Low Cost Small Condenser Options

DavidNJ

DavidNJ

Carbonite Member
In a nutshell:

MXL 993 Stereo Pair: $169, Octava Mods add $200/mic for $569. Cardioid and Omni

AT 3031 $169 each, $338 pair, cardioid

AT 4031 $299 each, $598 pair, cardioid

Oktava Mk012, $535 Cardioid Pair, $669 modified, $700 with hyper cardioid, cardioid, and omni heads, $849 modified.

Rodes NT55, $669 pair, switchable from cardioid to omni

Peloso CMC 6 $680/pair including shock mounts and aluminum case, cardioid with optional hyper cardioid, omni, wide cardioid for $185/pair each.

Well...modified MXL 603/993's are supposed to sound line KM84s. However,they end up costing a bit and require extensive modification. The modifications include the typical capacitor, etc. replacement and a major capsule rework.

The AT's are discontinued,but seem inexpensive, especially the 3031s. How do they stack up?

The Oktava's are the new low end standards and after modification by Mike Joy at Oktava Mod are really good sounding. Even after the mod they are susepticble to handling noise and wind noise.

The Rodes are supposed to be a bit bright. The cardioid only NT5s are a bit cheaper.

The Pelosos are the most expensive of this group, $300 more than the modified Oktava's with the same capsules. There isn't much out there about them, but what is out there is glowing. Mike Joy uses Peloso parts. Peloso is in Virginia.

Then there are the MBHO mics. Wide array of cartridges (http://www.amptec.de/test/Alle Seiten/MBHO/MBHO capsules.html) but the combo is above my price range. Their fixed cardioid is about $1050 a pair.

Suggestions?
 
You could also take a look at the AKG blueline.

Regarding the Oktavas and MXLs, ff you're going to spend money modifying a mic, why not just buy a better mic in the first place?
 
Mainly theatrical, however I like a crisp and detailed sound and what to add stereo. The Blue Line is nice, as are the MBHO, Sennheiser and Schoeps.

The Peluso have excellent reviews (the few there are), are made in the US, and roughly the cost of the modified Oktavas. The sE Electronics, Blue LIne, MBHO are great but more.

However, at $369/pair, does it pay to pick up the 3031s?

1239418219.png
 
JordanBlock said:
Regarding the Oktavas and MXLs, ff you're going to spend money modifying a mic, why not just buy a better mic in the first place?
Click to expand...

Well because the moded mics are now in a zone where there competition is still double+ the price. My worry with the mods is that seem to all make the mics "more studio" and less "field". They almost all remove any built in wind mitigation. I've been tempted but I like the sound a LOT right now so if I do I will probably get a replacement pair first. You really can't touch a mic that sounds as good as the Oktava for anywhere close to the price.
 
Oh, and if you want a nice set of mics that I think the Oktava guy will also mod? I have a set of three Nakamichi black microphones with all the capsules (Omni, Cardioid, and maybe hyper?) Plus one shotgun capsule. And the pop filters designed for them. I would let the whole set go for not much. Send me an email if anyone is interested and I'll give more details.
 
I'd like to check out those Oktava mods.

The Oktava mod thing started in the very beginning... when the Oktava was nothing but a little mic with potential. The problem BACK THEN was that the Russian factory would substitute parts... and there were several small parts inside that could be upgraded for a significant improvement in sound.

Well... over time Oktava realized the potential in that little mic and made most of those mods stock... They tightened up the production line so that the STOCK OKTAVA that they sell today... and HAVE SOLD FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS... has virtually all the mods of the original mind behind this... SCOTT DORSEY.

So... please... please if you're going to imply that somebody is improving the already improved Oktava... back that up with some kind of specifics. I think people are probably getting conned with the snake oil that is pervasive in the audio world.
 
Oktava Mod is amn authorized Oktava dealer website: http://www.oktavamodshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_23&products_id=35


Interview in July 2007 magazine: http://www.michaeljolyeditions.com/mje-tapeop.pdf

Those mods add $170 to the cost of a stereo pair, or $90 to a single Mk012. His mods for baskets and ribbons are more extensive, as are his mods for low cost Chinese mics.

