Mic Parts dot Com Small Diaphragm Condensers

[k brown]

I don't think you can go wrong with a pair of MK-012 mics. I've done extensive testing and when you are close micing acoustic instruments, the MK-012 is as close to a KM84 as I've ever heard. In my test sessions, no one could tell a difference as I A/B them back and forth. My pair are from around 2000. I did the usual mods to them and they did clean up slightly. I've heard that stock new ones already have all the upgrades to the caps and resistors. If I didn't already own them, I'd buy them again. I don't like their off-axis sound as much as a KM84, but for single instruments miced up close at 12", they can't be beat. My applications for them are acoustic guitar and mandolin family instruments. I don't like them on violin but they also work well on upright bass pizzicato.

I assume you're referencing the cardioid capsule - the hyper is much flatter on-axis, and even better off-axis.

 

[Ricardus]

I can't speak to the SE8, but I have to say that this description of my SDC capsule is wildly inaccurate. I wonder if it was really one of mine? Was the 'micparts' legend engraved on the inside of the capsule? Or did you end up with a counterfeit capsule?

I've attached a sample frequency sweep from the most recent production run of MicParts cardioid SDC capsules. This was measured at 10 inches, using a custom built speaker; the rig is calibrated with a measurement mic. The lift in the bass response is to be expected at this distance. You can see that the response is within ~1dB from 150 Hz to 10kHz. There is absolutely no dip at 5-6kHz and no peak at 8-10kHz. Your characterization is accurate for an MXL capsule. None of my SDC capsules sounds like that -- if they did, we wouldn't sell them.

@RuudNL, please send me (via email) your sweep results, and the name of the friend who bought the capsule. Each of my capsules has a serial number, which in the case of the SDCs is written on the package that the capsule was shipped in. I could double-check the sweep for that capsule to make sure it met our specs -- although I have to say that none of our SDC capsules ever sounds like that; we occasionally reject one at the QC step for low bass output or noise, but none of them sound (or sweep) like MXL's capsules. Find my email address on the MicParts website (About Us -> Contact Us).

As to the comment that my SDC capsule is not as flat as the KM84's capsule, I agree; I posted a direct comparison several years ago here:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0867/8438/files/km84sweep.png?v=1544222693
The KM84 capsule is remarkably flat. Those are fantastic mics if you can find (and afford) them. My SDC-84 kit, including my SDC capsule, comes pretty close in frequency response (see that link), and has much higher sensitivity, which can be beneficial for recording quiet sources.

Nice to have Matt join us in this discussion.

 

[RuudNL]

Aah, there's Matt again...
I never said the capsules are bad, but that they are not as flat as a KK84 or a SE8.
Also have a look at the price: $149. Add $30 shipping costs and 21% import taxes ($38.60).
That brings the price to $217.60. The price of a complete (better) SE8 microphone is $191.50...

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Aah, there's Matt again...
I never said the capsules are bad, but that they are not as flat as a KK84 or a SE8.
Also have a look at the price: $149. Add $30 shipping costs and 21% import taxes ($38.60).
That brings the price to $217.60. The price of a complete (better) SE8 microphone is $191.50...

Competiting with 3U Audio's CM100, Rode NT5, Line Audio's CM4, and the Oktava MK-012 as well at that price. The AKG SE300 too if you count used gear.

 

[kingkorg]

CM4 is handmade in Sweden. Capsule is heavily customized, and FR graph is 100% accurate!!! The price is a joke for what you get.

 

[molke]

If there were any sharp dips or peaks, they wouldn't show with that much smooting.

Maybe it’s too off-topic, but can you explain the value of showing sharp dips or peaks in a little more detail? I would have thought that wasn’t particularly relevant to perception (see e.g. critical bands). Granted, a third-octave smoothing is a(n over)simplification of the approximated model, but maybe it’s sufficient.

 

[kingkorg]

I agree they might not be directly perceived, but there are other that don't have them at all. Km84, cm4...

Another issue is that at the same exact spot where you have a dip in front hyper or cardioid, you get that much of a peak in rear/off axis response. These can go through the roof, and sometimes above front response. Very, very audible on cymbals, for example if you boost 8K for a snare/tom mic, and those anomalies tend to be in that area.

1/3 of an octave can be sufficient, but is often used to cover up the lack in either manufacturing or measuring process. Not saying Matt does this, but the presented graph isn't proof of anything.

 

[McIrish]

I assume you're referencing the cardioid capsule - the hyper is much flatter on-axis, and even better off-axis.

Yes. The cardioid capsule is the one I use on the MK-012

 

[k brown]

I agree they might not be directly perceived, but there are other that don't have them at all. Km84, cm4...

Another issue is that at the same exact spot where you have a dip in front hyper or cardioid, you get that much of a peak in rear/off axis response. These can go through the roof, and sometimes above front response. Very, very audible on cymbals, for example if you boost 8K for a snare/tom mic, and those anomalies tend to be in that area.

1/3 of an octave can be sufficient, but is often used to cover up the lack in either manufacturing or measuring process. Not saying Matt does this, but the presented graph isn't proof of anything.

