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Fake Oktava MK-012 Photos

How to identify a counterfeit, Chinese-made Oktava MK-012.

This information was originally published at
http://oktava.tula.net/fake/

Learn more about the MK-012.

Original Oktava

produced in Russia

 Oktava from China, so-called "new revised series".
These products are not related in any way
to the genuine Oktava products.
  • supplied with manual and individual response curves
  • supplied without any documents
  • has -10 dB pad and original metal holder
  • all original microphones manufactured after 01.01. 05
    are labelled "Октава МК-012"
  • has no -10 dB pad, supplied with plastic holder
  • labeled "Oktava МC012"
  • every microphone has its own serial number
  • white screws
  • has no individual number
  • black screws
  • bonding area has a dimple for effective contact
  • silver-sputtered
  • no contact dimple
  • not sputtered copper, no corrosion-protection
  • silver-sputtered contact-pin
  • unprotected against oxidation pin
  • _
  • _

Original MK-012 microphones produced by OAO Oktava earlier can also be labelled Oktava MC-012

MK-012 microphones manufactured before 2002 don’t have serial numbers

5 Responses to “Fake Oktava MK-012 Photos”

  1. Bryk

    October 9th, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Thank you!! That made it quite simple. Fortunately, I have real MK-012s.

  2. brian

    January 22nd, 2010 at 10:34 am

    hi, i have a couple of Oktava MK-012A-01 that i traded for a few sm57’s

    both have all of the qualifications as stated on this page to be considered “real”, the serial number stamped in the bottom, flat head screws holding them together, silver sputtered dimpled contacts and that copper leather looking contact (as seen in the last photo on the left).
    even the hand painted looking polar pattern on the microphone element housing.. (not a printed one like the china version has)

    only difference is the microphone has A.S.M. printed on it.

    does simply having an A.S.M. printed on the body mean that the microphone is a fake?

    thanks

  3. matthew mcglynn

    January 22nd, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    Lots of genuine Oktava mics had “ASM” printed on the body. Those were the initials of the original importer, Andy S. McKay, whose offices in the UK operated under the name Oktava Ltd. You can read more about the McKay brothers’ claims about the MK-012 here: http://debris.com/journal/1280

  4. will

    January 25th, 2010 at 10:51 pm

    I’m interested in knowing if my Oktava is real. My mic seems to be half-and-half when it comes to the traits of a real and Chinese 012. It has the metal holder, paperwork, dimpled bonding area, silver flat-head screws, and silver sputtered contact pin. However it has no serial number, reads “Oktava” and not, more or less, “Oktaba,” and has the A.S.M. logo. I bought it recently and is supposedly “new.” Is this an older, real Oktava or a rip off? Any thoughts?

  5. matthew mcglynn

    January 26th, 2010 at 5:02 am

    Will, I’d guess yours is a real MK-012 produced before 2002. As the page says above, “MK-012 microphones manufactured before 2002 don’t have serial numbers.”

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