You can't beat mixing and matching on sale; Blue Encore 100i when they're buy one/get one + whichever Sennheiser or Beyer kick mic is on the best sale.
Lewitt LCT 040 Match are really nice condensers, especially for their price. Matched pair available.
I'm currently checking them out while patiently waiting for the return of my sE Electronics sE8 pair.
I love my Rode NT5 matched pair as well.
I have a NT55 matched pair here at home. I love their omni capsules, and once used them spaced half a meter apart, one meter above my head. Cymbals sound VERY nice.
I also just got a used pair of SM81s. I'll try them in an ORTF setup again just above my head during the mid-year school break.
My AKG C414 B-ULS are my first pick for overheads. I have a pair of AEA R84s, which are super dark and fat and need a lot of top end boost to sound the way I want them to most of the time, and Neumann KM184s, which have an upper midrange boost that I don't think is very flattering on cymbals.
I run a spaced pair above the kit, but it's not as wide as some spaced pairs I've seen.
I definitely do want to try out a pair of Earthworks or Sankens in my studio...
I'd second that. They're the best overheads I had in my life. Very transparent and silky heights and an awesome bottom end. If one only has two channels for recording those would capture even the bass drum very well. No funny frequency response from the room since they're SDC. Various capsules available (omni, hyper cardioid) and very versatile (e.g. for recording acoustic guitar, grand pianos, strings, what ever). And the price is definitely a steal.
I have two AUDIX NT5, matched pair so, that's why I use them, I also have two audio technica ATM 4041 but they were bought separately and different years (they are on e Hihat and the ride though), they could work well as well if matched paired.... And finally, a pair of KEL Audio, a brand that was originally from where I live, that are kind the same type of capsule of a Neumann KM184 but they were also bought separately, I use them as a pair of room mic and I heard them on OH and they were great...
Shure and AT both say their mics are so closely matched that any two can form a matched pair. In the case of the AT40xx SDCs, they give them A/B/C designations to denote changes in generation, like EV did on their dynamics. Sometimes there is no change to the spec (in the models I have researched, anyway).
I had the same conundrum you have. Rather than consult any sales rep, I simply went all Sennheiser e9xx Evolution mics and haven’t regretted it. The e914 SDC are very articulate, and the e905 is a great alternative to an SM57.
Glyn Johns' Method disciple; I use a pair of small-diaphragm condenser SE mics for overheads, a Shure 57 on the snare, and a Sennheiser 602 for the kick. That's less than $500usd for a totally professional-grade set of drum mics.
Might replace the 602 with a d12, and I'd like to try ribbon mics in the mid-field...at some point.
Still, all that gear means nothing if you don't know how to use a compressor to enhance your snare or kick attack, or all of your perfectly reverbed toms suddenly disappear once the rest of the mix shows up.
I never use a compressor on my basic audio recordings. Compression is an extra, the icing on the cake. The goal is to record raw sounds to the best quality.
Reverbed toms? I don't use reverb at all, let alone on toms. Maybe a tiny bit on snare if anything.
My AKG C414 B-ULS are my first pick for overheads. I have a pair of AEA R84s, which are super dark and fat and need a lot of top end boost to sound the way I want them to most of the time
You can't beat mixing and matching on sale; Blue Encore 100i when they're buy one/get one + whichever Sennheiser or Beyer kick mic is on the best sale.
This is this promo that made me bought one Blue Encore 100i and get one free, same things with the Encore 300, they are great mic for the Guitar Amp and Snare bottom. Better than SM57 I think... And I bought two more at 50 CAN$ past months!!! So, two are on the stereo set for guitar Amps, one in the side Snare bottom (Tama Star Deserve Sendan) and another one on the 3rd snare bottom as well (Benny Greg Brass).
But for OH, I was really surprised the first time I used them, it was live, I was ready to cut a lot of high on rode to remove the harsh that a lot of people say about them and some SDC but no, they are super nice...
I also like the Oktavas (Oktavy?). They even provide individual frequency response measurements for each mic, in true old-time USSR fashion, to ensure stereo matching to a T!
I like a bit of reverb on my drums - but I guess that's what room mics are for. Digital reverbs don't play as well with the drums' transient attack IME, and tend to get a bit grainy.
I purchased a matched pair of Rode M5 mics. I've been using them on our current recordings and I think they sound great. Small Diaphragm Condensers for about $199 USD.
This is this promo that made me bought one Blue Encore 100i and get one free, same things with the Encore 300, they are great mic for the Guitar Amp and Snare bottom. Better than SM57 I think... And I bought two more at 50 CAN$ past months!!! So, two are on the stereo set for guitar Amps, one in the side Snare bottom (Tama Star Deserve Sendan) and another one on the 3rd snare bottom as well (Benny Greg Brass).
But for OH, I was really surprised the first time I used them, it was live, I was ready to cut a lot of high on rode to remove the harsh that a lot of people say about them and some SDC but no, they are super nice...
it kinda depends on what kind of stuff you play and what kind of a recording you're hoping to capture. you can get a realistic picture of a drumset for many purposes with three mics pretty easily - either glyn johns or a spaced pair of fig 8 ribbons and a kick mic (my pref if it won't be super quiet playing). if you play metal or hardcore, you'll probably need/want a bigger setup.
for low budget stuff, i'd get a pair of Nady RSM5s or something and a specialized kick mic of some kind - D6/D112/Beta52/e602/etc. if you don't mind buying the kick mic used, you should be able to get all 3 mics for under $300
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