Oktava mic group buy

[Chris Gearhart]

I might be interested. Someone left mine on the set of my last shoot, and now it's gone.

[Steve Sherrick]

Keep in mind that the Okatavas, while a very good microphone (I have one), range in quality. Not that I want to re-direct anyone to a particular site, but there is a place where they actually go through the ones they get in, test them, create a frequency graph, and if they make the cut, they sell them. Contact me via PM if you want the info. I don't want to detract from the first post at all, but I've followed the Okatava's history for a little while now. If you get a good one, they can hold their own against some very good microphones.

As to the shock mount, yes, you need a good one. They are susceptible to handling noise. I would look at the K-Tek with the rigid rubber holders. Also, I think the Rycote Baby Ball Gag Windshield is a necessity, even indoors. Occasionally if there is enough air passing by the mic, you can get low freq issues there too, and the windshield will protect against it.

Overall, a great value microphone. Not going to replace the higher end brands, but it can at least be considered respectable when comparing.

[Steve Sherrick]

Also, if you see these appear on ebay or elsewhere, beware the Chinese knockoff versions. They were junk. Guitar Center sold them for a while. Not the same mics. You need an authentic Russian made one, and you need one of the good ones.

[Shawn Nelson]

Sorry to rain on the parade...but if you are going to get an Oktava, I'd get one from Soundroom, they go through and do Quality Control to make sure you get a good one.

Second, I wouldnt actually get an Oktava. Mind you, I own one. Reason is that they are so damned sensitive to wind noise that you really need to have a Baby Ball Gag attached to one. Those are $139, and they pick up a lot of handling noise.

Personally, I'd recommend springing for the AKG Blueline se300b+CK93. You can get it from B&H for under $400 and the default foam windscreen works fine. I've done side-by-side with this mic (I own it too) and the Oktava and clearly prefer it.

Though if you have the means, I'd recommend either the MKH50 (which I own and use as my primary, CK93 as secondary and Oktava as stunt mic) or the Schoeps cmc641.

[Yannick Hagman]

I spoke with Natasha from Oktava itself, not a knock-of-manufacturer or anything. And using an hypercardioid outside (you talk about wind) isn't the purpose of this mic, that's where you use a shotgun mic.

[imported_Cedric_Akins]

Muroshi is only wanting to know if you guys that don't have an Oktava mic would be interested in making a group buy. I would only guess that all of the particulars would be worked out before any purchases would take place. There would only be a benefit to all those involved in the purchase, buy in bulk. Try not to knock the effort.

Plus those of us who have them know that these are the best mic in its price range any where on the planet. I paid full price for mine and would not trade it for another hypercardioid I can think of, well other than a schopes which is $1100-1500. :)

[Rob Castiglione]

I have a number of okatavas which I have used successfully with proper protection from the wind.

But they have all been modded in the USA by Michael Jolly who works miracles with them.

See http://www.oktavamod.com/

If you are going to go this direction get them modded, you wont regret it. Sorts out the quality issues.

Rob

[Shawn Nelson]

I spoke with Natasha from Oktava itself, not a knock-of-manufacturer or anything. And using an hypercardioid outside (you talk about wind) isn't the purpose of this mic, that's where you use a shotgun mic.

I'm not talking about outdoors, I'm saying the oktava is so sensitive to air movement that using them in a perfectly still room requires the Baby Ball Bag if you are going to boom it (that is, to move it around during a take).e

[Steve Sherrick]

Well, since Shawn mentioned the site I was talking about, that's the one I was referring to. The others may be fine too. The bottom line is that you need to know there are some good ones on the market and some bad ones, as the quality control can vary quite a lot.

And the mic is absolutely susceptible to air movement, both indoors and outdoors. But the Baby Ball takes care of that and the small amount of high freq loss is a good tradeoff.

This is a great budget mic. If you guys can get a good group deal on them and the mics you are receiving have passed some strict quality control, then I say go for it. Fortunately, even without the group buy discount, it's still a very affordable microphone.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

How will this group buy work for USA customers? The Oktava-shop site does not ship to the USA that I'm aware of and Oktava has a US distributor already.