Oktava MK 319 or Shure 58 for home studio?

[electronicdreaming]

hey everyone! thanks for checkin my post. i am going to be recording into a cpu in my bedroom, equipped with a soundblaster live!platinum soundcard with live drive interface, and then into cakwalk pro audio 9. I am a begginning vocalist, and would like to get the best possible sound for my voice on a semi-low budget! i have kind of a lower voice than most people...but an above average octave range for my voice i guess, if that helps any. some people have told me just to go with a shure 58, but i have been checking out the Oktava mk 319, and its a condenser and going for $199 at guitar center/musicians friend! so can some of you experts give me some advice and direction? i really do appreciate it and thank you, once again.
sincerely
justin

 

[Track Rat]

I really like the Octava but it requires phantom power. You didn't mention if you have a mic preamp that will provide it. If not, you'll need one.

 

[Lt. Bob]

If you go with a Shure; use the SM-57 instead of the 58....it's a little less colored.

 

[electronicdreaming]

alright!

cool, thanks for the advice guys.......
later and PEACE!
justin

 

[Cyrokk]

If I'm not mistaken the 58 is essentially the same thing as a 57, with the only differences being that the 58 has a low-end frequency response of 50 Hz to the 57's 40 Hz, and that the 58 comes with a windscreen for vocal recording.

Cy

 

[electronicdreaming]

..a good preamp!

ok, one more question guys..........could you perscribe a good preamp to boost my vocals (preferrably under $200). thanks so much once again
....
justin

 

[Cyrokk]

ART Tube MP for around $80, or the ART Studio for around $100 (which has a switchable VU meter).

Cy

 

[Lt. Bob]

Yer right Cyrokk they are pretty much the same specwise, but I've used both a lot and I feel strongly that for recording, the windscreen on the 58 interferes, just a little, with getting the small nuances. On my saxophone on live gigs I absolutely can tell a pretty big difference in sound. Actually, I've gotten to where I prefer the Electro-Voice Neodinum series of mics better than the Shure but they are a little more money.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Now I have a question. I just got a new Mackie 1604 VLZ- pro. Do I need an outboard Pre or are those new pre's on the Mackie as good as some people say they are. I really can't afford squat unless I really have to have it. $$$

 

[Cyrokk]

Lt. Bob,

When you used the 58 for the non-vocalists, did you use the windscreen, or did you remove it?

Just curious,

Cy

 

[Track Rat]

Bob, IMHO, the Mackie pre's are just fine.

 

[Lt. Bob]

When I used the 58 I left the windscreen on. Ya' know...it never occured to me to take it off. I'll have to try that with my Electro-Voice. But I still think that the 58 has a bit too thick of a 'screen. But I guess you could take it off and come up with the old standby--pantyhose on a crosstitch frame.

 

[scodu]

Hey E.D.
About a year ago I bought a MK319 mic from GC. The guy that I deal with turned me on to Oktavas. He also told me about the quality control issues with this brand of mic. He told me to come in on a slow day and we could try out a few mics so I could pick the one I wanted. We took an hour or so with 10 mics and I picked one that sounded very good to me. So I have worked with this mic for about a year now and have always wondered if I really picked a good mic, after all this is my first condenser mic so I was a little unsure. Well over the last 3 weeks I have bought 4 more condenser mics. They are all Marshall mics that I know from these boards have very few quality control issues if any. All of these mics sound great and now I have a number of great ones to choose from, but that Oktava is one great sounding mic and now I have other mics to compare it too. I'd say buy the MK319 but try a few out.

Good luck,
scodu

 

[TexRoadkill]

FYI- I believe the 219 is the same as the 319 with a different case and lower price.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[chessparov]

electronic, it seems like you have a budget of approx. $400
for your microphone and mic pre needs.
You may want to do this;

1) Try out the Studio Projects B-1 condenser mike when it
comes out (hopefully soon!), the street price will be under
$100!

2) Try out a Shure SM-57, at Guitar Center they usually include
a free mikestand (I forget if cable is included) at $79.

3) Try out a Joe Meek MQ3 voice channel as it has a decent
mic pre, along with an excellent optical compressor and EQ
section (that will help fine tune a microphone!).
Street price approximately $200.

 

[chessparov]

Just wanted to add that the Studio Projects VTB-1 will
(eventually) be out, street price estimate about $225.
It sounds as if it will be a very flexible unit as you can adjust
the amount of tube tone. My Aphex 107 (discontinued) is a
tube "hybrid"-sounds pretty good but it's a one trick pony.
The website is www.studioprojectsusa.com

Do you already have a compression unit?
If you don't the Meek MQ3 will help you then.

P.S. If the budget allows, make sure you try out the Shure Beta
57, on my voice it works even "beta" than the 'ol sm57.
The street price should be about $140. The hotter output
will run the Joe Meek unit better BTW, and it can be used
on many instruments too.

 

[virtual.ray]

FYI- I believe the 219 is the same as the 319 with a different case and lower price.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

The 319 has a redesigned grille covering the capsule,which apparently relieves the problem of reflections caused by the 219's thicker grille construction.

 

[crawdad]

The 319 does have a different grille, but same capsule. I have an Oktava 219, for what its worth and I love the thing. At first, I thought--well, it doesn't have as much high end so maybe its not so hot. Then, I started using it for my own voice, and it sounds great on me. I also have an AT 4033, MXL v67 and V93, and an Oktava 012, so I could pick others, but I have been gravitating toward the 219 because it gives me something the others don't. These things are like $99 at GC! In this day and age, thats not so incredible anymore, I suppose because there are a bunch of under $100 LD condensers.

Although I have not heard the 319, I'd imagine it to be very similar to the 219. If I were choosing between a 219/319 and an SM58, knowing what I know, I'd snatch up the Oktava.

 

[Craig Raymond]

Overall the Shure SM57 is great for micing amps, but I'm not a big fan of its vocal prowess.

 

[chessparov]

Using the Joe Meek VC3Q (the MQ3 is the enhanced new version),
cutting about 2db at 80hz, about 2db at 1.8Khz, and adding about
1-2 db at 8Khz has made the sm57 sound very good on vocals at
least for me as then it responds more like a condenser.