Kick Mic Review - Recordinghacks.com

[@sinoptikband]

ATM25 LE 0:09 Heil PR 48 0:28 Heil PR 48 0:50 AKG D112 1:10 MXL A55 1:33 A-T ATM250 1:51 EV 868 2:11 RE 20 2:30 Miktek PM11 3:31 Mondo 3:49 Shure SM7 4:09 Shure Beta52a 5:06 E602 5:41 Audix D4 5:58 Audix D6 6:16 Shure SM 57 6:33 MD 421 7:25 DTP 340 7:41 sinoptik.us

[@doncapps5597]

Thanks for doing this. You might want to add an entry for the RE320 which is right after the RE20.

[@stubkar]

Second grill is a pr-40. 48 listed twice, accidentally

[@bruno5583]

my favs 3:38 Miktek PM11 3:55 Avantone Mondo 5:11 Beta 52a 5:29 Beta 52 5:47 E602 7:15 MD421-II Rolloff 7:31 MD421-II 7:50 DTP340 REX

[@glennedwardgo]

I loved how the D112 retained the natural character & tuning of the drum than other mics. Others just sound anemic, thin, or pure attack with no punch & depth.

[@Stubz_Perez]

I really liked the 52 and the E602, but the D6 has all the aspects of a mic'd bass drum that I'm looking for; attack, warmth and tone

[@leivabernie]

Perhaps one of the most helpful videos.

[@aindparse]

I needed a new bass drum microphone to replace my ailing, forty year old Sennheiser. I listened to this comparison, and to my surprise, I didn't really like the sounds of the "big" names that everyone seems to use. My favourite was the Avantone Mondo, which I'd never heard of before. So I ordered one, and I've used it live several times now, and it's AMAZING!! A great microphone. Thank you for your video review.

[@irrationallynegative]

Very impressed by the Avantone Mondo - sounds amazing regardless of the low price.

[@joshswift]

The Mondo was HANDS DOWN the most balanced mic, with plenty of subsonic low-end, warm woody punch, and high end click. The majority of the others were either to muddy, subby, or clicky to my ear.

[@enriquekikzdelapazbichain1126]

I own a pair, i dont regret anything! My kicks sound insane paired with a Fet condenser mic combo in the front!

[@hyperluminalreality1]

You mention muddy. The Mondo is NOT balanced in frequency response. It is a kick mic with massive peaks and dips in the response curve. Some people do not want a 6dB at 75hz peak plus a 9dB peak centered at 3khz like the Mondo has. The Heil PR40 is much more clear and accurate than the Mondo. The Mondo has just too much unnatural low end peak for many styles of music IMO. It sounds like there is a sub kick mixed in that you cannot remove. You can hear much more accurate information and even air movement with the PR40. The drum shell is much more apparent. Wish I could afford one. Though it does sound a lot like a good FET condenser. Maybe the Mondo and the PR40 together would be the best blend. One fader = more thump... and the other fader = more natural drum shell, beater on head, and air movement sound. Best of both worlds. That being said, the SM57 was totally passable with any decent drummer in the mix. Don't matter what you use if your toes are not tapping on listen back. Rant over. Sorry so long winded.

[@dobb673]

+HUGO FUGUSEV I cannot disagree with anything you said. But the curves on the Mondo seem to be close to what I usually end up doing with eq anyway. So I just plug it up, and move on. One other little thing though - if I use a flatter mic and eq it like the Mondo, the peaks will tend to get TOO dynamic and out of control. Even though the Mondo has the curves, they stay smooth and controlled.

[@joshswift3493]

I appreciate the novel of schooling above, but my ears prefer the mondo. It’s “sonically” the cleanest and most realistic with every kick I own. I don’t care what a mic curve looks like. If it’s curve is a roller coaster and it sounds balanced on the drum, take my money. I do care what it sounds like all alone. In this video series, and in my studio, the Mondo wins. I do agree with the “air” factor of the Heil. That said, I get MORE than enough of that with the room mics. I want my kick drum to be solid as a rock, yet spacious enough. I stand my my original statement. There are some mics with more subsonic low end. There are some with more highs. There are some with more mids. OVERALL, the Mondo is the most balanced from top to bottom on this kick drum, and mine.

[@chrisbauer1925]

ATM250 sounds nice. Natural sounding, but still retains a slight mid scoop to add bite and reduce mud.

[@richardpenrose1968]

MXL A55 was my favourite followed by Avantone Mondo!

