ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Oct 16, 2024 14:43:26 GMT -6
I guess we all get collectively used to sounds. 57 and a supra must be embedded in our dna at this point. Doesn’t really matter if it’s great or not… it kind of just is what a snare sounds like 🤣 I do track my snares with a 57. Mainly because that’s what I have and it works. But when I have the funds I will be very tempted to invest in a Lauten snare mic… I’m not saying the Lauten is a bad idea but unless your mic closet is the size of DrBill or Wards I always advise against buying one trick ponies! |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Oct 16, 2024 14:45:06 GMT -6
57 is cool if the bleed is tolerable. but 545s are even cooler. Why I see your 545 and Raise you 3, 548’s are awesome but considering they now go for more than $ 548 hard to justify on a drum kit! |
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Post by niklas1073 on Oct 16, 2024 14:59:04 GMT -6
I guess we all get collectively used to sounds. 57 and a supra must be embedded in our dna at this point. Doesn’t really matter if it’s great or not… it kind of just is what a snare sounds like 🤣 I do track my snares with a 57. Mainly because that’s what I have and it works. But when I have the funds I will be very tempted to invest in a Lauten snare mic… I’m not saying the Lauten is a bad idea but unless your mic closet is the size of DrBill or Wards I always advise against buying one trick ponies! Yes, that is solid advice, and would give the same forward in similar situation. The thing with my studio is that since it’s not really a commercial one, in the sense that most of you guys run here, nor does it need to be versatile. My studio basically consists of one trick ponies 🤣. I’ve built it around myself for my needs pretty much, and if it suits someone else's needs, then we’re good to go. It has a specific sound of it’s own, one sound. So usually if I find something I like, it does exactly the one thing I need it to do and it does it well, and I can afford it… I’ll buy it 🤣. I’m working so hard to have A great drum sound, so If I can find a mic that really captures the snare like I hear it, I’d be all over it. |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Oct 16, 2024 15:25:30 GMT -6
I’m not saying the Lauten is a bad idea but unless your mic closet is the size of DrBill or Wards I always advise against buying one trick ponies! Yes, that is solid advice, and would give the same forward in similar situation. The thing with my studio is that since it’s not really a commercial one, in the sense that most of you guys run here, nor does it need to be versatile. My studio basically consists of one trick ponies 🤣. I’ve built it around myself for my needs pretty much, and if it suits someone else's needs, then we’re good to go. It has a specific sound of it’s own, one sound. So usually if I find something I like, it does exactly the one thing I need it to do and it does it well, and I can afford it… I’ll buy it 🤣. I’m working so hard to have A great drum sound, so If I can find a mic that really captures the snare like I hear it, I’d be all over it. That works, and yeah I have a personal bias against one trick ponies, hell I’m always trying to find different uses for kick drum mics & My Shotguns are both based around the Sennhiser K6 system so I can justify the other capsules as a system vs jus as shotguns. Of course I paid less than $150 for each. |
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Post by recordingengineer on Oct 16, 2024 23:43:54 GMT -6
I’ve been enjoying the extra-cheap 57-knockoff, Pyle PDMIC78, on snare better than the original for its more open-top. I seem to like the actual 57 on heavy-distortion electric cabs better than the knockoff.
Still gotta try the Sontronics Solo and ATM650! I keep trying to convince my I don’t need them… Like I don’t need another snare when I have 14 sitting in the other room!
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Post by doubledog on Oct 17, 2024 6:51:10 GMT -6
I do track my snares with a 57. Mainly because that’s what I have and it works. But when I have the funds I will be very tempted to invest in a Lauten snare mic… The Lauten Snare Mic does have surprisingly really good rejection (esp. for a condenser mic) and Trent suggested pointing it on an even plane across the top of the head (vs pointing down or at an angle - so like it's looking across the top of the snare head) and that actually sounds really good (very crisp) and still somehow manages to reject hihat and other stuff around the kit. And it's not totally a one-trick pony. It's got useful HPF/LPF filter switches and it works great on hand percussion, congas, etc. I even put it on a guitar cab and it was alright, especially combined with a ribbon. Just cause it says "snare mic" doesn't mean you can't try it anywhere else. I plan to use the Lauten "tom mics" on congas today too (since I have a pair on hand and want stereo capability). |
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Post by EmRR on Oct 17, 2024 9:17:15 GMT -6
After my experience with several Lauten 208’s and 308’s I would think twice on several points.
