a NEW snare mic

[Nick The Man]

well the search function really isnt working for me know so i decided to open a new thread on snare mics.

I've used a Shure SM57 for probbaly about the past 2 years now, I realized im not really pleased with the results. So I've done a little research and found some mics that seem pretty common when micing the snare drum.

I've been thinking about purchasing one of them, im just not sure which one to go with. I want a really crisp punchy snare. The "list" actually consists of two mics that I'm really considering at this point. What would you consider for a new snare mic.

Beyerdynamic M201
Audio Technica ATM450

I know theres more...


NICK

 

[MadAudio]

I've already replaced the 57 with the M201 on snare and I love it.

 

[jamacian]

GT convertible. It rules for snare and it's pretty good for guitar cabinets as well.

 

[NL5]

AT23HE on Top
M300 on the bottom
Add in some good overheads,
A well tuned snare,
In a great room,
With a good drummer,
Some decent preamps,
A great A/D converter (or a nice tape machine)
And you'll have a fantastic snare sound!

 

[Nick The Man]

AT23HE on Top
M300 on the bottom
Add in some good overheads,
A well tuned snare,
In a great room,
With a good drummer,
Some decent preamps,
A great A/D converter (or a nice tape machine)
And you'll have a fantastic snare sound!

TALKING CASH right there. I dont seem to come up with anything when i google AT23HE. I'm assuming its a audio technica... but thats about all i know for now.

i think i have the well tuned snare, OK room, Good drummer, preamps... not so good (behringer), i have a tascam interface.

I think i can still come up with something exceptable.

 

[Nick The Man]

GT convertible. It rules for snare and it's pretty good for guitar cabinets as well.

really? thats intresting, ive never even heard of this mic, do you leave the windscreen on or no?

 

[Nick The Man]

I've already replaced the 57 with the M201 on snare and I love it.

yeah im feeling really strong about finding a M201, although when i e-mailed sweetwater, the guy seemed to gravate more towards the at450. I think just because its cheaper and they carry them.

 

[MadAudio]

yeah im feeling really strong about finding a M201, although when i e-mailed sweetwater, the guy seemed to gravate more towards the at450. I think just because its cheaper and they carry them.

Well I ain't the gospel and you've gotten some really good advice already. Mind you I've never tried it for anything else yet so I can't say how I like it on guitar cab or what have you.

 

[NL5]

TALKING CASH right there. I dont seem to come up with anything when i google AT23HE.

That's why I put the smiley face..... I know that is a pretty tall order.

As far as The AT mic, I accidentally left a letter out. It's a ATM23HE. They go for about $150 new I believe. Not terribly expensive. Great sound, even with an aggressive drummer.

edit -

BTW, you could use a MXL603 in place of the gefell and get 95% of the sound.

 

[Nick The Man]

Some mics that i have laying around are:

Matched pair of Rode NT5s
e609
MXL990
more 57s
Behri ECM8000

 

[mrface2112]

BTW, you could use a MXL603 in place of the gefell and get 95% of the sound.

damn, that's the mic i was going to suggest!

yes, try the 603. seriously. you may need to pad it, and you've gotta watch out for hihat spill....but with a good drummer who understands not to kill the hats, it's an excellent snare mic. try it where you used to put the 57, or aiming at the shell from 4-6 inches away, or underneath. it does nicely in all areas. it also matches up well with a 57--gaffer tape the two together with their diaphragms even with each other (on the same plane), and use that as your over-snare "mic". snap and thunk together.

the other one i'd suggest is the sennheiser 609, which you seem to have laying around. try it poking over the edge, kinda back across the drum. adjust to taste.

but really, if the sound's not there in the first place, you're just not going to get it regardless of what mic you use. and that's a combination of the drums themselves and how they're tuned, the drummer and the room. you can't record what's not there.


cheers,
wade

 

[Lectric_Lab]

I got a few mics in the drum room I use on snare, and if you want a crisp sound you might want to audition a Audix I5, hunerd bux very crisp I use it on floor tom mainly, but sometimes on a snare it depends...I sometimes take a 57 and tape it together with a sdc as suggested earlier, good control of bleed and eq, you can even take some cardboard and make a cone around them.

 

[MessianicDreams]

you can even take some cardboard and make a cone around them.

you WHAT???!?!

 

[Rick_Levine]

I got a few mics in the drum room I use on snare, and if you want a crisp sound you might want to audition a Audix I5

I've got an Audix i5 on my snare and it is great. I have tried lots of things, but this single mic pleases the most. I had an AT2020 LDC on top and an AT2021 SDC on bottom ($150 for both), and they didn't sound as good as the i5.

 

[bubbagump]

I am an i5 fan myself. Depending on the snare, i might pull out a 57, SM7 or e609, but for the most part the i5 does the job 90% of the time.

 

[mrface2112]

you WHAT???!?!

what, you've never heard of this? using something to physically "separate" the hihat out of the snare mic goes back a long ways. people use music stands, cardboard, even plexiglass. this is part of the logic behind the auralex aural xpander kit. using a "cone" around the snare mic is one approach to this.


cheers,
wade

 

[Ironklad Audio]

hell, bruce swedien said a few days ago on gearslutz that he built a baffle that physically sticks between the snare and hat to reduce bleed

 

[jamacian]

really? thats intresting, ive never even heard of this mic, do you leave the windscreen on or no?

I leave it on for the top or use the instrument grille on the bottom. It makes a killer snare mic to my ears because the snare just pops out of the mix with no eq. It stands out without being harsh or gritty.

 

[Warhead]

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2079&alid=1506

There you can hear one of my KM84 vs an sE Electronics SE3 mic on snare (among other things). The SE3 isn't the cheapest mic around, but I'll be damned if it doesn't slay snare drums.

On the cheap the Audix i5 is the best thing going in my experience in a dynamic, I prefer it over the M210. Some of those cheapos are OK also, the ADK SC-2 is good also.

You guys can hear tons of mics side by side here:

http://www.studioauditions.com/ (go to the Jam Room Sessions section)

War

 

[Supercreep]

I really like my MD421 on my snare.