overhead mics NT1 vs. 451

[corban]

I currently have a choice of using borrowed pairs of NT1's or AKG 451's to use for overheads, recording drums in a small carpeted room, running into an ART tube preamp. I currently have them both so I'm going to try them both and post my personal opinions on what they do for my drums, but I wanted to see what the general opinion is here on what I should use. Obviously these are apples and oranges, large vs. small diaphram, and I'm sure the experts will just tell me to use what sounds best, but I'm looking for opinions here. I'm kind of just curious, I guess, so sound off.

 

[AndyTB_UK]

I'm very interested in this as well, as i've been considering buying a pair of NT1's for overheads too. i've heard it done, and it sounded ok, but what does everyone else think ??

 

[cavedog101]

I have not used NT1's as overheads though I have used LDC's as overs...U87's....still my favorite,but I think this particular mic shines brightly in this usage.I have also used 451's...a couple of different models in fact.Both 451B and 451L which is a bit older.It remains my favorite of the two as it has less of a hyped upper midrange and a firmer more pronounced lowend.In using LDC's for overs, your room will come into play like nothing else.My preference is SDC's to focus the drum sound due to their tighter pattern and a room mic that can certainly be an LDC of some sort.If you have an LDC as an overhead and it has a hypercardioid pattern to it, you'll want to use that to eliminate some of the bleed from adjacent surfaces in your room.

 

[chessrock]

I'm looking for opinions here. I'm kind of just curious, I guess, so sound off.

Wow. That's kinda' like ...

Yugo Versus BMW

Rosie O'Donnel vs. Brooke Burke

Spam versus Lobster


I just don't have a whole heckuva lot 'a love for the NT-1. That's not to say it's totally worthless, because I do know people who are lucky enough to have scored one of the earlier versions of it from like '95 and they actually sound pretty decent and work well in a very limited number of situations. Drum overhead might be one of the very last places I'd want to get one anywhere near. I'm going treble deaf just thinking about it.

The 451's are just a whole different animal to me. I think they're pretty bitchin' for most things. I'm okay with those.

 

[corban]

I'm very interested in this as well, as i've been considering buying a pair of NT1's for overheads too. i've heard it done, and it sounded ok, but what does everyone else think ??

Yeah, having tried them both, I'm gonna go with the 451s, and advise anybody considering purchasing the NT1's for overhead purposes to try something else. Unfortunately my 451s became unavailable and I had to use the NT1s, and they actually worked decently in the room my drums are in, because it's such a dull room that I really needed some colored, "hyped upper midrange" and I'm using an overhead scheme I found on this board that seems to minimize the room sound, so my setup seems to have worked in my situation. The SDCs definitely have the more accurate response that I would normally look for in a different room, so I would generally recommend the 451s. Oh and thanks chessrock for the analogy. I've never driven a Yugo or Rosie O'Donnell though, so I'm not sure how it applies. But those NT1's don't get a lot of love here, so I was kind of expecting that response.

 

[DJL]

I currently have a choice of using borrowed pairs of NT1's or AKG 451's to use for overheads, recording drums in a small carpeted room, running into an ART tube preamp. I currently have them both so I'm going to try them both and post my personal opinions on what they do for my drums, but I wanted to see what the general opinion is here on what I should use. Obviously these are apples and oranges, large vs. small diaphram, and I'm sure the experts will just tell me to use what sounds best, but I'm looking for opinions here. I'm kind of just curious, I guess, so sound off.

The AKG C451's get my vote.

 

[tbray]

I've been using a pair of NT-5 and they sound great, I've used the NT-1 on Trumpet, Tenor, Baritone and Vocals....good multipurpose mic