Moving an Oktava?

I've never had any problems with my Oktava, but I took MattinSTL's advice and got a KSSM and BBG for it. They work like a charm.
 
HorseFilms said:
I've never had any problems with my Oktava, but I took MattinSTL's advice and got a KSSM and BBG for it. They work like a charm.
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I did the same amd followed Matts advice, and I am extremely pleased with the performance of the Oktava. One of the best buys you can add to your mic chest!!
 
Just got a clean bill of health from Paul at the Sound Room. I think it's likely the DVX's preamps and the low frequencies, as the "buzz" can happen when moving through the air or when it's stationary and subjected to only handling noise.

Anyone want to sell a BBG, good preamp, and KSSM for cheap? ;)
 
I love the Oktava's. I have a stereo pair in a Rycote Zeppelin (somewhat jury rigged) that I use for FX recording. A friend that was recording for Hidalgo with a schoeps pair brought a pair of Oktava's for backup. Even with the Rycote I have to be careful going handheld unless I have a rolloff in (I usually do). A pretty good universal shock mount is the Audio Technica AT8410a. It was around $35 a few years ago. I haven't had much wind noise problem but doing FX I'm usually trying to record wind when I'm in really windy places, and they are always in the Zep. (usually with a windjammer).


SK
 
Noiz2... I hope you stick around the forum... not because you and I agree on the Oktavas... but your initial explanation made a lot of sense to me and it was cool to see and hear what you said for myself. I always appreciate more knowledge.

Regarding stereo recording with the Oktavas... this is how I do it. :grin: That little Sabra-Som stereo bar was DIRT cheap... and I sure like the K-SSM, but I got a Sabra-Som mount, just to try it out... and it's pretty nice for a measly $49... so a person could copy the mount config I have below with all Sabra for less then $150... that's pretty cheap to mount a stereo pair. But as you can see I likes me some of them K-Tek mounts.

Oktava pair on Boom Pole.jpg
 
Those are interesting windscreens. What exactly are they? OK I can see they are Rycote but do the mount to the mic or the shock mount? I'm rough and tumble out door recording so I can't normally use such an exposed setup but who knows...
My current package is Oktavas into a MixPre into a PMD 671. Just moved up from DAT (thank god). We have a Nagra V at the studio but the thing weighs a TON, sounds great though. We haven't found much difference in sound between the MixPre/671 combo and the Nagra, at least not $5,000 worth.

SK
 
Rycote Baby Ball Gag from EVS

Rycote Jammer for adding to BBG when needed

Noiz2... You and I have the same setup. I have an Fp24 running into a 671. :grin:

Oh and the BBG's hold onto the mic really well. It's funny that Rycote will tell you that the BBG won't work on the Oktava because of the "bell" shaped capsule... but Rycote isn't thinking on this point because the BBG splits in half... and the Oktava capsule is removable... plus you can run the Oktava in backwards from the inside half... So there's THREE easy options to use a BBG! And trust me they work GREAT on the Oktava.
 
Very nice and pretty affordable. I was making zeppelins (looked pretty ugly but worked well) till a friend of mine gave me her old ones. Rycote offered to repair hers (very old style with catches that hold the back end on), and ended up just replacing them. So I ended up with two Zeps and one windjammer. THe shockmounts were intact and I made new pistol grips (I have a small shop in the basement). I redid the shock mount so I have a crossed pair inside a single Zep. Not a textbook arangement but it works well. I can go on at length why the whole idea of "accurate" stereo recording is a wank but that's a different thread. Anyway that's the setup. And they have history, these were the zeps she used on Blue Velvet (she was the production mixer), may not improve the sound but it couldn't hurt.
SK
 
MattinSTL said:
Oktavas... this is how I do it.
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Nice one, Matt!
Not true ORTF as the mics are too far apart (need to be 17cm for ORTF), but I bet they sound AWESOME!!
Heck, I just got back from a three months/three docu back to back to back shoot, and the Oktava prooved to be my favourite mic I took with me. I did also do stereo recording using a AT835ST, and also with a similar set up as your picture's, although using two Studio Projects C4s.
Remember the discussion we had about the PDM660 back in October? http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=35222
well, I really do still want the 660 OADE mod, so I might sell the 660 I have. It did work very well though, but I did go through a Sound Devices Mixpre and into LINE in to the 660.

