Need Advice on a New Kick Mic

[Bierce85]

Up until now I've been using an Audix D6 for the kick but this belongs to a friend of mine and he needs it back. My dilemma is I don't know if I should just buy another D6, or I was possibly thinking about an Electro Voice RE20 since it would be more versitile.. Also I was thinking about a Sennhieser 421 (which I can get for wholesale price).

I'd just like to know what you guys think would be the most versitile out of those or if there's something better I should consider. I'd rather have a great multi-use mic that works just as well as a designated "kick mic" like a D6 on the bass drum but I don't know if that's realistic. Any advise???

[paulbystereo]

It depends on what you're recording, but I'd say get the 421. One of my favorite mics for rock kick, guitar, bass, and vocals sometimes. RE20 is great too for kick bass and vocals, but either one is more versatile than the D6. There's a reason that most every studio has a handful of 421s.

[emfrank72]

I have some friends of mine that swear by the D6. I called my rep at a dealer that I purchase most of my studio gear from and asked him about it and he said he'd heard that some people like them others don't care for them much. When I asked what he would recomend he said the Shure Beta91. Since he has yet to steer me wrong I ordered one and have been very happy with it thus far. I sometimes combine it with an Beta52 in front of the drum and have a variation of tones I could use.

Last weekend a friend brought over the D6 and we compared it to the Beta52 and it was a toss up. The D6 sounded better with no EQ or compression but we were able to get a better sound out of the Beta52 with processing. However, everyone liked the Beta91 over both of those mics.

I was also told that the Beta91 in the kick with a large condensor in a kick tunnel is an awesome combination but haven't tried that yet.

[nerogtr]

i dig my d6 ( d6>beta52 )

[JonCraig]

try the sennheiser e602. my fav kick mic for almost everything.

--jon

[drumkideric]

I also like the Sennheiser e602. As far as versatility goes the re20 and the 421 will be better.

[RCM - Ronan]

Shure Beta 52. thumbsup

[canderson]

Add to all those mentioned above: Beyerdynamic 868

[Crash]

I like the Beta 52. But I have had good luck with a 421 as well, which can also be used on loads of other things as mentioned above. If I was looking for a dedicated kick mic, the 52 would be my go to mic.

[warhead]

Originally Posted by canderson

Add to all those mentioned above: Beyerdynamic 868

Actually you're either trying to say:

Beyerdynamic M88

or

Electro Voice ND868

Both are great! Both are of the more neutral flavor, unlike that D6 which has a real paper-y slap to it.

War

[Bierce85]

Thanks guys.. Good call on the "papery slap" of the D6. I couldn't describe it better really, and thats always what kinda bugged me about it. If thats the sound you want the D6 will probably do as good a job as any mic, but IMO the D6 sucks for anything but inside the shell micing close to the front head. I used to use it about an inch away from the port hole to get a more boomy classic rock kick sound and all I got was mud.

I think I'll go for a Beta 52 for a "standard" sound and if I'm looking for a boomier sound I'll probably try the large diaphragm in front of the port hole method. Anyone have any experience with this and it's results?

[JonCraig]

Originally Posted by Bierce85

Anyone have any experience with this and it's results?

that's a regular setup for me... kick in gives attack and some body, kick out is lopassed and eq'd to death for body.

--jon

[warhead]

Try a CAD M179 on the outer kick.

Amazing.

War

[Crash]

Have you considered one of those Yamaha Subkicks for 'boom'? I have found that I can usually get whay I am looking for with a mic inside the kick. There are a lot of different sounds in there if you play around with position. I don't usually do the inside and outside mic technique but that is me. YMMV.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/...3DNEWS,00.html

[tdoranpalmer]

I think it depends on the sound your looking for. I prefer double micing for rock, Beta 52 outside with the front head off. Shure all the way (they never suck).

[DeathMonkey]

Has anyone tried the Audio Technica dual element mics?

AE2500 or the AM250DE?

[r0ck1r0ck2]

now war.....you Know i hipped you to the m179 on kick..

[canderson]

Originally Posted by warhead

Actually you're either trying to say:

Beyerdynamic M88

or

Electro Voice ND868

Both are great! Both are of the more neutral flavor, unlike that D6 which has a real paper-y slap to it.

War

My bad! Yes, the Electro-Voice 868.

I've used the Beyerdynamic M88 with great success on kick as well. Both are excellent dynamics.

Havn't tried the Shure 91, Beta 52, Electro-Voice 20 or 27 on kick....yet.

canderson

[Doublehelix]

I like the D6 on the inside and the Sub-kick on the outside for some sounds, but as mentioned, it is a bit "slappy" for some genres.

