| If it has a Russian manual, it is a Russian mic - even though you paid a ridiculously low price for the mic.
The price drop was caused by the confusion created in the marketplace when the Chinese copies appeared. Guitar Center and their online retail arm Musician's Friend dumped the mics at below cost to get rid of them and the counterfeit problem - quickly.
The MK-219 was originally introduced in the West through Harris-Allied in 1994, listed at $599 and was generally regarded as an exceptional value at that price (in 1994 dollars). Like all things, the supply / demand equation sets price and the mics are only beginning to recover to a price level that is consistent with the high quality they offer. |