular components are very fine, and if you're not gentle, it's easy to cross-thread them. They are very prone to popping, and I often use a pop filter on them even on instruments. When used as a vocal mic, I use 2 pop filters, 3-4" apart. Also, the ink on the logo on the body and the polar pattern symbol on the capsules will wear off easily if handled. Try not to touch them.
Now down to $50 apiece, the MC012 takes it's place alongside a handful of other mics as obvious cheap mics to add to your cabinet. I just sent my backing vocalist, Maureen, one for her birthday, so she can begin learning how to use SD mics. As a $100 mic, it was a good deal. As a $50 mic, it's a no-brainer.-Richie
 
I'll add that I used a pair of mk-012s (unmatched) this weekend to record drums. The drummer is very good. New Evans jazzbo heads on all of the drums, well tuned, good sounding room. Set up the 012s, a kick drum mic (that cheap new CAD mic -- really nice) and a beta57 on the snare & we were often tempted to not even use the kick & snare mics. The overheads sounded great: spacious, warm, detailed &, most importantly, no mid-range hype that makes the crash shrill & overwhelming. Really happy with the result. Recorded a couple of months ago in a studio using 84s for overheads & I'm much happier with this drum sound. Not saying 012s are better than Neumanns, but we used both on the same kit two months apart & the Neumanns in a "real" studio with a great room and a "real" engineer (who is also an excellent drummer) & the Oktavas in my nice sounding basement with non-engineer, guitar-playing me doing all the grunt-work & the result was quite surprising. Not sayin' nuttin yo, just sayin'.
 
May be the same capsule, but it's not the same mic. The MK319 is a pretty good dark mic with some limited uses, especially strident vocals. The 219, in my opinion, is useful only for some percussion.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
Just a couple of tips for anyone new to the Oktavas- The threads on the modular components are very fine, and if you're not gentle, it's easy to cross-thread them. They are very prone to popping, and I often use a pop filter on them even on instruments. When used as a vocal mic, I use 2 pop filters, 3-4" apart. Also, the ink on the logo on the body and the polar pattern symbol on the capsules will wear off easily if handled. Try not to touch them.
Now down to $50 apiece, the MC012 takes it's place alongside a handful of other mics as obvious cheap mics to add to your cabinet. I just sent my backing vocalist, Maureen, one for her birthday, so she can begin learning how to use SD mics. As a $100 mic, it was a good deal. As a $50 mic, it's a no-brainer.-Richie
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Thanks for those tips Richard! I went to Guitar Center to see if they were still on sale and they have them 2/99$ while supplies last. Can't beat that price so I got some. I'm looking forward to using them!
 
Track Rat said:
It definately matters which guitar and even how it's being played. It seems that the more I listen to the 012's, they seem to be perfect for bright, strumed guitars and finger picking if picks are used. They're not as flattering on nylon stringed guitars or finger picked steel strings with no picks. There something like a KM-184 or the Earthworks gets more detail and air.
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I had the same experience. They are not that great fingerpicking on steel strings or for nylon string guitars. Perfect however with flatpick and finger picks. Great for mandolins too.
 
MarkoPolo said:
So any thoughts on the Oktava MK 219s ??
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They're OK. I'd prefer the MK-319, though. I have a couple of MK-219s and I've found them at least similar to the MK-319 (they should be, having essentially the same guts). The problem are that the housing is very resonant, and the constrictingly small area and heavy screening around the capsule.

Scott said that when he's used these, he's doped the inside of the case with a silicone rubber goo to damp the ringing and - I believe it was Scott who said to do this - removed a layer of the screen to open it up a bit.

Someone on r.a.p simply hacksawed the entire top off and had the capsule exposed to the open air. I don't know how this experiment worked out, though.
 
Richard Monroe said:
May be the same capsule, but it's not the same mic. The MK319 is a pretty good dark mic with some limited uses, especially strident vocals. The 219, in my opinion, is useful only for some percussion.-Richie
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Useful for percussion? You mean as drumsticks or actually recording?
 
Yes Acorec, real recording. Ask Rimshot about it.He's had pretty good results with the 219 on hand drums and toms.- Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
He's had pretty good results with the 219 on hand drums and toms.
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That seems strange to me. I'm no expert, but I should think that the housing resonances problem would be most pronounced in percussion recording. Maybe not, I dunno. I have a couple of MK-219s around here that I've never used, so maybe I'll do some experimentation someday soon.
 
I stopped by GC on my way home yesterday and they are still selling the MK012 for 2/$99. Only problem is that they were out. They checked other stores and in So Cal, only the Hollywood store had any left. They are drop shipping a pair for me. I have to wonder though, since that price is in their sale paper, whether MF, or others who claim price matching, would match that price. I should think they would have to.

Anyway, I pick mine up tomorrow.

I got my 603's for $50 each too when Shrieve was having that sale. No bad, a pair of 603's and a pair of MK012's for $200.

Blessings, Terry
 
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