small diaphragm or large for overheads

  • Thread starter Thread starter Foo-bu
  • Start date Start date

large diaphragm or small for drum overheads

  • large

    Votes: 9 33.3%

  • small

    Votes: 18 66.7%
  • Total voters
    27
When you add "It Depends" as a third option, let me know, so I can vote.
 
It depends. I do like 4033's a lot which puts me directly on the fence.:cool:
 
yeah im thinking of getting 2 apex 430s as overheads for drums. im using a 4 mic set up kick snare and 2 OHs i hope im doing the smart thing. i just want to be able to do some demo recordings. the clearer the better but i dont have a big budget right now. im stuck debating between the apex 430s or the audio technica pro 32s
 
It depends. However, most of the time SDC, so I voted for small. :)
 
For most of the stuff we do it's large diaphram condensers to get all the detail of the drums and room. Works well because we don't mic toms and very often don't use much of the snare mic except for effects. However we are about to start a harder rock project and the plan is to use a center large diaphram (likely in front maybe overhead) and 2 wide spaced sdc to really get a wider image, double bass and snare.
 
Most of the time I use LDC's. I get better toms and when I set the pad switch on, I get pretty even kit / cymbals.

But my room is treated and that may make the difference for ya. LCD's pick up everything...good and bad.
 
bassbrad said:
For most of the stuff we do it's large diaphram condensers to get all the detail of the drums and room.
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Larger diaphragms will tend to be less detailed than smaller diaphragms. Their polar patterns can be a bit less tight though; that could result in a wider response than a cardioid SDC.
 
probably my bad for bringing back this thread as I voted for it without really regarding the date....
 
Heh, old thread.

I use LDC's, mainly because that's the mics I bought because of their versatility beyond OH's. If I miked the toms I'm sure I'd switch to SDC's, but for now, with just a 4 mic setup, LDC's.
 
tojo said:
probably my bad for bringing back this thread as I voted for it without really regarding the date....
Click to expand...

No worries dude. ;) The info is just as relevant today as then.
Besides, I'm back-pedaling cuz I didn't notice either. :D
 
mshilarious said:
Larger diaphragms will tend to be less detailed than smaller diaphragms. Their polar patterns can be a bit less tight though; that could result in a wider response than a cardioid SDC.
Click to expand...

I'm sure a lot depends on the mics and none of mine are great but they do work. We intitially set up both the sdc & ldc to see and preferred the overall sound of the ldc. The sdc mics were better for cymbals but we barely heard the rest of the kit, where the ldc mics alone had the entire kit in very good balance allowing us to use the other mics to punch up the bass drum and snare as needed.
 
bassbrad said:
I'm sure a lot depends on the mics and none of mine are great but they do work. We intitially set up both the sdc & ldc to see and preferred the overall sound of the ldc. The sdc mics were better for cymbals but we barely heard the rest of the kit, where the ldc mics alone had the entire kit in very good balance allowing us to use the other mics to punch up the bass drum and snare as needed.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the SDCs had either too narrow a polar pattern or had no low end. That's pretty much the reaction I had after switching from Nady CM-90s to Oktava MK-012s. I instantly went from all cymbals to a nice kit image. Both of those are SDCs, of course.
 
I use smalls...I have a nice set of Zildgin A series cymbols...and LDC dont bring them out into the open as well.
 
Ive been using 3/4" LDCs and I like the way the toms are fuller and the Cymbols are detailed...Ive changed my preference.
 
Don't forget the ceiling's part in all this. Low ceilings can wreak havoc on overhead tracks with the right (wrong) mic config.

I have many hours of junk tracked with an AT4050 over the kit and now wish I had just run with some cheap cardioid SDCs. I like close mic'd drums though and use that track mainly for the sizzle, with a really sharp HPF knocking all the low end out of it. The stuff I'm unhappy with lacks the sharpness and detail I wanted there. I think it was partly from the large diaphragm, but also from poor placement and the close proximity ceiling (which I thought was very well treated). Solo'd with some EQ, some of it almost has the phase mush of a poorly placed pair of mics.

Take Care
 
darrin_h2000 said:
Ive been using 3/4" LDCs and I like the way the toms are fuller and the Cymbols are detailed...Ive changed my preference.
Click to expand...

Just to be pedantic, 3/4" is still considered an SDC. Well, I generally call the 2/3" and 3/4" capsules MDCs and anything below half an inch an SDC, but AFAIK, that's not a standard term by any means. The generally accepted cutoff for calling something an LDC is about an inch.
 
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