I also have and use depending on the setup:

AKG D112 (basketball on the pavement sound, but takes EQ well.
AKG D12e (Great 70's sound)
Sennheiser e604 (I just got this, and I really like what I hear. My new go-to???)
Sennheiser MD421 (I like this on the beater side)
Superlux PRA-218B (don't laugh, it has some good sounds in it!)
Shure SM7B (not much use, but don't rule it out)
47FET clone on the outside (right now, a Red Type B with a B7 capsule)

[against88]

i think the re-20 and the D6 share some attributes. i don't hear anyone else mention it, but i think both mics are fairly "tight" sounding. or quick. maybe its has to do with transients. i think the D6 is a little too tight/quick, and it sounds unnatural. plus its got a super modern/hyped sound. all slap and sub. the RE-20 i find much more natural and round, but not as soft as a D112 or 421. the RE-20 has been winning over LDC's for male and female vocals recently so its much more versitile. 421 is fun on vocals sometimes and bass cabs too. i vote re-20!

[PRobb]

I don't know your situation, but if you have a limited mic collection the RE-20, as many have pointed out, is very versatile. The D-6 and the Beta-52 are dedicated kick mics. When the drums are done, they won't get much use on anything else. The RE-20 works great as a kick mic, but is also good for vocals, brass, accoustic guitar, percussion and lots of other stuff. If versatility is a consideration, the 20 is a good choice.

[Frost]

Beyerdynamic M88

or

Electro Voice ND868

Both are great! Both are of the more neutral flavor, unlike that D6 which has a real paper-y slap to it.

War[/QUOTE]


Those are my two favorites. Tho I use a d6 most of the time when doing live shows. The m88 is also the finest bass cabinet mic I have heard IMNSHO. 868 is very versitile on kick but I have never used it anywhere but kick.

Frost

[Graham Tobias]

lately I've been putting an re20 inside near the beater, and a d112 just inside the hole. Sounds awesome. I've found RE20's to be good when drummers haven't cut a hole in the head and they're playing jazz or bluesy rock. Takes EQ but it works. Haha once I was in a jam and I didn't have the mics I wanted and I ended up using an audix OM5 on kick drum. Wasn't horrible.

[stevep]

RE 20

its easy to get a good kick sound with and it works great for horns, some vocals bass cabs, floor toms,..... ect........

its the only mic i need to get the kick slammin

[d. gauss]

Originally Posted by Bierce85

I'd rather have a great multi-use mic that works just as well as a designated "kick mic" like a D6 on the bass drum but I don't know if that's realistic. Any advise???

a u47 can be used on a lot more than just kick and will most likely sound decent.

[edvdr76]

The D6 tends to be a little snappier but works well if that's the sound youre going for. The D112 is a great one if you want a chunkier tone from your kick drum. Both are good choices and awsome sounding mic's.

[davey boy]

Originally Posted by stevep

RE 20

its easy to get a good kick sound with and it works great for horns, some vocals bass cabs, floor toms,..... ect........

its the only mic i need to get the kick slammin

Hey Steve,
I used to use the re20 and then got the d6. Now I'm tired of the overly eq'd sound. Tried the re20 again on more of an acoustic thing and it still sounded too flat so I wound up using the d6 and just dipped out the upper frequency that was bugging me. How do you get a killer sound out of it (on kick)? Any tips in particular? thanks!

[uncle duncan]

Heil PR40 goes good on kick, and vocals, and ac guitars, and percussion... It's very open sounding, so if you want a ton of thud out of the kick, you'd probably want to also use an outside mic.

[stevep]

Originally Posted by davey boy

Hey Steve,
I used to use the re20 and then got the d6. Now I'm tired of the overly eq'd sound. Tried the re20 again on more of an acoustic thing and it still sounded too flat so I wound up using the d6 and just dipped out the upper frequency that was bugging me. How do you get a killer sound out of it (on kick)? Any tips in particular? thanks!

Like i said i never have to work hard to get a good kick sound with the RE/PL 20
(just lucky so far i guess)

Before i mic it i f it doesn't sound good i will spend some time workin on the drum before i EQ it

Most of the time all i need as far as EQ is a slight bump around 1k , and maybe a bit at 50hz

When the drum is rite i might not use the eq at all, or maybe just a bit of 1k or whatever gives me the click im after

on Jazz kits i just put it out in front and get the sound from the drum,
way less work than pop/rock sounds


Hope this helps

[yesac81]

effective and on the cheap...

kick in: audix d6
kick out: at4047 (in a tunnel if you can)

mix to taste... the audix has a lot of definition it and the 4047 gives you that sense of moving air