the mxl 990 isn't that bad

[joelpatterson]

I am so lucky--I got one of the 319's that's just brilliantly clear and breath-takingly true-to-life. I wish everyone was this lucky.

[Brian]

I have 6 319's two have the HFboost discs removed/big difference, An MXL-V67G I'm likin' that one and I just got an MCA SP1/not bad for a sdc in a ldc body. MXL's have so much more output than Octava 319 series. I'm dyin to match em up against all my other junk.
I'll look into that 990 deal now.

[KennyLusk]

Brian, what's up with removing the HF Boost discs on your 319's? Did you do that yourself? Or did you have it done? And are there any other electronics that need to be removed along with the disc? (e.g. cap's?)

[Brian]

Yeah, there's another thread on that here, search for 319 mod thread. I did it myself, I say "proceed with caution!" one slip of that scewdriver and your diaphragm is shot. It just makes the mice a little darker and balances the high end better, (IMO) more accurate.
They still don't output much. I'de like to do a complete guts change on one or two. The body isn't bad but the screens resonate a lot, they need damping more than the body.
I'm wantin to try one of these 990's to see if the top is better.
I think the electronics have something to do with the charactar of the octava's high end "not that smoothness". It's all in that other thread."Oktava MK-319 mic review"
http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... 133#186133
Tada!

[lancebug]

Are the 990's not very similar to the 603's only with the diaphram being side address instead? Or am I thinking of another mxl mic? Having a pair of 603's I dont know if I would bother with another flavor of 20mm mic from MXL. Sorry if this has already been said in another thread.

[mertmo]

hey everyone. This is my first post here... I thought i would spend it on my review of this mic.

I bought the 990/991 pack at Guitar Center one day on a total impulse buy, and took it to the studio where I work. Immediately put both mics up against a U87, TLM 103, and a 414 TL II. (mackie preamps). I was so impressed that I basically went straight back to the Guitar Center and bought another 990/991 pack so I could have a "stereo pair" of each mic. I especially liked the 990 on my voice, although not as much as the TLM 103.

My first impression was "wow, these mics actually sound really damn good, and i just scored them for $80! NO WAY!!!)

Since then I have done a big drum session using the 991's as overheads and it's hands down the best drum recording i've ever made. (other factors contributing to that as well) Great overhead sound, though. Usually I use a pair of 414's, but I honestly like the 991's better. Maybe I just prefer the sound of a small diaphram condenser for drum overheads...? Anyhow, they rocked.

Tonight I wanted to see which mic in the studio sounded best on my acoustic gtr. I put up the 990, the 991, the U87, and the TLM 103. Mic Preamp was a Universal Audio m610. My guitar is a Simon & Patrick cedar top dreadnought style. (same company that makes Norman, Seagull, Art & Lutherie...) The guitar is very silky, but lacks real "girth". Has body, but sometimes can sound "good but sorta fake..?" Nice gtr, though.

I ran the preamp through my ART proVLA on the way into Protools 001, using a SONY Dat recorder for conversion via SPDIF.

Folks, I can honestly say that the 990 through this input chain didn't suffer AT ALL in comparison to the two Nuemanns. It's just different. This isn't the only test like this I've done recently, I did it with some electric gtr too. (fender pro junior).
On the electric gtr rig, the 414 won easily, always does on that amp. But on my acoustic, it was pretty much a tossup between the TLM 103 and the 990. The 103 is darker and has a little more body. Probably more detailed in the lower mids and midrange in general. But the 990 isn't "thin" by any stretch and it has a really nice top end, very silky and crisp. I didn't feel like it was any "cheaper" sounding than the 103, just different. More detailed than the 103 in some areas. I recorded tracks of every mic into protools and then A/B'd them all against each other. Once I narrowed it down to the 103 and the 990, I recorded a new track with the 990, and switched the midrange boost on the UA preamp ON. I think it's a 5db boost at 4k..? The new track was much closer to the 103, and I actually preferred it to the 103 track. Using the EQ boost on the preamp is the way to go with this mic for me. The 990 was slightly more "hi-fi" sounding than either nuemann, and I dig that type of sound. A little brighter, and just a bit hyped out, but in a good way IMO. Definately not cheap sounding, though, like a Behringer mic I tried once.... YUK.


I am very impressed with this mic through my chain. Now here's the disclaimer... I had to go to Guitar Center 3 times to get 2 sets of these mics that sounded good. The first set I brought home sounded great, so I went back and got a second set. That set sounded like CRAP, not even remotely the same type of sound as the first mics. Went back again and traded them in for a third set, brought those home and the 990 from that set was BETTER than my first one. I called it a day at that point.
That third 990 was the one I tested tonight. But the two I have still don't sound just alike. Close, though. Same with the 991's, close but not the same.

I'm sure this is why there are such wildly varying reports on the sound of these cheap condesers. None of them are remotely the same!
So my advice to anyone wanting some cool cheap LDC's is GO FOR THE MXL 990!!!!! It's a great microphone! Just be prepared to listen to many of them before you buy, 'cause some of them sing and some of them suck!
Kind of annoying to have to keep trading them in, but not that annoying considering I have 2 mics that (on some sources) rival a $1000 Nuemann, and I got them both plus 2 more for under $200!!!!! SICK!

I tried not to think about who I was exploiting to score these things......



There you have it, I hope it helps someone considering these mics. I love these boards, I have been lurking for a while. Always loved TapeOP, and just found out about the forum a few months ago. I actually lived in portland for a while, and I remember calling up Jackpot studios and trying to get a job..... HA!

[No Wave Casio Kitsch]

Welcome to the board, MERTMO2, and thanks for the review.

-Giahni

[KennyLusk]

Lancebug, the 990 is the large diaphram 20mm. The 603 is a small diaphram and is more closely compared to the Oktava MK-012.

Mertmo2, thanks for the review. That's an outstanding comparison. I have a 990 myself and really enjoy it for vocals. I've not yet used my 990 in tracking acoustic guitar so that's something new I can try.

[Mark]

Actually the 990 is also a small diaphragm (same capsule as the 603). It's just housed in an LDC shell

[KennyLusk]

Nevermind

[Mark]

Hmm. Both mics are built around 20mm (not 15mm like I'd thought) capsules.

I guess that makes them MDCs.

Doesn't the AKG C2000 also use a 20mm capsule

[adgallant]

I'm using the 603 as an overhead, the rear rejection isn't what I'm looking for, it's near omni. How does the 990 or 991 compare in that respect?

[mertmo]

adgallant -

I didn't really notice/pay attention to the rear rejection of the 991 when I used it for the drum overheads. The session I did, I was playing the drums and engineering myself. There was noone else there, noone playing along. So there was no bleed from other instruments...

I have only tested these mics with me by myself in the studio. No actual sessions with bands or anything.

[joel hamilton]

I DO have a pair of CMV563's, but I think at this price, why NOT have one around!>!?!?!?

If I didnt have many microphones I would buy one immediately. I think I am going to get one just because they are so cheap! Try it in a kick drum, or on snare, or in front of a raging SVT 8X10!!!

Hooray! A new mic to really push hard...

[trashy]

bite it.