I just received my Oktava Mk-012 yesterday, and did some of my own testing of capsules in different spaces. Certainly the hypercardiod capsule sounds really nice for indoor dialog, provided there isn't something hard directly behind the microphone to provide a reverberant surface. I looked up the foam windscreen you linked in your description. In Canada, they gouge you for stuff like that and the price tag for one was $37.00 CDN!! I pulled out the case for my Samson CO2 microphones (which I had been using for indoor reverberant spaces prior to the Oktava arriving) and used one of the windscreens from it. They are a perfect fit once you pull out the inner plastic ring, and is doesn't cover up too much of the capsule itself which is better if you are shock mounting the microphone.
That is amazing to hear and yes you are having a similar experience with the Hypercardioid. The idea with the windscreen is also a great idea. Just using whatever works is best there. How do you think the Samson CO2 compares to the Oktava (or the t.Bone which I also reviewed and I have a feeling that the Samson CO2 is quite similar to the t.bone th-cam.com/video/IfFCotFl_Ks/w-d-xo.html )? Happy recording 🌸.
Two things: 1. There's a reason why the self noise isn't listed. I can hear it in between spoken word, but I'm also looking for it. I've been doing research on mods to help with the self noise. 2. In my studio I've made acoustic panels with 1x3 wood strips, home insulation, and burlap fabric. You will also want to consider adding a sound diffuser to send sound in different directions. This will add a touch of color and character to your tone instead of completely absorbing all echoes.
Thanks for this comment. If you found this useful, I’d recommend watching the conclusion of this series which just got published. There I am comparing all 4 of these pencil mics I have here and you can hear the difference clearly. Hope you enjoy and that it’s useful to you. 🥳😅🌸
Hey Alexander, what would interest you the most about the capsules since this video already has the sound samples of the different capsules. Thanks for your participation here. That’s greatly appreciated.
@@ChrisSpiegl let me correct myself: I was thinking of your final thoughts on capsules in the final video of the series. And also I must say that the sound samples work was impressive.
@@atytyanik Thank you, I appreciate that. It was a lot of work but comparing these was important and someone needed to do it 🙈. Even on Thomann.de I only find music samples most of the time and you don't really know how they prop the mic up (distance and stuff). I hope all the comparisons are helpful for you and that it makes your decision which mic to get easier.
Really appreciate the effort that you have put. Just a piece of kind advice, the video seems overexposed (?), or no contrast items in the scene, and also it is too long. THanks for the informative video tho.
Great video! I keep seeing TH-cam reviews claiming this is a great shotgun mic but most everyone who's reviewing it is talking into it while it's about a 8 inches away from them! It seems like the more longer-distance tests you did with the hyper cardioid capsule didn't sound any better than my Sennheiser MKE600, though...
Basically, the reason many talk about this in terms of an alternative for a shotgun mic is that it's better indoors than outdoors. It's not necessarily supposed to work better on long distances but work better with reverberance in rooms. Justin from Rebel Tech did a great comparison with this mic and some really good other mics: th-cam.com/video/o5FewbPuGzk/w-d-xo.html
The real issue here is that this in not a shotgun microphone. Its a small condenser. There is a difference .. The small condenser works better indoors due to better echo reverb rejection. its not designed to be used as far away as a shotgun mic nor would it be suitable for outdoors
im thinking of buying this cinema set instead of the Sennheiser MKH 50.. because in germany its about 1700€... hope it will still work out well with the mk012. Maybe i will get the MKH 50 later the year
Guten Tag Herr Kollege 🤓 Ich nutze auch das Oktava mit dem Zoom F6. Immer häufiger, wenn möglich, auch das Shure SM7B, was natürlich nochmal besser den Hall rausnimmt und gar nicht mal so schlicht im Video aussieht, wie ich finde. Super Video auf jeden Fall 👍 Jetzt muss ich mir auch noch die ganzen anderen dazu von dir anschauen. Abo hast du schon mal...
Das SM7B würde ich auch ein paar mal nehmen 🙈 aber ich bevorzuge es doch kein Mic sichtbar zu haben. P.S. Der Kommentar ist jetzt doch irgendwie im "Held for Review" Bereich aufgetaucht.
