Oktava MK-105 in Wood Box

Oktava MK-105 Review / See All ZenPro Audio Reviews Here: Review Page

I find the MK105 to be one of the most all purpose condenser mics around at any price, seriously nice stuff. This cardioid patterned large condenser mic ships in a wooden case with a hard mount. It has a fairly utilitarian look to it, and honestly to me it feels like it’s made out of material used to build Russian submarines or something! Not to seem too silly, but it really is a unique mic and you’d have to hold one to know what I mean. Not your typical slick and shiny stuff, but the gold grill sets it off nicely as far as a little ‘bling’ goes.

This is one of the few mics at any price that I’d be willing to say will deliver the goods on acoustic sources, male and female vocals and do at least a good job if not stellar. First of all, the midrange and harmonic content just has this richness to it that is so pleasant without being smoothed over. It’s real but more palpable than most deliveries from competing mics in this range. On voice I find that the MK-105 just treats sibilance nicely as well, I have never met a voice that the MK105 was too ess-y with. The low end response is tight and controlled, not as accented as many cardioid designs, therefore it can be placed closely to the source (voice or instrument) with a smoother response as well. Rich, detailed and forgiving are just a few words I would use to describe the sound. Linear would be another, it just doesn’t grab one range over another; it’s like real life only better. Acoustic guitars and other instruments are delivered in full, with a slight sparkle to them and again, that rich harmonic midrange info shines.

Conclusion: This is THE stand out offering in the large diaphragm series from Oktava. It really can do it all, and would make an excellent workhorse mic for any studio, but without suffering from a sterile or overly ‘safe’ sound!