Make the best 800 dollar drum mic kit

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alexbab
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Make the best 800 dollar drum mic kit

Post by alexbab » Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:48 am

Hello,

what would your prefered 800 dollar drum mic kit be?

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DJ_LBP
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Post by DJ_LBP » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:18 am

sm7b-~270 used-350 new
sm57x3- ~60 used-100 new
AT873R -i got mine for 60 used, i think that was a pretty rippin deal though.

this is my setup a lot of times. this is with sm7 on kick, 57s on snare, rack tom, floor tom, and single overhead placed towards my ride cymbal.

Im not a good drummer or recordist though, but i like the sounds i get pretty well.

I would like to use fewer mics to get more room sound, but my room sounds like doody.
Why not?

-Hunter S. Thompson

Artifex
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Post by Artifex » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:49 am

What do you need it for? Do you have an existing setup?

Without any more info, I would say the best sound you would get would be to spend about that much on recording time at a good studio. That way you get a great sound, and some hands-on experience with what you may find works well.

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JWL
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Post by JWL » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:15 am

Tough call. Depends on the sounds you like.

I'd probably do this:

OH - Nady RSM-4 ribbon x 2 $160

Snare/Toms - CAD 4piece drum mic kit with TSM411s (snare and rack toms) and KBM412 (for floor tom) $150

Kick/Front - CAD GXL3000 multipattern condenser - $120

Kick/inside - Heil PR40 - $325

That takes you right up to about 8 bills.....

Harry
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Post by Harry » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:04 pm

A pair of cheap LDC for OH
I"m using Apex 460s right now...about $200 each

Sennheiser e602....kick $150

That will get it done


Maybe a 57 on snare $90?

This is all I use most of the time. I only close mic everything when I'm doing really heavy stuff, which is almost never.

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blackdiscoball
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Post by blackdiscoball » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:38 pm

Id go with 2 nicer overhead mics, maybe nt5's, or pro 37's something you like, then throw in a kick mic E602, D112, it really depends on what kick sound you want. Then a sm57 or other mic that you might like on snare. I would think that would get a good drum sound. If your over heads sound good and are placed well, you shouldn't have to worry about toms much (if the drummer knows how to hit the drums well). I find I can more about overheads and kick mic's more then any other mic on the set.
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mjau
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Post by mjau » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:45 pm

I'd think $800 can get you lots of flexibility as far as building a mic cabinet for drums.

If buying used, you could do go:

Kick: e602 $150
Snare: sm57/atm23/beyer m69 $60-$100
Overheads: 2x Oktava mc012's $250

or...

Kick: sm7 $250
Snare: sm57 $60
Overhead: AKG c414 $500

Or just get a single awesome mic and place it where it sounds best.

alexbab
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Post by alexbab » Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:18 pm

thank you for your replies, i guess it really depends on what sound you really want that's why there is no best. but it's good advice.

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Post by Professor » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:13 pm

I have to say that my favorite snare mic for the 5x14" snare in the studio here is the AKG C-414... but there's your whole budget in one mic.
My favorite tom mics for the drums I have here in the studio (walnut shell Gretsch with Evans EC2 coated heads) is the TapeOp Ribbon (PPA brand 'R-One' mic) although sometimes the small drums will get something different like an Electrovoice N/D 468.

Really I think the best single piece of advice would be to get the best pair of condenser mics you can squeeze into that budget. I don't know if the AT-4050 is selling cheap enough to fit a pair into $800, probably not, but a great pair of clean and smooth multi-pattern LDC mics will be one of the best investments in mics you could possibly make. Then every configuration of stereo pair is available to you on the overheads, and they will capture a great sound that represents the whole drumset. Any spot mics on snare or bass drums will just add a little presence.

-Jeremy

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Post by nordberg » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:12 am

fatheads in blumlein $300
rode ntk FOK $350
beta 52 kick $150
beta 57 snare $150
sound... priceless
A gaggle of geese? A tangle of cables!

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austin
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Post by austin » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:27 am

Professor wrote:I don't know if the AT-4050 is selling cheap enough to fit a pair into $800, probably not, but a great pair of clean and smooth multi-pattern LDC mics will be one of the best investments in mics you could possibly make.
I just got a used 4050 for $360, so yes, it can be done!

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Post by eeldip » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:30 am

alexbab wrote:thank you for your replies, i guess it really depends on what sound you really want that's why there is no best. but it's good advice.
but what sound DO you want for your $800?

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suppositron
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Post by suppositron » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:19 am

Anyone use an e609 on snare? I'm doing that now. sounds better than a 57 I think. I have it under the hi hat about 4 inches away from the snare pointed towards the center of the head. kinda lets the snare breath a bit and i dont pick up as much ringing overtones.

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Post by mjau » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:40 pm

suppositron wrote:Anyone use an e609 on snare? I'm doing that now. sounds better than a 57 I think. I have it under the hi hat about 4 inches away from the snare pointed towards the center of the head. kinda lets the snare breath a bit and i dont pick up as much ringing overtones.
I like it on snare, usually a bit more than a 57.

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Snarl 12/8
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Post by Snarl 12/8 » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:27 pm

If I could do it all over again, and not be stuck with all the cheap shit I have now, I'd get a Heil P(?)40 for Kick and the absolute best pair of condensers I could afford for Overheads. Probably the JolyMod MC-012's, if I could afford them for what was left of the $800. That might not be perfect for everything. But you could fill it out with close mics that you begged or borrowed for bigger sessions and those pieces will never go out of style. Plus, you could probably sell the JolyMods down the road for close or more than you paid for them. I can't say that for most of my mics.

Edit: Oh, and build yourself a couple or three tapeop omnis (~$25 each) for room mics and a heart mic.
Carl Keil

Almost forgot: Please steal my drum tracks. and more.

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