AKG D12 help

[percussion boy]

My D12e has plenty of lows. Big boom. Doesn't seem like it has enough higher frequencies to be versatile the way, say, a 421 is. For some reason it sounds better on the beater-side head of the kick.

I've always kind of wondered how the d12 could have been used for vocals, which was part of its original mission I think.

[Brian]

a 421 is good for punchy kick sounds because it has of course more highs, but, it also cuts off at a higher frequency than a d12e. If you want those sub freqs without faking them its a d12e. Even rolled off a d12e is not as punchy as a 421, but, that's where the D112 comes in. a d12e and a 57 in a kick, or a 421 is unbeatable-ish.

[percussion boy]

a d12e and a 57 in a kick, or a 421 is unbeatable-ish.

Yeah. I've been using a 421 in front, and the d12e on the beater side. Not sure the 421 is even necessary sometimes, maybe the attack of the kick leaks into the 441 under the snare.
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The thing to think about if you've never heard a d12e is that it's not sculpted like most recent kick mics -- you may not be immediately wowed by the pure sound of it, unless the kick and mic placement are just right.

[Brian]

a d12e and a 57 in a kick, or a 421 is unbeatable-ish.

The thing to think about if you've never heard a d12e is that it's not sculpted like most recent kick mics -- you may not be immediately wowed by the pure sound of it, unless the kick and mic placement are just right.

and THAT my friends is where "MIC PLACEMENT" and "AN INTERNSHIP THAT"S WORTH A DAMN" is crucial to your career, at the crossroads of "old ass mic" and "micing shit".
I still wanrt a d12e.