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mooseherman « Fantastic Ribbon Mic »
Published on 09/19/10 at 17:56This is a ribbon microphone, designed for studio use, and only studio use. It's so fragile that it should only be touched, let alone handled, when necessary. This is made by Oktava, Russia's leading microphone manufacturer for some time. While it might not be the same as a Neumann or other leading microphones from other companies, it's certainly still a great company in it's own right. Obviously, avoid phantom power or you will destroy the microphone (ribbons can't handle phantom power at all, even for a second).
OVERALL OPINION
This microphone has a phenomenally warm sound, in addition to having a ton of detail. Thus it has a variety of uses. It's going to sound great on almost anything that it can handle (anything that isn't too loud like a snare, or a close mic'd guitar cabinet. I personally like using it on strings, especially if I can do a stereo pair of them (a rare treat). Acoustic guitars sound nice and warm too, as do vocals and drum overheads. I think for vocals, it tends to sound better on good singers, or singers who have powerful, dynamic voices. This way the warmth helps round off some of the higher, potentially more abrasive frequencies. A weaker or softer singer probably needs a condenser or tube mic to really pick up all the subtleties of their voice, so I wouldn't use this on them. That's just me, though.
All of these uses will help give you a warm sound that reminds me personally of Motown, Stax and other old vintage-styled sounds. That is the appeal of this microphone. If you're looking for more brightness and clarity you'd be better off with a condenser or tube mic. This is not the same. I highly recommend trying to get one of these, they go for 500 new but you can find used ones for cheaper. It's a pretty great piece of gear.
OVERALL OPINION
This microphone has a phenomenally warm sound, in addition to having a ton of detail. Thus it has a variety of uses. It's going to sound great on almost anything that it can handle (anything that isn't too loud like a snare, or a close mic'd guitar cabinet. I personally like using it on strings, especially if I can do a stereo pair of them (a rare treat). Acoustic guitars sound nice and warm too, as do vocals and drum overheads. I think for vocals, it tends to sound better on good singers, or singers who have powerful, dynamic voices. This way the warmth helps round off some of the higher, potentially more abrasive frequencies. A weaker or softer singer probably needs a condenser or tube mic to really pick up all the subtleties of their voice, so I wouldn't use this on them. That's just me, though.
All of these uses will help give you a warm sound that reminds me personally of Motown, Stax and other old vintage-styled sounds. That is the appeal of this microphone. If you're looking for more brightness and clarity you'd be better off with a condenser or tube mic. This is not the same. I highly recommend trying to get one of these, they go for 500 new but you can find used ones for cheaper. It's a pretty great piece of gear.