Jump to content

Oktava MK-012 paint damage out of box


cambob3000

Recommended Posts

Just received my Oktava MK 012 which I ordered from Amazon through the Oktava seller. When it arrived I noticed that the xlr connector had some of the surrounding paint/powder coating/whatever they use slightly damaged and chipped off. Is this normal for this microphone or did I unknowingly buy a damaged or used microphone?

Thank you for your help!

IMG_1740.JPG

IMG_1739.JPG

IMG_1738.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, new should be show room clean. The real 012's to buy though is the modded vintage ones. The Russians made some great capsules on the early years but the active components they used were garbage, basically the mod's (Jolly, Stiller or Dorsey) replace all the Transistors, caps and a few of the resistors inside the mic. search ebay - oktava 012 modded. Night and day comparison to the stock 012's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This doesn't surprise me.  The construction quality and sound of the Oktavas vary widely.

 

My advice is to give this one a critical listen.  If you really like how it sounds, keep it.  If you get a replacement, the odds are high that it will sound different.  You may, or may not, notice the difference if you're not comparing side by side depending upon your Sonic memory (which can be a fickle thing).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a batch of Oktavas of various vintages and I would not say that consistency is a hallmark of that brand.  I like the sound, I like the price, I like for form-factor and Schoeps-like multi-head/pad/low rolloff design, but there is a reason they can deliver all that w/o the price of a German mic, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it makes you feel uneasy you might wanna send it back. But like has been said, pay more attention to the sound. These mics will look pretty dingy quickly but will last very long nonetheless and plus they do sound great (I've never heard a modded one but love my original MK012s.) Actually the first microphone I owned, and still use them quite regularly (mostly with the Colette style cable for car interiors). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Christian Spaeth said:

(I've never heard a modded one but love my original MK012s.)

If you are decent with a soldering gun Ben Stiller sells a kit, parts and detailed directions. Mod one of yours and A/B them, It's like riding a bicycle for the first time... It will wow you!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, jpb2 said:

If you are decent with a soldering gun Ben Stiller sells a kit, parts and detailed directions. Mod one of yours and A/B them, It's like riding a bicycle for the first time... It will wow you!

 

 

I Might try that. Cool btw, didn't know Ben Stiller was into sound!

 

😂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oktava 'had' a reputation for inconsistent quality control. I guess that may still hold true. I would ask for a replacement or refund.

The SoundRoom was the go-to Oktava dealer for many of us, They thoroughly checked and tested each mic before sale. This increased the price a little, but was worth it IMHO. I bought a multi-capsule stereo set about ten years ago which sound very good, even without the "Dorcey" type mod. Though I rarely use them for production sound much these days

There were also China made 'counterfeits' about for a while on eBay and such which were allegedly made for the Guitar Center, but that's another story. Search if that's of interest.
 BTW, that's Bill Stiller, who sells the mod parts kit, not Ben the actor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last question for anyone still able to help. Does the microphone i received matter at all if i end up getting it modified? I spent just over 200 for it and a modification would cost around $120, so for just a bit more than it would cost from The Sound Room I could get a modified oktava.

thank you once again!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why don't you use it for a bit and then decide if modding is worth it to you?  My own opinion is that that's gilding the lily--it's a good low cost mic as is.  If you want audibly better then save your $ for a Schoeps.   And in a twist perhaps of interest here--the supposed Chinese "fake" versions of this mic sound the same as the supposed "genuine" mics of that era (2000's).  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Christian Spaeth said:

If it makes you feel uneasy you might wanna send it back. But like has been said, pay more attention to the sound. These mics will look pretty dingy quickly but will last very long nonetheless and plus they do sound great (I've never heard a modded one but love my original MK012s.) Actually the first microphone I owned, and still use them quite regularly (mostly with the Colette style cable for car interiors). 

 

Is it good for that type of use? Do you use any capsule protection? And doesn't carry any vibrations throught the cable and/or mic body?

 

The Oktava's are cool and cheap little mics, but they are extremely prone to handling and wind noise. You have to spend a lot to just make it usable, and even then someone has to be extremely careful when booming, and not in very demanding scenes. Even though I could used it sufficiently, the effort and stress was too much, so I was onlu used them for sit down interviews on a stand.

 

I would advise someone to go straight to the next tier of hypers (e.g Audio Technica, Audix), they are the entry level for me.

 

MKH50 tier (Shoeps, DPA) are perfect, but they cost around 1500-1700€ in most European countries, if someone buys Oktava, obviously can't jump 1300-1500euroes easily, but spend 300-400€ more is doable.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Kisaha said:

 

Is it good for that type of use? Do you use any capsule protection? And doesn't carry any vibrations throught the cable and/or mic body?

 

The Oktava's are cool and cheap little mics, but they are extremely prone to handling and wind noise. You have to spend a lot to just make it usable, and even then someone has to be extremely careful when booming, and not in very demanding scenes. Even though I could used it sufficiently, the effort and stress was too much, so I was onlu used them for sit down interviews on a stand.

  

I would advise someone to go straight to the next tier of hypers (e.g Audio Technica, Audix), they are the entry level for me.

 

MKH50 tier (Shoeps, DPA) are perfect, but they cost around 1500-1700€ in most European countries, if someone buys Oktava, obviously can't jump 1300-1500euroes easily, but spend 300-400€ more is doable.

 

 

In cars you don't move the mic, so they work just fine. In my experience they don't rumble much more than a Schoeps MK41, so if you know how to engage a low cut filter, your chances of getting usable audio are good. Put a foam on the capsules in the car and you're good to go. Of course the Oktava "colette" is about twice the length of the Schoeps so they're not that easy to hide. But I like them for their versatility. Also have used the figure 8 adapter for the odd M/S recording. I wouldn't choose an Oktava as my main mic, but it's a useful addition any day.

5 hours ago, cambob3000 said:

My only real concern is that i did get a “bad one” and it won’t sound as good. However, I am purchasing this as my first microphone so i have no reference as to what it should sound like/what the self noise should be.

 

I don't know about your seller's return policy, but if it's amazon-style I would just order another one, compare them and return the one you like less.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With the screen name "cambob3000" I guess you're a shooter? If you are a student as your profile indicates, and this is your first mic, what's your day rate? I ask because there's been a lot of talk about slipping day rates and undercutting in LA. As important as your first mic is to you, at least as important is how you fit into your market. Do you have professionals you can learn from?

 

Regards,

 

Ty Ford

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, cambob3000 said:

Last question for anyone still able to help. Does the microphone i received matter at all if i end up getting it modified? I spent just over 200 for it and a modification would cost around $120, so for just a bit more than it would cost from The Sound Room I could get a modified oktava.

thank you once again!

 

AFAIK, The Sound Room does not do any modifications on the 012. They just hand-pick, test and match the best ones direct from the factory. The mod is definitely worthwhile, which lessens handling, wind and self-noise noise. It would not change the build quality or other imperfections.. or the sensitivity (10mV), which can be an issue when used in conjunction with the pre-amps found many low-budget portable recorders and cams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...