I contacted their factory in Tula to ask if they produce foam screens for mk-012 and the answer was no. That’s probably the reason why they didn’t put one in the box.
But then what is with this one: www.amazon.de/-/en/Oktava-ws-012-windscreen-membrane-microphones/dp/B0794C14QK/ That seems to be a official one. But i like the one I got. 😅
@@atytyanik Ok, I understand. But I honestly didn't expect them to produce it in Russia as well… might as well get it from China as all the other mic manufacturers are doing. Thanks for letting us know and contacting Oktava in Tula.
Question for you I have the Deity D3 Pro but my room is only partially treated (just moved and the studio wont be finished for some time) and am thinking the Oktava might reject sound better since the D3 Pro is a shotgun mic. Thoughts?
Hello, I prefer the Oktava over my Røde VideoMic NTG and that's kind of a similar comparison. However, the Oktava is also not perfect and treating the room would be ideal (I know that my studio is lacking in that department as well). If you really want to get rid of the reverb and stuff, getting the mic even closer (but then it is in the shot) would also be good. Lastly: with the Oktava it's not just the mic you'd need, you also would have to get an audio recorder unless you have one, and with that find a way to sync the audio in post or hook the recorder up to the cam via Line-Out and send the sound to the camera that way. All that said: I recommend thinking about whether or not you really want to spend the money and more importantly have the added work of syncing and checking on multiple devices to be on and recording. You can find a comparison of the Oktava to other mics in my room here: Comparison including the Oktava: th-cam.com/video/oU4HVD-STEQ/w-d-xo.html Comparison which includes the Deity D3 Pro: th-cam.com/video/_9ifL2r42EA/w-d-xo.html
@@ChrisSpiegl thanks for the response that was super helpful! I actually have 6 4x2x2 acoustic panels on their way. My studio is 23x10 feet so 6 is certainly not enough. But do you think it’s worth buying 6 more over upgrading my mic? I currently use the Tentacle Track E so there wouldn’t be any extra work just extra adapters and phantom power to get it to work. Honestly if I prioritize the studio it’ll be done in 6-8 months or so, buying the mic will set it back to 7-9 months. So it’s not a big difference time wise but a long time to go without good sound. Also if I do upgrade my mic would your recommend ditching the Track E for the F6 or just using what I have. I only have need for one mic input, minus when I am occasionally invited to speak in Clubhouse rooms/Podcasts, but in those instances I can just use my D3 Pro. Thanks again! Love your content!
@@TheSigmaDadLife/videos You're definitely investing, that's awesome. I would consider this: When choosing the Oktava, then I would definitely go with the Zoom F6. That opens the option to also use it as an audio interface and with that use the Oktava in live calls. Additionally, I don't know how you would get Phantom Power to work with the Track E? Not sure if there are devices which provide phantom power and then a TRS jack - but that sounds like a bad idea. Choosing the Oktava though would give you the freedom to use the Deity on camera for out of studio or vlog style work and then have a desk setup always ready to go. Personally, knowing what I know now, I would probably not go with the Oktava when you already have a good mic + recorder setup. It's a big investment which if you know the studio is going to be built out anyways may be better invested into the build and sound proofing.
@@ChrisSpiegl there is actually a small USB-C rechargeable power supply by Xvive I was going to get. Also the Oktava was the cheaper option I was looking at. I was dead set on the Audio-Technica 4053b until I saw your video! Honestly if I spent an entire months profit from the business I could finish it all out really quickly. I just can’t figure out if I just want a nee toy/mic or if it will really make a difference in the sound before I treat everything.
@@TheSigmaDadLife/videos If you are that set on building out the studio, I would prioritize the building of the studio and do that. I have a feeling that will probably make a bigger difference.
I have a white noise which comes from the mic itself. Is that normal? Are your audio recordings post processed? Because I can't hear any noise coming from your oktava.
I am not 100% in my memory but: I think the talking head parts may have some noise reduction, but the audio tests will not have any noise reduction whatsoever. All the audio is normalized with iZotopes RX8 Loudness Normalization (but that does not do any noise reduction in itself). I did not have any intense "white noise" from the mic in my tests.
