Oktava ML-19
Cardioid Ribbon Microphone
The ML-19 is a unidirectional ribbon microphone, produced by Russian microphone manufacturer Oktava from at least 1977 through 1983.
Most ribbon microphones are bidirectional. The ML-19 is somewhat unique in that it has a Cardioid pickup pattern. It reportedly has a fuller high-frequency response than most ribbon microphones.
Note that this is an end-address microphone.
Michael Vladimirsky
Curiously, sometimes ML-19s are marked as ML-219. On request from Scott Dorsey, I compared the inside of both mics, and auditioned both — there were no difference.
Further investigation at the factory, showed, that “Ml-219” is not mentioned in their achieves… Old employees guess [that] it was just a typo on the branding stamp!
Photo credit: Katie Tavini
Dr. Mark Fouxman of Samar Audio Design has serviced many ML-19 and ML-219 microphones, and reports that in his experience the two microphones differ in one respect: the ML-219 has a single layer of silk inside the metal grille, while the ML-19 has two layers.
According to Fouxman, both models use a resonator to increase high-frequency response, but has the additional effect of reducing bass response.
The Oktava ML-19 is also known as: ML-219.
Specifications
Pickup Patterns | Pads & Filters |
---|---|
Cardioid
(n/a mV/Pa; 50 - 18,000 Hz) |
|
Ribbon Construction | Impedance | SPL/Noise |
---|---|---|
250 Ohms (Low) |
Weight | Length | Max Diameter | Interface(s) |
---|---|---|---|
650g (22.93oz) | 140mm (5.51'') | n/a |
Power Specifications |
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