Oktava MK012 as Overheads?

  • Thread starter Thread starter thecongo
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Sorry, I did some further checking, and although I can't be 100% sure from on line sources, MC012a appears to be a sound room/oktava designation for the mic delivered with just the cardioid capsule. Capsule kits can be purchased from the sound room or from GC, and the sound room will sell matched capsules of any available polar pattern (cardioid, hypercardioid,omni), but I don't know what you do with matched omnis. That's why I got the matched cardioid pair and 1 extra omni capsule. My earlier comment was based on a typo of the sound room specs which lists MC012a as a fixed cardioid- no such thing.-Richie
 
Chris,

What is the "cap" for then....is it just a protective cap for when not in use?

I bought them on the way home from work and what the wife does not know keeps me out of deep doodoo....if you get my drift. So I have not even opened the box except at GC to look to see if any paperwork etc was hidden inside.

Forgive my ignorance but other than my MXL V-67m I have never used condensors. In fact I have not used my MXL V-67m as I can't sing and have not had an opportunity to record in a while.

Tuesday I am off work and have the house to myself to play. :) :D :cool:
 
chessrock said:
As far as the matched stereo thing goes, I don't know how much that matters at this price point. Maybe if I were getting a couple of Neumann km184s I'd worry about a matched pair.

It might not matter with other manufacturers but we're talking about Oktava, a company that doesn't have a great reputation for consistency and quality control. Oops, here we go again..... remember that you didn't here that here. I'm going to go hide under a rock now. :)
Click to expand...
 
Scooter, the "cap" you refer to is the capsule, the part of the mic containing the diaphragm. The caps you have are almost certainly cardioid, the type most commonly used for recording. You can get additional capsules for the mics to change their pickup or polar pattern. Cardioid mics pick up mostly in the front, and much less from the side or rear. Omnidirectionals (omnis) pick up more or less evenly in all directions. Hypercardioids are even more narrowly focused, rejecting even more sounds to the side, but may pick up more to the rear than a cardioid. The mics you have come with cardioid capsules, but you can get others, including one that turns the mic into a large diaphagm condenser. Try logging on to the web site for The Sound Room for more details. By the way, those little threaded doohickeys that say -10db are called pads. You insert them into the mic between the body and the capsule to decrease the mic's output by 10 decibels.
This is good for very loud sources that can bottom out the diaphragm or overload the mic preamp, causing unwanted distortion known as clipping. As far as care, keep the mics in their boxes with a silica packet when not using them (keep them dry).
Don't smoke near them, and don't blow into them or expose them to wind without foam wind screens. Be careful when you screw them together. Thise threads are fine and easy to crossthread. Best of luck- Richie
 
OK, just got back from my GC in NorCal...

The MK-012, MK-219 and MK-319 Oktavas are two-for-one through 4 July, which translates to:

Two MK-219s for $99.99,

Two MK-319s for $199.99,

Two MK(MC)-012s for $149.99.

This is a major deal.
 
Thanks Richard!

I knew about the nature of the polar paterns but I thought the capsules I had read about were more of tubular shape and fit inside the body of the mic. I was imagining the capsule something more like the shape of a vitamin E capsule with the diaphram on one end with some kind of chamber behind it and the wires coming out the other end.

I called the capsule a cap because it looked like it was supposed to screw on the end and I thought the diaphram was inside the body somewhere. It was entirely coincidence that I called the capsule a cap wich is an abreviation of sorts for capsule.

Now it all makes much more sense. If you have not seen the 012a's the body is only about 1/3 as long as the regular 012's look in the pictures. GC only had the 012a's in the Oklahoma City GC and not any 012's.

Thanks for the info.
 
Richard Monroe said:
And whoever said they won't sound good on vocals (?Chessrock), I disagree respectfully. Not only are they lovely for coincedent overheads or spaced stereo mics on group vocals, but at least 2 of the tracks on my current project will be recorded singing into 1 cardioid 012 with a pop filter.
Click to expand...