I am using the shock mount from my Rode VideoMic NTG. You can also buy it solo at: crsp.li/RodeSuspension There are different versions available. Pistol grip, as well as cold shoe mount. The “boom arm” is just a desk mic arm which is attached to a Vesa Display arm.
I also have a Zoom H5. Can you kindly test if you can plug in Oktava Mk-012 directly into the XLR port at the bottom of Zoom H5 without connecting an XLR cable please? Thank you in advance
Hi what should i choose for my piano. Two oktavia 012 or 2 sontronics stc1? I want low self noise and very good for quiet sources. I enjoyed this thanks.
Thank you for your comment. I have little (maybe correct that: I have no…) experience with micing pianos 🙈. So it's hard for me to tell. But maybe someone out of the community can help with that. All I can say is that the Oktava is a pretty incredible microphone set especially when you choose the stereo set.
Choosing between low cut and -10db capsule is hard 🙈 and it clearly depends on your (expected) use case. -10dB Pad Capsule: when you record in extremely loud environments a lot and you don't use a 32bit float recorder. Low Cut Capsule: when you often want to get rid of rumble. Now writing this, I would personally choose the -10db Pad because I can always get rid of the low frequencies in post processing with a simple EQ. However, if the recording was too loud and clipped the recorder? That's much worse. Hope that helps 🌸.
@@ChrisSpiegl thanks. i assume u can also combine both capsules in a row, and have both of them. also as i realize, the sony k3m system for sony fx3, has built in -10db, and low cut option. so in reality i think i wont need any of the optional capsules. just i hope the mic fits on the k3m size wise - diameter. i believe all dialogue mics have similar diameter 20-23mm. thanks
@@AngeloPoulis22 I think you are right with the in built low cut and pad. I personally rarely use the -10dB pad in my own work. It just was part of the set I purchased. And for me the mic at least fits into the Røde VideoMic NTG Rycote holder. Not sure about others though.
Hello, I put my oktava mic on overhead boom, connected with zoom h4n pro, but my audio is not so perfect....! Rec level on zoom is above 90 and sound dont get -12. Why? What am I doing wrong???
@@munjelo1 hmm, if it’s not on, I am not sure. The mic works best when it is pretty close to the sound source. For me, it’s usually just about 20-30cm away from my mouth.
So you should have memorized the damn quote by now, one might think. 😉 Anyway, nice review, I personally think the Oktava has an unpleasant muddiness and boominess to it. But it seems to work for your voice.
Прохожу иногда мимо завода октавы, находится прямо в центре города, и постоянно думаю как хреновый менеджмент убивает остатки советской науки. Когда я был маленький, рядом с заводом был магазин электроники и там эти микрофоные модули продавались чуть ли не россыпью. Зачем и для кого? А кто его знает, раньше было много любителей радиоэлектроники, товаров было мало и много делали руками в том числе мой отец.
@@GoldenTree-fy3zj Thank you for this added opinion. Honestly, I'd like the room to sound a bit more "damp" but it's a lot of work and also costs a fair bit even when building my own absorbers.
I just received my Oktava Mk-012 yesterday, and did some of my own testing of capsules in different spaces. Certainly the hypercardiod capsule sounds really nice for indoor dialog, provided there isn't something hard directly behind the microphone to provide a reverberant surface. I looked up the foam windscreen you linked in your description. In Canada, they gouge you for stuff like that and the price tag for one was $37.00 CDN!! I pulled out the case for my Samson CO2 microphones (which I had been using for indoor reverberant spaces prior to the Oktava arriving) and used one of the windscreens from it. They are a perfect fit once you pull out the inner plastic ring, and is doesn't cover up too much of the capsule itself which is better if you are shock mounting the microphone.
That is amazing to hear and yes you are having a similar experience with the Hypercardioid.
The idea with the windscreen is also a great idea. Just using whatever works is best there.
How do you think the Samson CO2 compares to the Oktava (or the t.Bone which I also reviewed and I have a feeling that the Samson CO2 is quite similar to the t.bone th-cam.com/video/IfFCotFl_Ks/w-d-xo.html )?
Happy recording 🌸.
Two things:
1. There's a reason why the self noise isn't listed. I can hear it in between spoken word, but I'm also looking for it. I've been doing research on mods to help with the self noise.
