Editor's Note: WARNING. Be warned that some retailers may be selling Chinese knockoffs of Oktava microphones. More information is available from Oktava.
Have you heard about the Oktava MK012? It's the Russian small condenser microphone that gets a lot of word-of-mouth publicity for being a good value in instrument condensers. The MK012 is also branded the MC012. The official Oktava website refers to the mic as the MK012. It refers to the single cardioid capsule model reviewed here as the MK012a. These mics, when matched properly, are a good addition to any project studio.
The mics usually ship in a small plastic case that resembles an old cigarette case. The bottom is lined with fitted foam, but the top is not. This design isn't the most protective I've seen, but for the price is just about expected. Soon though, I discovered it was just about the only real drawback to the entire package.
The MK012s are rated at 130dB max SPL in the 250-8000Hz range @ less than 0.5% THD. Standard 48v phantom power is required. The mics weigh in at 70 grams, are roughly 0.75 inch in diameter and 4.25 inches in length without the -10db pad (the pad is about 0.75 inches long and screws on between the mic body and the capsule). The included clips are a sprung metal retaining clip that does an adequate job of holding the mic in place. It looks crude but cool, and gives the mic a different vibe in my opinion. In essence, they look Russian to me.
In use, the Oktava MK012s are extremely handy for everything you need in a small diameter condensor mic in the studio.
On acoustic guitar, they have a very nice overall sound. Fingerpicked playing comes across with good attack and ring. The woody sound of the guitar comes across very well too. The mics didn't mind me slapping the guitar around a bit. Transients make it through these mics quite nicely on acoustic guitar. The low-end response can crap out when close mic'ing so careful positioning is necessary. Once I found the sweet spot it was downright beautiful. All the smack and pluck is very nicely reproduced. You've got to hear these mics on acoustic guitar.
On drum overheads, they proved to be equally useful. Cymbals are full sounding but not overly bright, and the attack of the drums comes across very well. I love the way the ring comes across from my Arbiter snare with the MK012s. Toms have a well-rounded sound as well, with useable low end. Hi-hat came across very nicely as well, with good cut. I will be using these mics more as drum overheads, the sound is quite pleasing. X/Y pattern gave good imaging and an accurate sense of space.
On vocals, the MK012 can surprise you. In a blind listening test or two, this mic has surprised some of the golden ear crowd on how well it can translate the human voice. However, forget about it for vocals unless you've got a quality popfilter such as a Stedman PS101. The MK012, when unprotected, cannot handle a "P" for anything and will totally crap out on you. So, don't even consider using it for studio vocal mic'ing unless you put Stedman PS101 or other quality popfilter in front of the mic.
The mics required a fair amount of gain compared to some other small condensers I've had around the studio. I like a mic that requires more gain for overhead application. Quite often, I find that a loud drummer (aka me) can overload mics at minimal gain settings. The mics never required cranking the preamps. They just needed more gain.
The -10db pads proved to add nothing noticeable to the sound to my ears. They seemed to be very clean. But, between loud drums, close mic'd acoustic guitar and vocal tests they were never necessary.
The biggest problem facing anyone wanting to own these is the reported quality control problems with Oktava mics. So, when you buy, you'll need to check them out for quality and make sure you buy from a retailer with fair return policy.
One reliable source of Oktava mics in the United States is the Sound Room. The Sound Room is not an authorized reseller. But, the Sound Room does perform extra quality control and guarantees the mics it sells. It is a lot more expensive to buy these from the Sound Room but it could be worth it in exchange for getting perfectly matched pairs and an assurance of more rigorous quality control. Several engineers maintain that you do not necessarily need a pair of the MK012 to be perfectly matched. In essence, a close match will get the job done. However, in recording Classical music, you'll probably want to spend the extra money for the perfect matched pairs offered by the Sound Room.
The Bottom Line: These little Russian mics are strong performers and should be seriously considered by any studio. I could see them being very handy on percussion and piano mic'ing as well although I was not able to test this. You must be careful when positioning on acoustic guitar, but once you're there it's smooth sailing. Many folks look to small diaphragm condensors for overhead and acoustic guitar recording, the Oktava MK012s are your ticket to ride. Mojo Pie recommends buying from a store that does quality control such as the Sound Room. Otherwise, you might be taking a gamble.
Link relating to this review: Oktava
Warren Dent's Brackentracks Studio is located lakeside in sunny South Carolina. You can contact him at warren@brackentracks.com.
