Spend extra for matched mk-012's?

C

Chadwick

New member
I decided to go with the mk-012's mainly for drum OH. I can get them for 80 bucks a piece or I can spend between 3 to 4 hundred for a matched pair. What do you think?
 
I don't know if I just got lucky or not, but the two 'off the shelf' Oktava MC-012 I got sound the same to me. But, if I understand correctly, this doesn't happen offen, and that's why people pay extra and get them from the soundroom.
 
Hmmm? Maybe I should do some gambling and go the cheap route. The payoff is good if I win. Is there a special way to test to see if they are the same? Sorry if that's a stupid question, Im a genuine newbie.
 
Chadwick said:
Hmmm? Maybe I should do some gambling and go the cheap route. The payoff is good if I win. Is there a special way to test to see if they are the same? Sorry if that's a stupid question, Im a genuine newbie.
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Special way, probably. Ask Harvey, Brent, or someone about special ways to test a mic. What I do is AB (compare) them by using them, and the two I have, look the same, act/respond the same, and sound the same to me. I can't tell one from the other, the two I have sound the same to me.
 
the general rule is that you don't need a truly matched pair unless you are recording classical. otherwise, a close pair will do and that's something you can do with your ears.

steve
www.piemusic.com
 
Buy four or five of them off the shelf. That way i reckon youve got a pretty good chance of getting a matched pair, and you also have 5 good quality condensor microphones available to you! Too easy
 
Just go to the salesperson and tell them that your going to buy a pair but you have heard that they can be inconsistant, So could you please get 5 out so I can try them and know I'm getting a closley matched set.

That is what I did and they were very happy to help.

Scott
 
I gambled & got a pair from Guitar Center about 1 1/2 years ago.... the only difference in mine, is one is a tiny bit hotter than the other, but the EQ is the same. My ears told me this when I got them, so I kept them. Then a few months ago I checked em in Wavelab w/ the frequency analyzer and that was the result as well. These Mics have been great for Overheads and accoustics.

Good Luck,
B.
 
The main reason why people buy from the sound room is for the Quality Control. From what I gather, the Okatavas can be all over the board in terms of noise, frequency response, and sound quality, etc. -- hence the difficulties in matching them.

But more important is that you could just wind up with two crappy ones . . . or two mediocre ones and think they're fine just because they sound similarly mediocre (with no benchmark to compare them to).

Still, I'll take a couple of mediocre Oktavas for $150 over most of whatever else is out there for the same price.
 
Thanks for all your replies. You all have been very helpful. This forum rules. I just picked up 2 from Guitar Center.
 
chessrock said:
The main reason why people buy from the sound room is for the Quality Control. From what I gather, the Okatavas can be all over the board in terms of noise, frequency response, and sound quality, etc. -- hence the difficulties in matching them.

But more important is that you could just wind up with two crappy ones . . . or two mediocre ones and think they're fine just because they sound similarly mediocre (with no benchmark to compare them to).

Still, I'll take a couple of mediocre Oktavas for $150 over most of whatever else is out there for the same price.
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Good point. I have no idea if I have crappy or good ones but, whatever they are, I have two of them and they sound the same. :)
 
If you have the cash to blow... go to the sound room.

You'll get the best of what's available with no apologies.

If you're strapped for cash... take-a-you-chances and roll the dice.

Keep in mind that you'll keep a good set of mics forever.:D
 
Does anyone here know how, or the process that the Soundroom uses to match mic's, the acoustic treated room used, test equipment used, sound source(s) used, and etc? Thank you.
 
from the Sound Room's web page:
Matched pairs are selected from the test areas of different manufacturing labs and tested in the anechoic chamber (and ancillary facilities) at a famous Moscow-based Microphone Lab. As with all of our microphones, they are chosen for assembly and finish and then tested to meet specific acoustic and electronic modeling. Mics in matched assemblies are tested individually and then as pairs. Once matching is complete, they are boxed - along with proof of frequency response analysis. From there, the mics are sent to our "sister" studio in Moscow, where they are tested and checked again in various acoustic source tests and further documentation is attached.

The mics that pass all these tests are shipped to the SOUND ROOM, where they are checked again in our studios and readied for shipment. This may include changing packing/shipping materiel, fitting to cedar boxes (from the Ozark Mountains), final cosmetic checks and repackaging of the assorted documentation and new (US made) accessories.

If you don't see your choice listed here and you want a matched pair, just ask, we're glad to have this service done with other mics, as well. Many of these are "in stock" and ready to go. Others may take from 2-4 weeks depending on the manufacturing lab.
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I bought 'em, they're great. I didn't have the money "to blow", but didn't trust my ear (still don't). I'm happy with the bang for the buck - I bought hypers rather than cards...

Here's the website:
http://www.sound-room.com/mofcart/fmsp.html
 
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