I think I am going to get a matched pair soon, and I've read a lot on here about the mk-012's, but my search for the nt5 wasn't too plentiful.

Any opinions? The Rødes are more expensive, but do they sound better? also, is it better to have the option of putting in the -10 dB pad?

i will probably be using them as drum oh mic's with a d112 on the kick, as well as for other stereo micing purposes...

thanks.

I love my 012's, which are great for everything you would want a small diaphragm for. They're clean and they can take a lot of SPL. However, just remember to get a good pair, because as you've probably read, Oktava's QC can be a little sketchy. I got mine from the Sound Room, which charges a lot more than most Oktava dealers because they test every mic individually and match pairs. I don't know if that makes them more expensive than the Rodes, but it's probably worth it. Also, the 012's have removable capsules, so you can go cardioid, omni, or hypercardioid, which is kind of cool (although I've only tried the cardioids).

matyas wrote:I love my 012's, which are great for everything you would want a small diaphragm for. They're clean and they can take a lot of SPL. However, just remember to get a good pair, because as you've probably read, Oktava's QC can be a little sketchy. I got mine from the Sound Room, which charges a lot more than most Oktava dealers because they test every mic individually and match pairs. I don't know if that makes them more expensive than the Rodes, but it's probably worth it. Also, the 012's have removable capsules, so you can go cardioid, omni, or hypercardioid, which is kind of cool (although I've only tried the cardioids).

yeah, if i get the 012's, i think i'm going to wait untill i have more cash and get a matched pair with all of the capsules... it's something like 600 for the whole set (matched pair, and 3 capsules per mic plus a -10dB cap per mic) i think.. which, yeah, is more than a pair of the nt5's, but i haven't been able to find shit on them.

thanks for your input =)

I own a pair of 012's (cardioid capsules only), and have been quite happy with the sound of these mics. I use mine as drum OHs, sometimes on toms, and frequently on acoustic guitar. I have not used the NT5's, but I have used the MXL 603s. I prefer the Oktavas to the MXLs on all applications mentioned above. Another budget mic you may want to research is the Studio Projects C4. I have no experience with them, so I have no idea how they compare to the Oktavas.

thebookofkevin wrote:I think I am going to get a matched pair soon, and I've read a lot on here about the mk-012's, but my search for the nt5 wasn't too plentiful.

Any opinions? The Rødes are more expensive, but do they sound better? also, is it better to have the option of putting in the -10 dB pad?

i will probably be using them as drum oh mic's with a d112 on the kick, as well as for other stereo micing purposes...

thanks.

I have both. I think I like the NT5s slighty better. If you can demo them both, try them and see what you like.

NT5=Cardioid only, no pad. As far as I know there are no other capsules made for these mics(even though they seem to unscrew). Good on acoustic guitar and overheads. I like the slight roll off over 14K or so. Nice case and shit.

I thought they were worth the four bills.

You might want to try some Sudio Projects C4's. They come with shock mounts, omni and cardiod capsules and the -10 pad. I got mine new at Full Compass for $300, and I think they are a good value. I've used them mostly as drum overheads, but i have also used them on violen and double bass. The Oktavas i hear can be amazing if you find a good matched pair, but due to quality issues, you never know what you are going to get.

capnreverb wrote:You might want to try some Sudio Projects C4's.

I was just looking these up and was wondering if you've ever had a problem with the -10dB and the high-pass. By which I mean, have you ever found it frustrating that you can only use one or the other at any given time?

I figure at least once during experimentation you may want to try both the -10dB and the reduced low end, right?

i have used the nt5's before, but ended up buying a matched pair of mk-012's with all 3 capsule types from soundroom (which did end up costing a pretty penny). i've ended up using them in a few applications. lately, my favourite has been using the omni capsules as floor mikes on a drum kit in combination with a single overhead cardioid. very bright, live room sounds. i've found the hypercardioid capsule on a snare works a treat too. even though rode are an australian company, i found the price of the 012's more attractive, considering their versatility.

that said, it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell if you have purchased genuine oktavas, so you'll need to get them from a reputable distributor.