Best snare mic for under $200?

viciouswhiskey · 28th November 2007, 06:26 AM

Greetings. Just wondered if anyone could throw some snare close mic suggestions at me. I've got about $200 to work with. Looking at the Beta 57 A and the Heil PR-20. I've also heard that some folks prefer small diaphragm condensers on snare. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Empire Prod · 28th November 2007, 06:28 AM

Go to Mercenary.com and check out the Tab modded 57's.

A LaMere · 28th November 2007, 07:06 AM

Audix i-5... I personally don't need much more than just an i-5 on snare...

peterwagner · 28th November 2007, 08:47 AM

Beyer m201

Nu-tra · 28th November 2007, 09:16 AM

ATM650

NathanC · 28th November 2007, 09:16 AM

A condenser mic which I had great results with is the Shure Beta 98. It's a little more than $200 though...

The SM57 always works and a lot of people seem to be more than happy with the Audix i5

warhead · 28th November 2007, 01:57 PM

Audix i5.

War

riffster · 28th November 2007, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A LaMere

Audix i-5... I personally don't need much more than just an i-5 on snare...

+1

Right on mofo.

camerondye · 28th November 2007, 02:29 PM

I-5 is great

media marcus · 28th November 2007, 02:39 PM

just a plain old 57 is a sure bet. It's been used on thousands of records. The trick is getting the placement just right.

daverich · 28th November 2007, 02:54 PM

sm57.

Personally I think the betas are niether one thing nor another - bit of a mongrel and compromise feedback rejection etc for a hyped top end - which you can add to a 57 anyway.

The 57 is great.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

PoorGlory · 28th November 2007, 03:47 PM

An I5 an inch away from the rim, pointed at like a 10 degree angle across the head sounds killer. I couple that with one of those cheap GLS 57 copies close in to feed Drumagog (which I usually use since I do hard rock and metal mostly).

You can get equivalently good results with a 57, but I find I have to EQ the 57 more to get what I want. I never get the pop I need out of a condenser on the top, but an SDC on the bottom, gated and mixed in slightly, sounds great.

HH2 · 28th November 2007, 05:05 PM

sm57; if you buy used and spend a little more: sennheiser md421 or shure sm7.

verdk93 · 28th November 2007, 08:05 PM

Sennheiser e906

tINY · 28th November 2007, 08:08 PM

The Heil PR-20 works pretty well.

The PR-30 is a little better, but it's over your budget.

It really depends what sort of sound you are going for. The Classic SM57 is nice in a dirty Rock and Roll sort of way, but is a bit muffled in todays overly compressed mixes to my ears.

-tINY

Energie · 28th November 2007, 08:48 PM

Audix I-5

+4

darjama · 28th November 2007, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by verdk93

Sennheiser e906

+1. You have to work hard to find something this mic isn't good at. The EQ switch is really handy as well.

MicSlut666 · 28th November 2007, 10:24 PM

Audix i5

meteor · 29th November 2007, 06:54 AM

200 is nearly enough for top and bottom snare - if you shop carefully...

I like on top - 57, beta57, I-5 and the 906... depends on how hard or soft a drummer hits the snare relative to the hats... and how the thing is tuned.

On bottom - for cheap - Audix d-2 - I know it's a tom mic and it's alright at that - but it's pretty dang great on bottom snare.... cheers,

bass man · 29th November 2007, 06:58 AM

Sm 57 is fine ...

SureShotStudio · 29th November 2007, 08:10 PM

lately i've been using a shure beta 56a with a md441 on bottom works great! sm57 is great for bottom too if you need something cheaper.

also +1 for both the beyer m201 my old favorite, might be my favorite next week again .. who knows

and +1 for the sm57. it just works.....

strat+ac30 · 29th November 2007, 08:57 PM

Based on what I've seen online, the SM57/i5/M201 are the holy trinity of small dynamic mics for snare. I also see the 441, 421 and SM7 mentioned frequently as well on the larger dynamic side, along with the usual SDC suspects (84s, 184s, 451s, Josephsons, MXL603s, Oktava MC012, etc).

