drum OH mics - your opinions on these...

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r0ck1r0ck2
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Post by r0ck1r0ck2 » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:38 pm

actually liked the nady on overheds more than the 160....
but i have the hotts for figure-8

if she's dull one could remove all (some) of that windscreening...
i swear thats for your 1st time ribbon users...

knobtwirler
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Post by knobtwirler » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:07 am

If you have a lot of third party plug-ins you'd be fine even if you used SM57s for overheads. I'd link some examples but the bands suck and I'd hate to think I helped get their crappy names out there.

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centurymantra
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Post by centurymantra » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:55 am

I have just recently been testing out a pair of M160 mics as overheads, in spaced pair and the 'recorderman' applications, and had mixed feelings about them in this use. I do LOVE those mics and they are great on guitar amps, not to mention other things, but am not sure they would be great all-rounder mics for OH applications. There would undoubtedly be great in the right song as they have an interesting, laid back texture. I think I would definitely give them a try in a track where I was micing up all the drums, but didn't feel they had the meat to carry the whole drum sound in my experiments with them. This is, of course, in my room with my humble engineering skills so take that for what it is worth. In minimal micing setups, I tend to favor LDC mics but this may just be due to the fact that the SDC mics I happen to have don't serve as the best drum OH mics. Actuallly, I am in your exact position as I feel that a good pair of SDC mics would be the best 'go-to' all-rounder mic for drum overheads and am tentatively planning on a pair of Peluso SDC mics with an extra pair of omni capsules, although I have been REALLY considering the Josephson mics as well.

tasker
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Post by tasker » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:30 am

Thanks for all the helpful info. It's a bit of a doozy, as I didn't expect anyone to have very strong opinions of dislike for any of the mics, but I imagine quite a few people are in the same dilemma - looking for a good pair of overheads in that same budget range.

To answer the questions, I was using the Nady as a mono overhead without feeling much love for it. I like it on other sources, but it felt muted and dull to me (not in a ribbon type of way, but in a this-mic-don't-got-it type of way), so I'll try removing the foam that's inside of it and see what happens. For the 57 idea, not really into that!

I have been leaning towards the Josephsons, but Shawn1272 scared me bit. There are a few long threads on this board about those mics though and it seems like most people love them. Plus, there's something that makes me feel better giving my to an actual human being than some mega company (I'll stay off that angle for the post though).

In any case, if you all have more opinions (...if...) shoot 'em up, it's surely helping me out and probably a few others as well. And if anyone's got any last minute "dude, I'd really go for the 81s over the Josephsons" or "you're making a huge mistake - get a pair of _____ LDC instead" type of advice, I'm all ears. Thanks!

-Tasker

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Post by cgarges » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:10 am

I used a spaced pair of M160s as overheads for the first time in about four years this weekend. Holy crap! I'll be doing that again (when it's appropriate, of course).

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

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r0ck1r0ck2
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Post by r0ck1r0ck2 » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:29 am

do remove some of that wind screening...but remember
its gonna make it more susceptible to getting blown...

use the standard ribbon caution ect...no huge farts right into the thing from now on...
but it really does open the mic up...

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