[@macaranas]

The AVANTONE MONDO and the HEIL PR48 are so similiar and both have great, chest pounding, full bodied, mushy tone. I like this comparison video a lot. NOTE: how distinct is that MIKTEK PM11.....talk about attack!

[@emilianorodriguez620]

Totalmente, los mejores en este test, sumaría el Audix4

[@yanisocratous]

Well that just made me buy the D6 from Audix, That was the only mic that didn't have that midrange overtone every other mic had.. and so much cheaper, a hundred bucks... wow

[@larrytate1657]

I have the d6 and like it a lot. For rock or metal it's amazing and easy to work with since it's pre eq'd toward it outta the box. I also love the lewitt 340 Rex as it has big low end but still sounds like a natural kick drum.

[@UndrSkorMusic]

I sold my d6 after a while... it's got a big scoop in the mids which sounds nice solo, but I find it a pain to mix. The beta 52 and e602 are a more full sound and I love them... the audix definitely sounds good on this kick, but I think that's largely just because it cuts out what I think is some pretty gross tuning issues... on a well tuned kick, you'd lose some great character

[@roadtonever]

One surprise was Audix D4. Another was Shure SM7B and MD421, great punch. Shure Beta 52 checked most boxes.

[@Fnicallo]

great video!! i think it's funny how it not only gets darker but you also slow down in tempo the longer the day gets! but honestly - great video :)

[@thesnipecatcher116]

Disliked nearly every mic solo’d, yet you made nearly all of them sound fantastic in context. Well done!

[@dcp10200]

The 57 I find works the best for this kit in the mix because it lets the kick cur through while not killing the lows entirely or making it too clicky

[@anonymusum]

It´s clear that specialized kick drum mics like the Beta 52 offer a lot more suitable sound than allrounders like the SM57. Among those I would recommend the Sennheiser MD421 from my own experience. I know that it didn´t shine here but if you add EQ and compressor it sounds very convincing. Besides I love the Beta 52 as it gives you a great result without tweaking too much on the mixing desk.

[@RecordingDrumsWithBrad]

Great video! I ended up going with the ATM250! Best microphone I have ever used for my bass drum!

[@mongolianmonkfish]

Thanks for doing this! IMO, when listening to the processed signals, there isn't much of a difference save for the Miktek which had a very hyped treble. Once adding bass, guitars, vocals, and keys, the difference between mics would be even less noticeable. I'm sure others will disagree, but for me, this is assurance that a great kick sound is possible with any kick drum mic. FWIW I'm listening in HD on a pair of K271's.

[@doncapps5597]

My favs were the ATM25 LE, the RE320 (not the RE20) and the Audix D4. They each had the right combination of thump and attack.

[@elishags]

Thanks a lot!! This is the best kick drum mic comparison video I'v ever seen!! I have an Audix D6 and have used an EV RE20 and RE27 in the past.. and I'm getting bored with the D6 besides it doesn't work well with my Yamaha Sub-kick. The RE20 and RE320 definitely have what Im looking for.

[@ProgRemix]

Damn the beta 52 sounds so good. I own a d112 though because I wanted to try out something I wasn't familiar with. Could be getting a 52 though soon... use them for live sound all the time already.

[@goldendrums777]

using the Audix D6 for 2 Years now...best sounding mic in this pricecategory!

[@MusicSasho]

What would you buy if the price is not an issue?

[@lifesglorydead]

I've generally been extremely fond of that Audix D6, but having never heard that MXL before this video, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. The thing with the D6 is you HAVE to mess with placement- without tweaking it can kind of sound more like a basketball bounce (kind of the vibe I got in this vid) than a kick drum. Sometimes it even sounds better outside the hole. Main point being, folks, move your mics around!! :)

[@pilero13]

I don’t know if it is my hearing or not but up until minute 3:45 when they sample the Miktek PM11 all mics sounded the same until the mikel pm11 was used I am listening to this video thru my jbl series 3 studio monitors.

[@davidcollins2648]

Glad I bought the SM7B, has a nice filter notch depending on what style your looking for. The EVs 440 and 320 would be my other choice. I have a Sennheiser 602 II that sounds nothing like the one here. Ok for bass cabs but don't care for it on my kick. May give it a shot on floor tom though. Thanks for putting this together! Great resource for finding the right mic at the right price.

[@Carus0e]

I also like the D6 and PR48 in this shootout, but I'm partial to my ATM25 for its accuracy. Less colored than the others and takes EQ well if you want to hype some frequencies. CAD M177 a foot or so in front of the kick sounds really good, too.

