bob - i have found the d112 makes many kicks sound like a bouncing basketball. i've tried placing the mic about 4inches inside the sound hole, then 2 inches, then flush, then 2 inches away, et cetera. the best results (for my ears) i've obtained about 6 inches from the sound hole, on-axis. still, i'm getting that basketball sound. if i use my akg d3600 in the same positions, those mid-range frequencies are barely present. padding the sides of the kick? i've tried this (once only) and the bouncing ball sound was still there.

is this something you've ever noticed, and if so, have you any advice regarding eliminating this noise (without eq'ing)?

much obliged.

d112 always sounds great on our bass drum - a 20-inch ludwig. I assume it's the drum / heads / tuning / beater / player - but we don't seem to get the basketball. I say play with the tuning.

We use ambassadors on both heads. Remo Muff-L on batter head. Sometimes full front head / sometimes a hole. D112 just outside the hole....I think. Position might vary - but it's never inside. Rubber Bomber Beater.

Maybe the res head is a bit looser than "normal"?

bob

thanks bob. much obliged.

we're using an 18-inch premier kick (of which i suspect the res head hasn't been changed since about 1980) with a felt beater. time for a change methinks.

AKG D112 - Seems to make all kicks sound the same. Lots of lows, lots of highs, scooped mids. Very modern sounding. Would be good for metal.
Audio Technica ATM 25 - more natural sounding. Very good, Pro25 is also good.
Shure Beta 52 - Shure's version of the D112. Smaller diaphram dynamic in a big housing. Hyped lows and highs. It's OK but not great. D112 does this sound better.
Sennheiser MD 421 - One of my favorites for most things. Sounds more real than most of the others. If you are going for a hyped sound this is not the mic for you.

I'd also add -
Bayer M88 - like the 421 but nicer on some sounds. Also not a hyped sounding mic.

Junkshop wrote:AKG D112 - Seems to make all kicks sound the same. Lots of lows, lots of highs, scooped mids. Very modern sounding. Would be good for metal.
Audio Technica ATM 25 - more natural sounding. Very good, Pro25 is also good.
Shure Beta 52 - Shure's version of the D112. Smaller diaphram dynamic in a big housing. Hyped lows and highs. It's OK but not great. D112 does this sound better.
Sennheiser MD 421 - One of my favorites for most things. Sounds more real than most of the others. If you are going for a hyped sound this is not the mic for you.

I'd also add -
Bayer M88 - like the 421 but nicer on some sounds. Also not a hyped sounding mic.

The Beyer M88 does sound good. As does the 112 and the 421.

If you are getting a basketball sound, you need to tweak some stuff. The basketball kick sound is horrible. Check/change the heads and watch your tuning.

If I recall the Bomber Beater somehow has less attack than a regular kick mallet. Seems like that would help rid you of that bouncing sound at least somewhat.

soul_rancher wrote:thanks bob. much obliged.

we're using an 18-inch premier kick (of which i suspect the res head hasn't been changed since about 1980) with a felt beater. time for a change methinks.

hey

i think an 18" kick and the d112 are probably at odds

the d112 has a serious HF peak, as will your 18" guy, if it's tuned so the heads have reasonable tension

an m88 or re20 would probably sound better on that kick

or a beyer m380. someone else mentioned the 380. i think it's a totally great mic on bass and kick drum.

Anyone else used an Electrovoice PL6 on a kick drum?
Seems to do a pretty decent job, and you can pick them up for peanuts on ebay. Anyone know if this was their intended application? I have no 'real' kick mics to compare it to.

tmidgett -

cheers. i've done a little experimentation on the weekend. normally i use my akg d3600 on the kick because it doesn't have that hf peak you described with the d112. so i tried a friend's beyer m88 on the kick, and lo, no more bouncing basketball. i'll have to chase down the m380 if i can, it seems.

leviathan-size thanks.

I bought a d112 to have the "great" kick mic, and can't sem to warm up to it.
The closest I have gotten to a kick drum mic that really i like is the re20.
For a while i was using an at3525 (which to me is the great "unknown" classic mic) and i liked the accuracy.

ps. you all should check out the at3525. they don't make them anymore and I see them a lot on ebay for like $60. they are a condensor mic, but in some ways they are more like a dynamic. they need almost twice the gain as a at4033, which is really usefull on things like loud kick drums and cabs. quite a steal for what ebay is getting for em. i have two of em and really find them very usefull.

the Audix D4 is really good on a kick drum, very natural sounding, good low end.