Oktava MK-012 Pairs....$199

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No, the only way to get a good matched pair is from The Sound Room. For single mics' I'd say Guitar Center, but audition the mic if possible and verify the return policy if you can't. I bought a pair from The Sound Room for coincedent mic'ing, and a single MK319 from GC just because of the price point, and they all work very well. Anyway, since I lost my old job as a KGB agent, I have to post stuff like this all day to keep my friends in the Kremlin happy- Richie
 
FWIW, I think a better "bang for the buck" is just to get two Studio Projects
B1's for about $80 each. Just be careful the color of the "dots" match for
each unit. Alan Hyatt or his son Jason can explain it to you via e-mail or
phone. Their customer service is terrific BTW.
The website is www.pmiaudio.com
 
I just picked up a pair of MC012's from Guitar Center in time to catch the 2 for 1 sale (2 for $149). They handed me about 10 of them to audition & pick from. I went through about 6 & honestly couldn't tell the difference between them..., well I think I did find one that seemed to have a little more bottom held at a distance. I listened through headphones & watched the VU meters on the mixer while trying to hold a constant level & was surprised how similar all the ones I tried were after hearing so much about how they varied so drastically. I already have a matched pair of B1's which are nice for the money & I really wasn't in the market for the MC012's & wouldn't have purchased them but for the sale. WOW!!! ... am I ever glad I did. They are just wonderful sounding. I'm impressed with how well my B1's sound for drum overheads & acoustic guitar but the MC012's are a fair step up for those applications IMO.
 
I did the same thing... auditioned a few from GC. At 2 for $149, how could you go wrong. I'm sure I'll find uses for them, and its a nice addition to the mic locker.
On a side note: It's pretty silly guys, to worry about so called "Matched Pairs" on a $75 dollar microphone. The design tolerances simply aren't tight enough to produce a matched pair.
Until you get up into the $2000 - $3000 dollar range on mics, matched pairs are laughable.
Studio Projects uses the color dot because their mics are ran, or produced in lots. The matched dots means that all the internal componets came from the same run or lot number, and therefore, should be similar in tone and texture. It does not mean that it is a "matched pair." Now, in fairness to SP, they do output level testing at the factory (which is admirable) and will "pair up" mics that have similar output levels, but this is by no means a "Matched Pair".
 
Michael Jones said:
IThe matched dots means that all the internal componets came from the same run or lot number, and therefore, should be similar in tone and texture.
Click to expand...

Not according to Alan Hyatt. According to him all the B series mics are tested for sensitivity & color coded accordingly, placing thrum into 1 of 3 sensitivity ranges (each covering about a +/-1.5dB or +/-2dB range, can't remember exactly), nothing to do with production run or lot #. So this is merely a sensitivity rating & yes, calling mics of the same color code a matched pair is using the term a little loosely.
 
knowdoubt said:


Not according to Alan Hyatt. According to him all the B series mics are tested for sensitivity & color coded accordingly, placing thrum into 1 of 3 sensitivity ranges (each covering about a +/-1.5dB or +/-2dB range, can't remember exactly), nothing to do with production run or lot #.
Click to expand...
I acquiesce.
I mis-understood some info from one of the SP Dealers.
Still, fine mics in their own right.
 
I'm impressed with how well my B1's sound for drum overheads & acoustic guitar but the MC012's are a fair step up for those applications IMO.
Click to expand...
The MK(MC)-012 is one of the really good acoustic guitar microphones, according to a number of pro engineers I've corresponded with who have their pick of just about anything.
 
I got my pair at GC some time ago, went through everything they had. To be honest only a couple were a bit off and they were returns, it seems they throw all the 012's into one happy box.

I find myself using them more and more lately after realizing the C-1's can't do everything.
 
Michael- check with Taylor Johnson at the Sound Room. I believe his matched pairs of 012's are output matched to < or = to 0.5db, and sure enough, that's why they aren't $75 mics, but are a low(er) cost alternative to KM184's, etc. No, they aren't produced to production tolerences to do that, so they have to be matched painstakeingly afterward. I'll honestly tell you I don't know how much difference it makes to people with good ears, but with my significant one-sided hearing loss, I have to track by numbers, so gain variance on two different channels is a big issue for me. I can't just adjust input gain to compensate.-Richie
 
Harvey (and anyone else), do the omni capsules tend to "pop"
less than the cardiod? Also, does the omni pattern sound more
"open" than the cardiod (like omni's usually do)?
Would using the -10 db capsule also help much?

I realize the importance of having a good room if I "pop" for a
omni capsule from The Sound Room BTW.

Thanks
Chris
 
Thanks, Harvey! For those of us who know guitar picking better than gear tech, sometimes we have to pay people to do things for us. All I really know is that my Sound Room 012's are wicked as a coincedent pair,and when used alone, on anything in the mid to high frequency range. I don't regret spending the extra money one bit. Thank's for helping make the point, though, which is even if they vary quite a bit at the point of manufacture, they can be and are matched afterwards to rather close tolerances. It only takes gear, expertise, the will to do it, and one hell of a lot of supposedly identical mics! How much that is worth, I'll leave it to the experts here to figure. For a person like me, a hearing disabled home recording artist, it's worth every penny I paid.-Richie
 
chessparov said:
Harvey (and anyone else), do the omni capsules tend to "pop"
less than the cardiod? Also, does the omni pattern sound more
"open" than the cardiod (like omni's usually do)?
Would using the -10 db capsule also help much?

I realize the importance of having a good room if I "pop" for a
omni capsule from The Sound Room BTW.

Thanks
Chris
Click to expand...
Yes, to both questions; they pop less, and they do sound a little more open, although that "open sound" difference disappears somewhat as you move the mic closer in.
 
Thanks again Harvey!
This microphone is a good test of my vocal technique
(or lack thereof!) when you try to get up close and personal with
it. Seems less forgiving than most in the "pop" and proximity
effect department IMHO.

Chris

P.S. Maybe we should add "Shell Answer Man" to the "Part-time
Pope" appellation-dang you're fast!
 
chessparov said:
P.S. Maybe we should add "Shell Answer Man" to the "Part-time
Pope" appellation-dang you're fast!
Click to expand...
Only because I don't have any sessions tonight. I have sessions this Sat. and Sun, so any answers will be slow on those days.
 
Just as long as they're correct! (just kidding)

Chris

P.S. I'm very curious how the "Lomo" will sound too.
 
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