Oktava Mk-012 suprise match

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Robert D

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Oktava Mk-012's have a split reputation that most are familiar with. Great mics if you happen to get a good one, but bad quality control and inconsistant from one mic to the next. Well, I picked up an 012 at GC yesterday for $50 with the intention of just using the body, and was gonna order a matched pair of capsules from the Soundroom. I have another 012 that I've had for about a year which was gonna get the other matched capsule. To see if they were just maybe close enough to forgo ordering the matched capsules, I ran some tests, unscientific as they were, on the two 012's, and was very supprised at the results. First I put them up as a coincedent pair, using matching cables, stands, pre's, etc. and listened in the cans....sounded great, very balanced. Then I put them close together side by side, being careful to set them as parralell as possible in the center of the room. I recorded a few sound sources, centered in front of the mics, and then started analyzing the files. The output level and spectral content of the two mics were amazingly matched, with spectrograph comparisons looking like states evidence linking two bullets to the same gun. Finally, I reversed the phase of one of the two waveforms and summed them together. This was an unfair test givin that they weren't recorded in an anechoic chamber, but darned if they didn't cancel out well, leaving only a faint difference signal.
Now as I said, these simple tests were pretty un-scientific, and didn't address such things as polar response, but then I'm not using the mics for a science project, I'm just making music. So I called it a pair and called it a day.
The amazing thing was that these mics weren't even from the same year, let alone the same lot. This of course is not a case for removing all doubt about the QC and consistency of these mics, but it might warrent reducing the threat level down to yellow. ;-)

RD
 
Yeah, I've compared several of these mics and they're always really close.

I can't say the same thing about my experience with the MK319, though.
 
I've heard anMK319 that sounded like a Studio Projects C-3, and one that sound's like an AKG Solidtube, which are very different mics. The bitch of it is, they both sound good, too. I just wouldn't use them as a stereo pair. I have a random pair of MC012's also, which are rather closely matched by pure coincedence.-Richie
 
I've got a 319 that I have to remind myself to use. Having better mics around, one tends to fall into the trap of automatically reaching for the expensive mics. But those 319's are so non-strident and un-hyped that they really work on the right source, and I've gotten some great tracks from mine. Never thought about a stereo pair of them, but I see the soundroom has......for $588. What got me drooling though was the matched pair of LOMO heads for $829.
 
my mc012's are dead on as well, but the mk319's are a bit different, not so much tonally but one mic is 2-3db louder than the other.

another interesting way to test out the 319 in a store is to flick each mic with your finger. (when hooked up to monitors) I noticed due to the hollow design of the mic, it rings out an overtone when you flick it. both mics have a tonal difference when I do this.

not scientific I know, but its something. I bought 2 319's with intentions of using them over my mc012's. I like the crisp, small condenser mc012 better after comparison for drum over heads...the mk319's I use one for a mono room mic and the other under the snare, or front of kick with nice results.

FWIW, my SP B-1's had the old job of mono room mic and front of kick. when I got the mk319's and didnt sound to my liking on overheads, I put them on my toms....the 319's were ok on my toms, but not much better than my sm57's. i put the B-1's on my toms which sounded the best, the 319's went to my mono room and front of kick and sounded the best there, and the 57's went in the mic cabinet.....funny how these things work out!
 
Hey how long will that GC sale run? And how much do they want for the omni capsules?
 
Flatpicker said:
What was different about the 319s?
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One was darker and quieter than the other. Not by too much. I'll probably still use them as a pair. It was a noticable difference, though. Of all the pairs of MC012s I've pseudo-matched, I've never noticed tonal differences, only differences in output level.
 
EddieRay said:
Hey how long will that GC sale run? And how much do they want for the omni capsules?
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I don't think they sell the omni capsules.
 
Bobalou said:
i put the B-1's on my toms which sounded the best,
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Yeah, I really, really like my B1 and B3 on tom much better than any dynamic I've ever used.
 