Well, whoever actually did say it, I would probably have to agree. The few times I have tried auditioning the Oktavas (against a number of other mics) for close mic'ing vocals, they always ended up being among the last preference by the artist (and myself as well). Maybe some of us are just too conditioned to hearing how a large diaphragm sounds and responds to vocals. I don't even bother putting them up anymore as a vox option.
 
Littledog, I hear what you say, and I added respectfully because I know what you say is conventional wisdom. While I certainly wouldn't choose small diaphragms as the vox mic of choice (most of mine are done with AKG Solid Tube and Studio Projects C3), for some material, the 012's are the best mic in my cabinet. I find positioning is more critical with them than a large diaphragm mic, and as I said, they are unforgiving. Well, I'll admit to making a few unusual choices- Hell, I'm working on one cut where the primary vocal is done on an AKG D112!?! No I don't actually sing to an 012 because it's the only mic I've got, I actually like the thing. I understand it's not for everybody, and I wouldn't call it close mic'ing, exactly. I've had my best luck at about 12"-16", which I vary selectively during the performance to make specific use of proximity. If I try to swallow it, the plosives can get out of control.- Richie
 
O.K... which one of you punks said that the Oktavas are two-for-one through July 4th???? :mad:

:mad:

So... I called Guitar Center today... I was thinking of maybe getting four of those Oktavas (two MK12's and two 319's) and since I only need one of each I could just sell the other two. But I figured I'd ask (to save myself the trouble of selling two) if the guy could sell me one of each at the "half-price" prices. And he said we could work something like that out. (which means I'd be getting a 319 and an MK12 for 175 :eek: :o ) So anywhooo... I meander into GC after work and I'm all excited.. and I go to the pro-audio counter and tell the guy that I talked to some guy (who it just so happens is on lunch) and that he said I could get the two-for-one deal on the Oktavas... and the guy says....


















"Oh... sorry... that ended yesterday."











"WHAT@??!?!!?@!@$!#%"

:eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek:





And he looks in the computer and says, "Yup.. that definitely ended over the weekend."






So here I am... with my hopes dashed across the jagged rocks of life, and I'm starting to wallow in my disappointment, when I make a last ditch effort... "Is there any way you can get me that price????".. So he taps away at the keyboard and "hum"s and "ho"s and says... well... I can do em both for $228... And I'm like... "dude,.. I can't do that.. I can't drop that much.. that's why I needed the two-for-one price"... So he goes back to typin' away.. and he says... "what about $205".. and I say "hhmmm... dunno man... I got my check book out in the car.. lemme see if I can handle that..." So I go check my book,.. and I don't wanna pay 205 for em and I'm sick of going to Guitar Center and having bad info on how much these Oktava's are gonna cost (this is the third time it's happened) so I wander back in and he's talkin' to some other guy... and I start dialing my cell phone trying to think of a way I can get these mics right now... and he looks up and says,....


















"Dude.. don't worry about it.. I'll do that price for you.."




And the angels smiled down from heaven and with one accord said...









"HAAAAA-LE-LU-YAH!!!!!"


:D :D :D

So I'm the proud daddy of a Mk12 and a 319 for a mere 175... :eek: whooo hooo!!

The only down side is that I was so glad to get that price that I just bought em on the spot before I could audition em,.. so I'm having a buddy of mine check em out tonight to make sure there's no problems... other than that... I'm a happy camper...



but I'm still mad at whoever said I had till the 4th.... :mad:




ok.. so maybe not that mad.... :p


WATYF
 
O.K... which one of you punks said that the Oktavas are two-for-one through July 4th????
Click to expand...
That was me.

Or, rather, that was no less than THREE people at my Guitar Center, including the MANAGER, all of whom corrected me when I told them it was through Sunday.

"No, those prices are good through the Fourth."

"You're sure?"

"Oh, yeah."

We'll see. Several other people I've talked to on another forum got the same runaround, but wound up getting the microphones at the sale price today anyway.

I haven't got any yet, but I imagine they'll have them at the same price at the one-day sale on the Fourth anyway. I know my manager will make good for me anyhow (shrug).
 
WATYF,

I think GC is employing used car salesmen and managers!

