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[miguel block]

I need to buy a drum mic kit & someone told me about the Audix DP7 i would like to ask for your comments about this or if you can recommend me another kind.
Thank you very much for your help.

[Tim Halligan]

I have the DP7 kit, and have used it in live, studio, and broadcast situations.

It's good.

The mounting hardware is useful, and flexible, but if the drummer is using something like the RIMS tom mounting system, the clips won't mount onto the shell. It's only occurred to me this second to try and see if it will fit on the RIMS system itself. DOH!

They do sound good, but if you are looking for a neutral sounding set of microphones, then this isn't it. They are somewhat "pre-cooked", and therefore may not fit with your aesthetic of what drums should sound like in a given musical context.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Tim

[Michael Thompson]

I need to buy a drum mic kit & someone told me about the Audix DP7 i would like to ask for your comments about this or if you can recommend me another kind.
Thank you very much for your help.

I never had the kit, but have owned all the mics in it.  Here is my take...

D6 - does what it does and thats it.  perfect for some styles, terrible on others...If I could only have one kick mic, I'd choose something else.  I still favor the AKG D112 for many gigs, but the Beta52a and SM91 are usually in my case too.
i5 - sort of a scooped SM57 sound...Often too scooped for me.  I used to have a few, but let them go.
D2 - great modern rock (90's or newer) sort of sound to me.  The old clips were terrible, but they remedied those problems.  I really like the Sennheiser e604.  I would choose them over the D2 for many gigs.
D4 - my favorite in the bunch.  reminds me of an ATM25...great on Bari Sax too.
ADX50 or 51 - Give me an SM81 instead.

[Matt Vivlamore]

IF I was to build another all around drum mic kit... I would look at:

Kick: Audix D6 and/or Shure Beta91A
Snare: Sennheiser e905
Hihat: Sennheiser e614
Toms: Sennheiser e604
Overheads: AKG C451 or Shure SM81


My current drum kit mics are tailored to the band that I work with.
Kick: Shure SM91
Snare: Sennehiser e905
Toms: Shure Beta98AMP
HiHat/OH: AKG C451

[George Dougherty]

I need to buy a drum mic kit & someone told me about the Audix DP7 i would like to ask for your comments about this or if you can recommend me another kind.
Thank you very much for your help.

If you're looking for a kit the Beyerdynamic one sounds great though some of the plastic pieces on the mics like to pop off.

If I we're building my own matching kit Id roll my own with Sennheiser 905 for snare and 904's on toms.  Pick your poison on kick.  If you're using OH for mostly picking up the metal, most any SDC will do. AT makes some really nice compact ones that are less visually obtrusive and easy to place around a kit. If you like to use your OH as the basis for your kit mix then a pair of SM81, 614/914 or something at least in that price range would be my starting point.

IMO, the DP7 is the closest thing to a high quality kit with a nice case available for live sound.  As noted it will give you a somewhat hyped sound, but it's most often a very usable sound.  If you're looking for an all in one package it's pricey but you could certainly do much worse.

[Brian Adams]

I have a few of the mics in question:

6 - D2
6 - D4
2 - D6
1 - i5
14 - ADX-51
And an assortment of D-Vice and D-Clamp mounts, probably 6-7 of each.

I like the D6, it's a great choice for rock kick when you're only using one mic.
The D2's are OK, but I don't like them on low toms, so I only use them for rack toms and alternate percussion.
The D4 is a great mic. It sounds great on floor toms and djembes and a bunch of other things.
The ADX-51's are good. Good enough that I have a bunch of them. I have a slight preference for SM81's and KSM137's, but the ADX-51's are a lot cheaper, especially if you get them used.
The i5 is a nice snare mic, especially on some snares, but it's not usually my first choice. I have one just in case though.

The D-Vice clips work really well on most drums. They don't work on most DW, Tama, or Gretsch rack toms that have the big ring that holds the drum. You can sorta get them to work on DW, since the mount is flat steel on edge, but they don't clamp down tight enough to be solid. They don't work at all on Tama and Gretsch toms with the bent steel mounts. The D-clamp can usually get onto the lugs underneath the mount for those times that a D-Vice won't work, and they're also really nice for Congas and other drums that don't have "normal" rims. You'd better have some stands for the times when a clip won't work though, but that goes for any mic you buy.

All in all, the DP7 kit is a nice setup, and it's almost everything you need for a 5-piece kit all in one box. (You might need another condenser for hi-hat). The mics sound great for most styles of music, and will probably last forever. I'd recommend it, especially if you can find a nice used set, or get a good deal on a new one.

[Thomas Le]

If you're looking for an alternative, try the Shure route, but you'll have to buy them separately as they don't make a kit. (Don't get the PG.)

- Beta 52a for kick (Beta 91a for inside to taste)
- Beta 56a for snare/toms (substitute for SM57 if not happy of beta sound)
- SM81/SM137/KSM137/Beta 181c for OH/HH (I'm content with SM137)

Nothing wrong with Audix though, it's just that it's all pre-EQ'd for a rock/pop genre, so the same kit might not be suitable for a jazz, etc. depending on taste.

[Bob Leonard]

A few years back Bob Heil sent me his best kit for demo and personal use. I have a place in my heart for all things Heil Sound, but was shocked at the quality of the new kits. Better yet, many of the mics can be used for other purposes when not being used for drums, including vocals guitar, brass, piano, Leslie, etc.. They're built well, sound incredible and just don't break.

http://www.heilsound.com/pro/products/drum-microphones

[John L Nobile]

A few years back Bob Heil sent me his best kit for demo and personal use. I have a place in my heart for all things Heil Sound, but was shocked at the quality of the new kits. Better yet, many of the mics can be used for other purposes when not being used for drums, including vocals guitar, brass, piano, Leslie, etc.. They're built well, sound incredible and just don't break.

http://www.heilsound.com/pro/products/drum-microphones

I've been looking at Heil mics for our new drummer. Think I need a few more opinions to sway me. But I do like to go away from the popular choices for gear.

[George Dougherty]

A few years back Bob Heil sent me his best kit for demo and personal use. I have a place in my heart for all things Heil Sound, but was shocked at the quality of the new kits. Better yet, many of the mics can be used for other purposes when not being used for drums, including vocals guitar, brass, piano, Leslie, etc.. They're built well, sound incredible and just don't break.

http://www.heilsound.com/pro/products/drum-microphones

Thanks for reminding Bob, I'm ashamed to say I'd forgotten about the Heil kits.

[ProSoundWeb Community]