mxl 603s as overheads - no, not a position question

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shackrock

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i've been using these for a while...
2 mxl603s as overheads.
i either place them straigiht down on the kit, one over floor tom one over snare usually ........ or x/y technique.

however, no matter what i do, i always still have the occasional clipping coming from the mixer....(and the volumes and gains are all the way down as can be!)..lol. but, i can't HEAR it clip, although it DOES tell me it is doing so....not very often either...just thought i'd mention that at least.

in addtion, my drums always sound far away. i cant/dont have the mics or equipment to close mic everything, either. 2 overheads, kick and snare...thats all i can do...

so my question is, how can i get a "closer" sound with what i got? and without it clipping more..or worse actually being able to HEAR the clip?

any ideas?
 
Get some -10 db or -20 db pads for your mics. That will keep your mics from overloading your pres. They should also allow you to move them in closer.
 
chess - do those cheap (10 bucks) -10 or -20 pads degrade sound quality at all?

For some reason i wouldn't feel great about hooking on of those to a neumann or something...

but you're not alone shak, I have the same issues with my NT3s at times. Thats the worste clipping, when you can't hear it. hehe.
 
wes480 said:
chess - do those cheap (10 bucks) -10 or -20 pads degrade sound quality at all?
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I didn't know they sold them for $10. :D

Where? Where? Cheapest ones I've seen were for like $40.
 
chessrock said:


I didn't know they sold them for $10. :D

Where? Where? Cheapest ones I've seen were for like $40.
Click to expand...

$40 each??? Wow! They've really gone up in price since I bought my last pair a few years ago. They were more like $15-$20 at Guitar Center back then (Whirlwind). I can't imagine why they'd be so expensive now.

I use mine on Earthworks QTC's all the time (notoriously hot output on those mics). I can't hear any sound degradation.
 
hmm ok, so its fine if i go with the 20 dollar ones? lol.

in addition, now that i can get it without clipping, how can i get it to still suond less "distant" in the first place? ha
 
shackrock said:
how can i get it to still suond less "distant" in the first place? ha
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Bring the mics in closer. :D Don't use any big reverbs. Make sure you're recording in an accoustically dead space. Funny how that works, isn't it? :D
 
chessrock said:


Bring the mics in closer. :D Don't use any big reverbs. Make sure you're recording in an accoustically dead space. Funny how that works, isn't it? :D
Click to expand...

mic closer, check.
no reverb, check.
acoustically dead space.... shit. i knew there was something my studio was missing...haha.

cieling tiles and huge blanket drapes, here i come.
 
What's your drum area like?
I record in a typical 14x12' room with the drummer backed up against the book shelves (uh I mean, Advanced Accoustical Diffusion Devices)with some chest-high plywood/fiberglass partions on either side of the kit as tight as I can get, and mic from the rear, near the drummers sholders or lower. Like with the overhead approach, you try to place the kick and snare equal distance in the mics (the hat side wants to be back a bit farther, floor tom side hugs in a bit..)
Comming in lower like that gets me in closer to the kit relative to the cymbals and cuts down on bleed from the rest of the room.
Yhea sure?:D

(Kick and snares, no tom mics:p
 
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