Hi everybody after reading many raving reviews I am ready to pull the trigger on an Oktava MK-012.
When I went to the europe site they had this deal.


The new "MK-012-01 Movie Set" is specially intended for video makers and movie-people. The mic is supplied with a hypercardioid capsule (instead of cardio) and a Low-cut pad instead of -10db pad, the set has also a high quality wind screen.
The set consist of: microphone preamp, hypercardioid capsule, low-cut pad, mic holder, wind screen, wood box.


Does anyone have any experience with this set? Is it good value for money?
It goes for 169 euro.

These are great sounding mics for the money (I have 5 of them) but they are very susceptible to handling noise and very light breezes. A good shock mount and baby ball gag are necessities in my opinion. Quality control is an issue so I would buy from an authorized dealer. I have had a couple go down because the contact pin on one of the capsules was too long.
Once you add in the price of the BBG you are getting near the the cost of an AT4053a or a SCX-1HC which are better mics.

These are great sounding mics for the money (I have 5 of them) but they are very susceptible to handling noise and very light breezes. A good shock mount and baby ball gag are necessities in my opinion. Quality control is an issue so I would buy from an authorized dealer.

Thnx for the quick reply!
I am buying it on the Oktava shop.
What kind of shockmount would you recommend me for attachment on the front hotshoe of the Z5?

This is a very good one.

K-Tek | Camera Shoemounting Shockmount | K-CAM-SSM | B&H Photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/326968-REG/K_Tek_K_CAM_SSM_Camera_Shoemounting_Shockmount.html#features)

This is a very good one.

K-Tek | Camera Shoemounting Shockmount | K-CAM-SSM | B&H Photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/326968-REG/K_Tek_K_CAM_SSM_Camera_Shoemounting_Shockmount.html#features)

Thnx for the great tips. After some searching I have found a great deal on the Baby Ball Gag (78 Euro), The WindJammer (30 Euro) and the K-CAM-SSM (58 Euro).
So for the same price as the mic I got the whole mounting and windgear.
Pretty pleased with the deal to be honest.
For some reason Europe seems a little cheaper for audio then the US, while for video I have to pay alot more then the US.

I agree with Kevin. My Oktava sounds good, as long as it is working. The first one I bought died and by the time I got it repaired it cost me in more time and money than if I had bought a better quality mic like the AT4053 in the first place. I learned my lesson. It is a terrible feeling to go to all the time and expense to set up a shoot and then have your low quality microphone fail. I have no confidence in Oktava microphones.

There was a period of time in which the market was flooded with cheap chinese Oktava knock-offs. There is a way to tell the difference, but few folks knew it. I'm betting the failed mic was probably one of those. I have not heard of any reliability issues with genuine Oktava before.

No Chris, I bought mine from the Sound Room in NY. I even paid $100 extra to get a "carefully selected model "

Hmmm.. interesting. I stand corrected. Still, yours is the first mention I have heard about Oktava reliability, I wonder now - others have problems?

I mean I have heard of failures on just about every various brand of mic, but no one brand has ever stood out more than any other.

Might be an intersting thread - seeking comments on brand reliability and failures.

Chris

what does the low-cut pad do?

The same thing as a low cut filter - namely filters out frequencies lower than the stated limit of the low cut pad (usually 80 or 150 hz.) This often helps with windy conditions and reduces handling noise pickup.

Hmmm.. interesting. I stand corrected. Still, yours is the first mention I have heard about Oktava reliability, I wonder now - others have problems?

I mean I have heard of failures on just about every various brand of mic, but no one brand has ever stood out more than any other.

Might be an intersting thread - seeking comments on brand reliability and failures.

Chris

As I mentioned above I have had two of mine fail, each with the same problem.
I just got one back from repair, the contact plunger had to be replaced. This may be a weak point on these mics, but I can't say for certain. I don't know anyone else that uses them.

can anyone recommend a particular low cut pad that is optimal for indoor narrative use? Namely to reduce handling noise?

thanks

I have had absolutely no problems with mine. You can tell the Chinese knockoffs by the serial number (I don't remember the details now). They were only out a couple of years, but on occasion somebody manages to get one.

No handling noise if used properly with a shock mount.

