I heard yesterday that the Guitar Center is sold out of Oktavas until August, or maybe even later. Something to do with import laws.

I hate to say it, but that sounds like horse shit. Import laws? That's the part that stinks to me of a lie on their part. Who knows really, but maybe other GC's have them? GC has been known to spin a few things in the past.

War

could be true. I heard JRR Shop, which is only one of a few dealers carrying the oktava mics, had some delays as well coming in from overseas.

I'm not sure of the delay time though?

So Oktava mics will be "vintage" by then! haha

Now we can list ours on eBay as "rare" etc. and pull down a pretty penny??

Maybe Oktava took some time off...maybe they're creating demand by cutting supply...this would help them raise their prices.

???

War

I don't know of anything remotely as big a bang for the buck as the two for $99 deal that GC had on the MK012.

A certain portion of GC's sales people are infamous for making remarks of this sort to get you to go ahead and pull the trigger on another piece of gear rather than holding off.

A friend of mine who works in pro audio over there told me. He wouldn't blow smoke about it. He said that he heard that Russia was having trouble exporting them here. Don't know if it's on their end or ours. He also said that every GC in the nation was out of MK012s and 319s. The store here still had a ML52.

If you are getting it from one of the reliable GC people then it might be true.

Between you, me and Warhead, we've probably played a minor role in causing a sellout of the Oktava MK012 and MK319.

If anyone else wants a tip on these mics, then I'd say that two better mics in the style of the sound of the MK319 are the Blue Baby Bottle and the Audio-Technica AT4040. They are a lot more hot and more interesting sonically.

I don't know of anything better than the MK012 mics on the small condensers until you start spending about $400 per mic. I think they are worth the wait.

I think I remember past times where there was a bit of flux in the production or shipping schedules for Oktava. This is probably more due to issues with the factory or McKay (the worldwide distributor) than import or export laws. Oktava hasn't exactly been doing sustained production for a fast moving marketplace for its entire history - selling in the capitalist system is probably still quite new for them.

Bear

I know. GC ought to give us free mics for that!

But wait... that would kind of make us "paid off", wouldn't it?

A few manufacturers/retailers care about the reviews and want them totally on the up and up. Audio-Technica comes to mind as wanting reviews to be fair and tell what a product will and will not do.

I'm working on a review of the Speck ASC EQ at present. Vince Poulos gave me some great background info on the unit a week or so ago that really opened up my mind about the unit's capabilities. Not everyone likes to share in the manner or to give of his time.

Dan Kennedy of Great River wants to educate your ear and your mind and will allow you the time to soak it in.

Peter Montessi of A Designs wants input on any suggested improvements.

Glad I picked up a pair in December.


Jason A.