Discussion of the Stock Microphone

The Mods
A few years ago, online audio guru and all around helpful guy Scott Dorsey published an article in "Recording" magazine describing how to upgrade this little workhorse mic by changing the components used in the mic body. Thousands of recordists have spent a couple of hours sourcing the components and performing this "Dorsey" mod for themselves.

Until January 1 2007 I did not offer a modification for the '012 circuit because I did not want to appear to be commercializing a published modification. But over the years many of my clients have asked me to work on their '012s and provide some of that OktavaMod "special sauce". In the second half of '06 I sat down to develop a unique complement of components for the '012 based on the successful Premium Electronics upgrade I offer for the MK-219 & MK-319 microphones.

You can now have your MK-012 microphone upgraded for better performance by OktavaMod. Unless you're a hard-core DIY'er and enjoy spending a couple of hours sourcing parts and swapping them into a pretty small working environment I believe you'll find my upgrade to the '012 to be an excellent value.

The Premium Electronics upgrade to the '012 body reduces distortion, lowers noise and improves resolution. Taking the acoustic guitar as just one example, these mods allow finger and plectrum attacks to be rendered with more transient detail. Strummed rhythm work is presented with better fundamental / harmonic time alignment for less "train wreck" on complex chords. And finally, bass response is extended while impulse response is tightened up. Similar improvement can be expected in drum overhead applications and other instrument recording tasks. And like all OktavaMod upgrades this one is surprisingly affordable.

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