Mini Clip on Drum Mics... Whats recomended? (Toms)

[deadair]

I know theres multiple of these things out there, and i'd really like one or two for the tight drummer who has there cymbols on top of their toms. what are you folks using?

a studio i interned at used the shure 98, but now looking online i see there's multiple different versions.... any info on that would also be cool.

thanks!

[A.David.MacKinnon]

I use those bug plastic clamps (like the ones on clamp-on lights) and what-ever mic I feel like. The clamp is threaded to take a mic clip so you can use anything...421s, 57s, M88s, atm25s.
The clamp has a rubber pad on each side it's jaw and fits perfectly on most drum rims. Best of all the clamps are $5 at the local big box music store.

[fuckface]

i have a couple of akg c418's . they do the job but they're not that great...
you can get them for pretty cheap and in a set with a d112

[deadair]

mic clamps, i am into, i use the latin percussion 'the claw' but i'm mainly interested (with this thread) about mini mics that can just sneak on there with built in clips. i've seen those akgs, i've been curious. any other opinions?

[penrithmatt]

we have some shure beta98's that are designed for toms.they have some jaws that clamp around the tom ring,that you can adjust,and the mic clips onto this gooseneck kinda thing.....they actually sound pretty good too,and are small and unobtrusive.
cheers
matthew
www.allairestudios.com

[Kilroy]

yeah man, those beta 98's are awesome. I really dig them. Never a problem with a drummer accidently hitting them.

[TapeOpLarry]

The Audix m1244 mics I just reviewed are really, realy good on toms. be super careful with placement and move them around a bit to get the best sound. I'm reluctant to return the review units...

[Electricide]

All I've heard is the Shure PG kit..you can get 4 piece (3 tom, one kick mic) or 6 piece that has two OH mics included. They were good, and I think only 250 for the set of 4.

[mingus2112]

I like the Sennheiser e604 on toms. Nice balanced sound and really punchy.

[deadair]

hmmm, larry, i can only find the audix m1245... was that a mistype or a new mic that isnt for sale yet (m1244?)

[getreel]

I also like e604s on toms. I can get good sounds with 57s though. 421s are always nice. The e604 is supposed to sound something like a 421 but they aren't exactly. 421s are a little fuller sounding and have more depth. If I owned enough, they would be my first choice for tom mics.

[auralman]

I'm a big fan of the Audio Technica Pro 25s for toms with the 'Claw'. Low profile, great sounds.

[sigrant]

I couldn't watch this thread continue any more without mentioning my favorite combo- The Claw and the EV ND468's. I have tried most of the mics mentioned in this post and I keep coming back to these little mics. They pump a hot signal and they're really punchy.

[Professor]

OK, I have to concur on a few of these recommendations before spitting out another.
The EV N/D468 or it's earlier incarnations (408, 418, etc.) are really handy and I made it a point to order two for the school's recording studio. I also have two of the Shure 57/52 Drum Kits at the school and one in my personal collection because the kit comes with three 57s and a Beta 52 with the case and clamps basically thrown in for the same cost as the mics individually. Of course, having the clamps helps out with other mics as well.
MD 421s also sound great on toms, but now we are getting into big mics. Re-20s and SM-7s are great for floor toms too.

As for clip on mics, I recently bought four of these Audio Technica 831r microphones for the studio and I just love them. They come with a lavalier tie clip, an acoustic guitar clip (slides on at tone hole) and a clip on gooseneck. I've used them on acoustic guitar and they are quite nice, but mostly they live in the little gooseneck clips.
I clip them onto tension rods and wrap the little neck around to point them across the drum head. Having 4 is great because I can throw them on three toms and snare and they are very quick to setup, teardown and connect. The 25' cable is a little tough to coil up and fit back into the case, but the mic is really great. It's a condenser, so you'll need power, but the freq. response also makes them great in other spots. They work well on HiHat, congas, and I've even tucked them inside a grand piano so I could close the lid while recording. I really like having them around, especially for when the cymbals are hanging to low, or there isn't enough room to squeeze a 57 in on the snare. They are also harder for the clumsy drummers to hit since they're so small. I think they also come in cheaper than the Shure 98s which is an added bonus.

-Jeremy

[lukakis]

I've used the audix mics on toms, and they do sound great, but be careful- they're HOT! I had a hard time keeping the signal manageable, but also, I was very inexperienced at the time so that might have something to do with it.