Kick drum mics - AKGD112 vs Audix D6

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DrewPeterson7

DrewPeterson7

Sage of the Order
Ok, disclaimer, I DID do a search of the forum before posting this. ;)

So, the sense I'm getting is that the majority of you guys prefer the AKG D112 to the Shure Beta52 on a kick drum. However, maybe 2007-ish, the responses started to change gradually from a "hands down D112" majority to a mix of "definitely the D112" and "well, yeah, but have you tried the D6? It's better than both."

What I'm looking for - I'm not a drummer, but I will be tracking one for the instrumental guitar album I'm working on. I can hit my drummer buddy up for specifics on his kit if it would help here, but in terms of the way it'll need to fit in with the mix, I play a seven string guitar and a five string bass, so there's generally a fair amount of low end going on in the mix. I tend to err a little bit on the side of capturing the initial "punch" of the beater against the skin, and generally clamp down a bit with a compressor and a bit of EQ to pull back some of the rumble (this is with DKFH samples, and not live drums) and leave more room for a mahogany-bodied bass guitar and a basswood seven string through a Recto, tuned generally no lower than B. I'm something of a Devin Townsend fanboi, but don't generally like a drum sound quite that clicky - Porcupine Tree might be a better example.

So, for hard rock/instrumental metal with the occasional ballad, tuned fairly low but not quite down to Meshuggah-like levels, given the above rough idea of what I like from a kick... Which one of these would I be happiest with, and is there anything else I should consider? Thanks!

EDIT - if audio helps, again, these are sampled drums (and this is actually a Tech-21 Trademark 30, not my Recto), but this is about as heavy as it'd have to get: click me!

EDIT #2 - I posted something similar over in the recording section of a guitar forum I help run, and a lot of the guys there are telling me, based on what I write, I'll be happier either with 1.) a used D112, or 2.) saving my cash for a mic I'll never use anyway (it's a running joke that I'll never actually finish this album) and just buying some really nice scotch. :p Thoughts?

EDIT #3 - and here's another clip, for the softer side of how I write, if it makes a difference... Mix isn't great on this, but I think it's mostly the acoustic guitar, I was experimenting with micing from farther back and a couple months down the road I just thing the acoustic is too dark for this.
 
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Killer clip...

I have a D112 and a D6. For that type of Kick sound, I wouldn't even consider pulling the D112, it'd be the D6.

Why not just plan on using Samples?
 
Killer clip...

I have a D112 and a D6. For that type of Kick sound, I wouldn't even consider pulling the D112, it'd be the D6.

Why not just plan on using Samples?

Thanks, and thanks for the advice!

Easy. I'm a shitty drum programmer, and I happen to have a friend who's a seriously good drummer who's itching to play on something a little more diverse than his current punk/hardcore gig. Seems a no-brainer. :D
 
Bump - another forum I'm active on is pushing me more towards the AKG. Thoughts?
 
You would be VERY happy with a D-6. I've replaced my D112 with one. D112 sounds ok on bass guitar cabs, but it's too finnicky on bass drums. I used a Beta 56.....I didn't like it all....sounds boxy to me. I record mostly rock bands, and heavy bands. Everyone has loved their bass drum sound <- D6
 
Updated with one way less metal clip, for a sense of the range I'll be working within.
 
Bump - another forum I'm active on is pushing me more towards the AKG. Thoughts?

If you have an open mind to it, there are some reccomended vocal mics that are great Bass drum mics...Im using a Beyerdynamic M88 and it is supposed to be the best bass drum mic...the SM7...MD421 are a few mics that are better than the AKG d112 or Beta52...and you can use them on other things too.
 
Yeah, but that puts you in a slightly different price range, Darrin. :p I understand the SM7 is supposed to be an excellent vocal mic on the right voice, and I would expect the other two to be as well, but as I write instrumental guitar music and am a piss-poor vocalist, the added versatility for a 50-100% increase in price isn't a huge selling point for me. I'll get occasional use out of a D112 or D6 on a kick drum, and every once and a while on a bass cab, or occasional use out of any of those three on a kick, every once in a while on a bass cab, and maybe once I'll try singing through it, listen to the playback, and remember why I don't sing. :p
 
try all 3 and add in an

SM7B, MD421, SM57, u47 FET,


The last kit I recorded I used a D112 inside the drum a D6 towards the outer head.

and I drumagog the majority of both

:)
 
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