I'm gonna do a snare shootout between the 57, i5, 201, SM7, 603 and a couple others next week. That should be fun.

Janesaid2me · 30th November 2007, 12:44 AM

i5 top sm57 beta bottom and blend the two...ive gotten my best snare sounds from that....or just buy a snare drum that sounds good...that helps alot too :)

Winey · 30th November 2007, 12:59 AM

Certain days I like the 57 or beta57, some the I-5 (more top and less aggressive midrange than a 57), and some the md431. The Octava MC-012 underneath is pretty great too.

wehateyourhate · 30th November 2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darjama

+1. You have to work hard to find something this mic isn't good at. The EQ switch is really handy as well.

I couldn't believe how good this mic sounded on snare the first time I used it. Its become my go to for the snare drum.

rockstar_josh · 30th November 2007, 03:17 AM

i5 or SM57, can't go wrong. You could get one of each for $200, and have two solid options.

yesac81 · 30th November 2007, 05:13 AM

+1 for the e609

couldn't believe it either... i was like "hmmm... guitar mic... snare drum... could work..."

i used it on the bottom with a 57LC on top and ended up almost totally using the e609. i squished up the 57 and filtered it for "thunk", the e609 provided the detail and the character. hypercardioid is always nice for a snare mic too, means you can get away with more compression/reverb/delay without the hihats woofing around

bitman · 30th November 2007, 05:16 AM

beyerdynamic m201 (full compass)

VacuousZounds · 30th November 2007, 05:36 AM

If you like the sound of an e609, you might also like the Audix D1, which also has lots of snappy transients and good tone. Can get these really cheap used.

+1 Beyer 201

lofi_lothario · 30th November 2007, 03:46 PM

+1 Beyer M201 love it love it love it.

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28th November 2007, 06:26 AM	#1
viciouswhiskey Gear interested Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 18	Best snare mic for under $200? Greetings. Just wondered if anyone could throw some snare close mic suggestions at me. I've got about $200 to work with. Looking at the Beta 57 A and the Heil PR-20. I've also heard that some folks prefer small diaphragm condensers on snare. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

28th November 2007, 07:06 AM	#3
A LaMere Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 706	Audix i-5... I personally don't need much more than just an i-5 on snare... __________________ www.myspace.com/aaronlamere

28th November 2007, 08:47 AM	#4
peterwagner Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 58	Beyer m201 __________________ http://www.positivesound.nl

28th November 2007, 09:16 AM	#5
Nu-tra Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,430	ATM650 __________________ http://www.nu-tra.com

28th November 2007, 06:28 AM	#2
Empire Prod Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Orange CA Posts: 937	Go to Mercenary.com and check out the Tab modded 57's.

28th November 2007, 09:16 AM	#6
NathanC Gear maniac Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Amsterdam, Europe Posts: 169	A condenser mic which I had great results with is the Shure Beta 98. It's a little more than $200 though... The SM57 always works and a lot of people seem to be more than happy with the Audix i5 __________________ A commercial on national radio is airplay too! Isn't it..?

28th November 2007, 01:57 PM	#7
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 7,970	Audix i5. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

28th November 2007, 02:29 PM	#9
camerondye Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 554	I-5 is great

28th November 2007, 02:39 PM	#10
media marcus Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 23	just a plain old 57 is a sure bet. It's been used on thousands of records. The trick is getting the placement just right.

28th November 2007, 02:54 PM	#11
daverich Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 85	sm57. Personally I think the betas are niether one thing nor another - bit of a mongrel and compromise feedback rejection etc for a hyped top end - which you can add to a 57 anyway. The 57 is great. Kind regards Dave Rich

28th November 2007, 03:47 PM	#12
PoorGlory Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,170	An I5 an inch away from the rim, pointed at like a 10 degree angle across the head sounds killer. I couple that with one of those cheap GLS 57 copies close in to feed Drumagog (which I usually use since I do hard rock and metal mostly). You can get equivalently good results with a 57, but I find I have to EQ the 57 more to get what I want. I never get the pop I need out of a condenser on the top, but an SDC on the bottom, gated and mixed in slightly, sounds great.

