Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat sounding mic- my drums finally have life
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2016
I'm a drummer and bought this to experiment with a new live micing method I had read online. I have always had trouble getting the right amplified sound when putting a single mic on every drum, plus it takes a long time to set up such a system. I read an expert's review who STARTS with a pair of good overhead condensers to capture the natural sound coming off the entire kit from the drummer's perspective, then supplements that with individual kick, snare and any other needed mics. I figured it sounded logical and was worth a try. On my first setup with this method WOW! These mics are crisp, clear and faithfully represent the audible spectrum and natural sound of my kit. They capture and reproduce my toms, snare and cymbals with near studio quality.
After setting up and sending feeds to my sound guy he took one trip out front while I gave an initial sound check and came back onstage with eyes open and a grin on his face saying "man, I love those mics you got, they sound great out there." In fairness it should be noted that prior to getting these "middle of the road" mics (according to AKG promotional materials), I had been using a cheap pencil condenser from Shure that required a battery. So 'one mans' floor is another's ceiling' perhaps but regardless, they sound great to us and I am happy with how I sound. I also like the flexibility of these mics to use phantom power when available or batteries when not. They have additional adjustments to the sound based on the use and desired effect which I haven't even experimented with yet. I can't speak to longevity or durability because I have used them just once but I chose this model partly because of its reported toughness for travel and live use and its affordability. Hopefully they last a long time but if not at least I am not out a fortune. I was NOT compensated for this review and I hope it helps someone make a decision.
