Seventh Circle Audio

Hi everyone,

I am modding the 2 Oktava Mk-319s I have.

I need...

2 X 820pf Panasonic COG type caps (could be other brand but must be good)

2 X Toshiba 2SK170BL FETs

2 X 2 gig 5% resistors (or two 1 gigresistors wired in series) for BUAS leak resistors

Where can I buy these in New York or online?
Any ideas?

Tried DigiKey, Mouser? If you locate good parts, buy extras.
Have you modded any Oktava 012's yet? I've got four of them, I mean to get to them one of these days...

tele_player \$m[1]:Tried DigiKey, Mouser? If you locate good parts, buy extras

Tried Digikey but it seemed as though you could not buy a few from their site. I found the FETs and bought them.
I need the caps and BIAS leak resistors.
I think you have to buy a minimum amount from Digikey.
I will try mouser.

tele_player \$m[1]:Have you modded any Oktava 012's yet? I've got four of them, I mean to get to them one of these days...

No, no 012 mods yet.
I do not even have Oktava 012's yet.
They got expensive now.
I wonder if a matched pair of APEX 185 would sound better.
They sound so nice right out of the box.
Especially with C84s.

I like my Apex 435, and your 415 sounds good on your guitar. The Apex 185 is certainly affordable. $119 for a pair, with omni and cardiod capsules. Wow.

tele_player \$m[1]:The Apex 185 is certainly affordable. $119 for a pair, with omni and cardiod capsules. Wow.

Great isn't it?

It actually comes with 2 X shockmounts as well.

I did a pair of MC012s with the Dorsey recommendations, except I subbed a 1000pf polystyrene for the ceramic capsule to gate cap.

They sound excellent. They were purchased from the sound room and are a great match. They are not as bright as the MXL603s, and other Chinese variants, which is a good thing IMO...although I modified the 603s and use them quite a lot as well.

I did my my Oktava MK012 MODs. I will do MK-319s next

• I have replaced the leak resistors
• bias resistors
• gate cap with COG type ceramic Cap
• I also changed the FET
• I have also changed the cap in the middle which one of the legs go under the FET

I have not chenged the two largest caps towards the XLR connector in the back and the smaller cap under the board.
The reason why I did not replace them was noticing the factory installed caps.
They looked very similar to the replacement parts.
I could not see the markings since they were on the reverse side but they looked very similar.
Is it possible that the factory adopted some of the Dorsey suggestions?

I also checked the sound after each MOD.
The biggest difference in sound was after bias/leak resistors and the FET.

Did you replace the leak resistors wiith 1Gig or 2 1Gigs in series? I ask because the 2G series works even better, but it's a tight fit.

Some of the caps are already there on the newer Oktavas, mainly the larger BC caps. unless they're leaky there's no sense in replacing them.

As far as the gate cap, the one on the bottom of the board, that's where a great deal of improvement comes from. I used 1000pf polystyrene caps in mine (from Mouser, Xicon I think - 50v) and they sound excellent. I think polystyrene is the best you can use here...like the old Neumans use.

Can someone post a link to the Scott Dorsey Octava MK012 mods?
I have two and would sure apprerciate it.

Jim

Category 5 \$m[1]:Did you replace the leak resistors wiith 1Gig or 2 1Gigs in series? I ask because the 2G series works even better, but it's a tight fit.

1 Gig. Improvement was not that substantial I was told.
So, I used 1 gig. I did not want to deal with the tight fit.
Can you try and describe the sound difference between the two?

Category 5 \$m[1]:Some of the caps are already there on the newer Oktavas, mainly the larger BC caps. unless they're leaky there's no sense in replacing them.

Right? I thought so too...

Category 5 \$m[1]:As far as the gate cap, the one on the bottom of the board, that's where a great deal of improvement comes from. I used 1000pf polystyrene caps in mine (from Mouser, Xicon I think - 50v) and they sound excellent.

Hmmmm. That is interesting.
I used COG type ceramic 820pF just like the article suggested.
Can you try and describe the sound difference?

Category 5 \$m[1]:I think polystyrene is the best you can use here...like the old Neumans use.

You got me curious...

runamuck \$m[1]:Can someone post a link to the Scott Dorsey Octava MK012 mods?
I have two and would sure apprerciate it.

It would be a copyright infrigement to have it on the WEB.
Good news is, you can order past issues from Recording Magazine for 5 or 6 dollars.
Do a google search for Recording mag.
It is well worth the price for the pics alone.

I have stopped and put back together the first mike after every step of the upgrade and I took a listen.
I think the resistors (bias and leak) and FET made the biggest difference...

What issue of recording magazine are the mic mods in?

The mod is in the September 2003 issue of Recording Mag.

Oddur