2. In my studio I've made acoustic panels with 1x3 wood strips, home insulation, and burlap fabric. You will also want to consider adding a sound diffuser to send sound in different directions. This will add a touch of color and character to your tone instead of completely absorbing all echoes.
Thank you for these ideas. The idea about self made panels has been n my mind for months at this point. Will happen at some point.
Have you found anything regarding mods to improve the self noise?
Thanks for all your work. This is hugely useful. Much love
Thanks for this comment. If you found this useful, I’d recommend watching the conclusion of this series which just got published. There I am comparing all 4 of these pencil mics I have here and you can hear the difference clearly. Hope you enjoy and that it’s useful to you. 🥳😅🌸
Starting around minute 11 because than the test is starting and everything is fine . Thnk you very much for all after minute 11.
Thumbs up I gave, 🍀
Great to hear 👍.
Great video and fantastic series!!
Thank you, I appreciate that.
I think I finally dug deep enough and found my goodness ready to flow
That's the best when that happens.
@@ChrisSpiegl thank you for these great reviews man, you helped figure out which next pair I’m buying!
Thank you Chris. A really useful video.
You're very welcome 🌸 👍
Separate video on capsules would be really helpful. Thanks for the video!
Hey Alexander, what would interest you the most about the capsules since this video already has the sound samples of the different capsules. Thanks for your participation here. That’s greatly appreciated.
@@ChrisSpiegl let me correct myself: I was thinking of your final thoughts on capsules in the final video of the series. And also I must say that the sound samples work was impressive.
@@atytyanik Thank you, I appreciate that. It was a lot of work but comparing these was important and someone needed to do it 🙈. Even on Thomann.de I only find music samples most of the time and you don't really know how they prop the mic up (distance and stuff).
I hope all the comparisons are helpful for you and that it makes your decision which mic to get easier.
This was very helpful thank you sir !
You’re welcome.
Really appreciate the effort that you have put. Just a piece of kind advice, the video seems overexposed (?), or no contrast items in the scene, and also it is too long. THanks for the informative video tho.
Happy I could give you some valuable information 👍.
@@ChrisSpiegl wish you all the best!
Great video! I keep seeing TH-cam reviews claiming this is a great shotgun mic but most everyone who's reviewing it is talking into it while it's about a 8 inches away from them! It seems like the more longer-distance tests you did with the hyper cardioid capsule didn't sound any better than my Sennheiser MKE600, though...
Basically, the reason many talk about this in terms of an alternative for a shotgun mic is that it's better indoors than outdoors. It's not necessarily supposed to work better on long distances but work better with reverberance in rooms.
Justin from Rebel Tech did a great comparison with this mic and some really good other mics: th-cam.com/video/o5FewbPuGzk/w-d-xo.html
The real issue here is that this in not a shotgun microphone. Its a small condenser. There is a difference .. The small condenser works better indoors due to better echo reverb rejection. its not designed to be used as far away as a shotgun mic nor would it be suitable for outdoors
Hey the mke 600 is a great and very versatile mic
im thinking of buying this cinema set instead of the Sennheiser MKH 50.. because in germany its about 1700€... hope it will still work out well with the mk012. Maybe i will get the MKH 50 later the year
I still really like the MK012 and will start using it again in a few days. Especially the Hyper Cardioid capsule for overhead video work.
If I have dogs barking outside of the house is this mic a decent/good option? Thanks
Guten Tag Herr Kollege 🤓
Ich nutze auch das Oktava mit dem Zoom F6. Immer häufiger, wenn möglich, auch das Shure SM7B, was natürlich nochmal besser den Hall rausnimmt und gar nicht mal so schlicht im Video aussieht, wie ich finde.
Super Video auf jeden Fall 👍 Jetzt muss ich mir auch noch die ganzen anderen dazu von dir anschauen. Abo hast du schon mal...
Das SM7B würde ich auch ein paar mal nehmen 🙈 aber ich bevorzuge es doch kein Mic sichtbar zu haben.
P.S. Der Kommentar ist jetzt doch irgendwie im "Held for Review" Bereich aufgetaucht.
Czy uzywasz do tego mikrofonu jakiegos elastycznego mocowania ?
Czy uzyles programu do edycji dzwieku? Jakie procesy wykorzystales w tym filmie?