The Pelusos are US made (Chinese bodies to Peluso specs) , already well-done (Oktava Mod uses some Peluso parts), and not much different in price.

The older design sE Electronics SE1 and SE2 are also in that price range; Their base cardioid SE4 is also, just the capsules are close to double the cost of other capsules.

While I didn't post it, the base modded MK012 cardioid only set is $669. So the Peluso, Oktava, and SE4 are within $35 of each other (5%), and the AKG Blue Line is $100 more.

So a question then is which of those is best? Is the Blue Line better or just more versatile?
 
Last edited:
Oktavas as has been said have had some quality variation on the past; I can't say if they still do now. But I will say that one of MY particular pairs of Oktavas is magical; beautiful and flattering in almost every situation. I've tried most of the other SD condensers at one time or another, from Samson to Schoeps to DPA - and indeed have conducted blind comparisons with musicians - and the Oktavas have proven most versatile, and most pleasant in most real situations.
 
Find a picture of an Oktava pre-2003 and compare it to this... this is the newer Oktava version... in stock form... and it's nearly the same stock as the modded Oktavas from the late 90's... Those early generation Oktavas got such a bad reputation for spotty quality that people have been able to sell mods ever since. For this particular model... the MK012a (which is THE model we're always talking about on here)... you do NOT need to mod the mic if you get a genuine model... if you happen to get a pair of them, and have one modded... I would love to hear AND SEE the difference in the returned, modded mic.

Oktava_INSIDE.jpg


You will see many differences... Scott Dorsey pioneered the modded MK012a... I'm sure this other guy is good at modding other Oktavas... but Scott Dorsey gets the credit for sorting the Oktava internals for THIS model... You can still find guys on ebay modding MK012a for high prices... and all they are changing out is an FET (which has already been upgraded)... and possibly a cap... which, as Scott Dorsey said at the time of his mod-revolution... if said cap is already upgraded... don't bother because you won't hear much difference.

Anyway... so there you have a REAL picture of the inside of an Oktava MK012a... I'd like to see a real picture from this other guy so we can see what he's replacing.

I'm sorry to push this issue... and it's certainly nothing personal... but I don't want anybody that I've had an influence on... on THIS board... to blow money on "air" and "sparkle" that's all in their head. The current MK012a (the real one) doesn't need any help.
 
Last edited:
No problem pushing it...I like pushing it (liked the Rode Blimp video also). I've been talking and calling,talking and calling. All to define the issues. Let me do some homework.

Comparatively, I'm not rapier-wit from Missouri, more a dull axe swung hard in New Jersey. :)
 
"All these changes will uniformly improve the sound quality of the Oktava mics... if you do the work carefully and keep the board clean, you will be very impressed by the sonic improvement."

But also note:

"Some newer production mics seem to have the BCC or Philips capacitors already in place. If you see that, don't bother replacing them."

-Scott Dorsey, Recording Magazine, 2002


About the only thing that I can see that might be replaceable/improved is the FET... I'd like to get a brand new Oktava, open it up, and see where we are on these currently.

I didn't come up with the thing these guys put under my name :) but I do like to prove things all the way out. I've gone to pretty long lengths to prove any points I make on these boards... with audio and video clips (and pictures) to support the things I say. I only make recommendations based on personal experience that I demonstrate as part of the recommendation.
 
Last edited:
I'll second Matt's advice... a few years ago I bought a pair of MK012s from the Guitar Center ($50 for both!!!) specifically to play around with modding... this was right after Dorsey's articly was published, maybe 2003?... and indeed, most of the mods were already in place.

I think part of Dorsey's point was that occasionally, when supplies were short, the Oktava factory would use whatever substitute was at hand, and thus it was worth checking and replacing any truly crappy components one might find. But I'd say, in general, get the mics first, listen to them, look inside, and then decide if you need or want a mod.

