Best Mic for snare other than sm57?

My personal favorite mic for the snare is the Audio Technica AE3000. In fact this is simply just one of my favorite mics. It sounds very good, and comparable to the sm57 (just a little different of course) in most applications.
MSRP was about $400, but go for about $250-300. I got mine used on ebay for $100. I feel like I robbed the guy. It's an awesome mic. And because it's a medium-diaphragm condenser, it's actually quite easy to position on a snare. Which is one complaint I have about the sm57 (hard to get out of the way sometimes). It has a low-cut switch, and a -10db pad, and a max spl of 148db(158 with pad), all of which make it a very useful mic. In fact it's awesome on a guitar cab as well. (Although I haven't tried it, I have been told, and expect that it makes a great vocal mic as well.) If you can find one, buy it! It's just as useful as an sm57!!:D maybe even more...
 
The only mic I've ever heard that sounded right on a snare is a KM84. I'm sure there's others, but a KM84 sounds absolutely correct to me. A SM57 makes it into "the combo of a snare and an SM57", which a lot of people prefer to the actual sound of a snare. The KM84 sounds like the actual drum, every other mic I've heard warped it.

I'm using a EV PL11 currently because I have two KM84's but use them for overheads. The PL11 is a funky mic, it's not a serious mic but I like it better than an SM57 for snare.
 
Harley13 said:
Which is one complaint I have about the sm57 (hard to get out of the way sometimes).
Click to expand...

Check out what I wrote about taking the 57 apart under Recording techniques marked -57 on a snare has a picture with 5 mics on the snare 2nd page I think.
 
Last edited:
Audix i5

+1 for Audix i5. I'm pretty sure I liked my e835's before I sold them... now that I want them back, I refuse to pay more than the $40 that I sold them for :mad:

Anyways, i5.
 
Wow, another wicked old thread that will not die, which is good, I suppose, in this case, because this seems to be one of *the questions* that will not die. It's like- we all know we can use an SM57, and get something probably usable, but we feel like there must be more, somehow. What's more interesting is looking at my own post from 2005 or something. It is almost always embarrassing to read a post you wrote so long ago, because (usually/hopefully) you've learned since then. I guess I haven't learned much. I still tend to use an old AKG D320B. It's simply the best cheap dynamic I own. The only mic I'd rather use is SM7b, but it's just- big (and a wee bit pricey). It is built like a truck, except the cable that connects the body to the armature. I recommend strapping that down with gaffers tape before you let the drug crazed Death Metal drummer use it on snare.

If I want a more modern, "snappy" snare, I use AKG D3800 tripower. It's really too damned unforgiving as a vocal mic, but it rocks on snare. The D320B is "OK" on cabs (for me), but I have other preferences. But- I use it on snare in preference to SM57, e835, C414, C2000B, e609, D770. I think it's the heavy steel body (milled by Austrians, not spit-and-glued by Mexicans) makes it the dynamic I own with the least handling noise, by far. I never thought about it, but the factors that lead to lack of handling noise (density, mostly) also affect how it responds to a rim shot, or snare in general. If you give me a bunch of MD441's, EV RE20's, or SM7's, I'll use them for snare. I like cheaper targets. Here's my last weird tip- try this, because almost no one really has- Try AKGD112 *on snare*, or Audix D6. It can be very powerful through a good pre, with a little good EQ. If you like weird mics- I own a Shure SM82- a *line level* broadcast mic built to transmit signals over half a kilometer. Good for sports interviews in noisy stadiums, it *rocks* on snare, and loves high SPL's.

BTW- For the record, I am not down on Mexicans, nor do I believe the Austrians are ubermenschen. It's about gear, not race. We all know the difference between a Chinese knife and a Japanese knife.-Richie
 
Beyer M201. Sounds better than a 57 and it's still a relatively inexpensive target. Good on cabs too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top