I contacted their factory in Tula to ask if they produce foam screens for mk-012 and the answer was no. That’s probably the reason why they didn’t put one in the box.
But then what is with this one: www.amazon.de/-/en/Oktava-ws-012-windscreen-membrane-microphones/dp/B0794C14QK/
That seems to be a official one. But i like the one I got. 😅
@@ChrisSpiegl European distributors sell this but no evidence it comes from the factory. Just if you are curious.
@@atytyanik Ok, I understand. But I honestly didn't expect them to produce it in Russia as well… might as well get it from China as all the other mic manufacturers are doing. Thanks for letting us know and contacting Oktava in Tula.
Question for you I have the Deity D3 Pro but my room is only partially treated (just moved and the studio wont be finished for some time) and am thinking the Oktava might reject sound better since the D3 Pro is a shotgun mic. Thoughts?
Hello, I prefer the Oktava over my Røde VideoMic NTG and that's kind of a similar comparison. However, the Oktava is also not perfect and treating the room would be ideal (I know that my studio is lacking in that department as well).
If you really want to get rid of the reverb and stuff, getting the mic even closer (but then it is in the shot) would also be good. Lastly: with the Oktava it's not just the mic you'd need, you also would have to get an audio recorder unless you have one, and with that find a way to sync the audio in post or hook the recorder up to the cam via Line-Out and send the sound to the camera that way.
All that said: I recommend thinking about whether or not you really want to spend the money and more importantly have the added work of syncing and checking on multiple devices to be on and recording.
You can find a comparison of the Oktava to other mics in my room here:
Comparison including the Oktava: th-cam.com/video/oU4HVD-STEQ/w-d-xo.html
Comparison which includes the Deity D3 Pro: th-cam.com/video/_9ifL2r42EA/w-d-xo.html
@@ChrisSpiegl thanks for the response that was super helpful! I actually have 6 4x2x2 acoustic panels on their way. My studio is 23x10 feet so 6 is certainly not enough. But do you think it’s worth buying 6 more over upgrading my mic?
I currently use the Tentacle Track E so there wouldn’t be any extra work just extra adapters and phantom power to get it to work.
Honestly if I prioritize the studio it’ll be done in 6-8 months or so, buying the mic will set it back to 7-9 months. So it’s not a big difference time wise but a long time to go without good sound.
Also if I do upgrade my mic would your recommend ditching the Track E for the F6 or just using what I have. I only have need for one mic input, minus when I am occasionally invited to speak in Clubhouse rooms/Podcasts, but in those instances I can just use my D3 Pro.
Thanks again! Love your content!
@@TheSigmaDadLife/videos You're definitely investing, that's awesome. I would consider this:
When choosing the Oktava, then I would definitely go with the Zoom F6. That opens the option to also use it as an audio interface and with that use the Oktava in live calls. Additionally, I don't know how you would get Phantom Power to work with the Track E? Not sure if there are devices which provide phantom power and then a TRS jack - but that sounds like a bad idea.
Choosing the Oktava though would give you the freedom to use the Deity on camera for out of studio or vlog style work and then have a desk setup always ready to go.
Personally, knowing what I know now, I would probably not go with the Oktava when you already have a good mic + recorder setup. It's a big investment which if you know the studio is going to be built out anyways may be better invested into the build and sound proofing.
@@ChrisSpiegl there is actually a small USB-C rechargeable power supply by Xvive I was going to get. Also the Oktava was the cheaper option I was looking at. I was dead set on the Audio-Technica 4053b until I saw your video! Honestly if I spent an entire months profit from the business I could finish it all out really quickly. I just can’t figure out if I just want a nee toy/mic or if it will really make a difference in the sound before I treat everything.
@@TheSigmaDadLife/videos If you are that set on building out the studio, I would prioritize the building of the studio and do that. I have a feeling that will probably make a bigger difference.
I have a white noise which comes from the mic itself. Is that normal? Are your audio recordings post processed? Because I can't hear any noise coming from your oktava.
I am not 100% in my memory but:
I think the talking head parts may have some noise reduction, but the audio tests will not have any noise reduction whatsoever. All the audio is normalized with iZotopes RX8 Loudness Normalization (but that does not do any noise reduction in itself).