My set-up was like this (at times):
dvx.jpg

...and yes, that's an Okatava in there...just happens to be BLACK that's all!

Now all I need is a second Oktava + BBG to get that Oktava stereo ORTF set-up going. (I will probably just get an off-the shelf Oktava and see how 'matched' they are....)

Oh, and thanks for the audio test/samples. I was very interested as I had similar (but not the same) problems with the C4s, although I am now [almost] convinced it was humidity related. The 416 btw, could take any abuse I put it through and proved to be an excellent investment! ;-)

Cheers,
Marius
 
Marius... thanks for sharing! That looks like a pretty nice rig you've got going there! I'm impressed! I should have added that part of the reason I like the sabrasom stuff is that it's adjustable... so for true ORTF I usually slide the two mics as close as I can get them... at least until the tails are touching, which has them about 7" apart. As I understand it what we're trying to mimic is the spacing and axis direction of our own ears. The next time you play around with your Mixpre/660 flip the tape monitor switch while you're listening to stereo mics... the soundstage is wider with the Mixpre then it is in the Marantz... so I intentionally space the mics farther apart to compensate for this. Sometimes I even use cardioids instead of hypers in this configuration... and then open them even farther... this gives you a wider soundstage but the cardioid pattern fills in the center of the soundstage really well.

I don't think you'll have a problem doing stereo Oktava without a matched set. I did a stereo recording once with an Oktava and a Rode NT1000 and nobody could even tell 'em apart. I wouldn't normally do something like this... long, pointless story... all I'm saying is if you're buying a pair of Oktavas then I'd pay to get a matching set... but if you already have one then I wouldn't sweat it. Just get another one. (mine are black too by the way... I sold the silver ones ONLY so I could get some black ones :-)

Are those white boxes dimming LED lights? And since you posted a pic why don't you tell us a little more about that shoulder bracket. I like the twin handles.
 
MattinSTL said:
Marius... thanks for sharing! That looks like a pretty nice rig you've got going there! I'm impressed!
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Thanks Matt!
Aye, I have the same SabraSom mount BTW, although I didn't take it with me.
I must say, that ORTF is my favourite way of recording ambient sound.
My tests here with the MixPre and 660 were quite funny. I recorded outside my studio; a small road is a about 50m away so I recorded a car go by. When I went to play it back, I looked up (idiotically I now admit) because I thought there was another car going by. It was just THAT real!
Thanks for the heads-up on the second Oktava. I was a little concerned about matching, but I understand what you write, and appreciate the info.

MattinSTL said:
As I understand it what we're trying to mimic is the spacing and axis direction of our own ears.
Click to expand...

ORTF: Aye, exactly, 17cm apart and at 110 degree of each other. But nice tip about the 660 and extra spacing. I'll check that out next time.

MattinSTL said:
(mine are black too by the way... I sold the silver ones ONLY so I could get some black ones :-)
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<ahem> Now THAT is being an Oktava fan....true fanatical might I say! :grin:

MattinSTL said:
Are those white boxes dimming LED lights?
Click to expand...

Aye, yes. We are just about to build more of those. I tested them out on this trip. They are now daylight balanced and wide angle. One of the main advantages is also that they are VERY even in their beam pattern. Also managed to test some that have the batterypack included, so they are not bigger than what you see in the pic. Should be ready for sale in about two to three weeks again (We ran out of all the ones we had left!)

MattinSTL said:
And since you posted a pic why don't you tell us a little more about that shoulder bracket. I like the twin handles.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that set-up was very successful (for me). The picture was taken just after I did an indoor/outdoor interview where I had a teacher miked with an AT wireless lavalier mic (hence the receiver on the rig). The rig itself is a DvRigPro.
B&H page for DVRigPro

Missing from the pic is the spring loaded cam support rod braced with a velcro belt. It's not very good for walking with (not a Glidecam substitute) but holding all that gear for an hour or two becomes almost effortless!
For stabilisation I might try a FigRig, but I can't imagine holding that for too long.
I did have the Glidecam V16 with me too, although I did not use it as much as I thought I might.

Thanks again Matt, always good to hear your audio advice and explanations!

Cheers,
Marius
P.S. Here's where I was......what can I say? It was a tough assignment, but someone had to do it!
1.jpg

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