[ramtazz]

On Wed, 23 Sep 2015 10:06:43 -0700 (PDT), Angus Kerr
wrote:

Hi

I was going through Recording Hacks to get some info on the Samson C02's. Not that I want to do anything fancy, just an opportunity to get the 7 mic Samson kit (for about $200) with the C02's for miking and recording drum kits for live PA and reference recording purposes.

At one time I had 3 SM57's, when I was running a studio professionally. Well, they are the mic you can use on anything. Unfortunately, they slowly, one by one, disappeared until we had none left. Clip on drum mics are quite tempting for stage use, and believe me, we are not making release recordings here. I also had a 5 mic Samson kit. When I got it back once we shut down the studio, the Qkick was faulty (collapsed diaphragm) and 2 tom mics were missing. So I'm short on dynamics, and it seems like good value for $200.

Even though I'm only spending $200, I still like to know what I'm getting, so I wondered how they would compare to my Oktava MC012's in terms of self noise and frequency response. I still have a pair of ugly C1000s that look hideous but still work. I used to have a pair of Crown CM700s which also disappeared from the studio. I'm not about to use the MC012's for live work.

I wanted to check out both microphones against each other regarding specs. Then I saw the whole thing about Fergus McKay and Oktava and the Chinese copies sold at Guitar Centre. Then I saw the whole nasty blow up between the Russian factory and A McKay etc. Ironically, the trail leads back to here circa 2001?

Then I wondered if my Oktavas were genuine or not. I just took a look. Luckily, they've got that Russian patina. No serial number, but the other things like the metal clip and the -10db pad are there, and the screws are small and flat head. The box is plastic and says MK019, but the marking on the mics are MC019 and have the ugly ASM stamp. So by all accounts, they are genuine Russian, but pre 2002.

I was a victim of that whole thing that blew up round about 2002 - 04. I bought an Oktava tube mic, (as a workhorse alternative to the U67 I have) and after about 3 months the power supply released the magic smoke. I sent it back to the dealer who sold it to me, who sent it back to the distributor. I never ever saw that mic again. I'm still prety p***ed about that. There were numerous excuses about them not being genuine, and that ASM were not the authorised distributors. I never understood what that had to do with me paying good money for a mic that I wasn't even able to have a go at myself.

I remember Scott Dorsey describe the MC012 as 'beamy'. I never quite understood what he meant.

So, how's the C02? Worth having for live use?


I've had a stereo pair of the CO2s for about 12 years... love them.
Great on overheads, stereo micing a band or room mics... stereo on any
instrument sans lower bass of course. Reccommended!!

I'd also advice a security system in your studio....

Bill