I did not have any intense "white noise" from the mic in my tests.
Awesome review! What boom arm and shock mount do you use?
I am using the shock mount from my Rode VideoMic NTG. You can also buy it solo at: crsp.li/RodeSuspension
There are different versions available. Pistol grip, as well as cold shoe mount.
The “boom arm” is just a desk mic arm which is attached to a Vesa Display arm.
I also have a Zoom H5. Can you kindly test if you can plug in Oktava Mk-012 directly into the XLR port at the bottom of Zoom H5 without connecting an XLR cable please? Thank you in advance
Helllo PW, that would be kind of interesting but I am no longer using the H5 and sold it a few months ago. Sorry.
Hi what should i choose for my piano. Two oktavia 012 or 2 sontronics stc1? I want low self noise and very good for quiet sources. I enjoyed this thanks.
Thank you for your comment. I have little (maybe correct that: I have no…) experience with micing pianos 🙈. So it's hard for me to tell. But maybe someone out of the community can help with that. All I can say is that the Oktava is a pretty incredible microphone set especially when you choose the stereo set.
if u had to choose the -10 db vs low cut capsule to purchase for overall general usage? thanks
Choosing between low cut and -10db capsule is hard 🙈 and it clearly depends on your (expected) use case.
-10dB Pad Capsule: when you record in extremely loud environments a lot and you don't use a 32bit float recorder.
Low Cut Capsule: when you often want to get rid of rumble.
Now writing this, I would personally choose the -10db Pad because I can always get rid of the low frequencies in post processing with a simple EQ. However, if the recording was too loud and clipped the recorder? That's much worse.
Hope that helps 🌸.
@@ChrisSpiegl thanks. i assume u can also combine both capsules in a row, and have both of them. also as i realize, the sony k3m system for sony fx3, has built in -10db, and low cut option. so in reality i think i wont need any of the optional capsules. just i hope the mic fits on the k3m size wise - diameter. i believe all dialogue mics have similar diameter 20-23mm. thanks
@@AngeloPoulis22 I think you are right with the in built low cut and pad. I personally rarely use the -10dB pad in my own work. It just was part of the set I purchased.
And for me the mic at least fits into the Røde VideoMic NTG Rycote holder. Not sure about others though.
Hello, I put my oktava mic on overhead boom, connected with zoom h4n pro, but my audio is not so perfect....! Rec level on zoom is above 90 and sound dont get -12. Why? What am I doing wrong???
Do you have the -10db pad screwed in?
@@ChrisSpiegl yes i have but i didnt screwed it
@@munjelo1 hmm, if it’s not on, I am not sure. The mic works best when it is pretty close to the sound source. For me, it’s usually just about 20-30cm away from my mouth.
@@ChrisSpiegl you think that this is the solution?
@@ChrisSpiegl i will screwed... and informed you :)
So you should have memorized the damn quote by now, one might think. 😉 Anyway, nice review, I personally think the Oktava has an unpleasant muddiness and boominess to it. But it seems to work for your voice.
“Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.” Marcus Aurelius
@@ChrisSpiegl Oh please, you just copied and pasted it 😉😉😂👍🏻
@@GestattenWinnetou Or maybe I am that good. But joking aside, I do like this quote very much.
@@ChrisSpiegl Me too. Love his „Meditations“. 👍🏻
Прохожу иногда мимо завода октавы, находится прямо в центре города, и постоянно думаю как хреновый менеджмент убивает остатки советской науки. Когда я был маленький, рядом с заводом был магазин электроники и там эти микрофоные модули продавались чуть ли не россыпью. Зачем и для кого? А кто его знает, раньше было много любителей радиоэлектроники, товаров было мало и много делали руками в том числе мой отец.
Thank you for sharing this insight.
Lot of reverb
Geez, the audio sounds terribly echoey.
I appreciate the feedback. I'm working on that part.
Not terribly at all, but just naturally.
@@GoldenTree-fy3zj Thank you for this added opinion. Honestly, I'd like the room to sound a bit more "damp" but it's a lot of work and also costs a fair bit even when building my own absorbers.
@@DaysOfDarknessUK you’re right. I must’ve been having a bad day. I’m sorry