There was a period of time in which the market was flooded with cheap chinese Oktava knock-offs. There is a way to tell the difference, but few folks knew it. I'm betting the failed mic was probably one of those. I have not heard of any reliability issues with genuine Oktava before.

I have. The issue being piece to piece QC. The OP said "raving reviews." I haven't seen any. Where are these raving reviews?

Ty Ford

Interesting Ty, thanks for that info.

Chris

The OP said "raving reviews." I haven't seen any. Where are these raving reviews?


For instance here As I Hear It - Choosing the Right Microphone (http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/right_mic_brockett.html) or just google the model and the first hits besides the pages where you can buy them are all very positive.
Most forum posters (also here) are very positive about the prices and the quality it delivers.
I asked around in the Netherlands for some user experience and all where very positive.
Our 2 main broadcast production companies (NOB and DutchView) use them on a regular basis, and an sound enigineer I know was also very positive about the brand.
Hence my use of the word raving reviews.

After testing the mic for 3 days now, my first impression is that the reviews and user impression weren't lying.
I really like the sound of the mic and for me it was a bargain and a good step in building my soundkit.

As a technical journalist, I have HUGE problems with the use of hyperbolic adjectives. "Raving" or "Rave Reviews" are tops on my list.

quote: Dan's initial take on the microphone:
"Personally, I found the microphone to have very good quality sound for its price range. The Oktava, to my ears, presented a slightly more colored and high frequency emphasized sound quality than the Sankens and the Schoeps, it did not have the smoothness and natural sound quality of the Schoeps but it did sound very impressive. I would not hesitate to recommend the Okatava as a solid, low cost and versatile choice that is an excellent value since it is a microphone system for under $400.00 including three capsules and a -10dB pad, microphone holder and case. I very much enjoyed recording with the Oktava, it seemed like a relative bargain."
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This is a complimentary review, but "rave?" I don't think so. The "for the price" and "relative bargain" phrases are obvious and very powerful disclaimers in review parlance. Dan put a lot of time into his piece. He's to be applauded for that. The broad brush required to cover as many mics as he did in such a short period of time is natural and obvious. I will take issue with his calling it a cult microphone. That's way too romantic. It's a throw away mic. If you have a Schoeps and the shot calls of it to be put in harm's way, you MIGHT use an MC012.

If it were a great mic, worthy of raving, location audio people would stop buying Schoeps.

I heard and reviewed the MC012 when it first came out years ago. I've heard several since. It's OK when you get a good one that stays good. But it doesn't approach a Schoeps CMC641.

I've been fortunate to work with CMC641 for almost ten years. I had been working with mics in the studio and on location for a long time before the CMC641 got here. I plugged it in, put on the cans and spoke a few words. From that moment on, everything changed.

Boudewijn, et al, rent one stick it in a Sound Devices 442 mixer and find out for yourself. Use a good mixer. Bad mixer compromise the sound of any mic.

Regards,

Ty Ford

If it were a great mic, worthy of raving, location audio people would stop buying Schoeps.

I heard and reviewed the MC012 when it first came out years ago. I've heard several since. It's OK when you get a good one that stays good. But it doesn't approach a Schoeps CMC641.

I've been fortunate to work with CMC641 for almost ten years. I had been working with mics in the studio and on location for a long time before the CMC641 got here. I plugged it in, put on the cans and spoke a few words. From that moment on, everything changed.

Boudewijn, et al, rent one stick it in a Sound Devices 442 mixer and find out for yourself. Use a good mixer. Bad mixer compromise the sound of any mic.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Point taken about the word rave.
But I do hope you realize that there is a HUGE difference between a mic of 170 dollar and a mic that is 10 times that expensive?
Sure if I had the money I would buy the $1,739.00 Schoeps CMC641, and I would also shoot all my material on film instead of HDV.
But unfortunally I am not in that position, so I have to make choices.
I am trying to make the choices according to my own budget and that of my clients.
And I just can't justify the purchase of a 1700 dollar mic at this time.
When I shoot interviews I have to do the lighting, camera and audio which is huge amount to take care of. Because I do it by myself also means I can do alot of jobs cause I only have to pay myself and my equipment which makes it affordable for my clients.
But I am also in the running for a funded documentary.
When that project will start, I have the luxery of hiring a boom operator and maybe even a DoP.
So a different set of standards will apply for that project, but again according to budget.

