Oktava (Октава) is a Russian microphone manufacturer, which is part of Ruselectronics holding. It produces a variety of microphones for professional audio and general use. Oktava sells most of its products to the United States and Europe.
History
In June 1927, the electronics plant that became Oktava opened in Tula, producing radio components, and in four years grew from a local workshop into a large plant supplying microphones across the Soviet Union, attached to the Ministry of Postal Services.
Around 1932, the plant focused on the production of acoustical-electrical transducers, microphones and loudspeakers, and their first prototype tuned radio frequency receiver was produced that year. In 1934 the plant designed and manufactured a 30-watt dynamic loudspeaker, and the first batch of 100 was installed in Moscow squares. A 10-watt horn loudspeaker followed the next year, which would remain in production until 1945. 1936 saw the release of a dynamic microphone and the T35 radio receiver. The T37 radio receiver, released two years later, won second prize at the 1938 Technology of Communication exhibition.
In October 1941 the plant evacuated to Perm, but technicians and engineers were able to return early the following year to reconstruct the plant, which re-opened in May, producing mine-detectors, horn loudspeakers, and dynamic microphones. In 1943 the company developed a crystal loudspeaker and won first prize in a national competition. Another similar prize followed in 1945, and 169 staff members won medals in recognition of "excellent work". In 1946 the plant adopted the name Oktava (meaning "octave"), and in 1948 they began production of a 100-watt loudspeaker, the first batch of which were installed in