Don't know if they still do it, but I always gave great credit to Oktava for supplyng the actual printed readouts straight from the machine.

 

[klem]

CM4 is handmade in Sweden. Capsule is heavily customized, and FR graph is 100% accurate!!! The price is a joke for what you get.

Don't know if they still do it, but I always gave great credit to Oktava for supplyng the actual printed readouts straight from the machine.

At the risk of showing my distaste for certain marketing practices and general hyperbole, it's almost as if there's a difference, both in the type and quality of data as well as bang for buck and novel contribution to the advancement of audio engineering, between those that actually manufacture capsules, and those that merely outsource and re-sell.

 

[kingkorg]

Don't know if they still do it, but I always gave great credit to Oktava for supplyng the actual printed readouts straight from the machine.

Nice that you mentioned this. I just took a look at some of their graphs. This capsule looks very nice, have to say i wasn't aware of it. MK-102

I just wanted to point to the thing i mentioned above. Their graph confirms the trend where a dip in 0° is almost always followed by a peak at the same spot off axis. The more severe the dip, the higher the peak coming from the rear.

 

[k brown]

These were supplied with the pair of 012 omnis I bought several years ago.

Charts don't give dB-per-division, but must be 2dB.

The wobbles at the bottom give the sound a bit of 'flab'.

 

[kingkorg]

Sometimes i get those dips in the extreme low end, they are usually measurement errors, probably caused by room acoustics, phasing issues and differences between the dut and calibration mic. Nothing to worry about in condensers, those dips are almost certainly not really there.

That looks like a proper measurement graph!

 

[k brown]

Interesting - something else must be the cause; 012 omni bottom is not tight or well-controlled. Somewhat 'bloated'-sounding.

 

[kingkorg]

I was referring to the dips i marked in red. However what you are describing could be atributed to the part i marked in blue. I am not really familiar with these, but i can't imagine they have a really beefy transformer. Could be it's saturating harder at lower frequencies and causing the mics to sound that way. But that is just a wild guess.

If those red marked dips are indeed just a measurement artifacts, it could easly be that the low end below 50hz follows the trend marked in blue, which could mean you have actually a substantial boost in LF at say 30hz...

 

[k brown]

Makes sense.

Not trafo - '012s are transformerless; impedence-balanced.

 

[ostrol]

Slightly off-topic so sorry in advance .. anyone know of non-oktava capsules that could fit the mk012?

My only complaint is they're quite noisy if you're recording a quiet source (like a fingerpicked acoustic), so need to look into worthwhile mods for the newer (2020) version

 

[k brown]

You must noisy FET or other noise in the mic circuit - capsules are very quiet.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Don't know if they still do it, but I always gave great credit to Oktava for supplyng the actual printed readouts straight from the machine.

They still do give you measurements

These were supplied with the pair of 012 omnis I bought several years ago.

Charts don't give dB-per-division, but must be 2dB.

The wobbles at the bottom give the sound a bit of 'flab'.

Some of them are 2 dB, some are 1 dB per division. Yours seems to be 2 dB per division because the advertised frequency response chart is +6 dB there. The 1 dB per division charts have it labeled, I'llget a picture of them later.

Not mine but this one's 1 dB.

I was referring to the dips i marked in red. However what you are describing could be atributed to the part i marked in blue. I am not really familiar with these, but i can't imagine they have a really beefy transformer. Could be it's saturating harder at lower frequencies and causing the mics to sound that way. But that is just a wild guess.

If those red marked dips are indeed just a measurement artifacts, it could easly be that the low end below 50hz follows the trend marked in blue, which could mean you have actually a substantial boost in LF at say 30hz...

I believe they are measurement artifacts, couldn't tell you for sure though.

Here's one of my MK-012 film set plots. One of the most recent ones I have, manufactured within the last couple years because it's the new logo. I have a pair with a bump at 3K instead of 9K that are my favourite pair.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

Slightly off-topic so sorry in advance .. anyone know of non-oktava capsules that could fit the mk012?

My only complaint is they're quite noisy if you're recording a quiet source (like a fingerpicked acoustic), so need to look into worthwhile mods for the newer (2020) version

There's a Lomo capsule, and a capsule or two by Red Microphones that fit the MK-012. Those are large diaphragm ones. I have to disagree about them being noisy, it's probably your preamp, or there's something wrong with your specific MK-012(s), or they're the fakes.

You must noisy FET or other noise in the mic circuit - capsules are very quiet.

The counterfeit capsules can be incredibly noisy. Like there's a fan running. I had a pair of fake ones either late 2018 or early 2019 and it was definitely the capsules that were the issue cause I used Russian capsules on the fake/Chinese preamp and it was fine. The Chinese pres are surprisingly decent, but I think they might be a bit thinner than the Russian ones, cause using them there's more handling noise. I just tested by ear though and compared boom cue noise. I don't have two identical shockmounts so I can't do them both at the same time, but my other test was same pole, same shockmount, different takes at the same gain, same cue speed. I'm gonna get a couple identical mounts (the Rode SM4R apparently fits the MK-012), use a matched set of capsules, and throw them on a small stereo bar to record Russian body + capsule and Chinese body + Russian capsule at the same time.