[@nevermore311]

I go back and forth between an old AKG D12 and a beat-up ATM25 that I fell in love with. The D12 can be a bit odd to place, because it's way blockier than a D112, but it's way more honest and worth the trouble most of the time. The ATM25 fills the void of a more modern sound when I need it. The SM7 might be my favorite mic in the locker, but I always end up going bananas on the EQ when I use it on kick, and seems a bit unnatural there.

[@BeatsByDezea]

The kick sound recorded with Audix D6 would be the one I would use for urban r&b / hip-hop beats. The EV D868 was nice also, but the Audix really sounded the most suitable at least for urban style beats.

[@tiekoe]

Beta 52, RE20, Avantone MONDO (new to me, loved it). Absolutely hated the D112 to my surprise. Also, I don't get why people say the SM57 sounded good, it lacked any sort of decent bottom end, just high mids.

[@MaakuS-53]

For an inside kick it sounded better than I expected, definitely I think you'd want a nice sub kick or outside mic backing it up though

[@qw1419xtj]

The D112 needs to be right up at the beater and then it SLAMS.

[@shanelandstrom1597]

i liked the pr48, the mxl, re20, 421. the sm57 with kick pad suprised me.

[@mikas.e]

Best video ever. THANK you so much, Eric.

[@GamingDrummer89]

My top 3: 1. MXL A55 2. Audix D6 3. EV320 + Kick Curve

[@ScottMusgrave]

I do actually and ive used 57s on kick before. Im talking about broadcast mics. I understand, people like their' sound but im a sound tec and stick with mics that are designed for their' purpose. They are pre eqed for different applactions, try audix or shure drum microphones

[@larrytate1657]

I prefer the lewitt 340 Rex. Had a nice big low end but still maintained the natural essence of the kick drum imo.

[@lishlash3749]

Love the RE20 and RE320, but they're so clumsy to balance on a narrow kick mic stand. Looks like the EV N/D868 is the sleeper of this pack, hard to find but huge bang for the buck. Also agree on the D6 as a one-note wonder, quite unlike the rest of the versatile Audix drum mic line.

[@allmetaliswelcome]

That PM11 sounds like the Black album kick! I came here to check out the PR48 though; I recently saw Red Fang and they used it, incredibly clean (not as tubby like a B52) sub.

[@JohnNyerges]

Very nice comparison of many mics. thanks for posting

[@steverok67]

That MXL A-55 sounds really good here, and really inexpensive too.

[@WHITERATPRIME1234567]

I love how natural the RE20 is. The Mitek PM11 has a wonderful high end too it, but needs to be supplemented with something else. Sm7B sounded good with a mid boost. I actually think the Audix D4 sounded way more natural than the D6. Love the tightness of the ATM/25, but it would still need some tweaking. Pretty much everything else sounded fake and I don't think I microphone should pull away from the sound of a nice kick drum like most of these do. But most kicks on budgets sound dump.

[@Jambax]

That Miktek paired with the Avantone, ultimate metal Kick Drum!

[@assitch6]

my favorites: Heil PR40 very aggressive attack, would sound great for some things. A-55 cuts through beautifully. ATM250 has nice detail to it. Shure Beta 52A ticks all the right boxes (for me). E602 sounds very meaty. Audix D4 & D6 good all rounder (and cheap). Least favourites: AKG D112 Lacking any vibe, a bit boring. RE20 sounds a bit pokey (for the lack of a better word). Miktek PM11 will obviously need a second microphone.

[@kaldi]

Really wish you had done the AKG D112 with multiple EQ's as you did most of the others, but still a great and informative video thanks!

[@busyboxst7]

The D112 has no EQ switches built in. The only mics with multiple EQs are because there's switches on board (except the 57 that he added a kickpad to because a 57 obviously is not a kick mic) - granted, neither is the D4 or MD421, but it's a further stretch w/ the 57.

[@JamieClark]

was hoping to like something better than the D6 so I could learn something new, but alas... Maybe that MONDO mic, though.. Will look more into that, but in the mean time, it's still just a D6. If it sounds good, it is good.

[@drumstudio2000]

If you compare just the full kit version, d112 is the most natural that blends better with the full kit. I must accept míc only version sounds too basketball.