Yo Eddie Ray! GC does list a "capsule kit" with the omni and hypercardioid capsules, but finding a GC that stocks it is a little like pulling teeth from a werewolf with needlenosed pliers. They prefer to sell the mic with all 3 capsules. Individual capsules can be bought from The Sound Room for, I think, $65, and of course, matched pairs are available.-Richie
 
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I tested a bunch of MC012s at GC one day and they were all in the same area. I found a couple that were pretty close out of the whole batch.

One thing I can tell you: DO NOT ORDER THE "MATCHED" PAIR FROM GC! Did I say that loud and clear enough? They ordered a pair for me once. It took about a month to get them. When they arrived the graphs were almost identical, but the mics were night and day. One was very dark and the other very bright. They couldn't have picked a more UN-matched pair if they tried!!

I took them back, but could not get a refund - I could only trade them for something else. I ended up trading them for the two that I had matched myself. Oh well, I ended up with better mics in the long run.
 
<GC does list a "capsule kit" with the omni and hypercardioid capsules, but finding a GC that stocks it is a little like pulling teelth from a werewolf with needlenosed pliers. They prefer to sell the mic with all 3 capsules. Individual capsules can be bought from The Sound Room for, I think, $65, and of course, matched pairs are available.>

Richie,

I just was wondering about the price at GC for individual ones, but could not find them in online catalog. Could you send a link please.
 
Yep, got my omni capsule from the soundroom for $64, and love it. What they charge for a pair of 012's compared to what you can get them for at GC makes it worth trying to get lucky, but for $64, I'd recommend going with the soundroom for the omni capsule, especially if getting just one. I like knowing, or at least thinking I know that that puppy is a golden one. Mine sounds Sweeet.
-RD
 
Marik, there is no link. Musician's friend is the on-line arm of Guitar Center, and mostly, they don't deal Oktava anymore. You have to deal with Guitar Center direct (brick and mortar) or the Sound Room. For individual capsules, I'd deal with The Sound Room. www.oktava.com. -Richie
 
Oktava will not sell single MK012 capsules through GC. I think it's because Oktava would rather sell them in the 3-capsule sets.

BTW, GC is the ONLY real Oktava dealer. From what I've heard, the Sound Room somehow gets them from a Russian dealer and does their own warranty work.
 
I must try a pair of these MC012s soon! How will they compare to my AKG BLue Line C-391s?:)
 
Hi Robert D.,

How sweet is the omni capsule for the MK012s? Which other brand of mic is the closest in sound to the Oktavas? Maybe I should get one of the MK012s with an omni capsule because I have an extra omni capsule that I use with my AKG SE-300B preamp module...that would then give me a pair of small diaphragm mics to use huh? How matched they are will be anyone's guess, however I could bring down my AKG SDC down to Guitar Center & try to find a MK012 that sounds the most similar to the AKG. What do you think?
 
PinkStrat said:
Hi Robert D.,

How sweet is the omni capsule for the MK012s? Which other brand of mic is the closest in sound to the Oktavas? Maybe I should get one of the MK012s with an omni capsule because I have an extra omni capsule that I use with my AKG SE-300B preamp module...that would then give me a pair of small diaphragm mics to use huh? How matched they are will be anyone's guess, however I could bring down my AKG SDC down to Guitar Center & try to find a MK012 that sounds the most similar to the AKG. What do you think?
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I think the Marshall 603s is pretty close to the MC012 on acoustic guitar.

I also bought an omni cap from the Soundroom for the MC012. I've only used it once as a test on classical guit and thought it performed just as it should--plenty or room, and the guitar sounded good.
 
Bobalou said:
...another interesting way to test out the 319 in a store is to flick each mic with your finger. (when hooked up to monitors) I noticed due to the hollow design of the mic, it rings out an overtone when you flick it. both mics have a tonal difference when I do this.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Does this mean they ring like that on a loud source? Could be part of the sound.
 
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