Topic: Do you love your Oktava m?-012???

[bdasilva]

http://www.vintagemicrophone.com/JShop/product.php?xProd=45&jssCart=fc2a5ef8e36ff6457e090cfb87b071b9

I'm not fluffing these capsules to buy them  but rather just pointing out their coolness.


I still love mine tho I never use them anymore... (my first "real"  mics)  Had to buy a set of these lollypops.

[rokpunk]

well, no.
i don't own a pair of these, but my experience with hearing oktava mics was less than impressive.
not to say that these can't make nice tapes, but i guess i have never heard one that appealed to me.

they are, however, strong like bull. </russian accent off>

[Teen Wolf Blitzer]

I'd like to try this Oktava...

[bhakti]

anyone ever try them on acoustic guitars [not in a concert situation, but more home studio scenario?] thinking of buying the Mk-012's... what you guys think? and for pulling tapes just for interest?

thanks guys.. 

[fluffme]

Got these mics for cheap back in the day.

I think I paid $25/each for the cards and bodies.

I bought the extra capsule set that included the omnis and hypers.

Never used them for live taping.  Mine have seen use as drum overheads/hihat mics for live applications and demo work...not bad...mine weren't matched s/n but were both close sounding and seemed to work good for the "high end" of cymbals.

I've found them to be a little too bright for acoustic mic'ing directly.  I've never really invested too much time in trying to make them work, most of the time never used with an outboard pre, either.

I know buddies who have been pleased with piano and horn sounds recorded with these mics, fwiw....but as always, ymmv.

I keep 'em around cause they were cheap and you never know when they will be perfect for a certain sound I'm trying to get.

[bhakti]

thanks fluffme... when you said "back in the day" for $25, how long ago was that?
there is a whole oktava story with bad imitation chinese mics that floated into the market... supposedly the russians are the only ones to get... just wondering if you got a chinese one for that price... you know pay 13X that price a one MK-012...

not sure, but a possibility... anyone know anything else about these mics?

[stirinthesauce]

plenty of info on this board, and others, about the oktava mc-012.  There is also a simple mod, the dorsey mod, that one can do themselves to improve on the sonic characteristics.  There is also a company, if memory serves me correct, where you can send them to do the mod for you.

a quick search using the advanced search choosing just this board, the microphone board, posts 5 pages of relevant information about this particular mic including plenty of discussion talking about the differences between the russian and the chinese knockoffs and the distinguishing characteristics.

... anyone know anything else about these mics?

[nickb]

Back in the day, well,  meaning 2002-2004....GC had ships of these things on a big buy from Russia.  Their cost was $25/each for the body and card cap.....

They used them as loss leaders for a few years....sometimes reducing their internal cost to a penny (.01) to make a $25 sale worth while on their books.

Not sure if these were indeed Chinese "fakes" or not but they were cheap and I grabbed up a few on different occasions, kept a couple for myself and have given away or traded the others away.

EDIT:  I'm almost certain these were indeed the Russian's...as there were hand drawn mic specs on "newspaper" type paper when I bought them. Russian writing on all documentation, as well.

DBL Edit:  fluffme = nickb 

[bhakti]

thanks guys.... will do the oktava search... anyone know the difference between MC-012 and MK-012?
thanks again... reckon I'll just buy them anyways... 

[nickb]

Here's a couple of links....

Seems some folks have ideas as to what the "c" stands for.  I distinctively remember GC selling both the MK & MC series....but never heard of them as being fake and made in China... I'd search out the K's just in case...


http://oktava.tula.net/fake/

The ones on the left ^^ are the ones I have, same case and all.

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Microphone/product/Oktava/MC-012/10/1

[bdasilva]

Got the capsules today... pictures included in top post.  coolness.

[Krispy D]

there is no difference between the C and the K.  I've had a (real russian) pair for quite some time and while I don't use them as much as I once did, I doubt I will get rid of them any time soon.  This is a solid go to mic for many situations.  I generally use them for drum overheads, but in good situations can make stellar live aud tapes.  I feel they are just as good a value (better?) as a C4 set.  I've been thinking about some of those LD red lolipop caps but have yet to pull the trigger.  post a comp when you can.

[John Willett]

I'd like to try this Oktava...

If it's what I think it is - it's in breach of Soundfield's patents.

I did hear that there was a microphone that breached Soundfield's patents and had to be taken off the market.

[bdasilva]

90$ each while they last thru the end of the month

[Krispy D]

what body does that behemoth fit on? or is it a complete mic in of itself?  I would hate to see the cable!