[@stillphil]

*faves Heli PR48 0:36 Audix D4 6:04 Audix D6 6:22 Avantone Mondo 3:55

[@MrMercho4416]

All interesting results. I like to move the mics around and found that helps on anything really of course everything is a guess .... Drummer ,Drum Style ect. I have had pretty interesting results with beyer m-88 mics for a long time and even the audix i 5 if you have delay on your digital console try small amounts of delay with 2 mics in the same hole with both being equal distance from the head can be fun...

[@christiaanbezuidenhout6984]

I'm also a D6 fan. But it depends on the drum kit. On this kick drum, the A55 did come out better for me as well. But all drum kits vary in sound and that's why you should always test which sound better for you. But in overall the D6 has won many of those tests.

[@NoeAnton]

Holy Crap! The Avantone sounds amazing! the D112 sounds flat and dull surprisingly, and the Audix D6 also sounds pretty badass

[@xMasterxRazorx]

I could hear the differences between each mic solo, but when you brought the other mics in the kick drum sounded mostly the same regardless of the kick mic.

[@MikeDrohman]

Best Sounding kick mic demo out there.

[@eyeheartchrist]

...and I know you said you prefer an open sound, so no disrepect in regards to preferences.

[@alexrafaelrafael9305]

the sound of miktek pm11 is well velvety! Very good!

[@jameskirkbydrums]

I second master razor. Can hear them when solo'd, but when mixed in your room mics overshadow the mic sound a lot.

[@mattglass4125]

great video, thanks. im sure its been said, but would be great if you had've done a one mic type position aswell, sort of nearer the head/half out of the drum. i find the response tends to be totally different for some mics, and more similar for others; say the d112 gets a lot fuller as it is brought back but the 52 is pretty full wherever. thanks.

[@Seanalbertt]

D6, and the Miktek PM11 couple that with. A beta 91, and ohhhh boiiiiii:)

[@lungcanc3r666]

the sm 57 with kickpad hit my sweet spot

[@BlueHouseSoundStudio]

I’ve seen other shootouts where the miktek pm11 is no where near the click of the D6 and or e602 So I am wondering what is going on here. You can also look up the frequency responses of all 3 mics to match what I am describing. Dammit, now I just to buy a Miktek and find out for myself. Go figure.

[@steve1287]

So then you must be talking about the RE20 or the SM7b. I've seen, heard, and used the SM7b on kick drums, bass amps, and vocals and it sounds great. I've used the RE20 on kick before, although It was not the sound I was looking for it could be used for other styles. I have tried the RE20 on bass and it was like butter. Most, if not all of these mics are dynamic microphones which means they can handle the high SPL's coming from a kick drum.

[@keegaannO94]

A Miktek pm11 on the inside with an AKG D112 around the outside would be beautiful.

[@ParachuteForGordo]

Very useful, always the D112 for me! Out of curiosity, what are you using for snare/room mic?

[@justindrakecroft]

Thanks for the super thorough video!

[@Ismlor]

Never heard of the avantone mondo before this vid but it stuck out to me too.

[@bongostatechampion]

The Mondo to my ears has a sense of imediacy and speed which the majorityof mics tested seem to lack, maybe its just the way its EQ curve is taylored?

[@jameskirkbydrums]

I can hear the differences when the 4 single bass drum hits are going but when the mini groove goes on i cant hesr a single.difference...was the camera/room mics not.muted?

[@monovladd4392]

MD421 kick in and BETA52a kick out. some EQ some Comp... greats kick sound

[@iaushabtiu]

first time hearing the pm11 and i really like it

[@mongolianmonkfish]

Also, the drums sound great in the recordings. Could you comment on your mic placement, any room treatment, and signal processing that you feel contributes to your sounds?

[@kosycat1]

sm7b sounded pretty cool with the bass rolloff

[@TheJmach1]

Jonathan Kosyjana haha I agree. Sounded terrible solo'ed but with the whole set it sounded nice!

[@Trig242]

That MXL sound surprisingly nice, for the cost.

[@alexgordonepic]

placement is a big deal... you can get different sounds out of the same mic you know

[@JuanNungaray]

my two favorites miktek pm11 heil pr48

[@Seanalbertt]

Used the PM48 live. Not good. At all.

[@briannorwood5010]

+Juan Nungaray I use a Pr48 live every week. I completely disagree.

[@splaijsen]

The MXL sounds great and for the price, it`s a got to have! Thaaank you!

[@rocklobsters4406]

Picked up the Miktek Pm11, Unreal!!!

[@void1276]

+rock lobsters The pm11 is unreal, but will it be a universal mic with its super attack?

