which mic to buy for kick drum / shure beta 52 or AKG D 112?

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C_R_J
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which mic to buy for kick drum / shure beta 52 or AKG D 112?

Post by C_R_J » Mon May 21, 2007 11:15 pm

which should i get? pros? cons? will be used primarily for kick drum... maybe some bass guitar too...
time is money and im wasting both...

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Post by doc » Mon May 21, 2007 11:55 pm

Get the Sennheiser e602, you won't be sorry. Getting kick drum sounds I'm happy with has become so much easier since getting this mic. It sounds "modern" (read: scooped) similar to a D112 and Beta 52, but has it's own thing going on. Nice extended low end with a crisp/clear top. The Beta 52 never gave me anything I was happy with, with an unpleasant midrange honk. The D112 is better and easier to work with, but mine just lives on the floor tom now which is where I think that mic excels. Just my personal experience, YMMV.

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mikeyc
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Post by mikeyc » Tue May 22, 2007 5:40 am

As far as 'Kick Drum' mic's go, I really like the EV ND868... I think it sounds good on just about anything. you might also pick up an RE20 and have a mic you could maybe use on a wider range of sources.

But if you are set on getting either the Beta 52 or the D112, I'd probably go with the D112.

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Post by hiddendriveways » Tue May 22, 2007 7:23 am

I bought a Beta 52 on sale at a music store that was going out of business. They had run out of the AKG D112. So I bought the Beta 52. Yeah. To this day, I wish they hadn't run out of the AKGs. I mean, the Beta 52 is okay, but I'm never really "excited" about the kick sounds I get with it.

Buying a D112 is still on my list.

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Post by JohnDavisNYC » Tue May 22, 2007 7:41 am

I much prefer an RE-20 or AKG D-12e to either the Beta 52 or the D-112... to me they will always be 'live sound' mics... preset EQ curve that gets rid of any midrange tone the drum might have had, and is easy for a deaf sound guy at any club to get a loud boomy sound with tons of click (that he can't hear anyway)...

whatever, they are fine mics, I just think that there are way better options in the studio and that those mics are better suited to a situation like live sound where you can't necessarily rely on the desk EQ to shape the drum right, and having a generic scoopy kick sound is ok.

as for modern bass drum mics, the e602 is awesome. it does the punchy/scoopy thing way better, I think, and has better transient detail and power to the sound without getting all 'bouncing basketball' on the beater sound.

whatever... I like midrange alot, and I like to decide if and how much should be scooped out and where.... so my feelings on bass drum mics should be taken with a grain of salt.

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Jeff White
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Post by Jeff White » Tue May 22, 2007 8:13 am

toaster3000 wrote: whatever... I like midrange alot, and I like to decide if and how much should be scooped out and where.... so my feelings on bass drum mics should be taken with a grain of salt.
john
Me, too, which is why my fav Kick Drum mic is the Audio Technica 4047sv. I then carve to taste.

I have an AKG D112 and I agree with the live drum mic assessment. However, this question came up the other day on another forum the response that grabbed my attention said that the D112 was perfect for kick drum when the kick drum is tuned properly. The guy had Ringo's old kit (model, not his actualy kit) and his pop recording's kick drum sound was really nice. D112. So it does work.

I think that kick drum should be more individual instrument dependent. With that said, I also hear great things about the Beyer-dynamic kick mic.

Jeff

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Post by JASIII » Tue May 22, 2007 8:23 am

I personally would avoid the D112. I have one and I like other AKG products, but that mic always sounds bad to me. All "boooiiinnnggg" and no solid 'thud'. I gave up on it and use a 421 on kick now. that e602 sounds interesting though. I agree that the D112 is best suited for live work.

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Post by GravityRobert » Tue May 22, 2007 8:29 am

Audix d6 for kicks

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Post by @?,*???&? » Tue May 22, 2007 9:25 am

Fat = Beta 52

Knocky = AKG D112

Which quality do you prefer in your bass drum?

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Post by dsw » Tue May 22, 2007 11:47 am

D6 +1

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Post by tweedclassic » Tue May 22, 2007 11:52 am

E602 like this mike allot would be my first choice
beta 52 second choice
d112 third choice
D6 no thanks not my cup of tea.

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Post by Kasey » Tue May 22, 2007 12:26 pm

i don't mean to hijack this thread, but i'm trying to find a good kick drum mic right now too... and i'm debating between an SM7 (or maybe the PR40) and D12. opinions anyone? I'm imagining the SM7 and PR40 would be more versatile, which would be nice, but i'm most concerned about acquiring a good kick mic. One with boom! none of this clicky nonsense.

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Post by river » Tue May 22, 2007 12:36 pm

Another e602 fan here, been using it for as long as they've made them...maybe 8 years? I record many styles of music, it's never let me down.
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Z MINOR SOUND
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Post by Z MINOR SOUND » Tue May 22, 2007 12:44 pm

Buy them both. Get whichever one you find cheapest first. Or not.
They are both good mics.
Don't forget to breath.

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trodden
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Post by trodden » Tue May 22, 2007 1:06 pm

I used both d112 and beta 52 for many many years.. just got an older version of the e602 from all the recommendations on this board and i like it, but i'm still figuring the thing out having to "relearn" some techniques that just became "standard practice" when working with the other two mics.. Its quite easy to make the kik TOO big now! which was always a problem with me in the first place.

but yeah, before the e602 showed up in my life. it was a beta 52 or d112 in the drum and a AT4047 in a tunnel out in front of the kick. now the e602 is getting used inside.

this is for "rock" and "metal" type stuff.

re20 and 421 get used when not going for the "modern" or doesn't have to cut through 6 guitar tracks turned up to 11.

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