28th November 2007, 05:05 PM	#13
HH2 Gear interested Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4	sm57; if you buy used and spend a little more: sennheiser md421 or shure sm7.

28th November 2007, 08:05 PM	#14
verdk93 Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 25	Sennheiser e906

28th November 2007, 08:08 PM	#15
tINY Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 5,835	The Heil PR-20 works pretty well. The PR-30 is a little better, but it's over your budget. It really depends what sort of sound you are going for. The Classic SM57 is nice in a dirty Rock and Roll sort of way, but is a bit muffled in todays overly compressed mixes to my ears. -tINY

28th November 2007, 08:48 PM	#16
Energie Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 782	Audix I-5 +4

28th November 2007, 10:24 PM	#18
MicSlut666 Gear maniac Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 173	Audix i5

29th November 2007, 06:54 AM	#19
meteor Gear addict Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Lone Star Posts: 459	200 is nearly enough for top and bottom snare - if you shop carefully... I like on top - 57, beta57, I-5 and the 906... depends on how hard or soft a drummer hits the snare relative to the hats... and how the thing is tuned. On bottom - for cheap - Audix d-2 - I know it's a tom mic and it's alright at that - but it's pretty dang great on bottom snare.... cheers, __________________ "You know how it is... technology is a cradle that swings above a grave." -- myself

29th November 2007, 06:58 AM	#20
bass man Gear maniac Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 175	Sm 57 is fine ...

29th November 2007, 08:10 PM	#21
SureShotStudio Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: holland Posts: 153	lately i've been using a shure beta 56a with a md441 on bottom works great! sm57 is great for bottom too if you need something cheaper. also +1 for both the beyer m201 my old favorite, might be my favorite next week again .. who knows and +1 for the sm57. it just works.....

29th November 2007, 08:57 PM	#22
strat+ac30 Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 132	Based on what I've seen online, the SM57/i5/M201 are the holy trinity of small dynamic mics for snare. I also see the 441, 421 and SM7 mentioned frequently as well on the larger dynamic side, along with the usual SDC suspects (84s, 184s, 451s, Josephsons, MXL603s, Oktava MC012, etc). I'm gonna do a snare shootout between the 57, i5, 201, SM7, 603 and a couple others next week. That should be fun.

30th November 2007, 12:44 AM	#23
Janesaid2me Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 369	i5 top sm57 beta bottom and blend the two...ive gotten my best snare sounds from that....or just buy a snare drum that sounds good...that helps alot too :) __________________ www.myspace.com/meteorstudios (studio) www.myspace.com/insecrecy (band) www.myspace.com/gerrycorsi (myself) Gerry

30th November 2007, 12:59 AM	#24
Winey Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 470	Certain days I like the 57 or beta57, some the I-5 (more top and less aggressive midrange than a 57), and some the md431. The Octava MC-012 underneath is pretty great too.

30th November 2007, 03:17 AM	#26
rockstar_josh Gear addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 393	i5 or SM57, can't go wrong. You could get one of each for $200, and have two solid options. __________________ Josh Rozenboom SER Soundworks www.sersoundworks.com

30th November 2007, 05:13 AM	#27
yesac81 Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 164	+1 for the e609 couldn't believe it either... i was like "hmmm... guitar mic... snare drum... could work..." i used it on the bottom with a 57LC on top and ended up almost totally using the e609. i squished up the 57 and filtered it for "thunk", the e609 provided the detail and the character. hypercardioid is always nice for a snare mic too, means you can get away with more compression/reverb/delay without the hihats woofing around

30th November 2007, 05:16 AM	#28
bitman Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Keystone, CO Posts: 600	beyerdynamic m201 (full compass)

30th November 2007, 05:36 AM	#29
VacuousZounds Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 34	If you like the sound of an e609, you might also like the Audix D1, which also has lots of snappy transients and good tone. Can get these really cheap used. +1 Beyer 201

30th November 2007, 03:46 PM	#30
lofi_lothario Gear nut Join Date: May 2005 Location: San Juan Posts: 124	+1 Beyer M201 love it love it love it.

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