Boudewijn,

In mics, cameras and a lot of things, getting from 80% to 85% costs as much as getting from 10% to 80%. Getting from 85% to 87% may cost another 100% price increase.

The good news is that with a Schoeps, you can pretty much expect to use that mic for the next 20+ years. I doubt HDV cameras will enjoy anywhere near that sort of life. The bad news is that I'm told by the distributor that, in the US, the price of the CMC641 will go up to about $2400 by the end of the year.

Your film vs HDV comparison is well taken. I am very price sensitive as well. Since my clients are too, I still shoot on a Canon XL2. (I could have gone HDV, but I had real concerns about HDV's compressed audio) My clients only need web exposure, so that's how I justify my SD camera. Here's a clip. Neil Harpe on a Stella Harp Guitar at Ty Ford's Studio on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/2179144) Notice I'm using a Neumann TLM 103 on the guitar. The guitar was sort of dark sounding and I wanted to brighten it up. The TLM 103 has an elevated top end.

I do have the thought that there is the "relative versus absolute" argument. Yes, a CMC641 is relatively expensive. What's a MC012 with hypercardioid capsule cost today? $170.00? I don't know. If so, by your comparison that's a tenfold increase.

Relatively, that's very significant. The actual price difference is about $1500. But once bought, your audio improves immediately on every shoot. If you buy the $170 mic now, when will you buy the $1700 mic? Having bought the $170 mic, your investment in mics will be $1900 (cheap one plus expensive one).

Here in the US we are plagued by our penchant for instant gratification. We'd be better off saving and getting what we really SHOULD buy. This is especially important when you start doing professional work. For these reasons, there is the thought that when you enter the professional arena you can't afford to buy cheap.

Regards,

Ty Ford

I understand your point Ty.

But still my take on the subject is a different one.
Since I make documentaries, I am not getting paid alot for my passion. Most of the time I will be happy with a return on investment. But because I also have to eat, I do some interviews and editting (used to be a editor for 12 years) on the side.
So my clients get what they pay for.
For instance if someone wants an interview for their website or big meeting and has about a 500 till 750 Euro to spend.
I will go over there, do the lighting, camera and audio myself.
Will directly import the footage into my MacBook Pro and edit the interview on the spot. Burn a DVD and make a MP4 and say goodbye.
How many different disciplines or professions have I done in that relative simpel job?
I myself count 5 different proffessions.
In the ideal world I would have rented 4 people to assist me, but then I would never been able to do the job for that price.
Same goes also for the professional argument. As soon as there is budget, one of the first things I outsource it is the audio.
This because my equipment lacks abit in that department and that is the one thing that requires the most attention during the actual shooting.
I am still building my gear and have such a big wishlist, but rest assured a Schoeps is on it :) Getting there eventually...

Boudewijn,

I think we are not so far apart. :)

Ty

I agree with Ty completely. I bought my first Oktava a few years ago after reading many "rave reviews " here on this website. I have since learned, it really matters who is doing the raving. If someone the of the caliber of Ty Ford is raving, then I listen. For others, not much. I bought my Oktave because the " rave reviews " by "experts". What these experts failed to mention was the hidden costs of having that "good for the money" mike fail on location. The money I have invested in repairs, lost time and bad PR are hard to quantify. We can't all afford a Schoeps, but I do believe there is a minimum. I have learned my lesson. When my Oktava fails again, I will throw it away, and in the future, I will only listen to people like Ty.

Some of us (at least in NY) have Oktavas as a "stand in.. or disposable" mic where more expensive mics may be put in harm's way, due to physical or SPL damage. They do sound sort of like a Schoeps. It ain't fun losing a $1000+ Sennheiser or Schoeps. Losing a $200 012 ain't fun either but easier to swallow considering.

Hey folks,

Ive been running shooting a tv series, and resorted to using my pair of km184s well one of them for indoor dialiogue, of course these are cardioid but they seem to be doing well.

Would any one like to compare them to the Oktava mk012, Id love an MKH 50 really but as Rick said, £1000 is hard to swallow in some cases when they risk danger.


So summarise

Dialogue whats better KM184 or Oktava mk012?