KAM drum mics?

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RickK

KAM drum mics?

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Posts: 862

(11/07/09 06:35:57)

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Does anyone know anything about these mics?
Are they cheap or would $300 be an investment for a while?

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Drum-Instrument-Microphone-set-KAM-D7-MIC-KIT_W0QQitemZ320424779505QQcmdZViewItem

http://kaminstruments.com/pro_mics.htm

Mainely Drummer

Hey Rick

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Posts: 3200

(11/07/09 07:14:35)

Senior Member

Thanks to the broken search function, I had to troll to hunt up a post I made concerning drum mics.

I am indebted to Billy for encouraging me NOT to go with an off brand, and also for pointing out that more microphones is not necessarily better.

Here is a key piece of advice when I was considering an off brand similar to KAM:

Ok, Mr. ants in his pants, who can't wait for us to find his thread, so he has to put a marker up in General discussion... LOL ">

I've never heard of Avantone. I've never heard of Robin Dimaggio either - and if that is the best they can do for artists, then you might want to be careful. In all honesty, I have heard about Robin Dimaggio and I'm not saying another word about that.
Here's what I think:
Shure is a real brand. CAD / Audio Technica / AKG...yes.
Avantone??
If you ever want to move up and sell your original Avantones... if they work at all, they will be not worth too much in resale.
Pay peanuts = get monkeys.
Buy a real, known brand. It's several hundred schmoolas. Pay the extra 50 bucks to have a mic that will work in 6 months.

Thread is here.

For the record, I went with SURE, One Kick and three SM 57s.

Last Edited By: Mainely Drummer 11/07/09 07:16:56. Edited 1 times.

RickK

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Posts: 863

(11/07/09 11:53:07)

Thanks Mainely,

I was looking at the DMK5752 kit by Shure, but the said well what about overheads for cymbals?

so I figured I would look at others...but this confirms my first thought and I will look at the Shure mics again.

Thanks

rick

Mainely Drummer

Rick..

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Posts: 3206

(11/08/09 08:37:36)

Senior Member

Is this for live playing or recording?

Do you really need overheads?

Billy , Amba or any other audio person can jump in here, but generally the more mics you have, the more complicated it is to balance the sound.

See here:

However, plenty of great tracks have been recorded using just two microphones. Take a look at photos from the Abbey Road studios during the Beatles' sessions: one mic in the middle of the kit, and one about four feet in front of the kick near the floor (see Fig. 1). Okay, so they were using Neumann U47's, which would cost around $16,000 a pair today. But the acoustic principle is the same. You could mic up a kit like this with Shure 57's and get a nice recording.

Close miking means lots of stands, lots of cables, lots of inputs, lots of time and phase headaches, and lots of $$$. If you can figure out a way to use just a few mics, and you select high-quality ones, you may very well wind up with a better, more manageable sound overall. Since you'll be using less tracks, you'll take less time in mix getting a drum sound up, and you'll have more tracks available for your girlfriend's stupendous flute solo, without which your relationship will inevitably fail.

Last Edited By: Mainely Drummer 11/08/09 08:40:25. Edited 1 times.

RickK

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Posts: 865

(11/08/09 13:55:22)

not really sure since I have no mic experience at all.

It right now would be for my own benefit to hear what is coming out when I practice/play.

The H4 recorder is okay but picks up everything in the room, where close mic setup may let me hear if I am play the hi hat too loud or the floor Tom too soft etc...

and if I ever need to play live or record in the future I will have a good start.

I know Billy said at one time not to focus on this so much right now, so I am in no rush.

thanks for the help

rick

billy ward

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Posts: 8041

(11/08/09 15:37:34)

Rick, with close mics, you will have NO idea on your balance. Who knows what level each mic is - and frankly, who cares what each drum sounds like up close? if you want to invest in a better mic, buy a nice stereo microphone and place it in front of the kit - chest high, about three feet frfom the bass drum. This will give you a realistic picture of your dynamics and volume of each of the instruments inside your kit. i am beginning to think that people want to buy these mic kits and mic up close because they think it will give their drums the IMPACT that they hear on records. Sadly, this is not the case. That is achieved through all kinds of expensive gear and great ears.

So buy a stereo mic.
You will have to spend more than probably two hundred bucks to beat your built in mic. Audio technica / STudio projects / shure / MXL (or is it MXR...??)
ANyway.. good luck.

The other thing is this - if your current recordings sound too roomy and in particular U G L Y, then maybe your room needs help. Put some bookshelves in (corners preferred) and keep books there. A couch can absorb some ugly frequencies as well. Rugs...

RickK

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Posts: 866

(11/08/09 22:16:16)

Billy,

Thanks for the help.

I will try that with a single mic first...I did find an mic in my basement that I bought for the kids about 2 yrs ago. http://www.digital-reference.com/products/dispProd.cfm?t=wired&sT=instrument&sel=0

I am sure it is a cheap mic but I will try it before I go out and buy another.

bbunks

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Posts: 1285

(11/09/09 19:57:41)

Rick,

Keep using the H4. The noise can't be that bad (not near a fan or heat vent - yes?). You'll get room ambiance from any mic you're going to use. Next time I come out you can test drive my stereo mic to see what that will do for you, but I bet in the long run, the H4 will be just great.

Bill

happy to be playing drums

RickK

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Posts: 868

(11/09/09 20:22:14)

Thank you Bill !!

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