The metalwork isn’t exactly robust. I’ve patched one 308 back together that had fallen over on the stand from about 2 feet up, the stout metalwork connecting the head to the body is bent and the screw holding it all together now won’t stay tight to give a firm connection for phantom power to work reliably. And you can’t get to it to get it tight and apply loctite. Soldered a wire inside the grill and ran it through to create another ground path. It will vibrate itself loose again and have to be retightened, over and over. That doesn’t make me feel great about a direct hit from a drumstick.
Two 208’s that have collected enough moisture in the capsules to be inconsistent in level, dying off completely with extended use (30 minutes!). Plenty of HH vocal condensers don’t have that problem. Notice the Lauten site FAQ has a bit about moisture in capsules. Read between the lines.
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Post by tonycamphd on Oct 17, 2024 9:26:33 GMT -6
After my experience with several Lauten 208’s and 308’s I would think twice on several points. The metalwork isn’t exactly robust. I’ve patched one 308 back together that had fallen over on the stand from about 2 feet up, the stout metalwork connecting the head to the body is bent and the screw holding it all together now won’t stay tight to give a firm connection for phantom power to work reliably. And you can’t get to it to get it tight and apply loctite. Soldered a wire inside the grill and ran it through to create another ground path. It will vibrate itself loose again and have to be retightened, over and over. That doesn’t make me feel great about a direct hit from a drumstick. Two 208’s that have collected enough moisture in the capsules to be inconsistent in level, dying off completely with extended use (30 minutes!). Plenty of HH vocal condensers don’t have that problem. Notice the Lauten site FAQ has a bit about moisture in capsules. Read between the lines. WOW! JUST WOW! Thanx for that heads up |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 17, 2024 9:29:42 GMT -6
After my experience with several Lauten 208’s and 308’s I would think twice on several points. The metalwork isn’t exactly robust. I’ve patched one 308 back together that had fallen over on the stand from about 2 feet up, the stout metalwork connecting the head to the body is bent and the screw holding it all together now won’t stay tight to give a firm connection for phantom power to work reliably. And you can’t get to it to get it tight and apply loctite. Soldered a wire inside the grill and ran it through to create another ground path. It will vibrate itself loose again and have to be retightened, over and over. That doesn’t make me feel great about a direct hit from a drumstick. Two 208’s that have collected enough moisture in the capsules to be inconsistent in level, dying off completely with extended use (30 minutes!). Plenty of HH vocal condensers don’t have that problem. Notice the Lauten site FAQ has a bit about moisture in capsules. Read between the lines. Let’s hope Lauten is reading! Look many manufacturers that have expanded their lines have run into these types of issues the difference is the good ones listen and learn. |
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Post by svart on Oct 17, 2024 11:23:23 GMT -6
Yeah, IF it's the only thing available I'd use one.
But I did go on a quest to identify the best snare drum mic..
KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed.
2nd would be the Lauten Snare mic.