-B
 
From Mike Joy's site:

The Mods
A few years ago, online audio guru and all around helpful guy Scott Dorsey published an article in "Recording" magazine describing how to upgrade this little workhorse mic by changing the components used in the mic body. Thousands of recordists have spent a couple of hours sourcing the components and performing this "Dorsey" mod for themselves.

Until January 1 2007 I did not offer a modification for the '012 circuit because I did not want to appear to be commercializing a published modification. But over the years many of my clients have asked me to work on their '012s and provide some of that OktavaMod "special sauce". In the second half of '06 I sat down to develop a unique complement of components for the '012 based on the successful Premium Electronics upgrade I offer for the MK-219 & MK-319 microphones.

You can now have your MK-012 microphone upgraded for better performance by OktavaMod. Unless you're a hard-core DIY'er and enjoy spending a couple of hours sourcing parts and swapping them into a pretty small working environment I believe you'll find my upgrade to the '012 to be an excellent value.

The Premium Electronics upgrade to the '012 body reduces distortion, lowers noise and improves resolution. Taking the acoustic guitar as just one example, these mods allow finger and plectrum attacks to be rendered with more transient detail. Strummed rhythm work is presented with better fundamental / harmonic time alignment for less "train wreck" on complex chords. And finally, bass response is extended while impulse response is tightened up. Similar improvement can be expected in drum overhead applications and other instrument recording tasks. And like all OktavaMod upgrades this one is surprisingly affordable.
Click to expand...
Offered as evidence that the upgrade has an impact on current Oktavas.
 
A word about Oktava Mod. Whether it's worth it or not is probably personal. I have yet to do any of the mods but most of his mods involve more than electronics, some involve re-machining housings. Michael Joly is the guy and he does modifications on a lot of mics. Though I have yet to actually have him mod an Oktava I have had quite a few conversations with him and he's OK. There are a lot of "kits" etc on ebay and they might be scams of one sort or another but Oktava Mod is a reputable outfit. My Oktava's sound great so the incentive to improve them hasn't been that great, but I was talking to him today because I may be buying a second set and that would allow me to send one set in. The two that I have are some of the last Russian ones Guitar Center sold so they are the ones I would send in. If I do I'll post some comparisons. He does have sound samples on the site of before and afters. The big thing for what I do is that the moded 012 should have lower self noise. When I did comparisons with Schoeps a while back that was one of the differences. Schoeps had about 5dB better signal to noise, or more accurately the Schoeps were about 5dB hotter and had about the same level of noise. It's always a trade off between cost and benefit but I think it's worth the gamble, for me.
But whether it's worth it to you is a different question, and in the end it might not be worth it to me, Michael is a stand up guy and not a scam artist. I don't doubt that there will be an improvement, I'm just not sure it will make enough difference to me that I'll go "Why didn't I do that sooner!!!".
 
DavidNJ said:
Mainly theatrical, however I like a crisp and detailed sound and what to add stereo. The Blue Line is nice, as are the MBHO, Sennheiser and Schoeps.

The Peluso have excellent reviews (the few there are), are made in the US, and roughly the cost of the modified Oktavas. The sE Electronics, Blue LIne, MBHO are great but more.

However, at $369/pair, does it pay to pick up the 3031s?

1239418219.png
Click to expand...

If your looking crisp, Oktava probably isn't your first choice, it's pretty flat. The MXL 603 is bright and Oktava Mod has a mod for that that tames it a bit but should still give you that brightness.

To jump for a second back to the "scam" issue. This is what I was talking to Michael about today. Whether it would be better to go thith a pair of 603's moded ot the 012 moded. The 603 mod is more than twice the price of the Oktava mod, but for what I do mostly (FX recording and chamber music) he was recommending the 012's because the were a flater quieter mic. I asked this on a Sat. and got an answer in a couple of hours and his recommendation cost him over 50% of the sale, BUT was what would work for me best. I don't mean to beat this like a dead horse but just as one should not post about snake oil one should also not jump to the "scam artist" label either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top