Fake Oktavas again? By 797Audio

[syncro]

Today I have visited webpage of 797Audio after a long time - http://www.797audio.com This is the "famous" chinese factory which was built with the help of microphone technicians from East Germany.

There are two new mics on their pages that looks suspiciously similar to currently made russian Oktavas:

1. CR8288 - http://www.797audio.com/cms/detail.php?id=4 looks indistinguishable from Oktava MKL5000 - http://oktava.tula.net/mics/mkl5000.htm I can't spot any visual difference from the original.

2. CR8278 - http://www.797audio.com/cms/detail.php?id=8 looks very similar to Oktava MK319 - http://oktava.tula.net/mics/mk319.htm , although I was able to spot some difference. Original MK319 use different screws and doesn't have the small screw on bottom (on XLR connector).

Both microphones from 797Audio also don't have the serial number on the connector, at least it is not visible on the pictures.

I also have noticed in the last month that Electro harmonix is rebranding several Oktavas, but as they state that their mics are built in Russia, I think they are probably just rebranded original Oktavas - http://www.ehx.com/ehx2/default.asp?...%2DMicrophones

I think that there will be another "fake Oktavas" issue in the near future...

Syncro
GunJah Records
www.gunjah.cz

[TheSweetener]

...and the U95S looks like a Soundelux U195.

[Audiopool]

These are probably the "fake" Oktavas. I think 797 was one of the factories that made them. I have a Russian preproduction MKL5000 and it's useless. High frequencies will reflect on the base of the capsule. The frequency response looks really strange. The chinese looks exactly the same so it's probably the same problems with this.

[orange]

I don't have too much of a problem with it as long as they are not using the oktava name. The problem with the other 'fakes' was they were actually being sold as genuine oktava - so in that respect they were counterfeit.

[MadGuitrst]

Originally Posted by TheSweetener

...and the U95S looks like a Soundelux U195.

No, it's the U95...."Vacuum tube condenser microphone"

[syncro]

audiopool: I have the regular production unit (MKL5000) and I am quite satisfied with the sound of it. I don't know if your pre-production unit is the same, but mine sounds quite decent... Of course, it is always a matter of taste, but I won't call it useless at all 8-)

Syncro
GunJah Records
www.gunjah.cz

[pan60]

you have to know the dealer you are buying from.
i truly wish the counterfeits could some how be stopped.
maybe a organized vigilantly forced focused on beating anyone caught selling counterfeit audio gear.

[WidgetNinja]

Originally Posted by pan60

you have to know the dealer you are buying from.
i truly wish the counterfeits could some how be stopped.
maybe a organized vigilantly forced focused on beating anyone caught selling counterfeit audio gear.

There are companies working all sorts of techie things to do this at the moment. I'm actually hoping to hear from one in the next few weeks. They do plant to consumer end-to-end validation even over the web and have some heavy hitters backing them.

Prescriptions
Media
Brand Clothing
Auto parts
Tariff enforcement


It's a huge market without a standard solution, but the solutions are underway.

[pkautzsch]

Doesn't "FAKE" mean saying a mic is Oktava when in fact it isn't?
As long as the label on the mic says "797" it's not a "fake Oktava", even if the mic itself looks like an Oktava. Soundelux U** are more or less imitations of vintage Neumann U**. Nobody would say they're fake Neumanns.
The fake Oktavas of the last few years were illegally made in China abusing the original manufacturer's reputation by printing his name on a product which wasn't as good as the original. That's what fake is to me. Same goes for Chinese "Rolex" watches.
797 have also copied Schoeps' Colette system. But again, the label on the components says "797" and not "Schoeps". Copy yes, fake no.

[Audiopool]

Originally Posted by pkautzsch

Doesn't "FAKE" mean saying a mic is Oktava when in fact it isn't?
As long as the label on the mic says "797" it's not a "fake Oktava", even if the mic itself looks like an Oktava. Soundelux U** are more or less imitations of vintage Neumann U**. Nobody would say they're fake Neumanns.
The fake Oktavas of the last few years were illegally made in China abusing the original manufacturer's reputation by printing his name on a product which wasn't as good as the original. That's what fake is to me. Same goes for Chinese "Rolex" watches.
797 have also copied Schoeps' Colette system. But again, the label on the components says "797" and not "Schoeps". Copy yes, fake no.

The thing is that 797 made these for the former world distributor of Oktava who lost the deal with OAO Oktava to sell and market real Oktava mics. Oktava Ltd in UK had registered the EU trademark and moved manufacturing to 797 and another chinese factory. The scam was soon revealed though, and I for one did spend a lot of time to defend the original Oktavas agains the fake Oktavas.
What probably happend is that 797 were sitting on some stock commissioned buy Oktava Ltd. in the UK. They are bankrupt so they won't be able to buy the stock, so 797 decided to clear this stock.
So, from the beginning these were fake Oktavas, but 797 has rebranded them in order to sell the lot. The 797 version of the MKL2500 is not bad at all. It's extremely close to the original. I think you can change the chinese tube for a russian even. The 797 LD capsule is very good and in my opinion not inferior to the Oktava LDC's. The result would be a decent tube LD, significantly cheaper than the MKL2500 and probably just as good.

[pkautzsch]

Ah, I see. So they are re-branded fake Oktavas

[Audiopool]

Originally Posted by syncro

audiopool: I have the regular production unit (MKL5000) and I am quite satisfied with the sound of it. I don't know if your pre-production unit is the same, but mine sounds quite decent... Of course, it is always a matter of taste, but I won't call it useless at all 8-)

Syncro
GunJah Records
www.gunjah.cz

I am sure many people will have use for it, it's just that I don't like it - so it's useless for me... As you say - a matter of taste. I bought mine cheap though and I will probably e-bay it soon to get rid of it...