Budget floor tom mic

[mikgag]

Which of these these do you think would do the better job at recording 2 floor toms (14" + 16") ...placing the mic in the middle of the two.

AKG D550
AKG D22
Audix F12
CAD KM212
plain old SM57

please don't suggest something like the md421 or d112, we're talking small budget here.

[isfahani]

I only quickly compared these two, but it looks like the audix F2 has slightly more response in the low end than the CAD... the SM57 would be my very last choice.

[mikgag]

So the CAD and SM57 are out then...they were my last choices anyway.

[pinkieandtherev]

Which of these these do you think would do the better job at recording 2 floor toms (14" + 16") ...placing the mic in the middle of the two.

AKG D550
AKG D22
Audix F12
CAD KM212
plain old SM57

please don't suggest something like the md421 or d112, we're talking small budget here.

I'm using the F12 as my kick right now, with a RS 33-3032 on the floor tom. I'd like to upgrade to the...F14, i think it is...the Fusion dedicated kick mic. Then it would be a tossup between the F12 and the 33-3032 on the floor tom.

[PhilGood]

Pfft! The SM57 would be my first choice out of that batch!

It's the most widely used tom/snare mic in history! How could you possibly make it your last choice?

Record much?

[Weasel9992]

Pfft! The SM57 would be my first choice out of that batch!

It's the most widely used tom/snare mic in history! How could you possibly make it your last choice?

Record much?

Couldn't agree more...it'd be my first choice hands down.

Frank

[mikgag]

Record much?

Thanks. Very insightful.

I use 57's on the rack toms, but figured it wouldn't be the the best choice for the floor tom. If your infinite wisdom says otherwise, I'll give it a try.

[isfahani]

Pfft! The SM57 would be my first choice out of that batch!

It's the most widely used tom/snare mic in history! How could you possibly make it your last choice?

Record much?

Yeah, only 100's of studio sessions and 1000's of live shows in the past 25 years.

Whatever. A late night/early morning response, let me add a little: If I were on a budget, I wouldn't be looking at a 57... Although I might go for the ES57 cloned version at a 3:1 ratio. And frankly the fact that the 57 is IS used so much, and is so overpriced, makes me loathe to use it or recommend it.

[dgatwood]

It's the most widely used tom/snare mic in history! How could you possibly make it your last choice?

By the same token, the Ford Escort sold more units than almost any other car for most of its reign.



My gut says that the SM57 is used so broadly not because it is necessarily the best for the job, but because it is the most common. Any number of dynamics should be fine on floor tom, and the SM57 lies somewhere in that continuum.

[cavedog101]

Yeah you know that most of the big PA guys like the 57 because its so common.

On another note...The PG52 is a surprisingly good low tom mic even if it is one of those 'budget' Shures.