Blue Kickball?

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Robertt8

Robertt8

Well-known member
Hey people!

Just looking to replace my kick drum mic as either i broke my current one (Audio Technica Pro25) or it never really worked (sound always seems really muffled like i'm recording the kick drum through a wall and the mic is covered in blankets no matter where i place it).

anyhoo, i'm intrigued by the Kickball by Blue. anyone use it live or recording?

also, how the hell do you attach this puppy to a stand?
 
I just signed up for the BLUE microphone of the week club. They send you a new microphone every week for a year for three easy payments of 29.99! It's amazing they come up with such relevent new designs. I mean how could we have possibly made records all these years without BLUE and their new innovative designs! Attention young grasshoppers: The Home Recording fad is big business! There is a reason the industry is constantly re-inventing the wheel: profit margins are slim and new designs bring in new money. Do yourself a favor, by decent well constructed gear that will last and save yourself some money. You don't need a new dual G5 to record music! You don't need 192Khz! (although I might argue for 32 bit) You don't need the BLUE Kickball!
 
I purchased one of these about a year ago for shits and giggles. For your easy question, there is a threaded mic hole on the bottom of the mic that swivels slightly from front to back. I bought the kick ass looking ringer shock mount, but it is cumbersome and would not recommend it unless you want it for looks.

As far as the sound, its alright. I use it for recording and have it as an augment for my D6 and SM91 mics. Its got less punch than a D6 and overall I'd say its duller. I rarely use it on rock tracks, but use it a lot for acoustic and generally more low key stuff. I like it better on bass cabs in conjunction with a DI. Its a pretty cheap mic and will definitely add another flavor to your collection, but I don't think I'd recommend it as your only low frequency mic.

Rory
 
i bought the kickball as my first large d dynamic and insofar have been pleased with it. although, i usually end up micing the batter side of the drum to get the extra punch. its a great mic for its price and the variable rc circuit allows for some real nice sub frequency boost in the 20-80 hz range. i'd say pick it up, its a great mic for its price, but it could use some eqing to get it sounding real nice in that 3-6 Khz range.
 
I've had one in my studio for weeks and keep forgetting to hear it!

War
 
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I have one but haven't recorded with it yet, I used it at a show the other night and it sounded really good, but that wasn't a good test I don't think.
 
All my experiences with Blue balls haven't been pleasant...

Oh...we're talking about mics...er...

Jacob
 
I guess y'all are too stupid to see the wisdom in my statement based on the slew of neg. rep points I've received on this one. I consider my negative rep a badge of honor, the price of telling truth that hurts. Here it is in plain english dimwits: BLUE is constantly coming out with a new snazzy looking unecessary microphone design. Some are actually pretty decent microphones but most are crap designed to look apealing. They prey on idiotic newbies. My point being is us (being professional engineers) recorded for decades without BLUE products and you can do the same. Nubs is actually just trying to help all you ass-hats out. Tough love children. Now run off to Guitar Center and purchase you're Kickball!
 
I agree Nubs. Everything that has come out in the last couple of decades is absolute horse shit. If its new, I aint usin' it.

Of course I'm joking around. And no, I didn't give you any neg. rep, or any rep to be honest (it would probably only egg you on). What is unnecessary about this mic design? I think its a neat idea. And it is different enough from a 112, re-20, 91, D6, etc. to warrant giving it a shot. Do I personally use it as much as a D6 or a 112, no, but I'm glad I have it because it is different and gives me one more option. I completely agree with you regarding guitar center. I despise it. But you seem to be acting like a jack-ass that doesn't have any advise besides "All, I mean some, or most, BLUE products are shit!". Which ones are crap and which are good? Better yet, why should I care what you think?
 
sweetnubs said:
I guess y'all are too stupid to see the wisdom in my statement based on the slew of neg. rep points I've received on this one. I consider my negative rep a badge of honor, the price of telling truth that hurts. Here it is in plain english dimwits: BLUE is constantly coming out with a new snazzy looking unecessary microphone design. Some are actually pretty decent microphones but most are crap designed to look apealing. They prey on idiotic newbies. My point being is us (being professional engineers) recorded for decades without BLUE products and you can do the same. Nubs is actually just trying to help all you ass-hats out. Tough love children. Now run off to Guitar Center and purchase you're Kickball!
Click to expand...

So which ones in your experience are actually good and which ones are marketing crap? It hink everyone aknowledges the gist of your theme, but most of us are looking for the thing they can't get outsied the web- real, specific advice from someone who HAS experience with these things. I dount you read these boards to learn new things, help us out, yo!


Daav
 
this is originally from a while ago, but just wondering if people use this mic at all and what they think of it if they have given it a shot. good mic? shitty mic?
 
sweetnubs said:
I guess y'all are too stupid to see the wisdom in my statement based on the slew of neg. rep points I've received on this one. I consider my negative rep a badge of honor, the price of telling truth that hurts. Here it is in plain english dimwits: BLUE is constantly coming out with a new snazzy looking unecessary microphone design. Some are actually pretty decent microphones but most are crap designed to look apealing. They prey on idiotic newbies. My point being is us (being professional engineers) recorded for decades without BLUE products and you can do the same. Nubs is actually just trying to help all you ass-hats out. Tough love children. Now run off to Guitar Center and purchase you're Kickball!
Click to expand...

this is a cool thread, how did i miss this? lol
 
BLUE doesn't really have a microphone of the week club, do they...
 
Nubs,

A serious question...

I'm curious as to why you think going to 32 bits would be desireable? I thought the prevailing wisdom is that the dynamic range of 24 bits was sufficient to capture any audio, given the noise floor of the analog components of our recording gear.
 
I just noticed I posted in this thread before I had used the mic, and have since used it to track an album for a local band. The Kickball is a unique sound really, it has somewhat of the condensor sound you expect (somewhat more detailed response) but the punch of the mic is in a slightly different place than you'd expect (a little higher). It has a bit more of a mid punch thing going on, which worked well for this band. The mic takes EQ fine and has good attack and certainly isn't lacking on the low end.

The Kickball is a punchy mic with a sound somewhere between the detailed sound of a condensor mic and the somewhat smoothed over sound of a good dynamic.

War
 
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