Kick Drum Microphone Shootout: Sound Clips

[akg414]

Did a quick shoot out between a couple mics people use on kicks.

-Shure SM57
-Sennheiser MD421
-EV RE20
-Sennheiser E602

Each clip contains around 7 seconds of RAW, UNPROCESSED track. The remaining 7 seconds has some EQ and slight compression

(if anyone wants the Pro Tools presets, I can zip them up and email)

The last clip is all the kicks together in action.

All mics are half way into a 22", pretty much on center with the beater. Tama kick with an Evans head (the ones with the different foam rings). All mics went through a Mackie 8-Bus console pre-amp and into Pro Tools.

The idea was to give a comparison between the mics, not capture the most pristine sound...

Shure SM57
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/sm57.wav

Sennheiser 421
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/md421.wav

EV RE20
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/re20.wav

Sennheiser e602
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/e602.wav


Comments welcome...

[rwc]

I am surprised I like the e602 so much.

it must work in context, because next to a 421, it sounds like shit!

[tdbajus]

Did a quick shoot out between a couple mics people use on kicks.

-Shure SM57
-Sennheiser MD421
-EV RE20
-Sennheiser E602

Each clip contains around 7 seconds of RAW, UNPROCESSED track. The remaining 7 seconds has some EQ and slight compression

(if anyone wants the Pro Tools presets, I can zip them up and email)

The last clip is all the kicks together in action.

All mics are half way into a 22", pretty much on center with the beater. Tama kick with an Evans head (the ones with the different foam rings). All mics went through a Mackie 8-Bus console pre-amp and into Pro Tools.

The idea was to give a comparison between the mics, not capture the most pristine sound...

Shure SM57
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/sm57.wav

Sennheiser 421
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/md421.wav

EV RE20
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/re20.wav

Sennheiser e602
http://www.thesecretsystemband.com/music/e602.wav


Comments welcome...

Funny, when I have a/b tested a 421 and an RE20 on a floor tom, i found them to be very similar. I'm surprised the 57 and the 421 sound so close. If I wasn't afraid of looking more foolish than I usually do here, I would ask if maybe you swapped labels on the 57 and the RE20.

I would never ask something so silly.

[akg414]

Funny, when I have a/b tested a 421 and an RE20 on a floor tom, i found them to be very similar. I'm surprised the 57 and the 421 sound so close. If I wasn't afraid of looking more foolish than I usually do here, I would ask if maybe you swapped labels on the 57 and the RE20.I would never ask something so silly.

Nope, tests were just as written. I was let down in a major way with the RE20. I've always heard such great things about them. Maybe in context with my drummer, it'll sound better, but until then -

[tdbajus]

my RE20 usually gets kicked to the curb for a lot of uses by the 421. I did use it for a lo-fi drum overhead where we did a track of just playing the rack and floor toms, and it sounded pretty great.

Not the most used mike in my meager collection, for sure, though.

[RedCrownStudios]

I actually really like the e602.

Would you mind going ahead and posting your pro tools settings?

[akg414]

I actually really like the e602.

Would you mind going ahead and posting your pro tools settings?

I will later tonight (off to work now...)

[honkyjonk]

They all sound the same to me except the RE20, which I like the best.

Is this because I'm listening on laptop speakers? Hah.

[T-rex]

I am surprised I like the e602 so much.

it must work in context, because next to a 421, it sounds like shit!

The 421 in the middle may sound way better than the e602 in the middle of the bass drum. But the e602 an inch off the head might sound amazingly better? It's really about where a particular mic sounds best in a particular drum.

But totally, for comparison purposes it's great to do this kind of stuff.

[newfuturevintage]

Thanks for doing this

I am frightened by the e602. That's a lotta low end.

The RE20 don't sound right to my ears. Maybe because I'm used to how they sound right on the beater? I dunno. It's almost like the low cut filter was engaged on the mic. Strange.

[akg414]

Thanks for doing this

I am frightened by the e602. That's a lotta low end.

The RE20 don't sound right to my ears. Maybe because I'm used to how they sound right on the beater? I dunno. It's almost like the low cut filter was engaged on the mic. Strange.

Me to. I was really let down. More experimentation to come...

[JWL]

I was let down in a major way with the RE20. I've always heard such great things about them. Maybe in context with my drummer, it'll sound better, but until then -

Yeah, the RE20 really sucks. You never want to use it. Go ahead and send me your RE20, that way you won't ever have to worry about it again.

[T-rex]

I was let down in a major way with the RE20. I've always heard such great things about them. Maybe in context with my drummer, it'll sound better, but until then -

Yeah, the RE20 really sucks. You never want to use it. Go ahead and send me your RE20, that way you won't ever have to worry about it again.

Totally! And I'll take the e602 while your at it. That way I will have a pair for doorstops!

[T-rex]

In all seriousness though, when you are doing the shootout try to find the best soundin place for each mic, to your ear. Then mic up the rest of the drums and compare the bass drum trracks in the context of all of the tracks. Try mixing it a bit, eq'ing the tracks etc. and see if that changes your opinion any?

[newfuturevintage]

Me to. I was really let down. More experimentation to come...

When I've had success with the re20 on kick, it's usually been with the front head off, the drum damped down to sound tight (I usually do this with any mic; I'm generally recording rock), and with the re20 point-blank, dead-on-axis to the beater, under 2 inches from the skin when the beater is pressed into it. I'll move to the side to get less beater if necessary, and EQ to taste.