Audio Technica KP KitPak

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mikeh

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Has anyone used this 4 pack (2-snare/tom and 2-kick/tom)? I'm thinking about getting them for live application (ya, I know this is Home Recording).

I have always used SM57's on all my drums, simply because I've owned a set of 57's for a long time. Although I will still use a 57 on the snare, I like the low profile of the AT Pak - (and I can get the 4 PAK at a very low cost) however, I notice the frequency response on the AT's is less than the 57's (both on the high and low end) and I'm guessing the Cardioid pattern is a little tighter than the 57's (which may be a problem if I try to mic two drums with one mic).

Any feedback would be appreciated - I need to make a decision on this real soon!
 
Just today I went to Guitar Center to talk about drum mic sets. Though I never heard them before, the guy there said that the audio technicas are not good (they suck), hold out for the Shure 3 sm57 set with a bass drum mic, its about $400 at guitar if you could afford it. Or also look at the Cad PMP43 (I don't know if that is the exact name)

-kikling
 
I have a set of these AT's at the club and tried using them. YUK!!!

Very plain sounding in every way. Was unable to really pull out any tone on the drums with them.

We also have the older CAD drum mic pack, the one they used to sell that had a kick mic and two "snare/tom" mics. The kick mic is killer sounding! The snare/tom mics sound very good on toms.

All in all though, the SM-57 is my choice for snare and toms. I love their sound, and am very used to how to eq them a bit to get the great crack and deep bottom on toms and a nice up front snare.

If you can find that CAD mic, I believe it is the R10 (or maybe it was the R11), I am sure you would be very pleased with it as a kick drum mic, and use 57's on tom's and snare.

Ed
 
i have the OLD AT drum pack. and it was/is good. i dont use it anymore as i have 57s and sennheiser e604s up the wazoo, but i havent let it go. First off the old kick drum mic is like the pro25.. i think thats what its called, it is uncanilly similar in shape size and weight. only it had a purple tag instead of red on it and it was the 2500... hmm... well. i dont know though, ive picked up that new set too look at. the "tom/snare" mics look cooler, but i havent been able to use them, and kinda dont want to :).
 
Thanks for the replys. I bought the mics and used them at a gig this weekend. Sitting behind the kit it's always hard to get a good idea on the tone through the mains. But talking to people who have heard my kit often - I was told the AT mics sounded "dull" compared to the 57's.

I'm returning the AT mics - and will keep using the 57's on the snare and the toms. I do want to get a better mic for the kick - any suggestions? I'm thinking about the D112. Ed, I'll try to track down the CAD you mentioned. How does it compare to the D112?

The main problem I have is that I use three different drum kits. I free lance with alot of different groups. I have a 22" kick (for rock gigs), a 20" kick (for funk/pop gigs) and an 18" kick for jazz. The SM57 works OK (or at least reasonable) on the 22" and 20" but it's difficult to get a fat sound out of an 18".
 
The main difference between that CAD and a D 112 (by the way, I do not care for D 112's at all....) is that the CAD definately has a much better top end. Very sharp attack! What is great about it is that you really only get it when you apply some boost eq at around 4KHz, and maybe some High Shelf EQ.

Also, the CAD seems to have a deeper bottom end. It is a "pre-emphasised" mic like the D 112 (meaning, and intentional eq curve specific to a kick drum sound is designed into the mic) but I have found it to be more open sounding. The D 112 seems to have a more 100-250Hz presence to it, and I find that makes is sort of cloudy on most kick drums.

Funny that people described your drum sound with those AT's the same way I did eh? ;)

Ed
 
Hey Sonusman,

If you're our there, thanks! I found the CAD pack. The kick mic is much better than the AT kick (and better than the 57) it's goes from 50Hz - 15kHz good low end but still allows a good attack. The toms mics sound good too, but the 57's still seem to give me the sound I want. It's probably like you said, I think I understand how to place them and EQ them to get what I want.

So anyway thanks again - I almost always get good information from someone at this site!!
 
Hey mikeh, if you are finding this combo to work well for live for you, then you and I would be able to work quite well together in a live setting.....;)

In low priced kick mics, that CAD is the first one that I found that has a pre-emphasised sound that is workable. AT Pro 25 is okay, but still lacks the sharp attack the CAD does. AKG D-112's sound like ass to me. Beta 52's seem to work best for kicks that are already way too bright sounding, but it if you need to pull out high end with them, NO WAY!!!

For toms, the only other mic that I have used that had a usable sound is the Sennheiser 421. The 57 is just killer for live AND studio on toms. Big bottom if you place it right, and very easy to pull out attack. 4-6dB of midrange cut is needed to get rid of that sort of cloudy sound on toms, but perfectly acceptable to me. I have tried the EV (I believe it was the 603's) and found them to be almost unusable. Very dull! The Audix stuff is unsufferable on the top end and is hard to get a good bottom on. Those AT's I mentioned before are crapola. The CAD tom mics are okay, but really only work well with very dull sounding toms. They are a bit too sharp on top for most toms.

Anyway.....Good to hear that you are happy and found something usable.

Ed
 
I've been looking into drum mics too this weekend.

So...

Ed, I used the Sennheisers on toms just a while ago, think it was e604's.(Thought it were MHZ 504-something, but that seemed to be the clip. :rolleyes: ) I'm pretty happy with the sound. (You can hear them at: www.freedrive.com login: superdas pasw: roel song: castdown3.mp3)
They are slightly more expensive as the sm57's over here. Could you check the mp3 and convince me in one or another way? (The difference in price would get me the e604's, since they don't need mic-stands, and those clip-ons are so easy in use!)

And for the kick... D112 is no good. How does it compare to the e602? Any other mics for kick?
 
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