Best Kick Drum Mic Under 200$
- Thread starter Douhgy
- Start date
kid klash
The original Mr. Nice Guy
Regardless of the mic you finally choose (I voted for the AKG D-112 myself), either buy a peel-and-stick metal disc and stick it on the kick drum head, right where the beater hits it, or duct-tape a fender washer to the head in the same place. Still not snappy enough? Change the beater from a felt head to a wooden head. STILL not metal-licious enough? Change the felt or wooden beater to a hard plastic beater, and bang THAT against the metal disk... instant OZZY drums!
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
You want it to sound good, right? Make the nice salesman mic up a kick drum, and earn his keep. All this talk about "deep" and "snappy" "metallic" won't really help to describe the sound you want. You have to hear it. I voted for AKG D112. It, or the Sennheiser, are the only dynamics in the bunch I would use for something other than kick or tom, because they're just good dynamic mics. When you can't have all the mics you want (the real world), I like versatility, and a D112 can be interesting on a number of instruments. -Richie
I have not been able to test the others. I've been an AKG guy since the D12. I didn't even try anything else before buying the D112. It's great and good enough.....like a Rolls Royce.
Hans,
www.hagen.nu
Hans,
www.hagen.nu
I have do not have a akg d112 myself, but from what i have heard on songs and from my musical friends, it's one hell of a mic. I use a shure beta 52. it does a great job on picking up the kick. from soft, jazzy kicks to metal clicks, with a little eq and the right placement the beta 52 will kick ass! It's about $10 cheaper ($189) then the d112 and the beta has a better sound threshold too ( akg : 150db/ shure: 174db) I'm not really sure if the akg's threshold is 150db, but it's somewhere arould that. for a demo of the sounds that i have got with the beta 52, listen to my 2 songs. i used the beta on both of the songs.
www.nowhereradio.com/zeke/singles
Zeke
www.nowhereradio.com/zeke/singles
Zeke
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Actually, Zeke, AKG defines the maximum SPL for 0.5% THD as "ummeasureable". Threshold would refer to the minimum input signal that would result in output. While it may be a true claim technically, "unmeasureable" doesn't mean it's not there. I would be surprised if you have a piece of rock and roll hardware that can clip a D112 noticeably.-Richie
Douhgy,
You can find a sample of a D112 from a session I've made here:
http://www.hig.se/~hrn/forum_samples/sample_akg112.wav
The mic was positioned about 30 cm's from the center of the front skin. If it's positioned closer, the more sound you'll get. In this recording I wanted it to be like this, a 3-mic setup.
No compression, no effects used, just the raw sound.
The bass drum used here is a small (Sonor) one with a towel laying in it and a ....hmm..about 20 cm hole in it in the middle. In my opinion it was not in the best shape....
It's recorded through a Presonus Digimax.
Hans,
www.hagen.nu D112 used all over here.
You can find a sample of a D112 from a session I've made here:
http://www.hig.se/~hrn/forum_samples/sample_akg112.wav
The mic was positioned about 30 cm's from the center of the front skin. If it's positioned closer, the more sound you'll get. In this recording I wanted it to be like this, a 3-mic setup.
No compression, no effects used, just the raw sound.
The bass drum used here is a small (Sonor) one with a towel laying in it and a ....hmm..about 20 cm hole in it in the middle. In my opinion it was not in the best shape....
It's recorded through a Presonus Digimax.
Hans,
www.hagen.nu D112 used all over here.
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donkeystyle
New member
you can try an audio technica atm25.......... that's what i have and i love it.......and i didn't get the best deal on mine and mine was exactly 200.......i think you could probably find one for just under 200 including tax........
i would have gotten mine for that much, but i ended up going to the store while my friend wasn't at work and i couldn't rememebr what my friend had quoted me, so the guy that helped me charged me 199 instead of the 169 or 179 that my friend quoted me............sucky..........but it's awesome.........so i still think i got a good enough deal.............
