KICK and SNARE mic SHOOTOUT whatcha think

[MREVOL]

k guys---

Kick mics are:
D112 forwards
D112 backwards
Audix D6
Shure Beta52

Snare mics are:
md441
57
Audix i5

This was a quick shootout so please don't start picking apart the drums and tuning.

[MREVOL]

Heres the snare ones

[chandlersonic]

Ok I'll try

Kick 1 d112
kick 2 52
kick 3 d6
kick 4 112 backwards??

[TornadoTed]

I don't know which are which as I haven't used a number of those mics.

I prefer Kick 3 & Snare 2 though it's hard to tell without judging what they sound like with the overheads.

[Jules]

Moved to the shoot out forum!

[MREVOL]

Sorry jules----

More guesses

[redfivestudio]

1 : Shure
2 : Akg
3 : Akg backwards
4 : Audix

[akisD28]

I've used all those kick mics as a FOH engineer, but it's always been in different venues with different desks, PA's etc., so I can't really take a guess. I preferred the kick1 and snare1 files.

[ghetto3jon]

i like snare1...i'd like to know which one that is. my guess is the MD441, but i could be wrong.

[MREVOL]

More thoughts, then i will post whats what

[norman_nomad]

k1 - D112
k2 - 52
k3 - D6
k4 - D112 backwards

s1 - i5
s2 - 57
s3 - 441

[sleeps]

Here are my guesses.

Kick 1 - Shure Beta 52
Kick 2 - AKG D112 Fowards
Kick 3 - Audix D6
Kick 4 - AKG D112 Backwards

Snare 1 - Shure SM57
Snare 2 - Audix i5
Snare 3 - Sennheiser MD441

Chances are I am wrong Regardless, I think Kick 3 and Snare 2 sound awful. Kick 1 and Snare 1 are pleasing to my ears. Nice files!

[peeder]

The kicks all sound awful to me. Where were they placed? They sound inside and are suffering tons of phase/comb filtering noise. kick3 is most resistant to this, but that's not an endorsement of its sound.

As for snares, I like mic 1 the best, followed by mic 2, followed by mic 3. What were the settings on the MD441?

I'd love it if every detail of a shootout was presented, including the entire chain and processing, placement, etc. If you're going to go through the trouble of doing one might as well spend another 30 seconds typing in the details.

[MREVOL]

Hey Peeder---heres some details

Kick mics were placed inside about 3 inches from the beater. (is that the best spot to put the mic inside the kick)
All the mics were ran into some redd custom pre's then >apogee ad16x>pro tools

All the snare mics were ran the same way.

The md441 was set to musical

[MREVOL]

Oh yeah---No processing. No comp No eq for the test

[MREVOL]

Results are............. drum roll

wait any last guess

[sleeps]

I'm curious as to what these results are. Let's see them!

[MREVOL]

RESULTS-------


Kick1 D112 forwards
Kick2 d112 backwards
Kick3 d6
Kick4 Beta

Mic1 sn 57
Mic2 sn i5
Mic3 sn 441

thoughts anyone

[ghetto3jon]

way to go 57! hence the ubiquity, i suppose.

[MREVOL]

Yeah i like the 57 too. Very let down with the 441. Kinda thinking about trying the i5 for the next project just to see what happens.

Im really blown away with how bad i thought the D6 on the kick sounded. I guess if your doing metal then all the best.

Cant decide yet between the D112 and the beta52. Both have interesting qualities.

What one do you guys dig?

[Yetti]

Thanks for the post, it is very helpful.
I still own 1 D112, I pretty much hate it...you really have to eq the hell out of it to sound decent.
I knew immediatley that the first sample was that shitty brutal D112 mic.
However, I have a metal band coming in to record another CD, I used the D112 last time, but the D6 has the attack I am looking for without having to fake it in with eq.

Thanks again!

[MREVOL]

Yeah i can relate. I have to eq a lot with the d112 thats why im thinking of trying the beta52.

