Which one i need for OKtava mk012 ?

I have the Oktava and I would find another mic. I know its cheap for the price but the handling noise and the wind sensitivity of the mic make it more trouble than its worth. Someone awhile ago posted here a pic of their shock mount for the mic which required the use of a double shock mount system. I followed that advice and it did indeed help immensely with the handling noise. So in order to get past its idiosyncrasies you need a double shock mount and the ball gag windscreen because even indoors without wind the simple act of moving the mic on a boom pole causes unacceptable wind noise. My 2 cents.
 
Outside? .. nothing short of a Zeppelin/Windjammer would give adequate suppression.
Indoors, a $5 (19-20mm id) foam windscreen is usually ok for 'normal' booming. For more aggressive booming, the Rycote BBG, Softie or the lower cost Olsen/Windtech US2 'Ultra-Screen' should work.

The 012 is NOT a good mic for exteriors.
 
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mico said:
I have the Oktava and I would find another mic. I know its cheap for the price but the handling noise and the wind sensitivity of the mic make it more trouble than its worth. Someone awhile ago posted here a pic of their shock mount for the mic which required the use of a double shock mount system. I followed that advice and it did indeed help immensely with the handling noise. So in order to get past its idiosyncrasies you need a double shock mount and the ball gag windscreen because even indoors without wind the simple act of moving the mic on a boom pole causes unacceptable wind noise. My 2 cents.
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What do you recommend instead? I'm using a Takstar CM-60 for now for indoors.
 
IronFilm said:
What do you recommend instead? I'm using a Takstar CM-60 for now for indoors.
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I feel like I'm in the minority here regarding the Oktava. To me its a mic that needs to be watched very carefully regarding wind and handling noise unlike better mics. If you're good with that go with it but its the price that keeps people on board with it because it sounds nice for the price when worked properly. I'm gonna go on to say that the Oktava is a indoor mic only but others will disagree but I'm sticking to indoors only.

A real legit Oktava is $340 give or take and with a ball gag which I think it needs even indoors, although I have used a cheaper wind tech with success, you're at $475. Also getting the right shock mount for handling noise you're close or over $500 for a safe Oktava setup. I'm trying to keep the price within that range so I would recommend the audio technica AT4053b hypercardoid as a better, less trouble mic at $599 new. I hope others will chime in here to give you their recommendations so you can have options.
 
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mico said:
I feel like I'm in the minority here regarding the Oktava. To me its a mic that needs to be watched very carefully regarding wind and handling noise unlike better mics. If you're good with that go with it but its the price that keeps people on board with it because it sounds nice for the price when worked properly. I'm gonna go on to say that the Oktava is a indoor mic only but others will disagree but I'm sticking to indoors only.

A real legit Oktava is $340 give or take and with a ball gag which I think it needs even indoors, although I have used a cheaper wind tech with success, you're at $475. Also getting the right shock mount for handling noise you're close or over $500 for a safe Oktava setup. I'm trying to keep the price within that range so I would recommend the audio technica AT4053b hypercardoid as a better, less trouble mic at $599 new. I hope others will chime in here to give you their recommendations so you can have options.
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I really have to agree - the 4053 is really a bang-for-the-buck mic. One thing that makes the Oktava so popular (other than hyper-cap availability, which is rare in sub $1k mics) is its very crisp rendering of highs - you get those lovely "sparkly" highs that make a voice sound really silky and detailed (without harshness). The same high frequency rendering is likely what makes it a pain with moving air. The 4053 is a wonderfully detailed mic, reportedly even "silkier" (plenty of high detail without harshness), but much better handling and wind resistance, a pretty tough build and a low-cut switch as well. If you can position it properly and stage the gains well, you'd have trouble telling it apart from a Schoeps. I've never owned the Oktava, but have owned the AT for years and it's like great glass - it will outlast most of your other gear.

The Rhode mics and Oktava are very popular, but when you're ready to step up to a more serious mic (and if you're not focusing on a career as a sound guy but need something for the no-sound-guy gigs) check out the AT. They do show up used from time to time as well.
 
I think the advice here is generally about right. Where I diverge, and I think this is almost exactly the same thread under a different name by the same OP, is the "universality" of the recommendations.

The Oktava's are very sensitive to wind and handling. The Schoep's I have used are maybe a bit less on handling but even more touchy about wind noise. So does that make them bad mics? or ones you can't use out doors? Really depends on YOU and what you are using them for. If you don't have good mic handling skills and you don't have decent wind protection then either mic is going to be problematic. Mics with low handling noise generally also have a lot of low end roll off since that is the area where handling noise lives. Same with wind, though probably the built in wind protection plays a bigger part.

The problem with Oktava's is that a lot of folks bought them because they were a cheap "professional grade" mic. Some got hot and bothered about "fixing them" and got them modified (which removes some of the built in wind protection) and then had real problems.

So while I disagree with "not for outdoors" I think it depends more on you and what you are doing with it. A cardioid or even a hyper is generally not a go to choice for dialog outside. They are great for various other outdoor recording, and I will note that OP did not ever say he was recording dialog just that he wanted wind protection for an Oktava.

But I do agree that the Oktava is not an ideal beginner mic and it's price has come up to a point where there are a number of competitors that are very good and better suited to inexperienced users.
 
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