Senn 421?

[pixelhead]

Is the Sennheiser 421 still the be all end all Tom mic. I am looking to buy new drum mics and was wondering about tom mics. I have not engineered in a few years and wanted to see if any new mics have bumped it down a few notches.

Thanks

[AlexLakis]

Still onna my favs. Been using my e604s too, but I prefer the MD421s.

[warhead]

The CAD M179 in my opinion (dialed into hypercardioid with the pad engaged) is a killer on toms. The low mids actually sound open whereas the 421 (most any dynamic really) box the low mids a little.

War

[Harley-OIART]

Some people mentioned liking the AT2500's on Toms especially the Floor Tom.

Its a Dual Diaphram so I can't really see how u could go wrong. That being said yeah 421's rock.

[studio19sound]

I tend to prefer the 421 on Toms, but I have also found that Beyerdynamics M88s sound choice on them as well.

[GPl]

Also a possible contender: sm58...especially if you happen to have a lot collected over the years.

[natpub]

414EB

[T_R_S]

IMO 441's sound better on Toms than 421's but e609 have deadly isolation and for 100 bucks you can't go wrong.
But My Fav is e609 and a AKG C452 vintage (Use Both at the same time it will rock you world)

[Jeff16years]

I use 421's on toms but only if it is a drummer that hits REALLY hard. other wise I use a KSM 27 and/or 32

My drummer is one of the hardest hitting drummers i have ever heard and the 421 is great plus he uses 2 floor toms (16" and 18") so they are nice on them.


but for an average to light hitting drummer the KSM'a are SWEET!!!

[Pohaku]

Actually, I was watching a bit of the Concert for Bangladesh DVD and noticed that they were using 421s for vocal mics on just about everyone. Not only that but the damned clip (that always breaks) seemed a lot more robust than the one I have for mine. In fact it looked like they had miced just about everything in sight with 421s. I am going to have to go watch the rest of it again.

[stevep]

Yea I don’t think you can go wrong with the 421s. PL 20s kinda big but I love them on kicks and floor toms, 414 sure! love that to.
I’ve used the 421 for almost everything and had good results.

steve

[Gregg Sartiano]

421's are great on gtr cabs, too.

[Bishbashbosh]

Originally Posted by natpub

414EB

thumbsup

Also the TLM 103.

I know this is a complete truism.... BUT..... if you like the sound of the 421 on toms, then the best mic to get that sound is definitely a 421!
That big middly fat tom sound that we're so used to hearing on records is completely a product of EVERYBODY using a 421 up close, so there's plenty of extra low end proximity effect.
However, that's not really how toms actually sound.
But it IS what people have come to expect!

Personally, being a drummer, I prefer the sound of a condenser (414), backed off the drum about 8-12". It sounds much more 'real' to me....but that's not necessarily what everyone likes, or what is needed!

In the same way we have all become attuned to hearing vocals which are hugely compressed, EQ'd and verbed up, I think we've also all become attuned to hearing toms that have incredible middly punch. The best starting point to get that 'expected' sound is using a 421. It is still (for better or worse) the industry standard.

[Bishbashbosh]

Also the 421 can make a crap drum sound ok-ish....

You can't say that about a condenser - if it sounds crap in the room it'll sound crap on tape!

[everybody's x]

mc012's are cool on toms too

[HudHudson]

Beyer M88 is nice on floor tom (and for kick!). Never tried it on rack toms - 421s there...maybe time to get a third 421?

[Jim Roberts]

To me, the 421 is one of those amazing mics......

I find that on toms, they just simply 'work' and almost always instantly have 'the sound' that I imagine in my head.

There are obviously a seemingly endless amount of choices and iterations, but you can't go wrong with a 421.

My 2 cents....

[Yoni]

Originally Posted by Jeff16years

I use 421's on toms but only if it is a drummer that hits REALLY hard. other wise I use a KSM 27 and/or 32

My drummer is one of the hardest hitting drummers i have ever heard and the 421 is great plus he uses 2 floor toms (16" and 18") so they are nice on them.


but for an average to light hitting drummer the KSM'a are SWEET!!!

I'm not a drummer but I've worked with a session player who uses the KSM 32s on toms and they sound huge and detailed.

[bloodstone]

421s are still the S**t as far as I'm concerned. Every studio should have at least two I think. As an added bonus, they're working really well for me on kick, bass cabs, guitar cabs and quite often as a lead vocal mic for rock stuff. I also use one for lead voice in live performance situations.

I once used a pair of 421s to record pedal steel through a Fender Deluxe (original vintage, black face). Amazing results!

[kylepdownes]

my two cheap favorites as of late have been the
at 3050 and the mc012. both have a really open low end.

[zarembo]

421's are great mics for almost everything, toms included!

Slightly off topic but a fellow gave me an old beige 421N which was destroyed.

I sent it to Sennheiser and their estimate to 'rebuild' it from the ground up was over $600.00!!

The fun part tho, was in their estimate it looked like they would use all new parts not NOS and no one would respond to my question of "are these new or NOS parts? hello? help please??"

no one would respond.

Until I started getting the 'reminder' bills and I told them to shove off and throw it in the garbage.

Talked to a cat who had Senn change his mics from tuchel to xlr for abou 300.00 a mic.

espendy

Also, if in doubt another vote for TLM-103's on the toms.
I was very very surprised

[everybody's x]

Originally Posted by zarembo

espendy

dude! they want $30 for that crappy mic clip, that you KNOW is going to break, fuuck I love my 421, but duct tape will do

[kwhatx]

Love the 421 on toms. And if I think the drummer may have control "issues" I'll use MD504's instead. The 421 is also my first choice on guitar cabs/amps. Plus, it's a great kick mic too.

[ZEUSS]

I end up using them everytime on Toms even though I still think they are boxy.

[Drumsound]

Originally Posted by Pohaku

Actually, I was watching a bit of the Concert for Bangladesh DVD and noticed that they were using 421s for vocal mics on just about everyone. Not only that but the damned clip (that always breaks) seemed a lot more robust than the one I have for mine. In fact it looked like they had miced just about everything in sight with 421s. I am going to have to go watch the rest of it again.

A big part of what I love about the 421. Put it most anywhere and sounds great. Some people say that about another popular dynamic but I Shurely disagree..

[opentune]

Shoot me, but i think the SM58 is a great alternative for toms in case
the 421 doesn´t deliver (or in case you don´t have any...). It´s also
great for kickdrum in a live situation (only if the PA is good).

Other than that i can say i simply love the 421 on toms ( ) and
guitars.

[asper]

EV ND-308's sound killer on toms. low profile (which the 421's don't have), can fit in tight places around the kit, and sound great.

[opentune]

Originally Posted by asper

EV ND-308's sound killer on toms. low profile (which the 421's don't have), can fit in tight places around the kit, and sound great.

Reminds of a tracking session with a local death metal band. Their kit
was so "stuffed with cymbals" - i had to use five Beta98. Otherwise
i wouldn´t have gotten the chance to get even close to the toms...

[Doublehelix]

Just like everyone else on here, I love my 421s. I also like the Audix D2s for the smaller toms...

I had a couple of my older 421s sent back to Sennheiser for repair a year or so ago, and they rebuilt them for about $650 for the pair with NOS parts (one of them needed a new capsule). They sound great now. Took about 6 weeks to get them back however, and at $650 you would think they would be gold-plated.

[pixelhead]

I see some things never change. I bought a couple 421's today. I appreciate all the input a will also try some of the alternatives in the future.