I went to Mars at 8:00 AM Saturday as I got the card in the mail looking for a V-Amp II and two MXL 603's. Got the V-Amp but no 603's in sight or the Behringer (gag) ECM's either so I keep my hard earned mic money ($200 left) and go to work.

On the way home I just happen to stop by GC on a whim (not on the mailing list I guess) and I see the MK 012's listed at $149 but big sale signs everywhere. There are two in the display counter and I ask the guy " I suppose those are $149 each and not a pair" in desperate hope and he says yes thats for each. I start to leave after looking at the rest of the mic's and the same guy says wait I may still have a coupon here (fumbles through paperwork) "lets see... buy one get one free....hmmm". So I say "in that case I will take it."

Feels just like buying a car...they wait till you ready to walk and then bring out the deal. They would of gladly let me pay $300 for the pair and sold the next set for 1/2 of that to the next guy that knew about the sale.

The manager had to come over and show the guy how to ring it up and told him to "just ring $150 up ....." (it just went up a dollar to get the free one) but I did not care. I now have my first SD condensor pair and got the MK-012's when I was only hoping for either the MXL 603's or ECM's and got the Octava 012's.

There was a minor quality issue with one of them. The first one sounded amazing through my VQ6. The second one I could not get the XLR plug to insert...oh @$#% I get a flash light to see and some kind of dried film was coating the inside of the terminal...a little careful scraping and and cleaning with a drop of alcohol on a Q tip (not optimal I know) but it works and sounds great as well.

:D

Caveat Empetor
 
You're probably lucky - that sounds like excess conformal coating, which means the circuitboard is protected from atmospheric and contamination shorts in the Hi-Z circuit, at least.

Also check and see that the capsules are not cross-threaded.

If these have problems, just take them back for an exchange.

Oktava QC is in a very don't-sweat-the-small-stuff mode, which keeps Taylor Johnson in business. :D

My take on Oktavas is that if they SOUND good and the circuitry is OK, I'll fiddle with the tight/loose/rattley stuff myself.

On the whole, it seems to me that the basic circuitry and component QC is improving. I haven't seen any salvaged Soviet military-surplus inside them in a long time. One of the worst problems with these units in the past was the use of ancient salvaged military wet-slug tantalum capacitors, which tended to leak, instead of plain electrolytics, which cost only pennies and work better. Scott Dorsey has told me that he's seen amazingly wacky components in the older ones.
 
Bagged a MK012 for $60 at Guitar Center!
Well... the -10db capsule was missing. Spent about 45 minutes choosing
between cardiod capsules for the nicest one-then took it home.
Don't really care about the pad BTW since it will be used only for vocals.
It has a nice full sound if you're careful of the proximity effect/pops IMHO.

Chris
 
BTW, had the same XLR cable problem, the MK012 works only with some of my
cables. So bring your cable when you test them!

Chris
 
Chessparov- Wow, there's somebody else that would actually sing into one of these things! I thought I was the only one. Just back them off a little. Pretend you're mic'ing an acoustic guitar, and be a very specific amount off axis. You'll find the sweet spot. Now the trick is to sing and don't move! Tell me how it works out, and try it on acoustic. When backed off, it also is great for clean, low SPL electric guitar cab, violin, banjo, mandolin, etc.- Richie
 
Richie, positoning it at "nose" level above my mouth and pointing it
downward really helped me to get a good sound out of it-even without
a pop screen! Picking which one of the "final two" cardiod capsules was
tough, ended up with the one that sounded slightly more natural rather
than the one with a thicker sound. One guy at GC was amazed to hear
the differences between the capsules when I tested them.
(Hey they all LOOK the same!)

Chris
 
positoning it at "nose" level above my mouth and pointing it
Click to expand...
About a foot out and the center of the capsule aiming directly at the end of my nose gives me the best sound from any vocal microphone I use.

Were the differences in the capsules apparent when interchanging them onto the same body?
 
Yes the differences were apparent. If I had a "brighter" voice rather than
a mellow one the other cardiod capsule would have been picked.

Chris
 
Yes the differences were apparent.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a bad capsule. There shouldn't be any perceptable difference between them, and generally there isn't. Most of the problems have historically been in the circuit, not the capsule.
 
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