recordinghacks

Transformer upgrades for ribbon mics are no longer the sole purview of the mic modder crowd — now Cascade, MXL, and Oktava are offering factory-upgraded ribbon microphones with CineMag and Lundahl transformers.

I’ve been using a pair of Oktava MK-012 SDCs as my go-to overhead mics for years, ever since I conducted a shootout comparing the MK-012 to AKG C1000S and EV 635a mics. To my ear, the Oktavas won that test handily, offering better imaging, broader frequency response, and more musical results as compared to the […]

One of the best-known hybrid mics on the market, the Oktava MK-012 FET condenser body will accommodate a dozen different small- and large-diaphragm capsules. Here is a visual inventory and applications guide to the Lomo, Blue, and Oktava capsules for this ubiquitous pencil mic.