Oktava MK-012-01 Black in Wood Box

Oktava MK-012 Review / See All ZenPro Audio Reviews Here: Review Page

When it comes to acoustic guitar in particular, the MK012 is an absolute must have and very often a first reach for me. The MK-012 comes in so many configurations it will make your head spin first of all: black, silver, cardioid, omni, hypercardioid, matched stereo pairs as well as pairs with 6 matched capsules, yet all of them ship with the standard spring / hard mount as well as the -10dB pad. There is a hi-pass filter that is available, although sometimes limited in availability, it comes in handy for remote recording and boom pole use. Oktava is a decidedly Russian sound and feel, not German or Chinese, a different sort of vibe all together really.

The MK-012 is one of those under $1,000 pair of mics that just gets so much stuff done and done well it’s silly. On acoustic guitar they deliver the ‘wood’ of the instrument like no other mic, I mean a very wholesome and real depth to the instrument’s body. The attack is also accented with a great pick scrape sound, where some SDC mics tend to round it off or make it sound a bit ‘tick-y’ or plastic. The MK012 is very real on acoustic sources, but guitar to me is the real standout (since I do mainly pop type productions). The bottom end response of this mic is strong (cardioid capsule), and it’s delivered deep but with strength (you can’t just shove this mic on top of a boomy source). The midrange is rich with harmonic detail, and the top end has great presence without being overly bright but also making sure to deliver what’s there. There is a subtle character to the mic, again I call it the Russian sound! Drum overheads have great depth, toms are heard for their body and not just their attack, kick drum close mics can be optional if these are placed right. They really do have a robust response. The omni capsule has that natural low end response which you can use up close more safely for low end response, and the omni maintains a better top end response than many others I’ve used. The hypercardioid capsule has a fairly specific sound with a cutting upper midrange and tighter overall focus of course.

Conclusion: I’ve been raving about the MK012 since before I ever even became a dealer, if anything they make such an excellent ac gtr mic that everybody should have a pair. However as a go-to mic and in this price range, there is no reason why they can’t handle all of your small diaphragm needs well.