Oktava ML52 Ribbon Mic

[borntoplease]

has anyone had experience with this mic. i have heard some really good things about it and some not so good things. i am familiar with their quality control problems... i am more interested in the sound of the mic... thanks
ben

 

[Richard Monroe]

Well, I own one, and it is a flat-out weird mic. It is dark, smooth, and has pretty weak output, so it needs a serious preamp. Well, what do I mean weird? Of all the mics I own, it runs the biggest spread from how good it can sound on some things to how bad it can sound on others. It's a real hit and miss mic, not a workhorse. When she's good, she's very very good, and when she's bad she's horrid. It wins the prize as the most unpredictable mic I own.- Richie

 

[Henri Devill]

This is a pretty cool mic ML19..http://sound-room.com/customer/home.php?cat=2&page=2


I like it on elec. guitars

 

[borntoplease]

This is a pretty cool mic ML19..http://sound-room.com/customer/home.php?cat=2&page=2


I like it on elec. guitars

just wondering if you own the mic or if you have used it. any clue as to its characteristics?

 

[Henri Devill]

I own one..thickish in the mids..if that makes any sence A little on the dark side..I like it for brite clean guitars that I want to soften up

 

[Raaen]

I concur with what Richard says. I purchased one about a month ago after renting a Royer...I just needed to HAVE a ribbon When I got ML-52 at a local GC my salesman yelled back to another salesman..'hey, we're just got rid of the Octava ribbon'. Must of been sitting around for awhile, and/or they didn't have very good things to say about the mic. That didn't deter me. I knew of the quality control issues, but I went for it anyway. Glad I did. It is quirky, but I've found some great uses for it in my studio...mostly hand drums/percussion. Haven't tried it with vocals.

When it works, it has a very nice natural presence. Like most ribbons, as Richard said, it requires a pre with balls. I have a Great River...does a fine job. Also like many ribbons, it seems to handle alot of eq, if that's important to you. It's NOT a Royer, but if you already have some half-way decent mics, and could stand spending a relatively few bucks on a niche mic, it may not be a bad pick up.

Fwiw, I've just discovered ribbons as a class of mics, and I must say, they're holding me captive

Raaen

Well, I own one, and it is a flat-out weird mic. It is dark, smooth, and has pretty weak output, so it needs a serious preamp. Well, what do I mean weird? Of all the mics I own, it runs the biggest spread from how good it can sound on some things to how bad it can sound on others. It's a real hit and miss mic, not a workhorse. When she's good, she's very very good, and when she's bad she's horrid. It wins the prize as the most unpredictable mic I own.- Richie