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Old 09-18-2020, 03:05 AM   #1
Pink Wool
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Default What cheaper mic would you recommend as a mono overhead?

So after listening to our last practice recordings and then watching JHS episodes on youtube, I came to the conclusion that we need new mics for the drums! I mean, Nick over at JHS has a great sound with just 3 mics!

A 57 on the snare is a given and that's covered. So I've been looking for a EV RE20 for the kick and now there's one locally on a decent price so we're getting that. But what should I be on the lookout for as a decent but affordable mono overhead? They (JHS) use an AEA R84 but that's way out of our budget. And yeah, I'm (we're) fine with mono OH's. So what would you fine people recommend?

Thanks in advance,

Pink Wool

ps. Here's a link to JHS and their setup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUaLE0_3v8A

Last edited by Pink Wool; 09-18-2020 at 03:22 AM.
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Old 09-18-2020, 07:30 AM   #2
Philbo King
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One of the small diaphragm MXLs.
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Old 09-18-2020, 07:36 AM   #3
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For a mono overhead you don't want to be stuck with a single pattern mic, which unfortunately bumps it up into the next price range, but not by too much. It just rules out any great sleeper cheap condenser which is just cardioid. IMO. For a multi pattern mic, at $300 or less the AT2050 is very good. Pretty much any AT mic with the functionality you want in your budget will work out great. I've heard good things about the Warm Audio WA 47jr but not used it myself. If the budget creeps up into the $400 range, the Aston Spirit is a $450 mic that I use all the time and I really like it for many things including overhead.

If you can go above $300 there are a lot more choices that won't disappoint, and I'n sure folks will chime in. A really cheap mic that is ok for a thrashy overhead sound is likely to not have enough detail as a clean OH. The cymbals can be a bit blurry and the lows, miss and highs are sometimes too crammed together. You get the sound but not the sense of space, which even with a mono OH makes a difference.

If you want to go ribbon like the R84 I can recommend the $500 Royer R-10. Can't say if any of the less expensive ribbons out there aren't good as well, but the R-10 is a very friendly mic for a lot of sources and sounds better than $500.
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Old 09-18-2020, 08:38 AM   #4
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https://www.12gaugemicrophones.com/
Red or Green or heck both, they’re cheap! But does it have to be mono? The Black212 is a great x/y stereo mic. Even all three will probably still leave you with beer money.
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Old 09-18-2020, 08:39 AM   #5
chip mcdonald
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With no other description of room environment or situation,Behringer ECM8000.

Omni - it will be forgiving of placement, pick up the whole kit. Flat so less chance for coloration that forces you into a corner eq wise.

Cheap, $70.

Put it based on how loud you want the kit parts to be relative to cymbals.
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Old 09-18-2020, 08:41 AM   #6
serr
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Usually most of the drum sound comes from the overheads and kick. Spot mics (close mics on snare, toms, etc) can be really useful in addition but you're kind of sunk without a good overhead to begin with. I'd put one of your better condensers up as overhead. You can certainly get away with a mono overhead no problem.
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Old 09-18-2020, 09:21 AM   #7
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http://www.studioprojectsusa.com/b_series.html
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Old 09-18-2020, 12:54 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coachz View Post
I'm pretty fond of these. I use a B3 frequently in Fig-8 for M/S applications. At around $160 it's an amazing deal. FWIW, the links to buy these on that page are mostly dead. Try here:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/man...tudio_Projects

Vdubreeze:
Frankly, I don't ever recall using an omni or Fig-8 mic as an overhead for recording, in 40 years. Perhaps you could list the benefits of doing that for me? I'm curious... I'd foresee ceiling boundary reflection problems and resultant comb filtering unless you're working in a pro studio (very high ceiling) or at least have a ceiling cloud.
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Old 09-18-2020, 03:55 PM   #9
vdubreeze
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Philbo King View Post

Vdubreeze:
Frankly, I don't ever recall using an omni or Fig-8 mic as an overhead for recording, in 40 years. Perhaps you could list the benefits of doing that for me? I'm curious... I'd foresee ceiling boundary reflection problems and resultant comb filtering unless you're working in a pro studio (very high ceiling) or at least have a ceiling cloud.
Hi Philbo King

Not so much a Figure 8, if there's only one mic for OH, but an omni can be great. Naturally it depend on the room. It may be a little darker than the same mic in cardioid at the same position, but there will be more slightly kick and lows overall in it, which may or may not be a plus. I find putting an omni right at the drummer's head sometimes works better than above the kit.

If there's only one mic for a mono OH sometimes that mic's cardioid pattern may be directional enough that it gets mostly what it's aimed directly at, and what else is around it less than desired, especially if you don't want to raise it up higher to pick up a wider area but have it roomier sounding. But cardioid works well there also, if its result works best. Used to have a walkman cassette recorder that I'd run through as a drum OH. Very Street Fightin' Man.
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Old 09-18-2020, 06:24 PM   #10
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Interesting. Thanks.
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Old 09-20-2020, 12:09 AM   #11
Pink Wool
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Thanks for all the suggestions! That's a lot of variety but that was to be expected!
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Old 09-21-2020, 01:31 PM   #12
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How about a nice used AT4033? I got a near mint one from guitar center for $125.
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Old 10-08-2020, 06:22 AM   #13
Beastmode Beats
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AT2020 cardioid condensor.
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