Small Diaphram Condenser Test

[CMiller]

For all those interested in buying a fairly inexpensive small diaphram condenser, there's a great article in Electronic Musician magazine this month. It's the issue on the shelves right now.

They tested eight mics...let's see if I can remember them...

1) Oktava MK-012 (from Guitar Center)
2) Earthworks SR-77
3) Elation KM-201 (from the Sound Room)
4) Groove Tubes AM30

Damn I can't remember what else...I know there was an Audix mic in there but I don't remember what else.

Anyway, in a blind test, they tested the mics in stereo on Drums (overhead), Piano, a six member choir, and an acoustic guitar. The judges listed their top three for each instrument.

There was no real consensus as to a "best" mic, but I can tell you that the Oktava was listed in the top three in almost all catagories, and won many of the catagories. The Elation did almost as well also finishing in the top three in most of the catagories. Not too bad. It's an interesting read, go check it out.

Note: I went to EM's web site and they've already changed it over to reflect the new issue, so if you're interested in this article I recommend that you check it out ASAP before the new issue comes out!

 

[Recording Engineer]

I've encouraging everyone to do this. Why do I have a feeling no one's listening?

Anyway, here's an e-mail I got from Taylor Johnson of RTT and The Sound Room regarding where the mics Elation 2021s and Oktava MC012s used in the tesing came from since there has been a questionable dispute to where they actually came from and from what where they are said to be from in the article.


The Oktava MC012 matched pair in the recent ELECTRONIC
MUSICIAN (March issue) was supplied by Taylor Johnson at The
Sound Room and selected and warranted by RTT and The Sound
Room. However, since the A&F McKay Company in England (who
own the world-wide marketing rights to OKTAVA and are the
suppliers to The Guitar Center) have never given their
permission to The Sound Room to mention in print that The
Sound Room carries OKTAVA microphones, the fact that The
Sound Room carries anything manufactured at The Oktava Plant
in Tula, Russia was omitted. This was at my specific request
and Brian Knave was kind enough to agree to it.

The Elation KM201 pair was sent direct from the Elation Lab
in Moscow. These did not go through the standard cosmetic
and acoustic tests through RTT or The Sound Room, although
it was an RTT employee who took the package to the FEDEX
counter at Shermetyevo Airport as they had to be shipped
very quickly to make the magazine deadline.
Currently, those particular KM201's are in Florida and they
are going back to Russia in a few days and have already been
moved out of stock. I am waiting to hear them myself, but I
trust Elizabeth Papapetrou and Bill Roberts (both long time
associates and very qualified engineers/ears) who HAVE heard
them, when they say that they are inferior to the other
pairs I have here (and in Florida) that have passed ALL of
our testing.

It is too bad that we NOW find out that the Elations were
not a really good pair, otherwise they may have done better
against the MicroTech Gefell.

I find it interesting that the majority of the acoustic
modeling on the MicroTech Gefell, the original design and
subsequent electronic enhancements of the Oktava and the
whole design and assembly of the Elation microphones was
executed by one man, Alexander Schribeman - owner of
Elation.

Thank you for your interest.

Regards,

Taylor Johnson


--
The Sound Room http://www.sound-room.com http://www.oktava.com

Specialists in:
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