-10 db pads with oktava mk012

bigteethproductions

bigteethproductions

Well-known member
just wondering what exactly the -10 db piece does for the mic.... is it necessary to use? Can you use the mic without it, better for different conditions? What would the difference in sound be with it, and without it and just the hypercardioid cap?

thanks, I wish I had a qualified sound person for all of my shoots, but that is rarely (if ever) the case thanks to budgets. :(
 
The pad is for use ONLY when the sound you're recording is so loud that it is overloading the preamp. Don't use it unless you need it.
 
ullanta said:
The pad is for use ONLY when the sound you're recording is so loud that it is overloading the preamp. Don't use it unless you need it.
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Agreed. The pad should only be used when you find your preamp is overloading or you are getting distortion in the sound due to a high dB level. The easiest way to look at it, the pad is just a piece of equipment that knocks 10 dB off the level it is actually at.

Now I wish I was in Chicago. I could have some fun!

And where the he** is Cochabamba?????
 
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Thanks for the responses guys. I fear I've been overusing my extra piece, just assuming that it was needed.

Follow up - is it recommended to use in outdoor situations b/c of ambient (wind) noise? Or, is it better to use a different mic altogether? I don't own, but have regular access to a shotgun mic.

thanks so much, this is one of the most difficult things I deal with when shooting.
 
Do you have the hypercardioid capsule for it? If not, a hyper-card mic will give a lot better off-axis rejection for location sound. If you do, play with it see if it is to your tastes.

There is no one mic that anyone could suggest. It is up to your tastes and desired results. They can only relay their experiences with their favorite mic. For location hyper, I run a 12T MKH-805, old but trusty. I also have several other shotguns in my locker.

As a former audio guy, I am very discriminating when it comes to sound. My locker, when the studio was open for recording, contained 54 different vocal mics. I knew exactly which mic that fit each vocal performance. But that came from experiencing each mic and knowing it's pluses and minuses. Then there is the vocal range/timbre of the vocalist.

Sound is a bit more different from video, as there are more variables involved, and it is a heck of a lot more subjective. (Yeah, I expect to hear crap about that comment)

It all comes down to what you are looking for.
 
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bigteethproductions said:
Thanks for the responses guys. I fear I've been overusing my extra piece, just assuming that it was needed.

Follow up - is it recommended to use in outdoor situations b/c of ambient (wind) noise? Or, is it better to use a different mic altogether? I don't own, but have regular access to a shotgun mic.

thanks so much, this is one of the most difficult things I deal with when shooting.
Click to expand...

The pad is not what you use to cut wind noise because it doesn't affect the overall frequency response. In addition to physical wind protection such as a zepp, wind noise is controlled by a low-cut filter that blocks the very low bass frequency rumble of the wind while letting speech, etc, frequencies through. Some mics have a screw-in LPF that attaches similarly to the Oktava's pad or a switch on the body but I don't think the Oktava has either. Having an LPF when the mic doesn't have one is one of the reasons to use a mixer.
 
Doc Bernard said:
And where the he** is Cochabamba?????
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Where the heck is Upland?????

Oh, right across Monte Vista!

Cochabamba's a lot farther away... the heart of South America.... in an Andean valley in Bolivia... a Cochabamba ya me yoy! A Cochabamba sí señores! Noqaykupis! Qankunapis! Viva Cochabamba mayllapipis!
 
I have the same mic, but I have never had the need to use it. I would only see it being useful is if you are in a very noisey situation, like recording dialogue near an airport. Also I believe it would be useful for recording loud sounds like screams, door slams, or some actors that project thier voices so loud that it distorts the microphone.
 
Umm...The Mk012 would NOT be my first or second or fifth choice for sound for video (even though the Octavia website says its the perfect mic for just that).

Its a small diaphram pencil condenser. Much better used on an acoustic guitar at the 14th fret, or on high hats.


Just my 2 cents.
 
I would only consider the budget. How much do you have or can you spend on an audio kit? You want to look at the best mic you can afford; the best boompole you can afford; the best mixer you can afford; the best cables you can afford, as well as the best set of headphones you can afford. Don't just look for the name brand mic you have seen others use. Budget, budget, budget is what will determine what you can use.
 
Actually, hypercardioids are generally preferred for indoor shooting. The MK-012 is very popular for this at the low end of the market. For more money, there are "better" hypers that are commonly used in production... but all SD pencil condensers.
 
Well Oktava is not a bad mic for dialogue, when using the hyper cardiod capsule. I have not been in an indoor recording situation where I would have chosen a regular shaotgun over a hyper-cardiod mic, like the Oktava or Schopes.
 
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