Roker1
New member
I guess...if you like it, it doesn't really matter what others think about it 
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Bad quality controll from the factory in Tula but if you get a good one they're above average.
M
memriloc
New member
I love my 012's and 319 and I think for the money if you snag a gooden then they're worth every penny....
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Asolutely. Mine are from The Sound Room. I have a matched pair of 012's and a 319. They're among the first mics I reach for.
philboyd studge
New member
Definitely not crap. I like my 012's and 219 (both from GC) though I tend to use C-1's most of the time.
I don't know if all Guitar Centers do it, but my 'local' one puts new and returned 012's in the same box, plus there's no factory seal on the 012 case to my knowledge.....not helping quality control.
I don't know if all Guitar Centers do it, but my 'local' one puts new and returned 012's in the same box, plus there's no factory seal on the 012 case to my knowledge.....not helping quality control.
L
littledog
New member
Mixed reviews:
•I have two MC012's. Use them as drum overheads all the time, and love them.
•I have a 219 I bought from guitar center when they were practically giving them away. I used it once. I was so frightened by the sound that I may have suffered permanent trauma. Since then it has remained buried in a sealed box in the back of my mic cabinet, never to be reopened. The only reason I didn't have a ceremonial burning at the stake, was I thought maybe it might come in handy as a dummy prop on a video shoot someday, since it is surely the ugliest looking mic I have ever seen. As an added bonus, the threaded mic stand attachment is connected to the mic body by a piece of metal so flimsy that it won't even support the weight of the mic.
(They do say the redesigned 319 sounds better than the 219. That would not be a difficult accomplishment.)
•I have two MC012's. Use them as drum overheads all the time, and love them.
•I have a 219 I bought from guitar center when they were practically giving them away. I used it once. I was so frightened by the sound that I may have suffered permanent trauma. Since then it has remained buried in a sealed box in the back of my mic cabinet, never to be reopened. The only reason I didn't have a ceremonial burning at the stake, was I thought maybe it might come in handy as a dummy prop on a video shoot someday, since it is surely the ugliest looking mic I have ever seen. As an added bonus, the threaded mic stand attachment is connected to the mic body by a piece of metal so flimsy that it won't even support the weight of the mic.
(They do say the redesigned 319 sounds better than the 219. That would not be a difficult accomplishment.)
R
Robert D
New member
Sure, why bother with RMA's. Just put it back into inventory till someone doesn't know enough to know it's a bad mic. ARGGH!
I have an O12 and a 319, and they are both very good mics. I'd say they are easily worth twice the money I paid for them, and regardless of their price, they're non wannabe, non hyped, smooth and detailed mics with great charachter. I don't have a great mic wardrobe, but I do have more expensive mics than the Oktavas, yet I reach for them often. Lastly, you can tell a lot about any given piece of gear by reading all the user and pro reviews. When it comes to bottom feeder gear, you usually can find as many negative as positive opinions. I really haven't seen any negative opinions on these mics, and even the gear snobs tend to either give them the nod, or decline to comment. I think it's really hard to find fault with these mics, acepting of course their well known quality control issue. But even there, I haven't heard of any failure rate problems, just that some sound better than others.
Regards, RD
I have an O12 and a 319, and they are both very good mics. I'd say they are easily worth twice the money I paid for them, and regardless of their price, they're non wannabe, non hyped, smooth and detailed mics with great charachter. I don't have a great mic wardrobe, but I do have more expensive mics than the Oktavas, yet I reach for them often. Lastly, you can tell a lot about any given piece of gear by reading all the user and pro reviews. When it comes to bottom feeder gear, you usually can find as many negative as positive opinions. I really haven't seen any negative opinions on these mics, and even the gear snobs tend to either give them the nod, or decline to comment. I think it's really hard to find fault with these mics, acepting of course their well known quality control issue. But even there, I haven't heard of any failure rate problems, just that some sound better than others.
Regards, RD
S
spinrecordings
New member
Have a pair of MC012's for drum overheads, work great - can't complain yet.
F
fenix
New member
i had a 319
was a piece of crap. My audix om5 dynamic mic has better high end and better overall sound.
was a piece of crap. My audix om5 dynamic mic has better high end and better overall sound.
D
dcptnsdcvd
New member
i have a pair of MK319's and i use em for everything. mostly due to lack of any other mics. but i use em for overheads for my drums, vocals, room mic for guitar cabs.
i teamed em up with my akg c1000s to record guitar tracks in a bathroom. the akg was at the guitar, the oktavas in the room at diffrent distances. the oktavas controled the reverb. i was able to mix the perfect amount of reverb with the akg and pan the oktavas to make the reverb sound as if it was bouncing off an adjacent wall in the recording. like the akg was panned 20 left, and the oktavas were panned at 30 and 50 right. it filled the whole recording out.
we also recorded the vocals (all 3 harmonies) in the same bathroom using one oktava and a homemade windscreen made out of a c-clamp and an ace bandage. lol. IT WORKED PERFECT!!! but the vocals ended up too reverby. not enough direct sound, as if everyone was too far away from the mic, regardless of how close we were.
we are currently re-recording the song, still keeping the guitars in the bathroom, trying the vocs in a more stable, deadened room.
i am pleased with the MK319's. although, i know shit about mics and probably wouldn;t know a good or bad sound when hearing it.
i am intrested in adding two MK012's for overheads and using the MK319's as room mics for my drums.
i wonder....
if i were to have all cardioid mics on toms and snare, and the MK012's as overheads, would the MK319's do any good out in front of the set, using an x/y placement??? or would they just be too much??
