Oktava - MK-012-01 Single Cardioid Microphone Kit

Usually, a pair of Oktava 012s (small di condenser), or one of those paired with a MXL-4000 (large di condenser).

Back in the day, Octavia small diaphragm matched set was a popular budget option. I used mine for years until one of them crapped out, my friend who was going to fix it got a terminal diagnosis (including dementia, so I wasn't gonna bug the poor guy re something he probably doesn't even remember), I moved out of the country, and I got a better job and bought my 184's. They certainly got the job done and what I'm getting at is that I'd still probably use them as my go to if it weren't for the above.

> The Oktava MK-12 set looked nice but they’re hard to get in Japan, and it seems like the pricing has gone way up. I have an Oktava MK-12 HC in Tokyo if you want to try it before you buy it. There's not that many reasonably priced options for supercardioid or hypercardioid SDCs in Japan unfortunately. The Audix SCX 1HC is the other option.

Heck yeah. I would've loved that setup when I was starting out. I had an E-MU audio interface and that brand no longer exists. I do still have the Beyerdynamic DT770 that I got when I started. I also still have my first mic, an Oktava MK-012, which I still use for acoustic instruments.

I would boom overhead and use an xy pattern with two cardioid heads on my oktava mk012 pair. I reckon AB is also possible but I’m thinking it might introduce phase issues. For crosstalk mixing lavs is a lot of work since you’ll usually get reverb and phase issues.

A lot. You can't remove excitation (though you can probably ameliorate it with Soothe). I spent most of my youth eqing a cheap fake sm58, and you get good that way. But it's easier to get a good vocal sound from a sm7, likewise it's almost impossible to get a good electric guitar sound from a rode ntk, but with an oktava mc012 it's easy.

That’s how it would be done professionally but held by an operator. For an interior a hypercardioid is probably the go - AT4053b is the best affordable one I’ve used. Oktava mk012 hyper is another. The rest are a couple grand. If it’s outdoors a shotgun like an NTG3 or 416 is the go

No....just no. It's not the same mdc as the 4040 and above, it's shrill and has a terrible low mid boom. Now, OP, the Line Audio Cm1. The Octava MK012. AKG p120. EV nd76a. Studio Projects B1 ect (all same design) MXL V69M. SM57/58.

DPA 4099 P (for piano) \*2 pcs, under the hood of the piano, cabling from the rear side of the piano, carefully done by black velcro. Preamps - portable ZOOM H4/H6 hiding beneath the foot of piano. Or, 2\* Sennheiser plug-on radio system. OR, Shure SM-91 Beta for piano, under the hood, or even on the floor under the piano. Maybe 2\* Shure SM-91 Betas on the edge of the scene, flat surface required. Cabling and mics will not be visible from camera. Additionally, a stereo set of SDC' like Shure SM 81, Audix ADX51, Oktava MK-012-2, Neumann KM 184, on a high boom/ light stand in a hall, where viewers sit rows. Opera singers have strong vocals, 120-130 dB of pressure. Often, they moving heads, swinging backwards and forwards around their position. So, close miking is not necessary and even could lead to problems. Piano and its level is what you need to be concerned. So 1 (2) mics for piano, 2 mics for AB in a hall is what you need.

I really like the Oktava mics. But at least here in Germany a used MKH 8020, 8050 or 8060 should be within the budget. Same goes a MKH 416…