[@larrytate1657]

Not rly but if you're mainly playing rock or metal it's glorious.

[@void1276]

I play metal and I`ve ended up with the ev 868, it rocks and is 4 times cheaper than pm11. Its super dark with a great click and is nothing like in this video. But I guess its because I have a different kick drums, drum heads, beaters, tuning and so on...

[@Flexapr]

Nice Comparisons here. No Sennheiser e902 tho'? That's what I own. :)

[@jjlwis]

no Shure beta91 or 91a? man those sound good too! also you could tell the drummer was getting tired towards the end of the demo.... playing slower, and slower...= (

[@boots66683]

You just have a really good sounding kick. They all sound good.

[@playboxlimited.]

Thank you so much for your time and effort

[@terryshoes]

thanks for putting up this awesome comparison of kick drum mics! :)

[@zpottsy]

I've Been In The Biz For Over 40+ Years. I've Tried Everything, And Every Mic To Get Bass Drums To Sound Like Bloody Cannons ( Like PUNCH + BOOM ). That Is What Bass DrumsAre Supposed To Sound Like, In My Opinion Anyway. The N/D868 Still RulesAll Day Long!

[@PhucketThugLife]

WOW the MXL A55 sounds like a trigger!!!

[@richardpercefull7083]

It's really hard to distinguish the actual kick mic from the room mics.

[@mulambo84]

miktek pm11 sounds like a suecof kick sample, count on me getting one

[@stillphil]

Good ears drummer did slow down. also Did you notice the light on the bass drum head? Early afternoon ! ATM25 LETS DO THIS ! after noon This AWESOME Great mics ! lunch break Sunsetting . . . SM 7B MD 421 II + Rolloff Evening dark bassdrum head. Dude ... I'm TIRED how many more mics?

[@brettmingie5342]

I seen somewhere online that Danny Carey of Tool uses the Neil pr48 for his kicks. They must be good.

[@eyesofobsidian]

Yeah he uses the 48s live from what I've heard. He used the PR40 on the 10,000 days recordings.

[@MrJakovasaur]

Ditto that. Did you use room mics or just reverb on the snare? Sounds great..

[@michaelcandido2824]

d115E or d15E and neuman u47 transistor for kick for me. in the video only the d115 sm 57 and some other mic do it for me, the rest sound too scooped.

[@richardpenrose1968]

My favourites were the MXL A55, Avantone Mondo and Audix D6. I'm looking to buy one of these for live use and am leaning towards either the MXL or the Avantone. Not sure which to go for and can't try them out as there are no stores in the UK that stock the Avantone. That would need to be a special order mic. Any thoughts?

[@jessegimbel]

Fantastic video! I made a somewhat similar one on my channel. I think these kind of comparison tests with all mics in the same context are invaluable. Thanks for doing this!

[@lpkyer]

Favorites: Top3: Mondo, RE20 (all), md421 flat That Miktek bleed is horrible.

[@MeTuLHeD]

Hmmm. I could easily use MOST of them in a given context. But my choices would be... 1. Avantone Mondo 2. Audix D6 3. MXL A55 The Avantone and the Audix just had the right balance between oooomfff and klack. The MXL because...BEEF!

[@blakepence4008]

you didn't do the d112 right. It's supposed to go inside of the kick drum on top of a pillow. edit: or a blanket, something like that.

[@jeremywurst6985]

Interesting placement, do you sleep with a pillow on your face or underneath your head?

[@blakepence4008]

@@jeremywurst6985 lol. Good one.

[@BadRonald1]

ATM25/LE, SM7B +Mid Boos,Shure Beta 52 sound the best

[@Gaer1984]

Lets be honest: Avantone Mondo sounds better than Audix D6. Too bad I ordered D6 a week ago.

[@EricBeam1313]

No but the Powersonic head has some minor built in damping. I prefer an open sound & I'd rather have the options during mix down. You can always remove sustain but its a bitch to add it.

[@_NFCreative_]

RE320 FTW! ;-)

[@dergreule]

1:29 3:49 6:16 u know... this makes it easy to compare ;-)

[@simaojoseph]

why no beyerdynamic's?

[@cosmo5179]

I think i love the mxl 55a.. What do you guys think is useful for Reggae/dub music?

[@thesuccessfulbarber]

Its a good mic

[@cosmo5179]

Cody the Barber thanks man! I just ordered the mxl 55a mic!

[@thesuccessfulbarber]

@@cosmo5179 cool

[@felipejuniordiaz]

Peavey PVM 321 ???