Heres the problem im thinking tho

The D112 always needs the low mids taken out in the eq. But the beta52 doesn't have the crystal top that the D112 does. errrrrrr

[norman_nomad]

The D6 did sound really bad... I recognized the D6 sound right away and thought to myself "The D6 is in a terrible spot". You have to futz with the position a lot more to get it to do what it's good at (i.e. a lot of sub low and a lot of 3kish attack).

I owned a D112 for 3 years and never really loved it. I always found the top end a bit difficult to manage in a mix, and I personally don't think it takes EQ as well as a 52 or even the D6.

The snare clip was surprise. I figured the i5 would be the brightest. Were you careful to make sure the mic was in the same spot each time, or did you line all 3 mics up at once to capture the one sample?

[MREVOL]

Dang it---why did you have to say that about the D6. Thats a good point about moving it a little to get the attack down. Now i will have to reconsider the mic THANKS e

The snare mics were all in same position. I actually thought that the i5 has a little more top end on it then the 57. Could be just my ears but check it again.

[norman_nomad]

Originally Posted by MREVOL

Dang it---why did you have to say that about the D6. Thats a good point about moving it a little to get the attack down. Now i will have to reconsider the mic THANKS e

The snare mics were all in same position. I actually thought that the i5 has a little more top end on it then the 57. Could be just my ears but check it again.

Listened back just now and the i5 does have more top end... now I'm wondering if I mixed them up when I listened originally.

Anyways... I actually like the 441 the best of the bunch. It doesn't jump out as being better at first due to it's attenuated top end, but it captures the body of the snare very well. It has a solid punchy low-mid quality to it that I like. If you just add some top end to it I think it sounds better than the 57.

Here.. I'll post an example of the 441 through the UAD 1073 plug with a 12k shelf boost.

Also I'll post an example of the D6 as inside mic on a kick drum I recorded.

Cool test btw. thumbsup

[Yetti]

Originally Posted by MREVOL

Yeah i can relate. I have to eq a lot with the d112 thats why im thinking of trying the beta52.

Heres the problem im thinking tho

The D112 always needs the low mids taken out in the eq. But the beta52 doesn't have the crystal top that the D112 does. errrrrrr

For more of an old school sounding kick, I think the beta 52 is pretty good and "pillow-ish".
I think in order to achieve a modern metal kick, I think I may be better off dropping the money for a D6.
You may be able to get a better sound if you use both the mics you mentioned on the same kick....the D6 about 3 inches from the front, and the beta 52 a few feet back from that?
I surley don't mean to argue, but I don't think the d12 has a crystal top...more of a honking midrange.
If you are in a position to experiment with more samples, please post them.
Thanks!thumbsup

[sexxy]

Originally Posted by MREVOL

k guys---

Kick mics are:
D112 forwards
D112 backwards
Audix D6
Shure Beta52

Snare mics are:
md441
57
Audix i5

This was a quick shootout so please don't start picking apart the drums and tuning.

for a 3d crispy sound:
i like snare 2
i like kick 3

for an 2d old dark sound:
snare 3
kick 4

= depends on the song genere
but...
what AD ?
what mic-pre ?
what wordclock ?

[MREVOL]

Hey sexy--the chain was posted above. Custom Redd pre>Ad16x>Pro tools HD


When i listen to the d112 i agree its honky but its got a brighter top then the beta52. For me the d6 just doesn't have the body i look for in the kick mic. Now if i thru it up and put a 421 with it or subkick then it would probably work.

[Brad McGowan]

Originally Posted by norman_nomad

Also I'll post an example of the D6 as inside mic on a kick drum I recorded.

Cool test btw. thumbsup

Where did you place the D6 in your sample?

Brad

[peeder]

I hope you realize that the MD441 has a hi shelf setting as well as an HPF setting. It's that plastic thing right under the sticker. You can shift it left or right. Makes for a whole 'nother microphone.

I think your kick problems are mostly placement issues. The D6 may be popular because it resists the problems of the inside of a kick drum best.