affordable condenser for micing outside of a kick

[EarMeter]

So I was spoiled for a while and got to use a Neumann 47 FET as my go to kick OUT mic. now that I am on my own budget, what might you folks recommend as an affordable substitute? Looking for big kick sound, would love a good condenser suited or designed for low end frequencies.

[johnmarkpainter]

The CAD E300 is really good.
Not too brittle and has a special battery system that boosts power levels from Phantom power that gives it extra headroom.

I use one on the side of my snare drum but have wanted to pick up another one.

jmp

[staudio]

AT4040, used it on the outside of a kick and liked it.
Also cool on Hi Hat.

[DigitMus]

Personally I use a Soundelux iFet7, but since they're no longer made (& probably outside your budget, used)... try the AKG C4000B. Kick drum might be one of the few places this cheap-ish mic really shines (I used one there before I got the iFet7). Not the exact same vibe as a 47FET, but in the ballpark, and it takes EQ well.

Scott

[aotwmusic]

I haven't used them yet but I've heard some good things about the avant microphones. It's the same company that makes the avantone monitors. They've got a wide variety of microphones including a couple of condensers that should be perfect for your needs!

[upinflames]

At4033.

[woofhead]

at4047

vlery rice

[tINY]

Budget choice is a CAD M179.

For a bit more, you can get a Heil PR40. That's my favorite (though my Stedman N90 gets used sometimes if the PR40 is needed elsewhere.



-tINY

[lynyrd]

At 4047

[dudge]

My older made in USA CAD e100 is really really good, and inexpensive.

[minus-sounds.com]

Octava MK-319. Search for some samples online that illustrate the similarities to the U47 FET.
Whatever it sounds similar or not, I love mine. Cheap too.

[EarMeter]

the heil would be nice. what are your thoughts on SM7 as kick mic? i started this thread to find out about condensers, but after researching the heil PR40(which is dynamic) it makes me wonder about the sm7.

[biggator6]

The Kel HM2D is supposed to be good for that type of thing... don't have one myself (yet) but there are some recent posts about them.

[1979]

Yeah I got spoiled a bit to in this dept. I've used vintage 87's and and an M149 outside the drum as well.

I agree with the previous post. The Oktava mk319 is surprisingly decent in this department. I've also assisted on a session where a Cad e100 was used and it sounded great.

Cheers

[A LaMere]

AT4047 or Oktava 319 will work.... are both affordable and will work well for it imo.

They also work fantastic on other sources like vocals....

[warhead]

CAD M179 is pretty much my only reach on outer kick, it extends very low but you can also dial in how much room you want in or out of the sound.

War

[wehateyourhate]

i used a studio projects B3 on the outside of the kick with pretty decent results for a metal project i tracked recently.

[dadumtish]

Originally Posted by A LaMere

AT4047 or Oktava 319 will work.... are both affordable and will work well for it imo.

They also work fantastic on other sources like vocals....

hmm, so far i have not liked the 319 on drums ( and mine are modded )

but the room is a very dead room - so maybe it needs a lively room

overhead - transients are dull / cymbals are dull , low end is good though

as front of kick - very senstitive to SPL overload ( no pad in modded mics) - dark sounding .

note - as stated the room is DEAD - a lively room would prob let this mic come alive .

the d6 is actually quite good out in front of a kick say two feet though.

and akg d112 inside and d6 outside is very nice .

[LaLaFaV]

I've used a Rode NT1-A for outside kick, placed about 12" away from the front head. It handled the SPL's fine. It didn't sound bad at all and added the size, space, air & low end I was looking for on the kick. You can always use a LPF if there is too much high frequency bleed being added to the overall drum sound.

[A LaMere]

Originally Posted by dadumtish

hmm, so far i have not liked the 319 on drums ( and mine are modded )

but the room is a very dead room - so maybe it needs a lively room

overhead - transients are dull / cymbals are dull , low end is good though

as front of kick - very senstitive to SPL overload ( no pad in modded mics) - dark sounding .

note - as stated the room is DEAD - a lively room would prob let this mic come alive .

the d6 is actually quite good out in front of a kick say two feet though.

and akg d112 inside and d6 outside is very nice .

