Which mic for Bass drum...

V

ViewMaster2000

New member
Hello,
Can someone please tell me a good bass drum mic that is specified for a bass drum, that isn't too expensive (excluding the SM57/58). My budget is about $200 (Australian dollars)

Thanks
 
Can someone please tell me a good bass drum mic that is specified for a bass drum, that isn't too expensive (excluding the SM57/58). My budget is about $200 (Australian dollars)
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The ATM 25 is a great mic.

I recently bought a ATM Pro 25 which is a cheaper version of the ATM 25 but still does an exceptional job. It cost me $139 AUD from Pro Audio in Canberra.

Tukkis

p.s.- welcome to the board fellow aussie!
 
shure beta 52 works very good with bass drum. It takes a little experimenting to get that sound you want, but it does the job
 
I can not convert $Aust. but here's a copy of a post from another board for you:

"Elliot Scheiner Choices in Mix interview 1/2003 he says more but this is condensed.

Snare SM57 Top only
Toms ATM25
Kick D112 sometimes RE 20
OH All Tubes AKG C12 V67 Telefunken 250

Al Schmitt Choices on one of his clients per his post on another board.

Drums are a D112 for kick, 451 and SM57 on the snare, 414's on toms, a 451's for the hat and overheads. Overhead mics change sometimes depending on the drummer and project.

I've been trying to study all I can about these two guys both have a good sound. But above all I've been trying to aquire mikes gradually and starting to buy the standards first while my ear grows my own sound.

I guess everyone here has had to aquire their sound and build a mic locker based on what their income will allow. This probably holds true for even the real big guns."


Now let's see this thread forces me to add one more BIG GUN to the D112 crowd, Harvey.

I've been using the D112 also and my reason is that when I bought I had to mail order a kick (400 miles from real pro audio dealers). I searched the forums, reviews, interviews, and anything else I could read and found it was picked more by people I respected than the other choices. When I received the mike I certainly was not sorry for the choice although I had little experience with kicks up to it.

I think Harvey's post above was just about by deciding vote for the ATM 25 on toms. I'll probably order it now to try."

Harvey Gerst that's carrying on the big mike thread is the Harvey that the reference was to. Link to big mike thread: https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27030

Here's a link if I can make one work in this forum to original thread I copied it from: http://recpit.prosoundweb.com/viewtopic.php?t=3129&postdays=0&postorder=&start=15

I think the ATM 25 may be a reasonable mike to aquire for drum use just based on its reputation. I know I'm going to get one soon to use on floor tom first and see how it works here. I bet it would also be respectable on bass or kick (whichever you may call it).
 
A lot of people swear by the Sennheiser MD 421 for kick. I use a D-112, but have used a 421 before and must say that they do reproduce a kick drum quite well.

Never use an RE-20 on a floor tom!
Just thought I would throw that out there.
 
i rented an apex 125 the other day to do some recordings and i think it worked great. they are pretty cheap too
 
AKG D112 is about $200 U.S. here, but I don't know if it's in your budget where you are. However, if it is, I would heartily recommend it. Not only is it good on kick, but it's simply a good dynamic mic. I use it for Djembe and Doumbek, as well as for standup bass, bass cab, and believe it or not, I've seen it used effectively on harmonica!! Go figure.-Richie
 
charliedango said:

Never use an RE-20 on a floor tom!
Just thought I would throw that out there.
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I haven't, but mostly due to the fact that it's the size of a small aircraft carrier. Was there a more audio-oriented reason to your recommendation?
 
I've been using an AKG D550 for standard bass drum duties for a while now. I'm pretty happy with the response, especially if you get it up close. I think in Aussie bucks you would be looking at about 150, but not too many retailers have them, indeed not many people seem to mention this mic at all. It is a good first kick mic, and can always move onto floor tom duty later. I have used it several times up close on a bass amp and I really like the mic there. My other choice is a Studio Projects B1, but you will need to place it further back from the kick. I got a great jazzy sound out of just that out front and a Rode NT3 as an overhead. however, this is a condensor. the B1 will run you roughly the same money.
In order to save some cash, I'd probably go for the ATM Pro25 from Pro Audio like Tukkis recommended. I've been meaning to pick one of these up for a while... I can't wait to find a placeto live so I can start buying gear again...

-Dr_S
 
littledog said:
I haven't, but mostly due to the fact that it's the size of a small aircraft carrier. Was there a more audio-oriented reason to your recommendation?
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The cardiod pattern of the RE-20 is very wide. It picks up more ride cymbal than it does actual floor tom half the time.
 
Richard Monroe said:
AKG D112 is about $200 U.S. here, but I don't know if it's in your budget where you are. However, if it is, I would heartily recommend it. Not only is it good on kick, but it's simply a good dynamic mic. I use it for Djembe and Doumbek, as well as for standup bass, bass cab, and believe it or not, I've seen it used effectively on harmonica!! Go figure.-Richie
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I just got my D112 in the mail a couple days ago.. Sounds great on the kick in just about any position, and I've also used it on acoustic guitar, bass cab, and for backing vocals! Always sounds exactly how I will expect it to :)

Scott
 
littledog said:
Thanks Charlie...

and by the way - welcome aboard!
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Thanks! I think you're the first person who's welcomed me here. I may be mistaken though. Me brains gone potty!

While I'm at it, does anyone own any d-series audix mics? I've got a DP2 pack and I have only used them once. I'm not really swooning over their performance, but then again the drummer's performance wasn't that great and the kit was total garbage. Does anyone else have any experience with these mics in a studio situation?
 
scottr said:
Sounds great on the kick in just about any position, and I've also used it on acoustic guitar . . .
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That would be interesting to hear . . . not knocking you for it or anthing, just never really, uh, thought of it that way. :D
 
scottr said:
I just got my D112 in the mail a couple days ago.. ...Always sounds exactly how I will expect it to :)

Scott
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That's basically because the D112 presses quite a stamp on a sound. It has quite a particular frequency response (boosted 80-120Hz, cut mid, 2,5kHz peak), which is also one of the ideal frequency responses to make when wanting to create Metallica/Pantera like kick sound.
 
Speeddemon said:
That's basically because the D112 presses quite a stamp on a sound. It has quite a particular frequency response (boosted 80-120Hz, cut mid, 2,5kHz peak), which is also one of the ideal frequency responses to make when wanting to create Metallica/Pantera like kick sound.
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This makes me think again about the 421. It doesn't have the same frequency curve the D-112 has so the sound come across more dark. It doesn't reproduce the good ol' "click" the way a D-112 can. When working with country artists I've found the 421 to be a very desirable sound when in direct contrast to the D-112, particularly because of the "click". I've heard people say they like to use D-112's on floor toms, but if they are nearly as open as an RE-20 I wouldn't ever think of using them in that application.
 
akg d12 is the best i've used, but hard to find in good condition because they're no longer made. d112 is very good. atm25 is kickin, i own one and like it a lot. shure beta 52 will get the job done nicely.

i'll take the d12 if i have a choice.
 
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