and it's got a kind of natural mid scoop right around 500 hz.........so it get's rid of u know...that sound that's annoying......i don't really know how to put it......the metallic sound...not the attack of the beater.....that's around 3 to 9 khz........ the metallic crap that no one likes anyway.........at least i don't think anyone likes it
i would have gotten mine for that much, but i ended up going to the store while my friend wasn't at work and i couldn't rememebr what my friend had quoted me, so the guy that helped me charged me 199 instead of the 169 or 179 that my friend quoted me............sucky..........but it's awesome.........so i still think i got a good enough deal.............
and it's got a kind of natural mid scoop right around 500 hz.........so it get's rid of u know...that sound that's annoying......i don't really know how to put it......the metallic sound...not the attack of the beater.....that's around 3 to 9 khz........ the metallic crap that no one likes anyway.........at least i don't think anyone likes it
eeldip
New member
yea leakage smeakage
yes, out a few feet- like 3 or so- you get a bit of leakage. you also get huge bottom. you get to catch some nice 60hz and lower. so you can pull out some of the top and count getting some of the skin of the BD to come out on other mics, OH or whatever.
guess the 3 feet out from the kick is more for a 3-4 mic setup. you also get some nice floor tom stuff from this mic...
anyway regarding the atm25, i think i picked mine up new for $119 or so on sale. got it cause it was the cheapest of the bunch. havent regretted it. another totally cheap one that is pretty good is the K&K bo7 (pick them up on ebay). made in oregon by germans. i had one but sold it and got the atm25 as an "upgrade". they seem to work equally well and the K&K is quite a bit cheaper.
yes, out a few feet- like 3 or so- you get a bit of leakage. you also get huge bottom. you get to catch some nice 60hz and lower. so you can pull out some of the top and count getting some of the skin of the BD to come out on other mics, OH or whatever.
guess the 3 feet out from the kick is more for a 3-4 mic setup. you also get some nice floor tom stuff from this mic...
anyway regarding the atm25, i think i picked mine up new for $119 or so on sale. got it cause it was the cheapest of the bunch. havent regretted it. another totally cheap one that is pretty good is the K&K bo7 (pick them up on ebay). made in oregon by germans. i had one but sold it and got the atm25 as an "upgrade". they seem to work equally well and the K&K is quite a bit cheaper.
More importantly than mic selection and placement, is the sound of the drum itself. Before you put a mic on there, make sure the drum sounds good and sounds like you want it to. Then you can put a Beta 52 on there if you're doing a "modern" rock type of band (metal, pop punk, heavy rock), or a D112 on there for more traditional sounding music (jazz, classic rock, indie/emo).
I don't think listening to other peoples samples or having the salesman demo a few in a store will help much, because so much of the sound depends on the drum itself and the style of music.
I don't think listening to other peoples samples or having the salesman demo a few in a store will help much, because so much of the sound depends on the drum itself and the style of music.
cavedog101
Well-known member
I couldnt vote for two but thats what i use...i use an audix d-4 in on the head,slightly off axis and an atm-25 out in front ,just inside the front head for the beef...note not the at pro 25...but the original atm-25...they are different...the pro doesnt sound as good IMHO...i used d12's(great) d-112(not so great imho) d-10's(woofy).m409 sennheiser(great!),re-20(interesting)..57's..etc...i dont agree with the d-112 for jazz??? too boomy and no way to tighten it up..the old d-12 was much much better...the 409 was the best...the sound i get now is as good as any ive ever gotten...the d-4 is so crisp and accurate and the atm-25 is so big..a lot of bottom with control......
The new Red5 Audio RVD1 outperforms all the mics in the poll - including the older AKG D12.
jmproductions
New member
I'll have to put my .02 in my CAD E100. I've had best results inside the kick about halfway pointing at the beater, this is in a close-micing setup. Always get an awesome sound without too much effort. You'll have to find it used, because I think it was discontinued. Probably $100-150
morte sicura
New member
I've had good luck with the Peavey 520i. My roommate's also been using it as a vocal mic for some of his 4-track stuff. I think I paid $90 or so for it used. I must add however that my experience as an "engineer" is really limited! Given the sessions I've played on, or a less restrictive personal budget, I like an RE20 the best. D12 second.