PZM mics

[illiummusic]

I see that a lot of people use pzm mics, but I can't seem to find a thread that really discusses this. I would like to know what people use them for, what they sound good on.
I also noticed that in the Native Instruments program Battrey 2, in the multi mic kit patch, that all of the drums have a cell with a pzm mic sample. Is it common practice to use it as more of a room mic, or is it more for a particular drum(s)?

[max cooper]

Drumkits, man!

You can play with floor placement, or you can make a wedge out of plex (perspex for those in the UK).

I've done both. I've used the original Crown PZM (the 30D) as well as the Realistic PZM with extra batteries.

The Crowns may have been better, but I also had better everything else, so it's not too fair of a comparison.

Fletcher was talking (or writing, rather) about making any mic into a pressure zone mic in a thread about miking drums for King's X, I think.

They're the bomb, though. When I don't get quite what I want from the room or the O/H's, PZMs can really do the trick. I've made good sounding drum recordings with a bunch of 57s and two 30D's.

[max cooper]

I picked up a couple of the newer Realistic "Boundary Microphones" (I think Crown owns the trademark on PZM)

I found a couple of mod kits online, but I haven't even had a chance to fire 'em up as they are yet.


edit: I found the link. Uneeda Audio makes upgrade kits, I believe for the current crop of Radshack "Pressure Zone mics"

http://www.uneeda-audio.com/

[adam miller]

I use Crowns all the time as drum room mics, usually taped to the studio glass. They make a small room sound less like a small room better than anything else I've tried.

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by adam miller

I use Crowns all the time as drum room mics, usually taped to the studio glass. They make a small room sound less like a small room better than anything else I've tried.

Adam, do you use the 30D's? I know they make several models, and I'm curious about the Sound Grabbers since they're under $100 each. The 30D are $300 each, which is still not expensive, especially considering what they do.

And I agree about the apparent size of the room. They can really make the drums slammin'.

[everybody's x]

I always have a spaced pair behind the drumkit. Sometimes I'll throw one under the drum throne. Michael Wagener uses the sm 91 as a kick mic with a speaker mic on the outside (now a subkick)

pzm'S ARE EXCELLENT IN A SMALL DRUM ROOM BECAUSE THEY DONT PICK UP THE NASTY COMB-FILTERING THAT OTHER MICS WOULD WITH A LOW CEILING (sorry I was yelling, you'd think after 1000 posts I'd learn to type)

[everybody's x]

whoah, never saw an ad for these before, these are the ones I have, as well as a set of AT's



MAX have you opened those up? Mine are stamped "shure" on the inside

[adam miller]

Originally Posted by max cooper

Adam, do you use the 30D's? I know they make several models, and I'm curious about the Sound Grabbers since they're under $100 each.

Yeah, I use the 30D's. I've never used the sound grabbers, but looking on the Crown website they seem to be tailored for cameras and portable recorders- battery power, minijack outs etc. So I've no idea how well they'd do for studio work- but they probably would work!

[MATTI]

One time I was working for TV documentaries and had 4 Crown GLM 100`s
always with me for spot mics, many times rigged as PZM mics by taping them capsule facing a hard surface with some 1 mm between the capsule and surface.
Matti

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by everybody's x

MAX have you opened those up? Mine are stamped "shure" on the inside

Mine just say "Neumann GmbH" inside.
















No, actually, I just pulled the bottom off, and there's a small board glued inside a foam surround. I didn't want to unglue the whole thing until I'm gonna actually do the upgrade, so I dunno. Damn thing's mostly held together with glue.

I figure Radio Shack's business plan is that 90% of their stuff has to not sell. Look at how many items a Radshack store stocks vs how many people go there. So that means they have to make something like ten times the standard retail markup on what they do sell. So, yeah, these things are made pretty cheaply.

[warhead]

Years ago I used to take the mic off the plate and put it in a spring clip with some foam and shove it inside a kick drum. The sound was enormous, it was a Radio Shack PZM.

War