Yep, in front of a kick... you need the pad.
I know that some mods remove the pad...
The switch is a crappy one I guess??

You bring up a good point in mentioning room, etc.
The answer to this question depends on what you're trying to get out of the front of the kick, and usually I'm just trying to get extra low end or thud or 'boom' that the close mic isn't picking up....

There are going to be a LOT of answers to this question I'd bet...

[videoracer]

Why a condenser? This may sound nuts, but try a small diaphragm dynamic pressure mic like this:
635N/D-B - Electrovoice
Or this:
635A(B) - Electrovoice

Get it up close and adjust the gain as needed to minimize leakage. If there's a gear rental house around you, you can probably rent a 635 just to try it out.

Small diaphragm dynamic pressure mics can take high SPLs and have high transient response. Sure, they're omni's, and their signals won't be red hot, but don't let that stop you. After all, you're mic'ing a kick. Just try it.

I have an old Shure 576 I've used like that:
Shure 576
Don't even TRY to find one of those. You need a nuclear pre for that one, but it's one of the best-sounding mics I've ever used. For a lot of things.

People forget about true omni's...

[stagefright13]

LOL I have actually used the Cad E100, E200, E300 and the M179 there. They all sound very very good there. I think the E300 would be the best and useful for alot of other stuff too. Not that any of them aren't EXTREMELY versatile.

[cdog]

AT 4047 verrrry niiiiice

[woofhead]

woof woof!

[GordZilla]

Originally Posted by LaLaFaV

I've used a Rode NT1-A for outside kick, placed about 12" away from the front head. It handled the SPL's fine. It didn't sound bad at all and added the size, space, air & low end I was looking for on the kick. You can always use a LPF if there is too much high frequency bleed being added to the overall drum sound.

Although I have not tried it on this source yet myself, I have been pretty impressed with the bottom extention from the humble NT-1A, and I suspect it would work fairly well for an outside kick mic (especially if you set up a packing blanket "tunnel").

Definitely gonna try it myself

[GordZilla]

Originally Posted by biggator6

The Kel HM2D is supposed to be good for that type of thing... don't have one myself (yet) but there are some recent posts about them.

+1 for HM-2d

I just recently aquired one.. and although I have not yet had a chance to try it as an outside kick mic, I suspect it will do a pretty fair job for this application (judging by the audio clips posted on the Kel Audio website). I would want to blend it with an inside kick mic though

[tylaj04]

how cheap are you talking?

I didn't have my Audix drum mics available for a quick n dirty recording session I did for a friend, so we squeezed by with mostly 57's on close mics, and with an MXL 990 out in front of the kick drum. Placed it 8" off the ground, facing the kick, no resonant head, blanket and some chairs to cut some bleed. It took lots of compression and EQ but I was able to get a pretty nice, full kick sound out of it.

hopefully I'll never have to do that again, but its nice to know that I can make something like that work.

[nicpope]

Sterling Audio ST77 works pretty darn well.

Sterling Audio ST77 Large Diaphragm Studio Condenser Mic and more Condenser at GuitarCenter.com.

I got mine because it came with a free mbox, but it sounds pretty good inside or outside of a kick drum. Also not too shabby for some vocalists.

[Larry Villella]

The new ADK S-7 or upcoming S-7B are made for Kick Drums!

Clean @ 150dB / 135dB Headroom. And the S-7B has that
fat, warm tonality that sounds very similar to a U-47 FET.

As a 40 year practitioner of the recording arts and a 10 year
manufacturer of analog gear (ok, and ADK Founder) I recommend it.


Cheers!


Larry Villella, ADK)))

adkmic.com
myspace.com/adkmic
myspace.com/adkusers

[rockstar_josh]

Originally Posted by nicpope

Sterling Audio ST77 works pretty darn well.

Sterling Audio ST77 Large Diaphragm Studio Condenser Mic and more Condenser at GuitarCenter.com.

I got mine because it came with a free mbox, but it sounds pretty good inside or outside of a kick drum. Also not too shabby for some vocalists.

Ditto. I have one of these I use for outside kick, and it turns out pretty well.