3rd would be the Beta57A
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Post by doubledog on Oct 17, 2024 13:24:05 GMT -6
But I did go on a quest to identify the best snare drum mic.. You and a million others. All with different results ha ha! |
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Post by recordingengineer on Oct 17, 2024 13:42:56 GMT -6
KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed. That’s funny. One has been sitting in the mic cabinet for years. I still have never tried it on anything! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 17, 2024 13:44:34 GMT -6
I’ve been enjoying the extra-cheap 57-knockoff, Pyle PDMIC78, on snare better than the original for its more open-top. I seem to like the actual 57 on heavy-distortion electric cabs better than the knockoff. Still gotta try the Sontronics Solo and ATM650! I keep trying to convince my I don’t need them… Like I don’t need another snare when I have 14 sitting in the other room! Man every time I have seen one of those I have stayed away at all costs, now I’m just going to have no choice and grab one! |
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Post by svart on Oct 17, 2024 16:05:48 GMT -6
KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed. That’s funny. One has been sitting in the mic cabinet for years. I still have never tried it on anything! Give it a shot. It's really good. |
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Post by drumsound on Oct 18, 2024 10:56:48 GMT -6
Yeah, IF it's the only thing available I'd use one. But I did go on a quest to identify the best snare drum mic.. KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed. 2nd would be the Lauten Snare mic. 3rd would be the Beta57A Is it the minimizing of proximity effect that makes it better than a KM184 on snare? |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 18, 2024 11:07:47 GMT -6
Yeah, IF it's the only thing available I'd use one. But I did go on a quest to identify the best snare drum mic.. KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed. 2nd would be the Lauten Snare mic. 3rd would be the Beta57A Is it the minimizing of proximity effect that makes it better than a KM184 on snare? Or the shock mounting and headbasket are better protection from drummers? |
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Post by drumsound on Oct 18, 2024 11:17:50 GMT -6
Is it the minimizing of proximity effect that makes it better than a KM184 on snare? Or the shock mounting and headbasket are better protection from drummers? I just looked, the KMS105 ia hypercardioid, so that can be helpful on snare. |
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Post by svart on Oct 18, 2024 11:18:41 GMT -6
Yeah, IF it's the only thing available I'd use one. But I did go on a quest to identify the best snare drum mic.. KMS105. Hands down. Yes it's expensive, but it's practically a KM184 in a handheld form factor with some proximity effect removed. 2nd would be the Lauten Snare mic. 3rd would be the Beta57A Is it the minimizing of proximity effect that makes it better than a KM184 on snare? The truth is that folks have been using KM84's for snare (taped to a 57) for forever but since I don't have an 84 and I wouldn't dare put my 184s where drummers can hit them.. I never really bothered to use them on snare or really try them out. I think I did once long ago but my experience wasn't deep enough to fathom what I was hearing or doing and I always resorted to going back to dynamic mics for what I thought they brought to the table (cheap, low sensitivity therefor higher rejection, etc). I had heard about the KMS105 a year ago and the clips I heard were eye-opening.. So I tracked down a used one for a bit cheaper than retail and a LOT cheaper than a KM184 and gave it a shot. I couldn't believe that a snare mic could have so much detail and still have rejection.. I think the minimizing of proximity helps a lot because I can get it right up on the snare (two fingers above the head and two fingers in from the edge) and I don't have issues with boominess in the bottom end. But the rejection seems to be really good. I'm almost at a point where I don't need to mess with trying to remove hi-hats out of the snare track with trickery. I still use a little expander above 1K to get some of the hats down but that's about all, even with boosting the top end a bit with EQ afterwards. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Oct 18, 2024 11:21:21 GMT -6
Or the shock mounting and headbasket are better protection from drummers? I just looked, the KMS105 ia hypercardioid, so that can be helpful on snare. I can never rember the numbering/ polar pattern of the KMS series, I just look at the symbols on the capsules😁 |
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Post by drumsound on Oct 18, 2024 11:25:15 GMT -6
Is it the minimizing of proximity effect that makes it better than a KM184 on snare? The truth is that folks have been using KM84's for snare (taped to a 57) for forever but since I don't have an 84 and I wouldn't dare put my 184s where drummers can hit them.. I never really bothered to use them on snare or really try them out. I think I did once long ago but my experience wasn't deep enough to fathom what I was hearing or doing and I always resorted to going back to dynamic mics for what I thought they brought to the table (cheap, low sensitivity therefor higher rejection, etc). I had heard about the KMS105 a year ago and the clips I heard were eye-opening.. So I tracked down a used one for a bit cheaper than retail and a LOT cheaper than a KM184 and gave it a shot. I couldn't believe that a snare mic could have so much detail and still have rejection.. I think the minimizing of proximity helps a lot because I can get it right up on the snare (two fingers above the head and two fingers in from the edge) and I don't have issues with boominess in the bottom end. But the rejection seems to be really good. I'm almost at a point where I don't need to mess with trying to remove hi-hats out of the snare track with trickery. I still use a little expander above 1K to get some of the hats down but that's about all, even with boosting the top end a bit with EQ afterwards. The real Now you've got me jonesing to try one. I just looked, the KMS105 ia hypercardioid, so that can be helpful on snare. I can never rember the numbering/ polar pattern of the KMS series, I just look at the symbols on the capsules😁 that makes total sense. |
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