Mike...
i teamed em up with my akg c1000s to record guitar tracks in a bathroom. the akg was at the guitar, the oktavas in the room at diffrent distances. the oktavas controled the reverb. i was able to mix the perfect amount of reverb with the akg and pan the oktavas to make the reverb sound as if it was bouncing off an adjacent wall in the recording. like the akg was panned 20 left, and the oktavas were panned at 30 and 50 right. it filled the whole recording out.
we also recorded the vocals (all 3 harmonies) in the same bathroom using one oktava and a homemade windscreen made out of a c-clamp and an ace bandage. lol. IT WORKED PERFECT!!! but the vocals ended up too reverby. not enough direct sound, as if everyone was too far away from the mic, regardless of how close we were.
we are currently re-recording the song, still keeping the guitars in the bathroom, trying the vocs in a more stable, deadened room.
i am pleased with the MK319's. although, i know shit about mics and probably wouldn;t know a good or bad sound when hearing it.
i am intrested in adding two MK012's for overheads and using the MK319's as room mics for my drums.
i wonder....
if i were to have all cardioid mics on toms and snare, and the MK012's as overheads, would the MK319's do any good out in front of the set, using an x/y placement??? or would they just be too much??
Mike...
C
chessparov
New member
An Oktava 319 from the Sound Room should be and excellent
microphone however...
For less $$ you can get something like a Studio Projects and have
an owner who will personally back you up on any service issues.
Chris
P.S. Have a MC012 BTW.
microphone however...
For less $$ you can get something like a Studio Projects and have
an owner who will personally back you up on any service issues.
Chris
P.S. Have a MC012 BTW.
J
jesseblay
New member
the mighty Oktava
Sorry Rian, Isort of inherited those mics from my father who used them to record business conferences and interviews, they really suck for musical applications when compared to all of the mics I've owned over the years. Check out Sure's assortment o mics for their 12000 000applications, Sm242's are alot like our mighty okcatava's just better at 25 percent more, check out Rhodes mics, neuman mics, even akg, all better than yours, but if your running them live for a bingo caller or something your stylin'
Sorry Rian, Isort of inherited those mics from my father who used them to record business conferences and interviews, they really suck for musical applications when compared to all of the mics I've owned over the years. Check out Sure's assortment o mics for their 12000 000applications, Sm242's are alot like our mighty okcatava's just better at 25 percent more, check out Rhodes mics, neuman mics, even akg, all better than yours, but if your running them live for a bingo caller or something your stylin'
H2oskiphil
It needs more cowbell!
I must have gotten lucky or something-I bought a pair of MK012's from GC, no matching, no testing, and they both seem to be pretty equal (and pretty good).
I've used them on acoustic guitar exclusively-I'm still playing around with positioning, but I like the sounds I've gotten so far.
I've also done the C1/MK012 combo on acoustic, and it sounds kinda neat.
I haven't tried bingo callin' on them yet, but if I get the chance...
I've used them on acoustic guitar exclusively-I'm still playing around with positioning, but I like the sounds I've gotten so far.
I've also done the C1/MK012 combo on acoustic, and it sounds kinda neat.
I haven't tried bingo callin' on them yet, but if I get the chance...
N
natpub
New member
i have a pair of the 012's from gc also.
love em on acoustic gtr and drum overheads...
there was an article in Mix a year or so ago doin side by side with them and 7 other of the newer similarly priced small condensers and they did really well...the only thing they didn't do so hot on was acoustic piano.
they did awesome on chior
love em on acoustic gtr and drum overheads...
there was an article in Mix a year or so ago doin side by side with them and 7 other of the newer similarly priced small condensers and they did really well...the only thing they didn't do so hot on was acoustic piano.
they did awesome on chior
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
I have a pair of 012's from the Sound Room. I find them pretty useless as omnis, but the cardioid versions rock as overheads, and on almost any acoustic instrument. I also have a 319 I scarfed from GC for $99 no kidding. While I have found it a bit dark for my voice, I use it with good effect as an over the shoulder mic for acoustic guitar and lap harp, with the 012's X-Y in front, or one of them on the 12th fret. The 319 isn't very hot, but it is quiet.-Richie
T
toadies
New member
Guitar micing
I'm thinking about buying a pair of them. For Drum overheads.
How do these mics do on distrotion when micin' a guitar?
I already have a MXL V93 (which i blew
). Right now i got a shure 57 up close about 2-3" and the MXL farther back about 2 feet. Get good results but distrotion sounds harsh. I record in a closet so its fairly dry.
Will the MK012 work pretty good?
I'm thinking about buying a pair of them. For Drum overheads.
How do these mics do on distrotion when micin' a guitar?
I already have a MXL V93 (which i blew
). Right now i got a shure 57 up close about 2-3" and the MXL farther back about 2 feet. Get good results but distrotion sounds harsh. I record in a closet so its fairly dry.Will the MK012 work pretty good?
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
I don't like the Octavas on loud guitar amps. AT4033's sound better there as far as condensors go.
R
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
I agree with Track Rat- 012 is very usable on a quiet, clean amp (at a distance), but close mic'ing rock and roll/ metal guitar?-not.- Richie
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