Chris and Warren: regarding the STO-2's, how do you have them set up with respect to the kit; and is there anything else you like to use them for?

Thanks!

I usually do a spaced pair of 4047's with a little compression. But then a mono u87 smashed to hell with an 1176. It gives me plenty of options to work with at mixdown.

I've had the best luck with those mics in the "boundary mics on the floor" thing, measured equidistant from the front of the kick drum. They're also really cool spaced-pair drum overhead mics in certain situations, especially for bashers. Often times I'll put those close to the cymbals and then have another mono mic (414, M160, 19a9) up higher above the kit.

I also really like them on spinet piano and on muddy guitar amps when I'm trying to retain clarity and top-end detail. I sometimes use B&Ks for this, too. They sound good on Leslie cabinets and I've recorded background vocals with them on several occasions. I've used the Avenson on snare drum with some interesting results, although I'm not generally crazy about omnis on snare. I've tried them as ambient mics for live acoustic recordings in a few halls and chruches, but have prefered the sound of the Oktava MC/MK012s with cardioid capsules or the Audio Tech 4051s. Call me crazy.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Cool. The STO-2's seem like a no-brainer at $500 a pair.

Thanks.

No problem. They really are great mics. And if you don't know, Brad usually builds a bunch of mics at a time, then tests them and pairs them up. The mic bodies are stamped with serial nimbers prior to assembly, so you might get mics number #98 and #105, but they will be matched and the case will indicate pair #51 or something, as well as the individual serial numbers.

I can't wait to try out his direct boxes.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

The WD40 is excellent! Never squeaks but penetrates. I have 2.

I

M149 x 2, sometimes distressors, sometimes 1178 as the mood dictates.

A bit of an update. I got the Chinese ibbons (Tape Op group buy). I did some quick tests yesterday and they sound really cool.

What about the Oktava ribbons? I've been tented to try them so many times.


I

Started a session last night, and the drummer commented how he liked the sound of his drums in his cans when the bass player's talkback mic was on (I hadn't ducked the talk-backs yet). I decided to add a room mic or two to give him the ambience he was looking for. Used the Blue Bottle with the B6 capsule about 6-8 feet in front of the kit, set about 4 feet high with the capsule pointed down at the kick.

HOLY CRAP! Beautiful! Soled with the kick mics gave a very usable sound just by themselves. Impressive to say the least. I am really liking this mic!

Now I've just got to get ahold of the persphex sphere omni capsule!

I have to try this shait!

heh

This is of course specific to everyone's particular room....but for what it's worth...I keep coming back to a pair of shure SM81s either XY or ORTF pointing AWAY from the kit. For a gritty rock room sound, they never let me down. Lots of "BANG!"

-Z-

been using Neumann M150 Tube mics for the room. make my medium sized drum room sound huge (unlike the huge rooms that i've never had any luck *recording* huge).

coles are great. royers can be nice. although the SF12 for me is too unfocused in our room. M249's can be cool (like U67's). some folks use PZM's strapped to the concrete wall. one or two SM57's are always nice to have come mix time (useful for listen mics too).

-tE

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2 Rode Classic II

I resurrected this thread only to say that I was able to use a nice room for drum tracking this weekend, and the room mics MADE my snare sound. I am so ecstatic right now.

I had C414 XLS's set to omni about 5 feet in front of the kick, spaced 30 feet to the left/right of the set. Depending on the track, I delayed them a bit, then put a gate on, triggered by the snare.

This has been done a million times before by people on this forum, but it was my first time using a decent drum room, and I can't explain how awesome it is using the actual room tone instead of ****e reverb plugins to get the sound I want. I was thinking I might bus the snare and toms to a fader, then use that to trigger the gate, see if it beefs up the toms too...

Just had to share

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EDIT: Go figure. This thread is in the high end forum. Just disregard my enthusiasm. OLD HAT to you seasoned pros...

R88. Requires significant juice from my Toft channels but they sound incredible.

I've been using stereo LCDs in omni or Figure 8's with the nulls pointed at the kit. I like to then add a LCD in cardiod about two inches off the floor somewhere in a corner. Gets a lot of sweet boom. With this setup, I often get a better, more "fun" stereo image than a stereo pair of overheads.

Just anything, 77, 47, 149 or sometimes a dynamic ..whatever's on the boom at the time ...mostly 77.

same here, pair of 414's in XY about 6 - 8 feet out in front of the kit. want to try a spaced pair very soon. If the U87's arn't on something, sometimes I'll swap em out for them.

The trick that makes the most difference for me, is to put my room mics (omnis) on the walls. That removes the walls to some degree (for the mic that's attached to it) and thereby in some sense makes the room larger. Works really great!

I'm using a couple of DPA4061's, taped to the walls.

I'll have to try that!

A while back I was playing drums on a bands track, and the producer/engineer taped an omni to the control room glass, it really beefed up the room sound.

RCA 77 with the null pointed at the drums

RCA 44 in front of the kit and a U67 or U87 in the omni in the next room.

Coles 4038 in Blumlein usually.

GT model 1b if I'm only using a mono room. The GT55 also works pretty well.

I've used 2 NT2's spaced in omni 15' back and 10' wide, 414/P12 in M/S from 30' back and 414b-uls in blumlien about 10' back.

Blumlien wins. Whenever I go for the wide thing I can never get a stable kick/snare image in the center. One is always leaning this way or that.

I do like the room mic's at 30' back or so for that albini vibe. Doesn't work on a lot of stuff though.

Last night I was in my car listening to a rock radio station when I heard "Saving Grace" from Tom Petty, it was the first time I heard the song and the drums on this song simply blew me away.

They are so roomy and wide, anybody knows which mic was used to get that wide room sound?

TLM 193's and C414 TL2's work for me

I'm a fan of U87's for room mic's.

I think by this point almost everything has been said. There are clearly a whole load of great options, you just need something reliable, in your price range, and with a good reputation. Personally I really dislike any of the rode nt's as oh's or room's.

Why? Sounds like what you have is working pretty well.