Interior Dialogue MIC

ollywood88

ollywood88

Well-known member
Hi All,

I am finally getting around to buying a Hypercardiod mic for inside.

I was looking at the Oktava MK-12 With Hypercardiod capsule.

I know a lot of people have said about handling noise, this mic will be used on a static boom pole held by a clamp and I will buy an Invasion 7 Mount and Later a Rode BBG Ball.

However The price adds up am I worth just getting a 4053b? Cant really get the 4053a used in UK... That would be better.

What are peoples thoughts etc. This would be mainly used for talking head interviews.

Thanks
 
I would recommend an Audix SCX1-HC, used, if you can to save some money. The first time I used one was on a short film taking place entirely indoors. I put it on a short boom pole, gave it to someone with zero experience (Just explaining some basics), and everything came out usable without needing much work. I haven't used the Octava mic personally, so I can't compare, but there is zero handling noise on this mic that I've noticed, so long as you have a semi decent shock mount on it.
 
Thanks Everyone, Recommendations would be great Oktava mic was the Mic I was going to get but just hear so many problems with handling noise etc, Mine will be static on a boom overhead no movement etc
 
Another option, of course, would be the AKG Blueline (i.e. CK93 hypercardioid capsule and the SE300 body/preamp).

I have both this and the Oktava MK-012 (with Invision 7 and Baby Ball Gag) and much prefer the CK93, especially for booming (lack of handling noise and good low-cut filter). However, if you really are static with the mic, indoors and using an Invision 7, you should be fine without a Baby Ball Gag with the Oktava: I have done slow booming with it without a BBG with no problems, and think that handling/windnoise - which are undoubtedly an issue - has been a bit exaggerated, perhaps due to inexperienced boom operators. The Oktava price is so low in the UK/EU (e.g. £113 inc. VAT at Thomann for the hypercardioid capsule and preamp), compared to the other options, that it might be worth getting one even if you move on up later (you can never have too many mics!). One thing: do avoid using the low-cut filter for the Oktava (a separate module, as supplied with the movie edition of the mic), as it is very noisy, so use that on your preamp or in-line (like the Rycote TAC!T) if needed.

Cheers,

Roland
 
Hi Roland,

Thank you for your input and great to meet another person from the UK, Where are you based?

Sounds good, could you send me the link to what I would need. I am using a Canon c100 pre-amps which are pretty good just only 16bit not 24bit recording.

Do you buy direct from Thomann and what model is the best, I am assuming just the mic and the hyper cardiod capsule.

Thanks
 
ollywood88 said:
I was looking at the Oktava MK-12 With Hypercardiod capsule.

I know a lot of people have said about handling noise, this mic will be used on a static boom pole held by a clamp and I will buy an Invasion 7 Mount and Later a Rode BBG Ball.
Click to expand...

If it is static, boom pole on a c-stand, then the handling noise is moot. If you're not handling the mic, it's not going to give you and handling noise. To that end, you could also save a bit on a mount, but the Rycote shock mounts are excellent, and if you ever have to boom it... Same is true of a BBG, you won't likely need it if the mic isn't moving. Just keep it out of an HVAC draft.

ollywood88 said:
However The price adds up am I worth just getting a 4053b? Cant really get the 4053a used in UK... That would be better.
Click to expand...

The 4053a and 4053b sound exactly the same. The only difference between them is that the "b" version is ROHS compliant.

If you can find either a 4053a/b or an Audix SCX1-HC on the used markets, that's probably the sweet spot for indy films, corporate, and interviews. That said, for what you want the Oktava should also work just fine, but will perhaps be more problematic should you later decide to actively boom it.
 
AUDIX!

Man...this thing KILLS IT.

I had the Oktava for about 2-months. Too problematic.
This Audix is cheaper then the Audio Technica AT4053b which is also very very good, but not quite as crisp, and $100 more.

If you can't afford a Schoepps...then get the Audix.
 
I can't speak to the Audix.

I do own both the Oktava and AT4053b. At double the price, the AT is a lot more mic, but the Oktava is surprisingly good. I don't think the Oktava is more prone to handling noise than any other small condensor; this style of mic is made to be sensitive. IMHO, the Oktava has a bad rap for this because it is an inexpensive mic which beginners and low end productions buy and use. Thus, and this is the crux of it, you get inexperienced folks booming it and guess what; they get more handling noise because they aren't as good as professionals that usually use higher end equipment. This isn't the fault of the Oktava, if professional boom ops used the Oktava, you might be surprised that the handling noise would greatly reduced. Since I am fortunate to have the AT in my mic locker, I usually use it. But when I do use the Oktava, with a good mount and BBG, I honestly can't tell much difference in handling noise.
 
It is also worth remembering the OP is in the UK, where pricing appears rather different. The AT4053b here is £420, the Audix SCX1-HC £400 and the Oktava £113: in other words the Audix is just over 3.5 times the price of the Oktava and the AT4053b slightly more.

Cheers,

Roland
 
Have you considered one of these?

The advantage is that it will pick up everyone int the room all at the same time.

.

.
Huge Mic.jpg
 
The Oktava is problematic because it was designed as an instrument mic. Stationary and locked down. If you use it for booming you have to outfit it to protect the issues it has as a boom mic. In the US at least, once you outfit the Oktava you're almost at the same price as the Audio Technica. Even though the OP needs a locked down and stationary mic, he'll get less headaches and more use options out of the audio technica which would be worth any extra money it might cost.
 
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ollywood88 said:
Thanks guys really helpful.

Thoughts on AKG with CK Hyper Cardiod capsule thanks
Click to expand...

Ollie, as I said earlier (having both this and the Oktava that you are interested in getting), the AKG CK93 is certainly a step up from the Oktava - esp. in regard to handling noise (blissfully free) and having a low-cut filter (as I said, the MK012 modular low-cut filter is just too noisy to be of much use). Price in the UK/EU is £298, so nearer the AT 4053b and Audix SCX1/HC than the - here - very cheap Oktava. Nobody can decide how much you want to spend (e.g. buy once more expensively for the long term, as Eric has with the Schoeps, or buy more cheaply and doubtless upgrade in due course) or which hypercardioid/supercardioid sounds best to you and your usage: these mics all sound rather different and, as a result, you will get/are getting very different opinions on them.

Cheers,

Roland
 
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